Beginning of a NEW ERA

Giving-Back never felt soooo GOOD!

noreply@blogger.com (Titi Idowu) — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 21:31:00 +0000

I sincerely apologize for my inconsistency with updating my blog and entertaining/ educating you all. BUSY does not seem to effectively describe what I have been.

Anywayz, one good thing about my "incognito-ness" is that I'm spending more time tryna make an impact than just typing it and running my mouth/ thoughts (yes peoples! I talk the talk, and walk the walk B-) lol)

O...M....G...!!!! You have no idea how excited I am :D. Not just 'cause another Soup Kitchen is on it's way (No!) But for 2 main reasons:

I'm part of an AMAZING society (called G.V.S. Full name disclosed way later, when the need arises ;) lol); which is focused on impacting our community tremendously.
I just found out about this awesome place (fondly known as the Obama Corner...yes! in Lagos, Nigeria) where I can tutor/ mentor kids :D - yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay!!!!

There is so much peace and contentment in giving a helping hand. If you are gonna complain about something you can change or make better (and aren't), then you are just as bad as the rest of them evil-doers and enemies-of-progress.

Touch a life today. And if you wanna be involved/ wanna know how you can be involved in aiding a community, leave a note. God does love a cheerful giver.

[Spread the word...Literally]

ALWAYS look for the SILVER LINING!

noreply@blogger.com (Titi Idowu) — Sun, 26 May 2013 20:11:00 +0000

I'll make this quick.

So I traveled for 2 AWESOME events :). My indescribably lovable, caring, and handsome ;) older brother got married XD (yaaay! :'-) they grow up so fast...and I did forgot to mention, his wife is a fairytale princess herself - Simply Gorgeous). HAPPY MARRIED LIFE HUNNIES :*
Then there was my unfathomably fantastic, giving, and also handsome [I might add] ;;) younger brother's graduation from college. CONGRATULATIONS younger twin :p .

You would say, "Awesome! God's been good to you all" and He has. We all are indeed grateful (a moment to thank God... Yes! I go to church like that o:-) Thank you, Lord). With that being said, here's what really happened. Amongst all the merriment, festivity, and preparations, my parents got robbed.

yep! ROBBED!!! Stolen from... Stranded... Raided... Deprived.

[and no! this wasn't even in Nigeria]

It happened right after the wedding. It's a long story and the feeling is definitely undescribeable. They lost a lot of thngs: the very very important ones and some mere giveaways. Some might even call the "important one" life-changing (type of things)...yup! Oops!

Now here's where it gets good.

After a few tears (some more than others *hehe*), we soon concluded that we are actually grateful we didn't lose a life. Everything lost was all material things: paper, precious stones, fiber, vacuums... all (still) replaceable.

There's the silver lining. Times may seem tough, things may get you down, you may even feel all hope is lost. However, remember you still live to see another day and there are tons and tons of people around you who can't wait to see you succeed too. Make the BEST of it. Keep planning and pushing for the future. It could be worse... but IT'S NOT!

ALWAYS LOOK FOR THE SILVER LINING!

Agric-Kulture (Series 3)

noreply@blogger.com (Titi Idowu) — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 06:00:00 +0000

--- THE CHOICE BETWEEN CHICKEN AND TURKEY ---

A few people do not know the importance of having a protein-rich diet, while there's that other percentage of people who are aware but wonder where they can get more protein in their diet from. Here is a wide range of choices for you: beans, poultry, meat, seafood, dairy foods (milk, cheese, yogurt), eggs, pork, and soy.

The great thing about proteins is they help you shed those unwanted pounds/kilograms and keep your belly full. Which means your portions don't have to be as tiny as putting together 3 sugar cubes.

Obtained from WebMd

(Try swapping the carbohydrate portions like rice, with your protein portions like chicken. Take in less carbs and more protein)

Today's focus however is on the option between consuming chicken and/or turkey.

STYTIG FARMS (Nigeria) products

Oddly enough, different parts of the poultry animal contain different levels of nutritional value (depending on the serving size as well). What is for sure is listed in the table below:

Depending on what contents you are looking to increase in your diet, either is a very good source of protein (e.g. if you prefer turkey because it has less calories, however you are on a sodium-restricted diet, choosing to eat chicken is more suitable as it can help you stabilize your blood pressure).

Thinking eating chicken and turkey is plain boring- no pun intended. Use them interchangeably in your recipes for salads, sandwiches, cooked in stews, baked/ grilled/roasted, garnished with lemon, make meatballs out of them, have it shredded as a meal, have it in soup (turkey/chicken noodle soup), etc. (There a wide range of options...Make Google your friend :) )

So switch your diet to something healthier. Restrain from fatty meals and get more protein in your diet. I know a farm that has a bountiful supply for you ;) #StytigFarms. Thank me later.

...

Thank you for tuning in to another issue of Agric-Kulture. [Questions and Comments are always welcome]

####Signed...Sealed...Processed and DONE!####

M-Pact Dis! (Cain Village, Maryland)

noreply@blogger.com (Titi Idowu) — Sun, 14 Apr 2013 20:55:00 +0000

We did it again. We had another Soup Kitchen this past Saturday.

For those of you with questions, don't hesitate to leave a comment. Anyone can get involved. It's all about giving back to the community...sharing with others; being thankful to God for what you have and what you are able to give.

This time we chose a community in Maryland (around Mende- under the bridge sha). Our locations are totally random so if you have an idea of a community we can visit next, please let us know :). At first, the community elders didn't want us around. They said, "we don't need (your) charity" however we saw the situation in that area and thought we could just move to a neutral spot and whoever visits gets blessed ;).

Anyways, here are the pictures of yet another successful outreach.

We had about 12 boxes of Indomie noodles, 40 bags of pure water sachets, 500 hard-boiled eggs (11 of those crates courtesy of STYTIG FARMS ;) ;) ). I'd like to toot my own horn though- I BOILED 330 EGGS ALL BY MYSELF that morning. #phew# That's a whole lotta work though.

Back to the pictures now:

You may not see the barbecue as a big deal, but I did. It was pretty thoughtful to treat these people the exact way we would like to be treated (The Golden Rule ;) lol). And dannnnnng, that barbecue was super tasty #delicioso.

We also provided our people with free medical consultations, vitamins, supplements, and a little confidence-booster (pep talk).

It got pretty crowded though.

Here's a sample pack for each person to take away. It contained noodles, an egg, a piece of bbq chicken/ turkey; plus a sachet of water :)

Shout outs to the wonderful donors for this great impact to our community. Big shouts to everyone involved in this event and especially to the volunteers. God bless us all.

('cuse my photoshopping skills :p i did tell them to make sure I was included in the group shot 'cause I had to leave earlier #hehe)

But, Yaaaaaaaay!

Please make an impact in somebody else's life. #WhatWouldJesusDo :p

Accidents and those who are prone

noreply@blogger.com (Titi Idowu) — Sun, 14 Apr 2013 05:00:00 +0000

Response to the title = EVERYONE.

Yes dear, this includes you.

Maryland. Heading towards Mende (under the bridge)

Saturday morning (yesterday) and there's already a 5-car chain accident. How to avoid an accident like this is to keep a safe following-distance between you and the vehicle in front of you. What can be considered safe is enough distance that another car can almost fit into. I know this is probably hard to do in crazy Lagos, however it's better SAFE (not getting into an accident at all) than SORRY (being in an accident, being delayed, and having to fix your car).

Moving towards Western Avenue

In case you are having a hard time comprehending what you are looking at, it is an overturned truck/ lorry which was carrying cement. Maybe the driver was asleep?! Maybe he lost control of the wheel?!
My preventive suggestion here is:

Caution your (truck/bus) drivers to drive at a reduced speed (at least the very many uniformed officers can contribute by helping regulate this). A "Tell me how I'm driving" sign on the back of the truck is a good way of feedback from other drivers (that care); because guess what: an accident on your vehicle will NOT be covered by the driver involved.
Encourage your drivers to be asleep during the day, by not giving them much work during the day. If they get a chance to sleep during the day, they should be more energized and awake during the night, when traveling with your vehicle.

Accidents aren't merely an unpleasant sight and commotion bound. They are a huge hassle on the parties involved and can be reduced/ avoided.

People please learn to be more patient on the roads. It goes a really long way... try it out for a while (it may be annoying 'cos people might want to make you feel like you can't drive, but greatly rewarding).

What's YOUR advice on how to drive/ live safer in Lagos???

Driver's Licence Palava.

noreply@blogger.com (Titi Idowu) — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 19:29:00 +0000

Someone tell me why oh why there's just one driver's licence center in the whole of (New York-size) Lagos State?! :-s

And from their website, you would think they are definitely living in the 21st century like the rest of us #smh. People say there's nothing to do/ no jobs. I say here's a perfect job opportunity (for at least 200 Nigerians). FRSC, we appreciate your work so far (-ish) but please, consider having more centers...maybe in major cities. Then, your staff can also live happier lives and attend to the rest of us properly.

There are like 7 different spots you will have to visit to get everything all done and do note that you SHOULD NOT expect to be all done in a day or two.

A typical schedule at the center would include:

Obtaining the renewal forms from a business-center-like spot,
Heading to the bank to make a payment, via pay4me,
Upon returning with the receipt, make copiesss of all necessary documents,
Submit all necessary documents and wait to be called on,
Upon being called, head to another spot where you would be directed to go and do a written test,
After marking of your test by officials, you either get called in to present a car for a driving test, or you could be sent straight to get some medicals done,
Then there's another spot you will need to visit to get your consented forms registered. Here, you will also be required to purchase a driver's ed. CD,
Then you will be redirected to your first forms-submission spot, I guess to book an appointment for your capture/ licence to be issued...(which will definitely not be on the same day NO MATTER WHAT or anytime soon, as they have too many appointments already booked for the immediate few months) #exhale

One of the desk of an official. He gets new piles almost every 5 minutes.

But then again, I just went through the website (www.frsc.gov.ng) and navigated to the Driver's Licence page (Renewal of licence). I noticed it seems like I could have done this online, saved time, money (and my beautiful skin from the hot sun ;;) #jus'saying). If this truly is possible, how about they (preferably at Ojodu) educate others that this could be done online? For heaven's sake, there was a lady at the center today and she was pretty furious, even got tired of listening to orders like 'sit over there', 'wait your turn.' She yelled that she has been trying to renew her licence since 2011 :-o. Well she OBVIOUSLY wasn't coming everyday for the past 2 years, although if the process was pretty straightforward why wasn't she informed? Why wasn't I informed (and the hundreds of other literates that were present today/ this week)?

[And don't get me started on the flaws with the whole written test, driver's ed. CD, etc 8-| #smh]

Anyway, if you have used it (the website to renew) or know someone that has, do give a SHOUT OUT! (I would try it but my paperwork has already been processed and is almost all done...I kinda gotit like dat B-) lol).

This could serve as a PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT!!!

Thank you (and have a FANTASTIC WEEKEND) :)

M-Pact Dis! (Day at Modupe Cole)

noreply@blogger.com (Titi Idowu) — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 23:00:00 +0000

On Thursday, I was privileged to make another trip to a place with great abilities (despite a number of shortcomings... my first visit there was in 2005, before I went off to college).

Modupe Cole is a Child care and Treatment center/school/home for handicapped and mentally challenged individuals, in Lagos state. It is located in Yaba and caters to people with different disabilities such as autism, multiple sclerosis, down syndrome, birth defeats, after-effects of polio, etc. Not everyone resides at the Home though; some of the children do come from their own homes.

This center is equipped with a school, vocational training rooms (shoe making, hair braiding, mop making, artistry, weaving, etc), a library, common rooms, as well as dormitories.

Do enjoy the pictorial/ video-capture of our (FirstBank executive trainees') fun day at Modupe Cole Center.

Here's a clip of his performance below :)

Then we had MORE fun :)

We also had 2 special numbers for them. 'Miracles' and 'Happy Day.' Here's a sample of one:

These kids like to party too :). I also made a video recording of them dancing (but uploading takes too long and I've already delayed on my intended posting date :( yet :D 'cause it's still all good.)

Now more pictures...

It gives me great honor, to present to you my homegirl. She's super talented, filled with so much wisdom, is such an inspiration, and did I mention is pretty :). God bless you Toma :*

(P/S: She made an amazing speech that I was so lost in her introduction and words, I forgot to capture x_x ...but good thing I didn't. You wouldn't wanna hear me sobbing, trust me! :p lol)

As you can see, if not for one or two minute changes in their genes or just pure circumstances, we are pretty much the same. We all want to have a good time, want to be loved, want to be cared for, want to be remembered. These people truly are extraordinary.

Thank you for taking the time out to view this post. God bless you too (and as you make an impact in someone else's life) ...Amen!!!

Prison, Break

noreply@blogger.com (Titi Idowu) — Sun, 24 Mar 2013 11:11:00 +0000

What I did on Friday was way out of my ordinary. I'm all for charitable events, however, the thought of this one sent shivers down my spine.

Why?

...because it's a PRISON for heaven's sake. Too many thoughts went through my head at first..."What if a fight breaks out", "What if they get upset and think we are here to make fun of them", "What if they overpower the guards and attack us, visitors", What if...What if! Then again, why show any amount of care to these individuals. They are thieves, murders, drug traffickers, etc...pure evil! Do they really deserve an atom of charitable doings?!

The Nigerian Prisons Service, Ikoyi (located on Ribadu road)

Lo and behold, I couldn't have been more wrong. Yes, it still houses all these criminals and much more. Though, they are still human and God is a forgiving God so who are we to scar them as devils, forever.

The visit to the prison was very eye-opening. We learnt that the prison was to house 800 inmates, but currently they had about 1,700 inmates living in there. What was more saddening was that the convicted felons were only about a mere 10% of the population (184 of them), while the rest were there awaiting trial. Some of these people have been there for up to 5 years now, still awaiting trial from a (possibly lazy) judge who may just keep postponing their trial date...while these individuals rot away in ____ (insert your best description for such a torment).

Not wanting to dwell too many on the negatives of the prison, I am indeed impressed though by the treatment in there (except of course we were lied to 8-| and it is indeed not too far off from hell). They took us to the different blocks of the different kinds of prisoners they have. They seem quite concerned not to let the "very evil ones" influence the not-so-evil ones/ first-timers. They also had a block for those with higher statuses in the society. The senator types, foreigners, and co. Obasanjo was a regular once here x_x.

In line with still trying to keep sanity in there, they have a school which let's the individuals sit for JAMB, GCE, Open University; they have a vocational center, where the inmates can learn tailoring, wood-work (carpentry), and also become computer literacy; they have a welfare center, where the inmates can make purchases of additional food/ items they need (Yesso! they are allowed to have money in there, sell to each other, even smoke #smh...ask me for more details on any area you can think of 'cos I will not be writing it all down here to bore others); they have a Catholic and Pentecostal church, as well as a Mosque; they have a clinic, as well as a psychiatric ward, for those who go off the handle a few times; etc. They eat 3 meals a-day, however each portion is equivalent to N 60 meal outside :( - this is where their extra cash comes in handy. God dey sha.

Like I said, it was very eye-opening.

I'd like to add though that anyone can land in here oh. Please be careful out there (on the streets). They have a few inmates in there who were caught "wandering" on a street that wasn't theirs. Don't be caught next to prostitutes at night (even if your favorite suya joint just happened to be right there ;) lol). You could get mistaken for being in association oh. Ah! On environmental days, stay in your house till 10 a.m. oh. Yes, they arrest and imprison people for that if caught. Hawking is still a criminal offence (we witnessed the bringing in of a man, whose goods were later distributed to some inmates).

Moral lesson: Be on your best behavior, likewise obey the law of the lawless land. :) #peace

Agric-Kulture (Series 2)

noreply@blogger.com (Titi Idowu) — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 07:00:00 +0000

I am a PROUD mama :d

Just in case you are wondering what that is, let me tell you. This is the first trial of our (dad & I's) little experiment. This is what is called ....TURKEY INCUBATION.

Yes yes! You guessed right. I am delving into the agricultural sector now. Why? You may ponder. Because there's so much to be done there, not enough people are in it...and because it is a SUPER COOL career.

Let's go on to some fun facts (shall we?!)

Did you know that:

Nigeria is very blessed with agricultural resources. Hence, the prominent 'green' in the flag.
Before independence (1960), agriculture was the foundation for the human economy in Nigeria. We were self-sufficient in terms of food.
Our agricultural sector is divided into - Food Crops, Cash Crops, Forestry, Livestock, Fisheries.
The Food crops we can produce in Nigeria include: beans, cassava, palm oil, plantains, cocoa beans, sesame, palm kernels, maize, sorghum etc; the Cash crops are: cashew nuts, cocoa, cotton, rubber, kolanuts, groundnuts; our Forests produce: Mahogany, Ebony, Camwood; and for Fishery, we can rear just about any type of fish (besides our natural resources).
Cash-crop means GROWN FOR SALE/ FOR PROFIT. *hint hint*
Livestock sub-sector accounted for ~2% of the GDP in the 1980s. In 2001, agriculture in total contributed 32% to the GDP.
80% of our land is cultivable.

Now check THIS out...

Cocoa is the leading non-oil foreign exchange earner (however, production is held back due to the dominance of smallholders and lack of farm labor- due to urbanization). E.g. In 1999, Nigeria produced 145, 000 tons of cocoa beans, despite the fact that we have potential for over 300, 000 per year.
Rubber is the 2nd largest non-oil foreign exchange earner.

I'm just thinking out loud here. The same way we have revolutionized the use of ankara and other African prints into a HugH fashion statement, we should tap into the agricultural sector... We have every resource in this bountiful land to make us a DEVELOPED NATION.

Are you aware of how much food gets imported into the country daily??? (Me neither, but I keep hearing it's a whole lot and the most ridiculous things too e.g. processed chicken....it's freaking CHICKEN 8-| )

Anyway, WELCOME TO AGRIC-KULTURE once again. Hope you are just as encouraged as you are excited for me on my new venture :d.

See you soon.

My first babies :d #UberProud

####Signed...Sealed...Processed and DONE!####

Agric-Kulture (Series 1)

noreply@blogger.com (Titi Idowu) — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 23:00:00 +0000

Welcome to my INAUGURAL piece of Agricultural revolution. I basically got an epiphany (which evolved from a business class...school is sooo awesome :d ) and initially thought i should come out with my own magazine brand. However, a wise man (my lovely brother >:d< ) advised me differently, and after thorough consideration, I realized I should first acquire a very supportive market-base/ audience so that I become real sure that my efforts are not in vain- herego, why we are here.

I developed an intense interest in agriculture and its infinite possibilities, which is where Agric-Kulture sprung forth from- it's a journal about Agric as a culture/ way of life. In essence, Agric-Kulture is to encourage and support the current & future agriculturalist, as well as keep all others informed with where and what is in vogue/ essential in this sector. I'll be writing in Series (for easy-search and ones effective following patterns) so don't fret if you ever feel lost.

It's going to be a monthly issue (I shall try, as I'm not entirely jobless :p )... And it starts NOW!!!

P/S: <:-p HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME :) <:-p

Outcome of the charity event (Ikota Outreach)

noreply@blogger.com (Titi Idowu) — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 21:58:00 +0000

It went down last Saturday. It REALLY went down.

The charitable event I made mention of earlier took place on the 23rd of February, 2013. About 17 of us, bravely, traveled down to a little community in Ikota, to spread some 'Valentine' cheer (that's right! Show love anyways...just because).

It was comforting to give, however a bit saddening that people live in such bad conditions. Poverty isn't only the lack of; it is also the selfish act of not wanting to share what should conveniently go round. Simply put: Scarcity Mentality.

Bottom line is, I'm just glad a number of us were about to give back to our community. A community which was in a way part of our upbringing.

I won't bore you too much with words. I'll let the pictures speak for themselves.

Welcome to your virtual presence at the Ikota Outreach.

And then,

What each bag-pack contained

Van-full of good tidings

The distribution commences

Some excited residents

The children's line

The women/ mother's line just kept growing and growing

We paused for a while to re-strategize, because we knew the bags wouldn't go round

Then we came up with the idea of emptying the school bags so everyone in line had a bit of something

>:d< We put SMILES :) on faces #xoxo >:d<

Part of the 'Helping-hands' team =d>

Amen!!!

Had to get my piece of the cake too :p

God bless us all (Amen) o:)

If you'll like to be a part of this movement, either by volunteering your time or making any form of donations, we will be more than happy to welcome and accommodate you.

<Proverbs 22:9>

Thank you (in advance).

Entrepreneurship (and serving the community)

noreply@blogger.com (Titi Idowu) — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 06:30:00 +0000

2012 was a pretty cool year. We thought together. We shared ideas together. We also (day)dreamt together. However, 2013 is the year of implementation.

What's your plan this year? Future goals??? Do share (we can help each other grow).

On the note of helping each other, I have decided to join a FANTASTIC MAN in his passion of farming, and I tell you...it is still a topic of further (later...and thorough) discussion. I also have the privilege of being a part of two spectacular events coming up this weekend.

The first one is a Charity Event. My dear friend, 'Mide, is at it again.
[People, when you have a passion for something, you have NO CHOICE but to get it done]

So, 'Mide has put together another opportunity to bless the less privileged, with hampers (school bags) containing items like
milk, milo, golden morn, rice, tomato paste, salt, maggi cubes, and detergents. Donations were made and a good number of hampers have been put together (however, the more contributions, the merrier and more appreciated - from us and those getting your blessings). Volunteers are still being sought so it's not too late to be a part of this GREAT show-of-love.
[Who says the act of Valentine's should only be celebrated on the 14th day of February, with a lover /:) ]

Snapshot of what our donors have done so far. Nigerians do care #Godbless

For more details about this event happening on the 23rd of February, 2013........seek and ye shall find ;) .

Then, there's "An Evening With the Emerging Ones" which is an event for CEO's, Young Professionals, Business Executives (etc), which will be headlined by Mrs. Bola Adesola (MD/CEO Standard Chattered Bank).

So you see! My 2013 is set forth, with great accomplishments. I'm not saying your ideas aren't good enough.

I am just saying, think hard and deep. Do Not let this year pass you by without YOU being involved (with your progress) YOURSELF.

HAPPY NEW YEAR/ EARLY VALENTINE'S

noreply@blogger.com (Titi Idowu) — Wed, 06 Feb 2013 23:00:00 +0000

Happy New Year my beautiful people. Yes, I'm still alive! And yes, I still got the zeal.

Sorry about the abrupt disappearance. A lot (and a few) things came up... but not to worry. Didatsy is back with full force ;).

What you HAVE missed though is I resigned from my previous job (I know Winners don't quit...However, my 'quitting' was more of an escape in order to EXPAND on my tremendous future). I also got another job in that period (God is truly good and faithful). And then there was a farm...

[THIS IS WHERE I PLAN TO FOCUS MOST OF OUR ATTENTION ON THIS YEAR. TRUST ME IT'S GONNA BE A GREAT YEAR. GET YOUR FRIENDS TO SUBSCRIBE AS WELL.]

Speaking of the new year, What's your New Year's Resolution? :D
Mine is to wake up every morning and remember to say, 'Thank you Lord.'

P/S: My older brother is getting married this weekend (yaaay!)
Wish him and his new family a fantastic beginning for me ;) -pics might come soon.

Innovative thoughts can occur in ANYone...even YOU!

noreply@blogger.com (Titi Idowu) — Fri, 20 Jul 2012 07:00:00 +0000

Without talking about YOU for a second, let's talk about someone who took that brave step. Meet the 15 year old [yea! you read right] who is changing how we test for Cancer.

I've always thought (and still do) that we are missing the simplest things because we are thinking too hard or too far out. Sometimes I think the cure for AIDS [if the US government doesn't already have it and being selfish with it...to make pharmaceutical companies keep selling... - #sigh# another topic for another day people] is right under our noses but we are all just looking for complicated/ complex solutions to these problems.

Thank goodness for 15-year-old, Jack Andraka, a high school freshman, who came up with a simple and inexpensive test to diagnose pancreatic cancer. Here's his story:

Jack Andraka is a 15-year-old student from Maryland, who took first place in this year's Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (Intel ISEF), with his mind-blowing discovery of a paper sensor that detects pancreatic cancer 168 times faster than current tests. His discovery is also 90% accurate, 400 times more sensitive, and 26,000 times LESS expensive than today's methods. Summary: It's much more better.

"I became interested in early detection [because a friend's brother was killed by the disease], did a ton of research, and came up with this idea," Andraka said.

Jack Andraka's dip-stick sensor can test blood or urine for a certain protein called mesothelin, which indicates the presence of the specific cancer. According to Andraka, it can detect cancer even before it becomes invasive.

He plans to use his $75,000 winnings to invest in his college education, with plans to become a pathologist. However, in the meantime, Jack plans to start clinical trials with the sensor, meet with Quest Diagnostics, and get his product on the market within 10 years. [hmmm... what was I doing in high school/ college?!...one word = alcohol x_x ]

What are you gonna do now?

Black hair- The NATURAL look = Bad?!

noreply@blogger.com (Titi Idowu) — Thu, 19 Jul 2012 14:29:00 +0000

hmm...your thoughts????

Staying healthy during the climate change

noreply@blogger.com (Titi Idowu) — Sun, 15 Jul 2012 18:52:00 +0000

No one is (totally) stupid. You know the obvious when it comes to staying healthy and well (so I'm pretty much wasting my time here). However, how come you still end up at the doctors?! Or with a huge sickness-blister around your lip?! Or sneezing and sniffling real bad after being (let's say) caught in the consistent rain-pours, in a not so thick outfit that has a lot of skin out...?!

It's okay. We all fall prey to ailments, however, a few of them can be easily avoided if we paid closer attention. Health is Wealth people...Word!

Here's what to do to make sure you still ON TOP of the weather/ climate change as much as possible:

- Avoiding malaria: Mosquitoes breed around stagnant water. If you live or work around a swampy area or an area with little puddles of water here and there, you are an easy access for mosquitoes to visit. It's almost inevitable that you can avoid them, however, in your home make sure you use an insecticide to disinfect your rooms, daily. Preferably as you step out to work, spray an effective amount to get rid of any mosquito currently inhabiting your home while repelling any who plans to come visit. [ How cool is that?!]

- Avoiding a cold/flu: If the weather isn't too hot and sunny, it's raining heavily. And because of this, our windows are up and our air conditioning on, while we drive around. Even at our offices, they have the air conditioning on full blast, while you shiver away. Stay warm and never leave your house without a sweater or cardigan in hand. An umbrella is also very important for the rainy days, but I'll like to hit more on having a SWEATER or CARDIGAN in hand. Thick scarves are good too. Plus, on those rainy day, try to stay away from very cold beverages at all times. Mix it up: have a hot/warm cup of cocoa, drink lukewarm water, etc.

- Avoiding terrible allergies: You know what you are allergic to, then have your aid available at all times. That's it! Have it constantly around. Your supplements, your inhaler and refills, pocket tissue, vitamins... the whole works. Another reason having such on you is important is so that if there is a crisis and people are unable to communicate with you, seeing what you have on you would give them an idea of a possible problem you may be going through (making professional aid more effective and immediate).

- Avoiding catching something contagious: You can be as careful as possible, always prepared to keep warm, having a mosquito repellent in your top drawer, etc; however you can still be very prone to a (contagious) ailment not by your own demise. Best advise: have your hands far away from your face as possible. Here's what I mean...

Your hand goes everywhere: inside your nose (eww! i know), your eye(s), your mouth, on an open sore, etc. They also go here: opening doors, touching railings, touching tables, touching people (helping someone up, high fives, getting someone to move away when they don't hear you say it, hand shakes - hmm, now I get why Ose bobo made it an ish to only give fist-pounds to guys. He did tell me he knows how guys can be very dirty :-p ), etc. All these external places carry germs. What you need to go is watch your hands very frequently (note that there's also a technique to effective hand wash). Every time you think you would need to touch an eye or have your hand in your mouth, wash your hands...trust me, your hands are not THAT clean. It also helps to have hand sanitizers handy, however realize it only kills the germs, not get it off your hands (washing does that).

Thinking of something else I didn't mention, feel free to add it below.

Oh, P/S: If you've already caught something...ermm, you would know because you won't feel like your usual self (duh!). As I was saying, if you feel different from usual and not in a good way, you should seek medical attention immediately. Early symptoms are always easy to treat (could take less than a week to get rid of) and less expensive ;) .

Take care of yourself everyone. Be safe.

Welcome to Mister AFRICA International ;)

noreply@blogger.com (Titi Idowu) — Thu, 12 Jul 2012 08:00:00 +0000

Just LESS than a month ago, I introduced to you the young-mind called Twitch, who is without a doubt going places (and not waiting on a phone to ring or an employer to fall from the sky into his kitchen). Well, the House of Twitch is back with yet another innovative concept to improve the continent of Africa (and may I add, feed your eyes ;) ).

Mister Africa International is a quest to find the most adorable man of African origin (yes honey! It could be you ;;) ).

20 country representatives will travel down to London this year for the maiden edition of the Mister Africa International, the search for the most desirable man in the world, of African origin.
The two main problems facing most African countries are POVERTY and UNEMPLOYMENT. The winner of the Mister Africa International will dedicate his year to raising money for small scale businesses in Africa.

The Mister Africa International is organised by [you guessed it] ...the House of Twitch (producers of Mr. Ideal Nigeria pageant @ www.mridealnigeria.com) and Mr. Earth South Africa. Although first of its kind, the pageant promises to be a great one and will be held on the 29TH of SEPTEMBER, 2012 at LONDON METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY, one of London's largest institutions.
(This venue has been chosen in the spirit of the Olympics)

"The idea is to gather some of the most handsome, sporty young men with amazing entrepreneurial skills in the world of African Origin, which will happen in London, Home of the Olympics," Ayotunde Fabamwo, President of the pageant explained to Didatsy.

Oh me, oh my! I need a front roll seat. Entrepreneurial skills are hard to notice from the back :D

Those who will wish to participate or want more information should email mister_africa@coolgoose.com or ayotunde@missomolewa.com

Do you have what it takes?!

Empowering the Kids

noreply@blogger.com (Titi Idowu) — Mon, 09 Jul 2012 17:29:00 +0000

I was listening to the radio this morning. I think it was 99.2 FM or so. And for the first time ever, I didn't change the station while "random talking" was going on. They were talking about the next generation of kids and something I paid close attention to was when someone mentioned that in (junior) school, all kids are recognized whether they have exceptional grades or not and she thought this gave them no real idea of the real world, because in the real world, mediocrity does not get awarded (with a consolation price). Not everyone agreed with her idea of keeping it totally-real with the kids and only awarding those who actually deserve it - which should push the others to do better if they wanted to be recognized too (as well as be great in future). In their own defenses, mediocre kids need encouragement and consolation-acknowledgement is essential.

:-?

You have to agree with me though that kids of nowadays have no concept of reality, which truth be told will set most of them (if not all) for failure in the real world.

I would like to share a speech I retrieved from the internet which has Bill Gates addressing a bunch of high school kids about 11 things they did not and will not learn in school. You may already be aware of this talk, however, it's worth a second look.

Rule 1: Life is not fair - get used to it!

Rule 2: The world won't care about your self-esteem. The world will expect you to accomplish something BEFORE you feel good about yourself.

Rule 3: You will NOT make $60, 000 (~ N 9.5 million) a year right out of high school. You won't be a vice-president with a car phone until you earn both.

Rule 4: If you think your teacher is tough, wait till you get a boss.

Rule 5: Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Your grandparents had a different word for burger flipping: they called it opportunity.

Rule 6: If you mess up, it's not your parent's fault, so don't whine about your mistakes; learn from them.

Rule 7: Before you were born, your parents weren't as boring as they are now. They got that way from paying your bills, cleaning your clothes, and listening to you talk about how cool you thought you were. So before you save the rain forest from the parasites of your parent's generation, try delousing the closet in your own room.

Rule 8: Your school may have done away with winners and losers, but life HAS NOT. In some schools, they have abolished failing grades and they'll give you as MANY TIMES as you want to get the right answer. This doesn't bear the slightest resemblance to ANYTHING in real life.

Rule 9: Life is not divided into semesters. You don't get summers off and very few employers are interested in helping you FIND YOURSELF. Do that on your own time. (Seek assistance from your family or relatives that you think "bother you too much, and don't mind-their-business about you")

Rule 10: Television is NOT real life. In real life people actually have to leave the coffee shop and go to jobs. (hahaha! I think the sitcom Friends or How I Met Your Mother when I read this)

Rule 11: Be nice to nerds. Chances are you'll end up working for one. (Now that's NOT a lie)

IF YOU AGREE TO SOME OR ALL OF THESE LIFE'S LESSONS, KINDLY PASS IT ON.
IF YOU CAN READ THIS - THANK A TEACHER!

Let's empower the kids. Someone did it to you - this is the least you could do to give back. (M-Pact Dis!)

How To Get Out of a SMELLY Situation

noreply@blogger.com (Titi Idowu) — Sat, 07 Jul 2012 14:09:00 +0000

It's real simple. If, for example, you are in an elevator [you can excuse yourself and] press the next floor to get off at. If you are standing somewhere with the smelly person, walk away (not rudely of course). Yea, the person may get offended, but WTH they are wrong too for thinking it's okay.

#Sigh#

I'm all for being nice and all but I think stinky people just take the piss. It's not directly some of them's fault but com'on! Be a little more considerate. I get bad breathe sometimes #Don'tLookAtMeLikeDat /:) # but when I'm talking to people I do not talk directly in their face/ nose. I give a slight tilt or talk like the words are coming out of my ears. You know you have body odor (yea! you do because someONE has had to have told you) yet you come right next to someone to receive a call. THE PHONE IS MOBILE! MOVE AWAY!!!

#Sigh#

So, here's my quick "How-to" guide on getting yourself out of a smelly situation.

Be pretty direct about moving away to avoid the stench. They may get offended
but aslong as you are not directly rude about it i.e. making verbal comments, the
person will be fine.

#Sigh#
8-|

Any other suggestions?

Series of Fortunate-Unfortunate Events

noreply@blogger.com (Titi Idowu) — Wed, 04 Jul 2012 21:32:00 +0000

Lemme start off with my least risky encounter today.

I went to the British Council today (personal business people b-) ). I met with a young gentleman who was a security guard. We got talking (official business) and he told me how he was always excited to see marketers at work and stuff, while I was half not-interested - as I think marketing can be a drag 8-| . He enlightened me that he used to work as a marketer...#GetThis#...for Standard Chartered bank :-o . Now he's a security guard, just trying to make ends meet. He went on talking about how it's hard tryna talk to any girl he likes 'cause they won't take him seriously (ermm... a bit off topic he went). blah blah blah...

Anyway, I called that risky because it's a deep realization for a lot of us. We may be struggling (and I'm not saying you should settle for just anything), however, we should also realize that what we need to do is work every position we are in to our fullest potential.
[Also, I think he tried to hit on me just before I left :-/ ...Risky! yet fortunate]

So, I'm heading back to work after this encounter and trying to put down a quick note for my report when I get stopped by...ermm...not LASTMA or LAWMA or a Traffic Warden. Some dude in a Fushia-like uniform-top. He requests why my seat belt is not on x_x [I totally forgot to do that and didn't even notice him on time]. On a normal day, he would've made me pull over and sieved my vehicle and/or demanded a fine (which would go into his pocket, of course). But fortunately for me, he let me go...thank God 'cause I was definitely in the wrong here and wouldn't have known how to get out of it.
[Also, this guy I remember very well. He demanded I pay a fine sometime in the past, when my friends (Salo baby and Sole-sole) and I made a U-turn on that street. Apparently, that wasn't allowed and there were no signs but becuase he knows it's not allowed, he believed we were wrong ...RISKY! yet fortunate]

Now time for dessert!

Sitting at the traffic light, waiting for the green signal. The traffic signal finally changes to green. I look both ways to make sure no car is still approaching. Every incoming car seemed to have stopped right before the white line on the ground. Still proceeding with caution, then one bus zooms right across in front of me :-o...

I'm thanking God I wasn't in a hurry to go 'cause it wudda been a straight-up major causality. In shock and still proceeding with caution, another smaller car zooms right in front as well. I just looked straight at the SIX (6) traffic controllers in front of me, as some were still chatty, while the others looked shocked as well.
[RISKY!!! bless-you-Lord fortunate]

I'm still a believer of when-it's-your-time-it's-your-time and it obviously wasn't and isn't my time o:-) .
I have so much impact to make in my society. No one will bring me down.

NO ONE!!!

###P/S: Real names of friends hidden to protect their identity. hehehe :p ###

Laff IT Off - Lambo-Ogini!

noreply@blogger.com (Titi Idowu) — Tue, 03 Jul 2012 08:30:00 +0000

World, meet the newest technological addition to the Nigerian roads. You know how they say most counterfeit things in naija are Aba-made lool. Well, meet the LAMBO-OGINI!!! (named it myself :p)

=))

Have a great day, y'all.

M-Pact Dis!

noreply@blogger.com (Titi Idowu) — Sun, 01 Jul 2012 22:59:00 +0000

#yawn#

What a long weekend it was. Shout out to my muffin who celebrated her birthday this weekend. May God grant you good health and a prosperous life (IJN...Amen!)

Yes beautiful people. It's yet the end of another weekend, and a moment to share with each other the positives we've involved ourselves with during the week. Motivate each other to go into the new week with a better attitude (and make the world a better place).

I'll take the floor first ( 8-| like I always do) and say what other way to show love than showing great appreciation. The act of kindness I would like to share with y'all is to WHOLE-HEARTEDLY THANK YOU ALL for the views, comments, support, and love you've shown to my page. I couldn't have made it this far without y'all (so believe it or not, you are actually nicer than you thought >:d< ). My blog is just 2 months old and I feel so accomplished already...and for that I say THANK YOU (Jah's blessings).

If there's anything else you think my blog might be missing and would like to suggest a few heres and theres, I'm very open to your suggestions (also as long as it doesn't defeat my purpose :-> )

So go out there and continue to be kind. Have a great JULY everyone. Happy New Month!!!

Getting You Inspired To Change The World

noreply@blogger.com (Titi Idowu) — Sat, 30 Jun 2012 09:00:00 +0000

"Give to the world the best you have, and the best will come back to you." - Madeline Bridges

"If we want to change things, we must first change ourselves. If we want to play - if we want to change the world - we must first show up on the field to score. " - Paul Rusesabagina

"If you get, give. If you learn, teach." - Maya Angelou

"Don't ever forget that you're a citizen of this world, and there are things you can do to lift the human spirit, things that are easy, things that are free, things that you can do every day. Civility, respect, kindness, character." - Aaron Sorkin

"The miracle of your mind isn't that you can see the world as it is. It's that you can see the world as it isn't." - Kathryn Schulz

"Smart may have the brains, but Stupid has the balls...Smart Critiques, Stupid Creates...Smart has the plans, Stupid has the stories...Smart sees what there is, Stupid sees what there could be...Stupid may fail, Smart doesn't even try...Smart had one good idea and that idea was [initially] Stupid." - Diesel

"No matter how convenient it is for us to reach out to people remotely, sometimes the most important task is to show up in person." - Blake Mycoskie

"If you can change the way people think. The way they see themselves. The way they see the world. If you do that, you can change the way people live their lives. That's the only lasting thing you can create." - Chuck Palahniuk

"To make any kind of progress, we need to imagine a different reality and believe it's possible." - Tali Sharot

"We can all reduce our life to a description that makes people feel sorry for ourselves or we can expand our life to a dimension where we connect and give to others." - Tony Robbins

"Why you? Because there's no one better. Why now? Because tomorrow isn't soon enough." - Donna Brazile

"If you could only sense how important you are to the lives of those you meet; how important you can be to the people you may never even dream of. There is something of yourself that you leave at every meeting with another person." - Fred (Mr.) Rogers

"When you stand and share your story in an empowering way, your story will heal you and your story will heal somebody else." - Iyanla Vanzant

Where is your "Soccket?!"

noreply@blogger.com (Titi Idowu) — Fri, 29 Jun 2012 06:00:00 +0000

Do you daydream about inventions you would like to see happen but too scared to even delve into it?

I know I do, but the difference is I'm not scared. [Hunnie, if I was scared, I wouldn't even have this blog...and don't get me started on my ideas ;)...it's big baby!]

You have plans that could change the world. Not necessary for the aim of getting your name out there, but for the goal of making a GREAT IMPACT in the universe.

Nahhhh! Don't be confused (as to where I'm going with this). I'd like y'all to take in this story I came across while reading Oprah's online ....#thingymabob!

#AndNoI'mNotAnOprahFreak...Don'tEvenKnowHerLikeThat# 8-|

Genius Idea: The Soccer Ball That Can Power a Lamp

In 2010 Julia Silvermand and Jessica Matthews traveled halfway around the world, hoping to light

up some of the more impoverished villages of South Africa and Nigeria by testing some soccer balls

there. But not just any soccer balls: their Socckets, as they call them, house gyroscopic mechanisms

that harness energy from the ball's motion. After being kicked around for 30 minutes, the balls can

power a small LED lamp for three hours- long enough for a child whose home lacks electricity

to do homework or read a book. Since most communities in Africa are crazy about soccer, the ball

was a hit. "The kids thought it wad magic," Silverman says, "but I could also see the wheels turning

in their heads. One boy came back with a drawing of a ball with windmills sticking out of it. They

wanted to be inventors, too."

The idea of the Soccket dates to an undergraduate engineering class at Harvard. There, Silverman

and Matthews...drew on their experiences abroad- Matthews's family is from Nigeria, and Silverman

had worked in sub-Saharan Africa- to devise a technically simple idea that could make a huge differ-

ence to the 1.4 billion people in the world living without electricity. The group knew that kerosene

lamps emit dangerous fumes. While brainstorming alternatives, they thought of so-called shake

flashlights, which are powered by motion, not batteries. Soon they'd put one inside a hamster ball to

demonstrate how the global mania for soccer might help bring light to the places that don't have it.

After the term ended, Matthews and Silverman worked with a design firm to create a more realistic

prototype, a dead ringer for an actual soccer ball, except for the small plug on the outside.

In 2011, the duo quit their jobs...to focus on the Soccket...Matthews says "We want people to

realize that making a difference doesn't have to be serious and boring. It can be as simple and fun

as playing soccer."

=d> ... :-b

I know what you are thinking. Finance is what's holding you back. Well if you have an idea that's phenomenal I bet no one would be stupid enough NOT to invest in such a gold-mine :-c . Plus, I'm all about making dreams come true. Pitch your idea to me ;) and we can strategize how to win with Dangote or whomeverz got the ...#HowDoIPutThis?!#... Cha-ching! b-)

So, what's it gonna be? Are you gonna remain a dream-killer 8-} ? A daydreamer 8-> ? Or a Go-getter <):) ?!

Laff IT Off - Recruitment Agency!

noreply@blogger.com (Titi Idowu) — Thu, 28 Jun 2012 07:00:00 +0000

Looking for a (better) job can be so discouraging. Look what I got myself into on Tuesday, heading to an interview I received an electronic mail invitation to.

Now, first things first, I was only given the name of the recruitment agency, not the company that needed my expertise first-hand. All I knew about this quest was that this agency would be recruiting a “Management Trainee” applicant for a “reputable company.”

#BoyDoIFeelFooled#

So, I arrive at their location not too far from Oshodi-Apapa expressway. Just as I get out of the car I see this beautiful intro…

@-)

Never judge a book by its cover, they always say. So I went ahead, up the stairs.

#hmm-AllinTheNameofJobLiberationOh#

Wait for it…….

:-ss :-ss :-ss

:))

Now, I’m not saying I am better than this place (just from the looks…but dat does play a factor). But once you are at an interview whereby they are asking you if you know how to use a computer and can at least type in your name on the keyboard…THEN you KNOW you are at the wrong place (for you).

Like wat the heck?! Then dude started telling me I would have to pay N 3 000 for registration into their agency, before they connect me with any corporation that may need me in the future.

#IsHeKiddingMe?!#

Hmmm…

Anyways, if you are reading this blog, you obviously don’t need these people’s services. You could, however, recommend individuals that may fit for them better. Hey! I’m not tryna run anyone’s business down. Just looking out of you all wonderful folks out there ;)

Word to the wise, don’t trust all “reputable company” ads. Com’on if Oando, McKinsey, or Dangotewanted you, they would be proud to have their name on print, not hidden. Therefore, thread with caution :)

What’s YOUR weird job-seeking story?! Amuse me ;;)