The Tellrhodes Blog

Hey guys, hi. Really been a long time since I've been here. School sweet, na assignment spoil am 😩. So what I'll be sharing today is something I once wrote on my WhatsApp and I believe some of us need to know we're not struggling alone. What am I talking about? Here you go; Adolescence pretty much wacked me in the face. Heck, I wasn't prepared at all. The best I got was Daddy's "Don't be too familiar with the opposite sex" (and he still rings it in my ears till tomorrow). So first time I was "catching feelings", I didn't understand it. And as the confused kid I was, I didn't think running to Dad and Mom was the wisest choice (cos let's face it, back in the day, talking to our folks was hard work). I decided to turn to God and prayer - you'd wanna sit down for this one - and in my fear of all the complex emotions I was feeling, I asked God to kill all sense of feeling. 😂. Mans wanted to just turn into a robot. Till I w...

I HAD A LONG NIGHT I had a long night I just don't know how long it was Till morning came The darkness was my companion The throbbing thought of my own faults My most haunting nightmare My demons were on recess And though I wrestled hard The night made them stronger Then, I saw A little light on a candle stick And the more I looked, the brighter it grew Gone were my demons Stunned by the brightness of my new friend The awe of light now trumped the fear of the dark I had a long night But only for a bit Dawn came, when I saw the light Post by: Shaibu Nathaniel IG: @neightan_ FB: Nathan Omeiza Adinoyi WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THIS POST LETS TALK IN THE COMMENT SECTION DON'T FORGET YOU CAN FOLLOW THIS BLOG JUST CLICK THE BUTTON TO YOUR RIGHT ON THE HOME PAGE, ALSO FOLLOW ME ON MY PERSONAL SOCIAL MEDIA HANDLES ABOVE❤... WE APPRECIATE YOU

LETTER TO ME I'll be honest, I'd saved up to buy a TV and either of Startimes or GOTv decoders. A friend even told me there was a way to use my laptop as a screen with one of the decoders (don't remember which). I mostly wanted a TV cos of AFCON and so I could stop feeling lonely. Then I remembered BBN was starting and I started obsessing over it. Will the new HMs be like the last? What wardrobe wickedness was Ebuka coming with this time... Or more to the point, Mai Atafo? Can Bet9ja do it better than Payporte and the other sponsors of the last one? What tricks would Biggie have up his sleeve? And on and on. Then I caught myself. This is the first day of July. September will come as quickly as the last 6 months ended. And then how much time would be left to pursue aspirations for the rest of the year? Plus, really, what would be the value added when the show's done? For some of you, I just dey talk my own. But maybe you should really think about it. Happy ...

TWO LINES AND A CANVASS Mr. X stood and pondered for the better part of about 40mins. He had his left hand supporting his chin. He tried to make his mind stop reeling, but he couldn't help it. It had been a struggle to not be able to get a complete image in his mind before putting it on a canvass. And that worried him. What kind of artist, only had the first two lines of a painting for 9 weeks. He was due to turn it in, in another 4 weeks. But his mind couldn't conceive any more than what was already on the canvass. He strode to his chest freezer and grabbed a beer. Maybe that would make him stop thinking so much. He picked up his phone and called the only number he retained by heart. "Well, if it isn't Leo Da Vinci himself" came the voice. "Hey, did you know I'm yet to get an autograph" "Good afternoon to you too" Mr. X replied and drank from the bottle "Yeah yeah. What's up man? I don't get called at 3pm every day...

JANE'S TESTS Malach unfolded his arms and clutched his sword. What was this ugly steam filled demon doing here? He had fought Anger before many times, and won. But that made Anger all the more vexed. “Hello Malach” He grinned and fumes came out of his nostrils. He was like a hideous looking chimney. “Go ahead then. Draw your sword. Nothing will give me greater pleasure". Malch balled his fists and took a step forward. He looked at Jane, if only she knew she wasn’t talking to Arnold this moment. He looked up at Anger again. One punch and he would send him flying across the room. --------------------- Arnold was out of his seat and out of control “More. What do you mean more? Would you have been able to afford the apartment? What about the job at the research institute? How much does that make you, five figures? That’s asides the allowances I give you”. The whole restaurant had gone quiet. One of the waiters, the one who had attended to Jane earlier, was on his way...

JANE'S TESTS (Cont'd) She didn’t know if he was listening, but she could tell from his face that there was a lot going on in his mind. “…you promised to care, to always be there, provide for me and share all you have with me. Yeah, you try. I see most of the things you get for me. But that’s the problem. I see the things, not you. I thought you wanted this, wanted me? It’s hard to say I’m in a relationship if I feel alone. Do you understand what I’m saying”? Jane saw a faint nod, but no words. He’s still processing. She continued. “It’s been a year and five months, Arnold. And I can’t say that I feel more secure in your love now than I was a year ago. And I fear with you, it’s going to be that way for a long time. That’s why…” she paused, unsure if she should finish the thought or not. Lord, give me strength, she prayed. “That’s why I think we should take a break. Until you’re certain that you want this. That you’ll commit to it. Just a momentary separation. ------...

LETTER TO ME She didn’t know if he was listening, but she could tell from his face that there was a lot going on in his mind. “…you promised to care, to always be there, provide for me and share all you have with me. Yeah, you try. I see most of the things you get for me. But that’s the problem. I see the things, not you. I thought you wanted this, wanted me? It’s hard to say I’m in a relationship if I feel alone. Do you understand what I’m saying”? Jane saw a faint nod, but no words. He’s still processing. She continued. “It’s been a year and five months, Arnold. And I can’t say that I feel more secure in your love now than I was a year ago. And I fear with you, it’s going to be that way for a long time. That’s why…” she paused, unsure if she should finish the thought or not. Lord, give me strength, she prayed. “That’s why I think we should take a break. Until you’re certain that you want this. That you’ll commit to it. Just a momentary separation. ---------------------- ...

LETTER TO ME Chapter One (Cont'd) * Jane watched him approach the doors of the restaurant, and bowed her head again “Lord, teach me what to do. I want this man to love me, but I want him to love you like I know he used to. Whatever you want me to do, Lord, I yield. Amen”. “Amen”. She looked up, startled. Arnold had reached her table and pulled the chair across, to sit. “You are late. Earlier than most other times, but late all the same" “Sorry” he said, and raised a brow “How did you know I was here, at this table”? She asked “Well, only you wouldn’t mind saying a prayer in a place like this. You do that everywhere you go” Arnold didn’t believe in praying everywhere. Almost didn’t believe in praying at all. "What will be, will be" he always said. In his opinion, prayer didn’t make any thing happen. Things just did, because they are supposed to. She studied him for a bit. “You look nice” she said. It was all she could say to break the awkward sile...

LETTER TO ME CHAPTER ONE “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places”. Eph 6:12, NKJV --------------------------------- Jane’s waiting. I know, Arnold said out loud, as he put on his shirt, and wondered why his mind wouldn’t stop nagging him. Jane. He thought about the first chance meeting all those months ago. He had had a bad day at work, and thought a walk in the park would help clear his head. Of all the wonderful creatures that lived in the park, Arnold thought the young lady standing in front of him, asking for direction back to the college, was the most beautiful. But he couldn’t bring himself to say so. Not that he didn’t want to. But help was all she asked for. And that was all he offered. For the time being though. They had discussed various subjects while he walked her across the school campus to her dorm. For...

LETTER TO ME Welcome everyone, to today's "letter" - quoted because you won't be reading any letter today... Or in the next few weeks. No. I would be telling you a story. One I believe you'd enjoy. And at some point, you may even get to determine how the story goes. Until then, I'll be your humble narrator. Sit back, enjoy, and let me know what you think in the comments. I'll see you next week 😉. PS: Characters, events and settings are a fiction of the writer's imagination. Any resemblance to person(s) or circumstances are purely coincidental. • Jane sat quietly at the restaurant and observed her surroundings. This was a place she had never been to, and so she had thought it best to come at least an hour before her date to get familiar with the place. But nothing could ever be familiar. No restaurant she had visited in the last seventeen months had been familiar. Arnold never let them be. He always made them go to a new restaurant every time...

LETTER TO ME ON MATURITY... Dear Me, How are you and I hope you are feeling well? How's this weather treating you? 😩. With the way it's going, I doubt any one would think another mad, if one just pulled one's shirt. Just to let you know, I wasn't made for this weather. I'm leaving Nigeria, I'm going to Abuja. 🤣 Anyways, today, I want to share on maturity. Last week, I had a simple task to carry out at home. The "head of house" aka Dad, 😂 gave the instruction. As I did it, an older person in the house, insisted I was doing it all wrong. I insisted I wasn't wrong, only doing it differently 🤷‍♂. But this older person insisted. I was mad and so left it to the person. And then a thought just dropped into my mind. This maturity thing is not by tighting the world to your chest 😂. You know what I'm trying to say. Sometimes maturity is not by insistence on your way. Sometimes maturity concedes so other people's ideas can breathe. ...

LETTER TO ME FORWARD MARCH Dear Me, It's been quite a while since I wrote you a letter. Although I want to believe you have been following the love series. I will get back to it, but I hope you would let me break the transmission for a bit. Oh ermm, a very cool Happy New Month to you (better late than never right? 🤷‍♂) Today makes it the 64th day of the year. And although we like to make jokes about how the year is running so fast (I did too 👇) we must be conscious also of the fact that what it means is that time is not on our side. That is why I want to talk to you today about being deliberate to set and achieve goals you set out with. For some, the goal is a million naira in the account by year's end. Cool. How's saving going for you? For some, it's growing a business from having a 100 customers to having 250. How are you leveraging on the ones you have? What are you doing to attract customers? For yet others, it's just to improve themselves. Grea...

LETTER TO ME THE WOMAN v THE MOULD Hey guys, how are we all doing? I sincerely hope you're not getting a high BP because if the collation of the election results? Whatever the outcome, just work to ensure you are setup nicely. Away from election matters, last week, we started discussing how that ladies have a mould in their heads of the "dream guy" and how they hold men to standards that often times, they don't meet up to. And I remember calling out the guys, to work on themselves too, to make sure they don't have to work at meeting some standards to get a lady to like them. Today, I want to talk about how we the men, have moulds in our heads... With a twist. Often, when we see these moulds, we tend to assume the worst. I'll discuss just one mould in this. Tell me bro, what comes to your mind when you meet a lady who pays her own bills, can pay yours, and has all she'd ever need? You think she's a prostitute. Why, because she doesn't...

LETTER TO ME "THE MAN v THE MOULD" Andrea wasn't having any of Lola's arguments. "You can't have it both ways. You either take what you get or get nothing at all" "And who says a man can't be everything I want? Understand me, Drea. Sam is the man I want. He's not just ALL... of the man yet. Can't he be more like Shayo's boyfriend? I mean, if he was mine, he'd have checked everything on my list. But no, I get stuck with a half-made man" Lola walked to the end of the room and sunk in the cushion. "Where did you get the idea that anyone is complete? Lola, we all have flaws, even you do. Don't make poor Sam feel like less of a man for embracing his. And by the way, comparing him with Shayo's man doesn't help you". "My parents had a perfect marriage. I know because they always said they found their perfect match. Why can't Sam be perfect for me"? "Any more perfect, Lola, and ...

TALK TO ME "Look, I'm sorry alright? I mean it's been two days and you've barely said a word" He said after what would have seemed like many hours of graveyard silence. "You know I hate this apology thing you're doing" Lola replied. Sam thought he saw what was disgust on her face" "Babe, that's the thing. You hate it, but you make me do it. For instance, you've been quiet the last two days, but won't tell me what the issue is..." "And I have told you there's nothing wrong. Damn, can't a woman be quiet in peace? Silence is golden afterall" "Golden not, ironclad. You've been dropping comments that suggest you're mad, but won't say what the real issue is. It's not fair. I thought we were supposed to be able to communicate". Sam was starting to feel overwhelmed by all of it. He valued communication, no matter how hard it would get. But Lola would rather avoid what she cal...

RELATIONSHIP 101 Dear Me, how are youuuu? Happy New Month 🕺. January has finished, so welcome to the month of love 😍. Yes, I'm excited to write this letter, 'cause personally, I have been looking forward to it. So valentine is only a week and a few days away, and so I thought from my experience, I should share the little I know about love. Mostly, they are unpopular opinions, so let me know what you think after each. So, the first thing I want to say is this; LOVE IS A PROCESS. The sad truth is, we think that like the movies, it can and should happen all of a sudden. Well, it does happen with a few. Love at first sight (LAFS) does happen. But even they have to go through a process to reach the "totally, helplessly in love" stage. Learn to DEVELOP relationships. Even the point where a lady and a young man are strangers is important. Why? Because it's a level playing field. It's a blank canvass. I get a chance to write the story of us as much as the...

Dear Me, How are you and how was your weekend. It's a beautiful Tuesday morning and I should be writing you a letter for relationship 101, but unfortunately, something came up. You would have to make do with this old letter. It's what I call my recipe for the new year. I hope you learn from it. So 2018 was a good year, but 2019 can be better. How, you ask? Here's my recipe 1. Review: Although there's the general believe that you should move on from the past, it's equally important to look behind. What did you achieve last year? What were your small wins? Last year I started my own blog and by its third week, I'd gotten over 70 views. Small win, I know but that's something to celebrate. And the best part is, remembering those small wins helps you to want more. So go through your previous year. Don't dwell on the negatives though. Positive vibes only 💃. 2. Set Goals/Priorities It's only when a boxer shadow fights that he hits a figu...

LETTER TO ME Hello! Hello!  Hello! Tellrhodess fam (I call y'all Tellreaders 😋). How are you all doing? A very Happy New Year to everyone of you. Never too late right? 🤷‍♂ It's been a speedy January. Seems like someone put the month on fast forward, but we are grateful all the same, cos that means we'll reach our goals faster - aka, "We go buy benzzzzzzzz". 😂 Let me also say a big welcome to the 'Letter To Me' section this year. You'll notice we've been moved to Tuesday. Cool 😎 yeah?. Anyway, it's part of moves to give you only the best contents this year. So let me tell y'all what to expect. 1. Themed/Serial Letters: So last year, our letters were based on many different topics scattered about. But this year,  our letters will be themed and be in a series. 💃 Yup! You heard me. Starting next week, our letters will be based on relationships and relationship matters - just cos I love love and I smell 👃 February 14. Is someo...

Dear Me, This is always the boring part of the letter, because I don't know what pleasantries to make. Lol. But how are you? Good? I hope so Anyway, so last night, for no particular reason, I decided to watch The Titanic all over again. The story of perhaps the first passenger ship ever made and it's unfortunate incident with the iceberg. As I watched, I got angrier. First, with the billionaire who sponsored it's building and design. I mean, why did he have to go and dare God and say He couldn't sink it? Knowing it was the first voyage carrying over 2k passengers, he should have kept his mouth shut. And then this same man, asked the captain to fire all engines because he wanted to arrive before time and make headlines. If it wasn't for it's speed (against the earlier schedule of just four engines), Titanic would have slowed in time to dodge the iceberg that was it's doom. And I was mad at Rose. My God, even Jack told her she was stupid. I mean, y...

LETTER TO ME Dear Me, How have you been? It's been a long time since I wrote you a letter and you must have checked your nail box all of last week looking for a fresh one. I apologize brother. It was a hectic week and an even more hectic weekend, hence my failure to write you a later. You know, I still wasn't sure up until this morning if I wanted writing you a letter or just saying a few words. But I told myself there's no reason I can't say a few words in a letter. I must tell you the words are flowing as I write, so bear with me if the thoughts seem a little incoherent, but you know I always have a point in the end. Can I preach a little? Starts with a little story. Many years ago, well sometime B.C, a warrior was instructed by God - actually his whole nation was instructed - to take over a certain land. See, it wasn't this warrior's first rodeo. He knew what war was like. One time, he had fought so hard, he prayed his God to keep time on pause so he...