Aloha, Amigos!

Been two days, sorry. Hope all has been well? Seriously, I also hope you are getting enough sleep. The thing got to me two days ago when I did not sleep through out the night and had to make up for it yesterday and today. Brain is back to normal now though. So here I am, Brain Active and Ready, to share this cup with you. Shall we proceed?

*Imitating Disney’s voice*

Once upon a time in a land faraway, there lived a poor young boy who wanted to be rich. He was ashamed of his impoverished generation and wanted a change. Wanted a change soooo bad! But what was he to do? From whom was he to ask? How could he get there? No question had been harder; No Interest such aroused.

And as Good Ole’ Fate would have it, a really grand construction was commenced and the activity for once brightened up the suburb. There would the young boy spend the day reflecting on that one thing he had been on for as long as he could remember.

He noticed the Construction Engineer one day leaning against one shiny beaut of a car. His father’s bicycle had been broken for ages! Just that it really was not his father’s – It was passed down for generations and was only used on special occasions. *Hisses* Impoverished Generation!

A poultry farmer once went to the market to buy a new Cockerel. It was not as if there was no Cock at home; just that the Cock is getting old, therefore could not meet the demands before him. You know… When there are over 200 babes around an Old Man, we can expect a unique kind of suicide.

So, the farmer was there, trying to judge which to pick. The
cockerels around look all the same – Young, Active, and all that. You know; the blood of youth. But, somehow, he was not satisfied. He wanted more and, just then, there was it.

Aloha, Amigo!

How has the day been over there? Hope you are holding up just fine (If so, thanks be to God. Lol! That was how we used to write our informal letter back in the days.). Anyway, in all things we give thanks. My day? Oh, thought you wouldn’t ask! My day has been surprisingly great, thank you.

In the past week, I have had a lot instances when my beliefs have been shaken. However, I stand taller than ever today. One big thing you get to enjoy when your self-esteem is up-to-date. I'm feeling good, Mate!

We have been talking about Self-Esteem in the last few posts. I have even decided that, after we have done justice to the series, I would employ much other leverage to make sure this reaches as much audiences possible. Trust me; I am optimistic about reaching more people and touching more lives with this series.

You should do your part by sharing this post and others in the series. Heck, why not just share the heck out of the whole blog altogether? I'm thanking you in advance. You can thank me later. You will see. Let us return to the topic, though.

Following the first two steps mentioned in the first post, you would find below some other ways to improve your self-esteem. These are actually more complicated than the previous ones, but that is just that – it may be complicated but it is not impossible.

This is where you need to open your mind as, compared to the last post, this is a bigger deal. Let us do this, amigo. I know we can!

Aloha, Amigo!

How are you doing? My greetings should go two ways. Yeah, two things involved. So, let us get straight to it:

• If you live in places where the heat has almost left our brains in boiling point, then, how are you holding up? I understand this kind of weather could make you lose your coolness. No problem; there is no reason why you can not stay hot. Just like me>>>
• Chilling Hot, Burning Cold;

(Yeah, that is me. You could be, too.)

• If you live in the cooler parts of the world, let me first tell you that I am jealous of you. Really jealous. However, if it has dropped subzero, then maybe it is best I am over here. I am not ready for any mortal combat. But if it comes>>>
• Chilling Hot, Burning Cold;

(I still Stand Me, No Matter the Weather)

So in my last post, I was talking about Self-Esteem, and why we need to upgrade it. Cool, many people do that. Preach to you about Self-Esteem, I mean. Tell you why you should do this and why you should do that; why you should dump something and replace it with something else. But how many of them teach you how?

Hey, that is one BIG difference between The Preacher and The Teacher. Me? I can not even see myself, not even in the dream, leaving the Teaching line. Yup!

Back to our discussion;

So, you just heard that the Self-Esteem v1.0.2 you installed on your Mind-ware is old. News is out that the other cool dudes on the block have upgraded to much newer versions. In fact, since v1.0.2, we have had:

• 1.1.6
• 1.5
• 2.0
• 3.0
• 3.0.5
• 4.0
• 5.0 (The Latest)

Maybe you have been hiding under some ancient rocks somewhere in a remote village, who knows? Anyway, you just found out. No, scratch that; People actually found out about one person who was still stuck with MS-Word ’95 (Sorry, I mean Self-Esteem v1.0.2). That is you, of course.

You got mocked, naturally (What else do you expect in this world we live in, seriously?)

Somehow, you managed to invoke the – admittedly weak- power from that version, and decided to upgrade. And that was where you encountered the challenge:  How do you go about upgrading? How do you improve your Self-Esteem?

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Before we proceed, I want to believe that the illustrative journey above makes sense to you. It probably would make much more sense to those who are technologically inclined. Well, the fact that you are reading this is a proof that you are, in the very least, not a dummy when it comes to tech.

Enough of the rambling; Let us proceed.

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Below are Practical ways to improve your Self-Esteem.

God is great!

That is what my Instinct told me to start this post with. It is also telling me that this post would speak to many - maybe even to me. God is great once again. Believe it or not, I can already see the reward of the acknowledgement. God is great, I say. Why not say yours affirmatively?

Aloha, Amigo!

How has your day been? I do not know how to put this. All I can say is that I am in an incredibly great mood. It has been long since I had felt like my heart is about to burst. The feeling is as a result of visible improvements in various areas of my life. Not that there are not low times, but I have been putting my mind to focusing on the high times.

And this is one of them.

Speaking of Highs and Lows, what comes to my mind right now is the issue of Self-Esteem; and how high or low it could be, varying from person to person. You surely must met some people who, just by how low their shoulders hang and their heads bow, you could tell how miserable their lives must be.

Yet, there are some (admittedly few) who carry themselves as if there are no worries in the Whole Wide World. This people are believed to be happier, more fulfilled than their counterparts. Interestingly, they often are. You might want to view this subject as a simple common sense. It is not that simple for some. And yes, there are still a lot you can learn; so enjoy the post.

Recently, I wrote about why some people manage to get trapped. You can read about it here. Anyway, I mentioned low self-esteem as one of the reasons. Consequently, I have got feedbacks from people who identify with and are touched by the write-up, both online and offline. Trust me; Self-Esteem is the basis of many mind problems Man faces today.

Aloha, Amigo! How are you this morning? Personally, I am feeling great. Well, I think it must be the food in my stomach (I just ate couple of minutes ago. Delicious! I am not telling you the meal, though. ); or the great feeling in my body (It is no news that I work out on my own. If you do not, it is a great idea to start right away.). But then, if you consider the mental frame this morning as well, it is all enthusiasm. I should probably do the Davidic dance. You know the move-your’s-hands-and-legs kind of.
Yes, talking about David, I have always loved David Beckham. Wait, who would not? That very handsome English ex-footballer that wowed us all on the pitch. I used to use England on Real football 2006 then because of this Fantafab person. We sure remember those free kicks days. The man has retired from professional football playing now, though.
Have you heard? He is now into MLS in Miami, Florida. MLS stands for Major League Soccer. Our Star has announced his plan to start his franchise in the League. That means, soon, we could be hearing about this football club owned by Beckham. I listened to his speech on CNN yesterday, and was impressed.

Aloha, Amigo!
How has your day been? Rate it on a scale of 1 to 10. Pretty good here. And I think I would rate the day, 6. Anyway, let us get straight to the business of the day.
Some time ago, January was the month, I was coming home from work when my nephew, Testimony came running to me. Apparently, he found something he was eager to show to me. Yes, what is it, Testy?

Testy was there panting, as he usually is due to his hyperactive character, holding up a rosary. He was telling- he was actually yelling at- me that he just helped me find my rosary. Where did he find it? On the ground.
Something told me it couldn't be mine. No, my rosary would not have made it to the ground outside the house. So, I remembered I was not wearing my rosary. Why? I was dressing corporately(You know, work things). I left the rosary in the pocket of my coat.
So, in went my right hand into my right pocket (Hmmm, I love that poetry), and what was there but my own rosary. Here is my rosary, There is another rosary. Who owns that? I asked around and found out it belongs to my sister.

Aloha, Amigo!
Happy Sunday! How has it been going? It's been going well here. Yesterday, I was home but I wasn't able to drop a post. Actually, I was busy washing my clothes. I don't use the dry cleaners; I do my own washing personally.
Testy was helping me out. (You remember Testimony, my nephew, right?) The Soon-To-Be-Five-Years-Old actually was the one who single-handedly washed my socks and my singlets. My Briefs? I washed them myself, Thanks. Yes, they are my personal stuff. So, I dealt with them personally. And this leads to what I want us to examine today.
There was once a farmer who had a large cornfield ready for harvest. This farmer had a son, a young lad full of life. Handsome too, looked like me. *Smiling* Now, inside that farm, there lived a bird. A very beautiful bird, with her innocent chick. They survived on the corn ears in the middle of the field.
Because the field was so large, they were unnoticed, so undisturbed. One day, the farmer looked at the cornfield, called his son and said,

Aloha, Amigo!
I know, I know: I'm a bit late today. I've been sooo busy. Working, Exporing, and Having Fun. Blogging requires a "me" time, if you don't want to just copy and paste. That is, if you truly want to be innovative and create a unique, an original, content, just as I do, you have to be in a relaxed condition.
Today hasn't been very relaxing, lol. Up, Down, Right, Left, Front, Down, In and Out... (That sounds... somehow. Well, let's leave it.) So, that's how the day went here. I actually enjoyed it. Did you enjoy yours? 24hrs is almost gone here. The day is almost over. Which leads me to what I would like us to look into today.
I look at many of today's events (By today, I mean the present age we live in) and I see how many worry. It makes me wonder whenever I see people hold on to nothingness.
Like that dude down the street where I work. He was arguing with another guy about an amount of money given to them. He apparently was claiming he should have it, and not the other guy.
Well, the argument grew intense, as occurs when money is in question. Now the other guy perhaps threatened to stab him with a broken bottle. And what did our guy do? He called the other guy's bluff: He dared him to go ahead.

Aloha, Amigo!
How has the day been going? I just left work. I can't really describe how good my mood is right now. Things are moving the way they should be going now! I would intimate you how key part of it goes. Trust!
Yes, the mood is indeed good. Maybe it's also influenced by the Apala Music sieving out of this cab sound system, though. Late Haruna Ishola, you sure have some nice stuff in your days. So, that's how good I've been feeling all day.
I read a few blog posts today, and found out it's time I started connecting with people of my kind, on my level, of school of thought. I made some efforts towards this, and trust me, it's so rewarding. I just connected, from the inside on out.
As you know, my blog is personal, lifestyle- and life-based. Now imagine me on similar blogs. Amigo, there's nothing like being at home, feeling at home, connecting and identifying with topics and trends.
Have you ever noticed that the most successful people are always surrounded by the right kind of people? Not just other successful people, but people who have the same kind of mindset as they do. So, it goes without saying that positive, optimistic people tend to move their kinds. Same goes for the negative, pessimistic ones. What's that saying again?

Aloha, Amigo!
How has it been hanging?... (What sort of question is that? Don't worry, I would pretend I don't know, either.) Hope all is going well? Well, the day has been a bit a bit eventful here.
I told you I lost my pad some days ago. Aigoo! It's a notepad. This days you just can't say some words without going through the pains of "clarification." Imagine, I can not say Apple without having to explain it's just the fruit and not some sophisticated tab Jobs invented. Then, I still have to explain it's Adam Jobs, and not Job of the Holy Bible.
Life has changed. Fab, Everything has! But we're not complaining, though. Afterall, we are all blessed by the results. Let's ignore the curse today. So, I was saying I lost my NOTEpad. Thank God I'm a Man. Only God knows what would have been crossing your mind.
Anyway, upon reflection, it's clear how important a pen and a pad could be. I mean, Ginger, I had so much jotted down. Many things I couldn't always remember without racking the brain like crazy. Like Terry G. Like the Rastafarians.

Aloha, Amigo!
How has the week been going? I lost a pad I jot my online stuff in, in a cyber cafe. Really pained me o. But life goes on. There's no use in crying over spilt milk. I mean, if the milk is that precious, instead of crying, why not just get down on your knees and lick it clean off the floor. Just a thought.
Sorry for not dropping by earlier. I've been busy... online. On this very blog. I've been here working hard to improve the design and interface. I really want to make sure you don't enjoy just the content, but the container as well. Cool enough to calm you, yet Hot enough to... uh, Fire You! I wanted to use "burn" earlier but it sounds deadly. So, let's stick to fire.
So, that's what the week has been about: ReEngineering. I was working on many ideas I've been having for long, splicing and coding them. Have I ever told you I'm a Computer Scientist? Well, I love the code aspects of the blog. It's poetry, really. Anyway, you can check out how everything is now. Logo, and all. And tell me what you think and what I could improve. And yeah, I could handle similar projects too. Just contact me here. *Winks*
Now that you have an idea of what I've been doing, could you be a darling and add such strategy to real life. No, not the logo and coding aspect. I definitely wouldn't like the idea of you carrying some ridiculous logo everywhere and writing codes on the ground. Or on your food.

Aloha, Amigo!
How has the day been so far? How fresh is the air today? And that is, of course, assuming you didn't have to work your way through cars' and other automobiles' fumes. Wait, what about the Generator?
What I'm driving at is, a lot of things have virtually snatched the blessings of nature away from our grasps. Imagine the good ol' days (Right, Imagination is what some of us have- We were never born during the period) when you could go everywhere and smell fresh air. Uhm, Cow dungs and Poultry drops sure add their own aroma, but it was nature.
Have you passed by a narrow road, shaded with trees on both side, recently? The smell of the leaves, both the fresh ones on the trees and the dead ones on the floor. The dew dropping after the cold night. The chirping birds. The Relaxation mode your body automatically switches to, in response of something real. Something in touch with the divine.
I say, we have abandoned stuff; good, great stuff. Now we have plastic flowers in ceramic vases. See from where thou art fallen! Oh, that's from the Bible, right? Yet, it applies. We lost Eden. Are we losing Nature?
Someone came by Office this evening. One of those Network Marketers working for all these health companies. You know them, abi? We started talking and came to the conclusion that we are just regaining what we've lost.

What's up, amigo?
How are you warming up to the new year? You know, I can smell Good Goodies already, if you know what I mean. I'm sure you can too.
Today, I want us to address something I've noticed a lot about the human race. It's usually in our relationships. I don't have to remind you that relationships are vital to our success in life. Maybe it's just me, but I tend to be very cozy... until I grow cold- for the right reasons. But that's another story.
Let's proceed!
Humans are imperfect. Humans are so imperfect they don't get themselves. How can you expect such species to understand one another then? Gosh, humans just don't get it. Sometimes I wonder why I still love them. Wait, I'm one of them!
We mess up, with ourselves and those close to us. I don't know who said, " To Err is human, To Forgive is divine." Dude must be a great sinner. But see, he got it perfectly well. WE ALL MESS UP.

Let me start on this note: I'm banking on it that you watched the match. Yes, The Final Match of The Under-17 World Cup Championship, featuring Nigeria VS Mexico. If you did, Congratulations are in order, no matter the team you supported.
In case you missed the match, either deliberately or otherwise, I still say Congratulations. There are reasons for this, and I hope you get them as we journey here together.
My first question is this:
Do you know the history of international football in Nigeria? I would brief you. Nigeria was once recognised in the football scene a long time ago. Yes, a long, long time ago. However, we lost it, and failed to live up to our names; Super Eagles, Flying Eagles, Golden Eagles, etc, depending on the team.

This is the third time I'm typing this from the scratch. Whatever was causing the problem didn't want me to post this didn't want me to share this with the world. Well, trust, this only made me more determined. So, just find a way to relax, and enjoy the message. It's worth the stress in typing. It surely deserves the pleasure of reading.
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So, I have looked around and seen a lot of houses. Different Structures, Various Categories, Distinct Qualities. I have seen Huts with Thatched Roofs. I have Seen Mansions bathed in royalty. However, here, I split all into two categories. Just two.
*The Smoothly Plastered
*The Not-So-Smooth

I have noticed different characteristics under each of the categories and, even though there are exceptions, you would still agree with me 99% of the time. Let us look into each categories, starting with The, um, Not-So-Smooth.

Have you ever noticed that the areas around The Not-So-Smooths are relatively bushy? I don't know, so tell me. Look around, or envision these places. There would be bushy areas around- 100 meters away, at most. And this leads to the next:

There are different reptiles all around the not-so-smooth walls of the building. You might want to say, "Well, duh, it's the bush." Duh, Like I don't know. See, they don't only get footholds on these walls: They find perfect strongholds. And am I the only that finds them creepy? But looking at the third point:

Let's face it; Not-So-Smooths are not the most beautiful things. Well, are they? Ranging from not-too-bad to Downright ugly, I would let you to fill in the gap.

But, wait, what about the smoothly plastered? The Opposite of its counterpart. About the bushy thingy, Areas filled with houses with smoothly plastered walls would be virtually void of bush. Those you would see would be well-trimmed. Pronounce N-E-A-T!

About the reptiles, it goes without saying that their chances of getting near the smoothly plastered walls are slim, at best. Now, let us say they managed to get near, watch them try climbing these walls. They Fall! Simple as ABC. There is only a little chance of finding a foothold, not to talk of stronghold.

Now, to the point of Beauty...
Ha! You see? The difference is clear. The Smoothly Plastered wall stands a thing of beauty, tall and proud. Strong and Protected. Guided and Secure.

Now apply this to life. Tell me; Which would you rather want for your life? The Not-So-Smooth or The Smoothly Plastered? I am certain you chose the later. I do too.

This is the type of life enriched with resources capable of bringing out glory, order, and beauty. The life not crawled by the bads and uglies. The life worthy of Emulation. The life worth living. The FantaFab Life. Striking the Balance; Ruling the World.

Join us Today!

Over To You: What Resources are you getting yourself equipped with to fortify yourself, and what are your recommendations to the FAnMILY?

Have you ever used a soldering iron before? Engineers? If you haven't, have you seen one being used? For some people, me included, this is as normal as breathing. One natural ish like that. No matter which group you belong in, keep enjoying. I must warn you, though. This topic is wide and powerful, and I could only say part of it here.

No matter how hard I tried to shake it off, it kept coming back at me. I've had this topic in mind for a long time, yes. And of course, I would have written about it one day. However, Today wasn't supposed to be that day. A part of me was chanting no. But one part kept whispering Yes.

Heck, who follows no, anyway. If it's yes, then yes it is!
The case-study here would be a brand new Soldering Iron. An old soldering iron with a new soldering element (which is its intestine, so to speak) would work too.

When a new soldering iron (or the old one with new element) is first connected to a source of power, The resulting heat generates a lot of fumes. More fumes at first than the heat it generates.

Let me explain that simply: Before the soldering iron gets hot enough, it produces so much smoke than the heat could justify. If you do not know the rules, or if you are impatient, you would get frustrated and conclude it couldn't get hot.

Afterall, why all this smoke when the darn thing ain't even hot enough. This is the truth: By the time the soldering iron gets hot enough, you wouldn't be seeing the smoke anymore. It's gone. The fume. The smoke. All gone, leaving just the heat.

The heat, which is the destiny and glory of the soldering iron. The whole fume is just a phase, before the glory. And no matter what, it could not escape this phase. For the fume must come before the heat.

YOU have to pass through some situations before getting to your goal. I believe the message is clear. Now is your fume, be it in your career or your relationship. Tomorrow your heat is coming. And you shall achieve your goal. Can you say Amen to that?

WHAT TO DO?
*Stay Focused
*Be Persistent
*Be Prayerful
*Be Positive
*Be Appreciative

And You are good to go!

Tell me, what fume are you facing now? And how are you transcending this into your heat? Let your voice be heard!

Hullo, Friend!
It's been a while since I spoke with you here, over a week really. Truth is a lot had been going on, and I would be sharing part of them with you. I believe you are going to enjoy this and learn a lot. All you have to do is relax and read with an open mind.
By the way, hope you've fastened your safety belt? Cos this is going to be a hell of a drive!(Change hell to heaven, if that makes you feel more, you know, comfortable.) Now, let's go!

Over the Decades, I've witnessed many Governments pass. I've felt the influence of each, in one way or the other. It so turns out that I'm not the only one. Everyone around me talks of this 'time' or that 'regime.' We attribute themes to each Government. Praising some, Blaming others. I know you do too.
I have my own opinion of this whole thing. I'm going to table it here. Let's go over it. Maybe I could convince you. If not, please convince me then. Here we go:

Message from The Desk Of FantaFab, www.fantafab.com

Today is the beginning of New Month, and also the Independence day in Nigeria. May you be blessed beyond Imagination. May Today mark the Beginning of Greater Achievements in EVERY aspect of Life. May You Strike The Balance and Rule The World.

May it be well with you always. Independence! As from today, Be Self-Sufficient. You shall not have to rely on anyone to make it in life. Go into the world and Succeed.

May Your Good Thoughts come into Manifestation. Be Surrounded by Favour. Be Romanced By Mercy. Be Bathed in Upliftment. Be filled with Breakthrough. Breathe in Glory. Breathe out Accomplishments.

Halleluyah to the Highest. Glory to The King. Claim Good Things This Season. It's your Season. It's Your Time. Shine!!!
Say A BIG AMEN and SHARE with YOUR LOVED ONES.