The Oddities of Life

Dr. Lettsome has a poem called "A Cooking Oddity" about sugarapples. That word just popped to me. An oddity is a strange or peculiar person, thing, or trait. I have lots of odd things about me. I don't like other people's hands in my hair. I am inexplicably selfish with my time. I like being considered the underdog. But that's me.

In life, there are many things that cannot be explained. We have some 'ticklish' situations and no one can understand what the cause or the solution is. Every day will not be the same. Life is not perfect like math. What worked today may not work tomorrow.

Our life is a series of oddities and that's just how it is. You can't sit and worry yourself to death over things that you can not control. Sometimes you don't even have a choice in what's happening to you. However, you can choose what your reaction can be. In the space of a few days, parents lost their son, a mother can't locate her daughter and a father drowned.

We have to keep praying for each other. With the oddities happening around us, we have to bear each other up and hope for the best at all times. When the bad comes, we have to take time to mourn and regroup. Let's us keep a positive mindset and keep each other in prayer.

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Use Your Skills Well

At one time I was all into crossword puzzles, then into games on my phone, then into poetry every day. I have been shifting and making a mix of it all. I still game and write poetry and blog posts and other stuff too. I think we should always be flexible and available for change.

We should never back down from a new challenge. I've recently been experimenting with crafts and up-cycling. I love a thrift store so that works perfectly for me. I love the idea of taking something old and reshaping it into something new. 

My job allows me to promote this with food and with animal and plant products. Agriculture shows us the need to make full use of the food that is available to us. We need to reduce our food-print by finding ways to use all fruits, vegetables and animal protein. 

I am advocate for using time wisely. What skill can you further? What do you like to do? Try something new today. It may be profitable for you in the future. I know some guys who love video games and they made a business out of it!

What can you do?

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Five Reasons to Enter a Beauty Pageant

Enter a beauty pageant for a great experience, to gain confidence, to improve public speaking skills, to meet new people and to win the prizes.

You can enter as a contestant in a beauty pageant for different reasons. You may want to improve your confidence level and public speaking skills. Some people enter pageants just for the experience and also to meet new people. Another reason to participate in a pageant is to win the prizes. Parents would have to make the decision for their toddler, tween or teen to participate. As pageants are now also open to adults, the middle-aged and the seniors, these adults have to make the choice.

Beauty Pageants Can be a Good Experience

Think of a beauty pageant as a good experience for a tween, teen or adult. It is an opportunity to showcase your beauty and talents. While pageantry has different rules from high fashion modeling in relation to the walk, poses and photography, being a contestant in a pageant can be a stepping stone into the world of modeling. Another factor that would make it a good experience is the new things you learn that can be applied to everyday life like learning to be more ladylike and poised.

A Good Reason to Enter a Pageant is to Gain Confidence

Gaining confidence is good for any person of any age. Taking part in a pageant will surely help to build a person's confidence because the event will be held in front of an audience of friends and strangers. Even if a contestant does not win, the fact that she participated is enough to lift her spirits and raise her confidence.

Improve Public Speaking by Entering a Pageant

There are several activities that young people can participate in to improve their public speaking which include joining a drama group, sharing poetry or joining a youth club. However, since most pageants have appearances at public events, an introduction and possibly a question segment and interviews, this provides an excellent way to improve public speaking skills. Pageants for older young ladies may also have a platform speech segment which also requires additional research and a longer time on stage sharing information.

Beauty Pageants Offer Good Prizes

In the past, winners of the Miss British Virgin Islands Pageant have won a new automobile and a scholarship as well as the crown which the winner gets to keep. Some pageants offer cash prizes and in some cases all the contestants receive trophies, sashes, gift certificates or gift baskets. Potential contestants should also note that once they have financial backing, they will get to keep the costumes, gowns, shoes and accessories from the event.

Pageants are a Great Way to Meet New People

A good reason to enter a pageant is to meet new people. Any opportunity to meet new people provides a chance for networking. A young lady or a toddler's parents will get to know the other contestants, pageant organizers, make-up and hair-stylists. New friendships can be formed and business linkages can be made through pageants.

One might ask, 'What's a good reason to enter a beauty pageant?' Enter a beauty pageant for networking, to improve confidence and to hone public speaking skills. Another good reason is the opportunity to win the prizes and for the experience of being on stage. 

Songs on the Songbird Riddim released in 2013 from the US Virgin Islands

One day I was watching Tempo and I saw some familiar faces like Pressure and Niyorah from the Virgin Islands were performing in a music video. I tuned in closer and realized that it was a riddim track which uses one melody but features several artists. The music was quite mellow and the lyrics seemed positive so I ran to the computer to get some more information.

The riddim is called "Songbird Riddim" and the album was released on May 21, 2013 by I Grade Records as "Zion I Kings Riddim SeriesVol. 1". The music writers are Laurent Tippy Alfred and David Goldfine. Sixteen (16) reggae artists hailing from the Virgin Islands, Jamaica and the US sang on this riddim.

The music video that I watched featured the VI artists, Pressure with "The Rain", Niyorah with "War Is Not The Answer", Junior P with "Times Ah Get Hard", Miseal Gonzalez with "The Power of Love", Dushane with "Holding On To Freedom" and Ras Batch with"So Beautiful". Midnite from St. Croix also performed "A New Overstanding" on this riddim.

The track list is with snippets of the lyrics are:

1. She's Got Soul - Lutan Fyah

"Because she's blessed with the gift of love, she's got soul".

2. The Rain - Pressure

"The rain is no different from my tears, when I look at what my people bear, I swear, I never give up the fight and show no fear"

3. So Beautiful - Ras Batch

4. I Know - Danny I

"I know that I never, ever walk alone, in Jah presence Rasta build his home and me know from me little and me grow".

5. Bumpy Ride - Glen Washington

6. War is Not the Answer - NiyoRah

"Waris not the answer, create love always".

7. Best in Life - Jahdan Blakkamoore

"Looking forward to the best in life, nah bother with no stress in life, so many valleys to walk, rivers to cross and so many mountains to climb".

8. A New Overstanding - Midnite

9. Tension - Jah9

"There is tension building inside I and I'm trusting my spirit to guide I, even if no one else overstands, I have got to do what it demands".

10. Times Ah Get Hard - Junior P

"Time ah get hard...through this money thing people hand get sticky".

11. The Power of Love - Misael

"Caring for each other is what it's all about, I don't care where you've been living, as long as you can feel it, together we can make it grow".

12. Don't Let Go - Shay

"Goodbye is too easy, to give up so freely nowadays, it's a fight to stay but don't let go".

13. Holding onto Freedom - Dushane

"I'm holding on to freedom, seeking out Jah face".

14. JAH Preserve - Reemah

15. Call on JAH Name - Duane Stephenson

16. Birds of Praise - Tuff Lion (riddim only)

The artists definitely put time and energy into the music because lyrically, the album is well done. If you love reggae, then this is an album that you need to have in your collection.

Thinking with a Different Mindset

It's never been enough to just make it on the borderline. You have to always aim for the top. There'll be discouragement and even discord; but you have to persevere. There's a lot to stop you from moving forward. However, you have what it takes. Use your talents to your advantage. Be confident and don't be afraid to ask for help.

Be mindful of the people around you. While some are true well-wishers, many are not really for you. There are even those who will block your progress. However, you don't focus on that. You continue to work hard and show them that you are not worrying about them.

Stay on course. Network with the right people. Build your expertise by seeking appropriate training and march forward.

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Happy 2014 from Words of Ribbon

As my first official blog post for 2014, I would like to wish everyone all the best in life, love and all their endeavors. Let us continue to embrace change, work hard and support unity. Don't live in fear of life. Instead, embark on new journeys - by physically going and setting new goals for your spiritual life. It's not going to be easy because we know what we faced in 2013. However, take this opportunity to make a bold step forward and live!

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Stay on Track for Your Goals

It's not very often that we are able to gain success without there being some trials. Onlookers may think that it's been an easy road when you've struggled to get to where you are now. It's important in the journey not to get sidetracked by negative people. We all have those type of people around us who will dissuade us or make us feel small.

While you want to take constructive criticism, you do not have to subject yourself to hateful discourse. Once you have set your goal, you do your best to get to it. You control your destiny. You will need help along the way and you will also need prayer. You will have to be patient, understanding and diligent and you do have what it takes.

You have to find ways to block the 'hater' from your mind. Shut them out literally and physically. Absent yourself from their presence. Stay focused on your tasks and go forward with persistence and perseverance.

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