The Tellrhodes Blog

THE WARDROBE / CLOSET "MUST HAVES" I know some of us are wondering why this is needed when necessity is the only "push" that gets us out of the house these days.  Well, if you haven't noticed, Life is getting back to almost normal, so I suggest you trade those sweatshirts in and get ready for the ride.  Easy Jeans: Denim never goes out of style and the Easy Jean (Free and high waisted) is giving new "classic" vibes. They go very well with cool sneakers or heels.  Tank tops: these tops are so versatile, they can be paired with a high waist jean, baggy sweatpants or midi length skirts. They can be worn under a jacket, checkered shirt(with the buttons open) or just alone. No wardrobe / closet is complete without it.  Blazer: A great blazer works overtime in a mny closet. It can be what transforms that outfit into "work suitable clothes", it can be thrown over a cocktail dress for that party. It can be used to replace a sweater or cardigan when a...

Brake Fluids  The brake system in your vehicle allows the driver to slow down or stop in a consistent and reliable manner. The brakes on your car work by converting the kinetic energy of movement into thermal energy (heat). Each time you step on the brake pedal, the speed of the spinning wheels underneath your vehicle is reduced proportionately to how much pressure you apply to the pedal. A vehicle will have either a disc braking system or drum braking system to create the necessary friction for this to take place. Brake fluid is one of the most essential fluid in your car. Most cars use hydraulic brake systems and such type of system needs brake fluid. This fluid is a type of hydraulic liquid that transfers force into pressure, from the pedal to the calipers. Often, you may find one based in glyco-ether known for having high boiling points, while mineral and silicone-based are also available.  Brake fluid is an integral part of the hydraulic brake system. Brake pressure force...

"HOSPITAL TOO FAR" Growing up with a mother from the southern part of Nigeria means you are eat different kinds of leaves (vegetables). Having a father from the western parts too means every leaves is medicinal and used as herbs (agbo). Most leaves we tend to ignore are actually edible and highly nutritious. One of these leaves I grew up to know which was actually planted by my dad, is the "hospital too far" as it is commonly known in pidgin, botanically called Jatropha tajorensis, ugu-oyinbo (in Ibo) and iyana-ipaja (in Yoruba). The Jatropha tajorensis is an edible vegetable which apart from its nutritional value has other benefits to health. Here are some of its health benefits: It is a good antioxidant. Jatropha tajorensis is good at preventing the onset of degenerative diseases; helps  in knocking off free radicals and stemming the harm on vital organs resulting from oxidative stress. It also helps in treating carsiovascular diseases. It is useful in the treatme...

COLOURS AND SKIN TONE A lot of people just pick "fine" clothes in whatever colour is available or whatever colour catches their eyes. It doesn't work that way, some colours make you look pale, washed, or plainly horrible.  Let's just hit the point and move; 1. For fair/light skin tone – Pick colours that clearly contrast with your skin tone, it will bring some colour to your complexion. Darker colours such as brown, burgundy, grey and navy will work. Avoid an abundance of pastel shades or soft colours as they will only wash you out. Personally I love black, not just because of it's strong look, but also because it makes me look brighter, like I'm glowing.  For olive/medium skin tone– This skin tone suits a wider spectrum of colours compared to those with fair skin or ‘cool’ complexions. To add some contrast, you will look best in shades that are either a little brighter or darker than the middle ground. Avoid wearing shades of green or yellow – these colours m...

 TIME OF OUR LIVES I wasn't going to wait for her any more much longer. I had already waited for like thirty minutes and there wasn't any sign of her. I picked up my bag gently from the bench I was sitting on and turned away from the building. "Ada!" I heard my name. When I turned to the voice, it was her; Bola. She was walking towards me with a guy. So this was the reason why she kept me waiting, I thought to myself. I felt the anger start to rise and my face started turning into a frown. She must have seen it too because the moment she reached me, she started apologizing. "I'm sorry I kept you waiting, Dan here wants to come with us" She said. I stared at her for a while then turned to him.  The first thing I noticed was his eyes. They were blue. It was strange. He wasn't a white man, neither was he an albino. A black man with blue eye. It was fanscinating.. And then he smiled, and I was lost ........ You turn to me as i finished. A wide smile on m...

ANXIETY  Anxiety is a state of nervousness, uneasiness and uncertainty of future event. It is usually an unpleasant feeling not necessarily fear but of deep concern that tempers with your peace of mind and disrupts your focus.  We all face situations that causes us to become anxious but more importantly is how we respond to those situations. Medically, anxiety can have a devastating effect on our health if not properly handled.  Since anxiety is a state of the mind it becomes not only important but very imperative that we manage our thought flow and emotions. When we keep pondering on things especially negativity, thinking about what might go wrong, plans yet to be accomplished and so on and so forth we become anxious and apprehensive that we lose the power to effect a positive change.  Quit being a perfectionist. Stop expecting too much, stop giving so much energy because everything doesn't depend on your energy to make it happen but there's a divine force behind th...

 RELATIONSHIPS THAT BUILD One of the proverbs I grew up hearing and I'm sure most of did too was "no man is an island". Of course humans are created to have relationships with one another ranging from the relationships with immediate family members to relationships with the extended family, to friends and acquitances down to spouses and more importantly with the Almighty Creator.  However, one thing I've learnt is that it's not just enough to get to know people or be closer to them, what's more important is this: is the relationship beneficial to you? Does it build you? Or is it parasitic? Friendships should not necessarily be based on what you can get from someone but being friends with people who don't add values to you is a total waste of time. "Become wise by walking with the wise; hang out with fools and watch your life fall to pieces", says the Holy Book in Proverbs 13:20. Choose your relationships wisely. Build relationships that in turn b...

 AN OPEN LETTER TO THE YOUTHS on WORLD YOUTH DAY 2020 Dear Millenials, I write this with a high sense of the responsibility that has been placed upon us as youth. And the need for us to get serious, very quick. So here are a few thoughts. 1. There has been generations before us. And there will be generations after us. We are not the beginning. And we will not be the end. But we can be more than a generation that just passed through. We can be the change. Every generation has had their fair share of tasks, responsibilities and opportunities. What sets them apart- or not, is what they DO with what they have [not what they SAY about what they have]. So again, what have you DONE? What do you DO? What will you DO? And what effect does what you do have on the Kogi or Nigerian Project, in Africa and the world? 2. Stop trying to save people who don't want to be saved. Don't suffer needlessly from Messiah Complex. Yes, it is in our power to change the world for the better. But you won...

 HOW TO DEFINE YOUR PERSONAL STYLE Now that we know what "Personal Style" is, let me help you further narrow down your personal style. I know right, I'm too nice.  1. Find your style icon: You'll notice that you save a lot of styles from a particular person (probably a celebrity), you associate with that person's kind of style. It could  be more than one person though, some of us "stan" more than one person when it comes to fashion.  2. Find your vibe: You will also notice that among these pictures, there is a particular vibe to the styles you saved. Are they classic, modern, eclectic, bohemian, or trend-forward?   3. Find your Slay look: We all have some days were we feel our outfit is gonna "kill them" or "kill it".  Snap a quick picture for future reference. These are the outfits that epitomize your true personal style and should serve as inspiration for spin-off outfits. 4. Find your signature piece:  There's one thing that yo...

 Autocare with Damilare Car Speedometer A speedometer is a device used to measure the traveling speed of a vehicle, usually for the purpose of maintaining a sensible pace. Its development and eventual status as a standard feature in automobiles led to the enforcement of legal speed limits, a notion that had been in practice since the inception of horseless carriages but had gone largely ignored by the general public. Today, no automobile is equipped without a speedometer intact; it is fixed to a vehicle's cockpit and usually shares a housing with an odometer, which is a mechanism used to record total distance traveled. Two basic types of automobile speedometer, mechanical and electronic, are currently produced. A speedometer has 3 purposes/ uses It measures speed.. In every highway, street, Road, etc.. there is safe to do drive on that particular stretch of road. A speedometer allows you to drive safely on that road. It can be used to measure a known/ unknown distance. In an emerge...

 ALKALI WHISPERS Hello there, I trust you are having a wonderful weekend.  This week, I wish to introduce you to my new outlet - a mail subscription that allows you receive articles and content from me twice a week - *ALKALI WHISPERS*. If you wish to get more content from me, subscribe using:  alkaliamana.substack.com Also, you can read online of you want.  Here's the post schedule for the newsletter. I will whisper twice to your inbox within the week with relevant content and materials. I trust you will find it engaging and interesting. Kindly peep into your inbox on these days, you will be sure to receive my whisper: Tuesday - 7am Thursday - 7am  Thank you! I'd love to hear your thoughts always in the comment box. Don't forget to share the link to the newsletter with your friends and family. 👤: Alkali Amana  FB | IG | Twitter: alkaliamana. JOIN THE COMMUNITY!!! Instagram:  https://instagram.com/thetellrhodescommunity Facebook: The Tellrhodes Blog Wh...

 JOHN OR JHON? Someone will read this now and ask how is that even a question the correct spelling is obviously John! Well that’s between you and your english teacher because this was a big issue between my english teacher and I when i was in primary school who happened to double as a mother to me, well here is the full gist😁. While in primary school your girl was pretty good in english always had the highest scores in this subject, it was my favorite cause it came naturally to me especially, writing composition and the likes I just loved it! There was just one issue my favorite name to use as my major character while writing my composition was JOHN but I always spelt the name as Jhon no matter how many times Mummy Omoniwa of blessed memory or subtracted from my scores for the wrong spelling the next time my assignment came in there will be jhon wrritten in the assignment. One day she called me and showed me my mistake and opened a dictionary just to prove that is the wrong way to...

 That Woman Its been years, She thought she was lighter; Oh, this time she'd treat herself better, Its time to love herself; She said, Only to feel dirty again; To feel shame and limits, He not only took her body and soul; He took the woman she could be, What she is now; Is a woman fighting to take back who she is, was and could be; She kept falling One step forward, three steps backwards; Like a merry go round, Static, just moving in circles; Fleetingly, she feels relief, From time to time; She thought it'd last, Only for it to come back with a vengeance. How long will the shadow be? How hard does she need to fight? What would it take to win the war? When would see the lights and not the shadows? When would she see the sun? She looked over the oceans and thought; She could end it now, Fall into the echoes of darkness; Like every time, she sits up, She refuses to let up; She fights and give it her all, She might not always win the battle; But she will never fold, She will get t...

 The Sojourner's Diary: A MAN SUPPOSE JAZZ UP! I can't wait to be called a misogynistic narcissist at the end of this piece. 😂 Now see, His time and attention are a man's most valuable assets. This is the fuel with which he build his dreams, (or which he launders on women and addictions, or worse still, gives to things, or women from which he gains nothing valuable) A very very very vast majority of women will always seek men's attention because that is what God wills. A help mate. She will always see her Adam. In this modern world, some women will go their own path, and that is fine too. (even Oprah has a boyfriend and Madonna could be the mother of her husband in an alternate universe. If you still don't wanna look too far, look at the entanglement saga).  However, most women will *always* seek male attention, not because they want to, but because it is nature's will. However, not just any man's attention. The attention of a high value male. A man on his ...

THROUGH THE LIGHT The first thing I felt was the cold. It wasn't like walking in the rain or dipping in a pool. It was damp and silent and for days I couldn't hear anything except for my own thoughts. I wasn't down there anymore. I didn't have a body anymore. "Oh Beatrice, poor Beatrice" who would brush her curls, who would feed or take her outside when she needs a dip. I knew I was avoiding it, thinking about the person I would miss the most. Not that Beatrice didn't matter but what mattered the most was Amina. With her dark grey eyes and that wide smile of hers. The way her body moved had been everything. I knew I wasn't going to see her anymore so all the memories I had of her I wanted to save it into the deepest part of me.  There are people I would miss; my friends but like Amina, I'm a just memory to them now. I'm a picture.  Still.  Motionless.  The same thing my parents had been when I watched them slip away from me years ago. Father, t...

IRREPLACEABLE  The beeping sounds of the life support machines could be heard across the hospital halls. Oh you are awake a stranger said to her, as Debby opened her eyes slowly. Don't panoc you are in a hospital, I'm nurse Anne said a stranger when she saw the confused look ob her face. You were brought in here by a friend. You almost died from the toxic substance you took. Thank God for that good friend of yours. Gradually, Debby recalled the incident that beoight her to the hospital. Her fiancé of two had ditched for someone else. She saw had saw his wedding  pictures online and all efforts to reach him had failed. She was sure the poison she had took to end her miserable, dumped life worked. Then how on earth is she still alive and who is this friend that brought her to the hospital." "Please can I see the friend who brought me here?" She asked the nurse. "Oh, he gave me this picture to show you incase you ask of him." The nurse took out her phone t...

WHAT'S YOUR PERSONAL STYLE? Your personal style is the particular way you express yourself, it could be through clothing, hair, accessories or just the way you put your outfits together.  Personal style is not discovered quickly, but once it's known, getting outfits become way easier. Your personal style evolves over time as you evolve as a person.  Here are a few basic personal style categories you might fall under or be a mix of: Classic style:  This style means staying modern, incorporating trends from time to time, and keeping a well-edited closet of pieces that fit you beautifully.  It involves you investing in pieces that you can wear over and over again, so it is important you focus on fit, tailoring, details and try not to look boring or plain.  Bohemian style:  These people tend to love less tailored and more "flowy" styles. They love prints, colours, accessories, layers, etc.  Minimal style:  These people enjoy a more paired down look. W...

Autocare with Damilare Things You Should Not Do With Automatic Transmission Vehicle: A car that automatically adjusts the gears according to its speed and that does not have a clutch pedal is called an automatic transmission car. Such cars have their own set of advantages over manual cars, for example – differently-abled people may drive the car as less manual work is required while driving an automatic car. Here is a list of things you should never do in an automatic transmission vehicle: Never Use Two Feet When Driving An Automatic Car Using both feet to drive an automatic car can lead to a crash if you happen to press both pedals simultaneously. It can also stress out the transmission fluid, torque converter, and brake fluid of the car. If you wish to drive an automatic car with both feet, you should buy a car that automatically engages the braking system when both pedals are pressed at the same time. Never Switch To ‘Park’ Before An Automatic Car Stops Completely Some new cars may ...

ABOUT WEALTH The illusion has remained that it is one who has enough that is wealthy, quite disputable if you ask me at the moment. Why?  I learned something different from the greatest teacher I believe there is during the week and it is that: *Only a man who is wealthy gives something when he has nothing* The above too is quite disputable. It is all a matter of perspective. Look at it this way. When you place two people opposite each other and draw write the letter M, one would see it as it is while the other will see it as W. However, what is necessary is the intention of the one writing it. And, how do we determine the intention of the one writing it without the person telling us? It all comes down to belief. What do you think? Kindly tell me your thoughts below in the comment section.  👤: Alkali Amana  FB| IG | Twitter: Alkaliamana JOIN THE COMMUNITY!!! Instagram:  https://instagram.com/thetellrhodescommunity Facebook: The Tellrhodes Blog WhatsApp:  https:...

Goal Setting  I tried goal setting genuinely for the first time in July and I’ll say its a treasure i wish i had discovered earlier cause it works, even my consistent open diary sessions was a goal and yes i missed just one week for good reason, i will be sharing a lot more about this with you all    real soon but for today i want to wish you a very happy new month and encourage you to set goals in this new month and work towards achieving them. God bless you, keep you and hold your hands through all that this month will bring i love you! JOIN THE COMMUNITY!!! Instagram:  https://instagram.com/thetellrhodescommunity Facebook: The Tellrhodes Blog WhatsApp:  https://wa.me/2348071110893 Gmail: tellrhodes@gmail.com

The Sojourner's Diary: SUN-KISSED CHILD I remember back in secondary school, whenever there was an albino kid in a class, he or she became the subject of taunts. Everything about them got mocked; from their skin, to their eyes and their freckles and spots. They get mocked for how red their skins go from being sun burned. Most of these kids morph into adulthood without ever really leaving infancy. The constant destruction of their self esteem at childhood follows them into life and some never leave their shells.  A few days ago, while on a bike to somewhere in Lokoja, I caught glimpse of a beautiful albino girl in her mum or aunt's stall I presume, seating under the table where goods were arranged. She looked so sad and yet so beautiful. She inspired this: SUN-KISSED CHILD She had the right curves in the right places But if given the chance, she'd be ready to trade places To have any one of these normal faces  So she wouldn't have to battle with the glances That everyone...