Letting Go

Hello, it's ten minutes past nine a.m and this is Paxton coming to you live from OAU, the most beautiful campus in West Africa. This is tinglingteenonair and I am so glad to be here. It's a lovely morning, the birds are chirping, the trees are dancing, the sky is blue and today is a great day.

So this morning I want to talk about letting go. I'm sure you're wondering what we're letting go of. We're letting go of everything, pain, anger, regret, hurt and people. You might have noticed with some of my poems that I had to learn to let go too but I found that letting go of people that hurt me is the hardest thing to do. Let me break it down, I get hurt a lot (contrary to popular believe) because I tend to hold on to things people say or said or did. I don't forget and somehow hold on so much that it affects my other relationships. Now I'm extremely loyal and find it almost impossible to let go of a person, I hold on even after the person has shown time and time again that they don't want to be friends anymore, I still hold on to hope. While hope is good, there are times that letting go will give more relief than holding on be it in friendship, relationship or even feelings.

So this morning, I want you to take stock of your life. Is there any person, hurt, pain, disappointment, relationship, friendship, even past achievement that is weighing you down and preventing you from moving forward? Then please, let go. It might hurt now but it won't hurt forever and you'll be surprised how much better you'll feel.
That's all for now, do tune in again to tinglingteenonair and get the latest gist, advice and information. This is your home girl, Paxxy, signing out. You can tweet me @marianne_sweet
#tinglingteenonair #keepingitreal #paxxy

For The Girl I Used To Be 2

Hey there! How've you been? Hope you're holding on to hope. This time around I'm continuing my poem or basically writing another poem on the same theme. This one is a little close to my heart and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did, it's a poem of hope in despair and a touching tribute to who I am and who I have become.


   I hope you see me in every line just like I did. Here it goes:

  I used to be that girl..
  That girl who believed with all her heart that love was just right there waiting
  That everyone was good
  That pain, undescribable pain, didn't exist
  I used to believe with every fibre of my being
  That love was everywhere
  If only I'll stop to take it
 I believed in the perfect
That bad things didn't come and go
That life doesn't hold more pain than joy
That love was everlasting
And we all had a piece of it

Until...
One rainy day
I saw the truth
The painful
Heartrending
Heartbreaking truth
That love didn't always exist
That fire didn't always burn
Love wasn't perfect
And cute
And sweet
And always without pain
Sometimes love hurts too
Sometimes the people you love
Will hurt you
Break your heart into a tiny little pieces
Pieces that could never be whole again
That innocent
Big hearted
Fun loving
Trusting
Believing girl
Was gone
Gone....

I used to be that girl...
Who wore her heart out on her sleeve
Who decided to stop looking
For love in people
But who chose to find love
In the pages of a book
Pages of novels written
Both old and new
I found that forever
In the written word
So I chose to block out the pain that way
To find happy ever after
In fairy tales
And to believe that
Just around the corner
Mine will come to take me out
Of the pain I sometimes feel
I saw myself in everyone of those characters
I became them...

Until...
One day,
I couldn't
I couldn't see myself there again
I couldn't find my joy there again
That forever love
It wasn't coming for me
That amazing joy
It ended there
That was not my life
And that fateful day
I realized
It never was
And it never will be
So I stopped
Yes I stopped believing...

I used to be that girl...
Who created stories
Who wrote her pain down
Painstakingly honest with myself
In the pages of a blank paper
Seeing and bleeding
It out
I found that I was better that way
Putting just a little bit of myself
Right there
Me in every single character
Me in every single word
I became my own everything
My own love
My own best friend
My very own true love...

Until...
I lost my heart
My faith
My joy
My forever
I couldn't find her
That girl who had the best advice
Who listened without judging
Who became without question
Because she had lost a part of herself too
And so she just couldn't
Couldn't be honest anymore
Couldn't believe anymore
She couldn't bear to be
Painstakingly honest
Because she was afraid of what she'll find there
So she chose to hide
Hide behind friends
Hide behind smiles
Fake laughter
Sweet words
Everyone's forever
Except hers....

Until...
She found hope
Hope where she thought she'd lost it
Hope in that girl
Hope in that love
Hope in those pages
Hope in that honesty
So she found love again
Maybe it wasn't hers
Maybe it never will be
But for right now,
It was hope
It was home
It was hers
It was here
And so she'll hold on
Hold on to it
Maybe it won't last
Maybe it won't stay
Maybe it won't always be hers
Maybe she could never be that girl again
Maybe her heart is too broken
Maybe forever didn't exist
Maybe there's heartbreak just around the corner
Maybe life will still bring her right back down
Maybe love will always elude her
Maybe she didn't even deserve it

But...
For right now,
Hope exists
Hope
The rainbow kind
The kind that tugs at your heart
The kind that keeps you moving
When it all falls apart
The kind that holds on just because
Hope
Hope that life will go on
Hope that her love wasn't lost
Hope that her faith wasn't dying
Hope that she'll survive whatever
Hope that her forever wasn't lost
Hope that her bestie was still here
Hope that That girl didn't die
Hope...

Because sometimes...
You look around and it's all gone
You look behind and there's no one
You look inside and it's all quiet
But you just have to look up
And you'll find it
That Hope
The one that can only come when
It has all come crashing down
Because sometimes
All you ever need is
Hope..

                             Till next time... It's
                                                            Paxxy.

For The Girl I Used To Be


Hey everyone, it's your girl Paxxy. I'm not going to go into everything I've been through these past few days, I'm just going to post a poem I've been working on. It's something I wrote for myself and what I wish I told myself so long ago.  Hope you like it...

Some days are better than others
Some days you won't be able to get up
Some days the weight of life will press you down
Some days you won't be able to stop the tears
Some days life will seem unlivable
Some days heaven will fall
Some days no one will be there
Some days comfort will elude you
Some days pain will be constant
Some days you'll be heartbroken
Some days...

But I want you to know
That that's not all
That life isn't always bleak
That pain isn't always constant
That you can smile through the tears
That life can hold both pain and joy
It's a choice you have to make
It's not always easy
Nor is it always fair
But life has a way of giving you silver linings at the end of the clouds
It might not look like it now
but you'll survive it
You can and you will

You'll have to pick yourself up though
To smile when you don't want to
To find joy in little things
To be strong for yourself
No one else can do that
Just you
This pain isn't forever
Not if you don't let it
And you won't,
You can't..

                                 Till next time... It's
                                                               Paxxy.

The Breaking Down of the Ceiling


This week was an amazing victory for women everywhere regardless of who you are and what you believe and that's what I'll dwell on today. This week Hillary Clinton became the presumptive nominee for The Democratic Party making her the first woman to do so from either party in America. It was a victory like no other signaling that women and girls can do anything they put their mind to, including becoming a president (yay!)
     
     It is a wake up call to us girls though,a call to change our believe system. To push the social envelope, to stop being molded by society's standards of what we can or cannot do; to stop being straight jacketed. It's something we all have to fight and it's something we need to start doing. Now it's not a fight that can be won in a day but it's a fight that can be won with a combination of determination, ability,faith and individuality. A fight that being female does not make me inferior or second best, that I am not just made for the kitchen, to satisfy a man but that I am an individual with strength and dreams and the ability to make them come true just as much as a man can, maybe even better. A fight that my emotional complexity does not make me inferior but strong enough to deal with life and all it's challenges. It's a fight that I must win regardless of how many times I lose.

      And Hillary Clinton and every female who refuses to be boxed in  a corner is fighting that fight;her recent win is a win not just for her but for each and every one of us. A win that shows us that if we also keep on fighting we can and will win. In her last race for the White House which she lost to President Obama, she got 18 million votes and in her speech, she said that those 18 million votes were cracks in the ceiling; Cracks in a ceiling of impossibilities, imposibilities that are now possible. That a woman, if she aspires to be, can do it too.
     
 Her claim this week as the presumptive nominee is not just a crack in the ceiling but a break down of that ceiling. It has opened doors we weren't sure could be opened, broke barriers that looked like strong walls and finally it has given a voice to girls and women, indeed to females everywhere that Yes We Can Do it!
#Historymade #proudlyfemale
                                                                                               Till next time.... It's 
                                                                                                                             Paxxy.

Tinglingteen On Air

That moment when tomatoes are now more expensive than apples in Nigeria.  
Good morning, it's 4am right now and I'm writing this on my bed while everyone else is asleep. This is tinglingteenonair and it's your girl Paxxy. 

Today I just want to talk about how this whole tomatoes debacle is affecting us teenagers, like it's not only the adults that are affected at all ( although technically I'm not a teenager but I sure get it). Firstly, there's the fact that there's no more rice and stew ( asin who knew I could  miss it?) and unfortunately it's not just rice and stew,it also includes anything pertaining to tomatoes( which is a lot) even jollof rice is taking the heat. It's like a whole new problem. Secondly, every other thing is also expensive: rice, pepper, tin tomatoes, beans, you name it which leads to the third problem no money in circulation; and when there's no money in circulation, you get cranky parents. 

Cranky parents is a whole new level on it's own. That means you can't do anything wrong else you'll get shouted at, insulted or even get hit ( depending on your parents level of irritation). So basically everything could go wrong just because of an increase in the price of tomatoes. And that's still different from the whole dollar problem with the naira falling everyday, which is also different from the fuel subsidy business ( Like seriously) it's like the list just goes on and on. 

My take on everything is that instead of getting angry and depressed, why not keep a positive attitude. That might not change things but it'll definitely keep you happy after all, that's all you really can do. That'll be all for now, I'll be signing off now ( because I really have got to sleep).  If you've got any contributions tweet me @marianne_sweet and I'll get back to you.
 #tinglingteenonair #justme #teenproblems

R is for Relationships


So this is Tinglingteenonair and it's your girl Paxxy coming to you all the way from IB city in Nigeria and I gotta say that it's a lovely evening and I'm  just happy I can be a part of it; counting my blessings right this minute. So..

"It's not everyday that you feel great or super excited and it's not everyday you feel like everything has come crashing down, some days are just in between and that's okay too"

Actually, that's something I just thought of right now. Well, what I really want to talk about is.. Wait for it... Relationships. Not your relationship with your friend or the one with your parents but the one everyone thinks of nowadays, the 'romantic' relationship.  As a teenager, you definitely become more aware of it and it sometimes feels like that's what everyone is talking about these days. I just thought I'll give my own take on it. I think that instead of looking everywhere for Mr Right, finding faults with every single potential marriage mate just because he or she isn't perfect, why not just be Mrs Right?    You know how relationships get sometimes now, it feels like everybody else has found someone but you, it can be heartbreaking too. I have been there but the one thing I've also learnt is that you have to learn to let go. To stop feeling so sorry for yourself, to become the best version of you and to have as much fun as you can.
 For me, I have totally enjoyed building a better me, a better, cooler, more fun and more intense Me! And believe it or not, I am loving every single moment of it. I am making friends, reaching goals I never thought I could, writing again and basically having the Best time of my life. So yes, that's my take on relationships, go for it when it's in front of you but even when it's not, don't spend all your time feeling sorry for yourself. You Are Complete!
#tinglingteenonair #keepingitreal #girlpower

It's a Mother Daughter thing

.So this week, I want to go a little deeper and talk about something really dear to my heart.it's something I stumbled on and couldn't help sharing, I felt like I just had to say something. It was so emotional and very close to home because I have often felt that way too. 

 I read a book recently about the mother, daughter relationship and I couldn't stop the tears ( it was that emotional!)  It's one of the most complicated relationships you'll ever come across and yet it's one that makes a wealth of difference. The book I read was a series consisting of 2 books and it explored 3 generations of that relationship. The first mother wanted to strengthen her daughter so she alienated her and made her work hard hoping that will be the greatest proof of her love. The second generation, who was the daughter in the first, decided to do the opposite of what her mother did to her and so she gave her daughter freedom and urged her to play and think ( on her own ); this also caused a big rift between them. It even led to her being abused ( sexually and emotionally ) and leaving home. She got pregnant and came back home, she was forced to give up her child to her mother and felt under appreciated both ways. So by the third generation, the daughter was closer to her grandmother than to her mother which happened in the second generation too. The three mothers felt that their children did not love them or appreciate them but they were proud of them whereas the daughters also felt that their mothers didn't love them and couldn't care less.
   
As I read that book I couldn't help but think of the many mother daughter relationships that sound just like that, maybe not that heartbreaking though, but you know that whole you'll never measure up feeling as if your mum couldn't care less what happens to you as long as you're becoming strong enough to keep your own home. So many times I've heard girls talk about how  much they love their dads, they can tell them anything without pressure, how their mum just makes everything seem difficult. It's as if everything about that relationship is threatened until you're about 30 or so and can totally relate to her feelings which makes me wonder why we can't have that bond grow throughout without waiting so long for it. Is it so impossible to show love, support, care while at the same time building another generation of mothers and homemakers?  Or am I the only one who thinks there's something wrong? That we should always stick together and show love as females not just keep it all in or  shower it all on the males.
    So how about this, why not say a private thank you to your mother or have that conversation you keep having with your girlfriends with her because when it comes down to it, she's your first God given girlfriend and she'll do anything for you. Her love goes beyond time and season, it's real and it's enduring. Here's to all mothers who do it all and the daughters who wish to be half as good.
                                                                                           Till next time.... It's  
                                                                                                                        Paxxy.
              
  

Just random

Hey there! How's it going? Hope life isn't as boring as mine has been lately. I feel like I can't even get my creative juices flowing, I haven't been able to get out more than a sentence which is why I haven't written anything in a while. I'm trying though which is why I'm writing right now.

If you're wondering,I'm on holiday (which is why I'm bored not stressed out) for 3 months ( don't ask). The holiday has been life changing though, I've reconnected with an old friend, discovered the joy of great friends, had lots of fun with my cousins ( who drive me crazy sometimes), found my solitude again and basically changed a bit (I'll tell you all about it in another post).  Now, my boredom hasn't been totally falling useless, it's got me thinking....

When it's all quiet and it's just you, what do you think of?
For me, my first thought is probably food (LOL) and sleep too ( making me officially lazy). Back to serious stuff, I usually think of what the future holds, you know,  something like "what'll my kids look like? What's my marriage going to look like? Who am I going to get married to? Have I met him? Will I fulfill all my goals?" ( and on and on). The one thing I noticed though is that it's all about the future, mostly marriage and kids, and less about the present. Kinda makes me feel sad that I'm not appreciating the present, I'm so caught up in what the future holds that I can't even see what's right in front of me.
What about you? What are your thoughts?
As I await your replies, let me leave you with something I found on Twitter.
    

                                    
                                     Till next time... It's

                                                               Paxxy.   

The Bitter Truth

Loneliness is like a cloak that can be put on and off, it comes and goes. And sometimes it grips you and never lets go.
  I am one of those who has personally experienced the truthfulness of those words.  I can be in a crowd of people and be so alone. Unfortunately, loneliness is not always noticed, it happens even to the best of us.  We are all so busy living that we fail to notice those who are down and depressed. They hide behind perfect smiles and joyful humor.  Sometimes it gets so bad that they are willing to end it all and reject everyone but what we fail to realise is that all they really need is just a friend, a listening ear and an open heart.
I seem so normal, so friendly and nice but I guess the scars are always carefully hidden,  that's why they are scars. The only thing that got me out of that dark place was God and friends.  To a lot of people depression is not real but it is very real, it destroys lives and families. We all need to be aware of it and to fight it.  It's a fight we can win and one that can only start with You.
  I hope you have a lovely week and you take the time to care for those around you.
                                        Till next time... It's
                                                          Paxxy.
                                      

Just for you

This week I am going to post one of my poems. Hope you like it.




       You walk in,
        He's there
        Standing, waiting....
 
        You turn
         He's beside you
         Standing, waiting....
 
        You lost it
         You scream, cry
          Bursting at the seams
          He's there, holding you
          Standing, waiting....

         You leave
          Refreshed, happy
          Not realizing you're breaking him
          And he's still there
          Just for you
          Standing, waiting....

Good Enough?



Ever felt like everything you do will never be good enough. Like you are always going to be one step behind no matter what. Well, that explains my whole life. Sometimes it feels like even if I work through the day it still won't be good enough, I'll always be missing something. you know those moments when your mum asks you to clean and you do it all day and you think you've got it all covered ( like good job girl!) and your mum comes in and says "Why did you leave this part?" ( and you're just there like 'What! After everything I've done).
  And somehow, I'm not the only one who feels this way. Most of my friends and cousins feel like they are under appreciated and not good enough. Like they'll never measure up to parents and society's idea of them. It's like a giant rock on your shoulders that you just can't carry.  Yes, living up to these expectations can weigh you down so what you need is a different approach to it.
 For me, I try to always appreciate myself and give myself a pat on the back. I don't need anyone to validate me and I am not trying to live up to impossible standards. The easiest way to happiness is to just enjoy the moments and set goals for yourself, making sure to appreciate yourself when you achieve them. Let the parentals do their job and do yours ( it's their job to always find faults, I think. It's called building you up or something).
 And that's my contribution for this week.
                                                                                                              Till next time...it's
                                                                                                                                           Paxxy.
                                

Peer Pressure

Hey Guys. Its your boy Prince Wale. I am very very very very very sorry. I am so sorry to the extent that my name was used to replace sorry in the dictionary.
I know you guys would have missed me a lot. Its been very hectic from my side. You know being in the last class of Secndry Skool and all. Yup tha Prince Z in Ss3333333. Woah.
But the problems that come with being in this place is just too hectic from having to go to all this parties,all the work,all the "You better face your studies now that you are in Ss3"s. So I have a really busy schedule and to top all that off,we still have to be in control of a whole secondary school and still participate actively in all extracurricular activities. It has
not been a joyride. So I hope you guys forgive me for staying away for so long but I am back now,so please just accept this little token.
Today,I just wanna brush through the tiny little part of your life called peer pressure. Yep,today I want to discuss how peer pressure shapes your life. If you are a really confident person,you might believe that peer pressure is nothing. But out there, there are people who do not,cannot stand up for themselves. Getting bullied being pushed to do things you don't wanna do, it is all a very fundamental part of growing up.
So to all you kids out there who just want to belong,you see your friends doing things that you know isn't right but you have this urging to go along,please don't o. I have seen the problems that can come from just drifting along firsthand and it is not a pretty scenario. So this is just an encouragement for all of you out there who are going through this problems. Now they might seem unbearable and you might just wanna end it but I am begging you, just endure for just a little while longer. Pray to God for guidance ad help. They always say the darkest part of the night is just before the dawn,so don't focus on what you are going through now but on the reward you are going to get when you come out of it. At the end of the day, all those who you were trying to imitate would now respect you in the future because of your stand to maintain that you would
not take part in those things. That's all for now. Peace out......
Peer Pressure

The Journey of Feeling

One of my favorite things to do in the world is to read but then even that hasn't always been smooth sailing. Reading has always made me feel, sometimes even a little too much. I feel the pain of the characters, their hurt, every stab of their delicate heart. That is something a good writer does to you. He draws you in until you are neck deep in it and you can't help it.  I have always believed that a book was not just about the beginning or the end but rather it's all about the journey. The excitement, the dash of hopes, the hopeless struggle, the exhilarating victories; they're all part of the journey.
 
 About a year or so ago, I lost my flair for reading, nothing seemed to interest me, I was just drifting and every book lost its sparkle. And I started wondering why and a few months ago I finally discovered why. It was because something happened in my life back then that shocked me so much I wanted to stop feeling, to stop the tears, the pain, the hurt and heartbreak I was going to get from reading. Books are rarely without those because that is just how life is, it is full of ups and downs, victories and defeats, sometimes you win, sometimes you lose and books are just a representation of that. 
  
But I also realized that it's not just the heartbreaks that make a book, it's also about the excitement and joy that come from the victories, from knowing it all turned out well. There is no good without bad and the pain that comes from falling gives us the strength to stand up again. It's a journey and it's one we all take day in day out. So yes I started reading again for the same reason I stopped... To feel again!  
    
I hope you never go through so much pain that you don't want to feel  and that even if you have gone through such pain, I hope you have the courage to feel again just like I did.
                                                                                                                           Till next time...it's 
                                                                                                                                                  Paxxy.

Counting My Blessings

A long time ago I used to be that girl... The one who didn't smile, who didn't see anything good in anything or anyone; the critical one. But somewhere along the line things changed, not things that happened per se but my perspective about life changed. I started to count my blessings.

 I never had a perfect family but hey who does? I never had that many friends so I could hardly share my fears with them. I wasn't particularly close to any aunt or uncle. I just kept holding it all in. I complained about everything, I took my anger out on my family, almost hated them even.

 Then, a chance encounter changed it, I don't really know when or how but I know I changed. Maybe it started with my almost at the brink of death illness or my friendship with someone special or just
my growing up but I changed. I started finding joy in the little things. I got real excited and I didn't allow anyone to bring me down. I got excited about guests coming over, a new movie I just saw, a friendly face, my cousins coming over. It did not matter what it was I was happy. I gave everyone a smile even when I wasn't feeling like it. I realized that when I was down what I really needed was an uplifting smile and a listening ear so I tried to be that.
 Mostly, my circumstances haven't changed, I still don't have a perfect life, perfect family or perfect friends; I still get scared once in a while but I am in a different space now because I have learnt to count my blessings. I realize some other people don't have a family not to talk of a perfect one and some people don't even have someone who wants to listen to them but most importantly some people don't have the joy of having the greatest personage in the universe, Jehovah, as a best friend.
 
So yes keep counting your blessings lovelies.
                                                                                                            Till next time... It's 
                                                                                                                                        Paxxy.

A tribute

So my favorite show in the whole wide world, Rookie Blue, got canceled this year after six amazing seasons. It feels like just yesterday when my younger brother and I stumbled on it while we were Surfing channels.
Rookie Blue has been here through everything; from my first day in a new school to my first friend to my lonely first year in senior school and the graduation... It's been here through everything!   I have shared the joys, pain, fears and heartbreaks of these amazing rookies and their training officers. They have become my family.
Rookie Blue is a story of 5 cops who just got out of the academy and everything they had to learn on the job even though it was pretty difficult to do that with guns but they did it. It was fun watching them grow. I fell in love with every single one of them and 6 years, 2 weddings (yay!), a baby, an upcoming wedding after, I still am. So here is my take on all my favorite characters from the show that kept me together even when everything was falling apart. Here's the rookies and their training officers:

  Andy McNally- Andy is your classic girl; enthusiastic, good natured, fun and unwaveringly optimistic. She's the main character and I loved watching her grow through the years

  Dov Epstein- He is amazingly smart and fast. He'll make such a good detective. Yes, he made some mistakes but he always comes back on top

  Tracy Nash- she is loyal, practical and a hell of a good detective. Her relationship with her son always brings smiles to my face. She's your go to girl for great advice.

 Chris Diaz- Chris is probably the one with the most unresolved issues by the end of the show. I got so mad when he got into drugs and messed up but at least he got over that. I like to think of Chris as the practical, down to earth  rule following rookie and so kind hearted. I will always see him that way.

 Gail Peck- She is what I like to call the old aristocrat. She comes from a long line of cops and she is one tough lady. She is determined, focused and surprisingly kind hearted. Yes she had a lot of growing to do which was heartbreaking most times but she is still a winner (always). 

 Nick Collins- Nick is perfect.. Straight out of the army, sweet, nice and handsome. He is also one of the only rookies who is there without being there. His last relationship with Juliet was fun to watch.

Chloe Price- I fell in love with Chloe from the first day I met her. She is funny, sweet and unrepentantly open. Her interesting dynamics with everyone and her positive energy never fails to brighten my day. Although she wasn't originally part of the rookies she wormed her way into my heart.

Duncan Moore- This stupidly annoying rookie made me love him. By the end of the season, he was a part of the family and I can't believe I will miss him.

 Marlo Cruz- Marlo is the Other woman and as much as I would have loved to hate her I just couldn't. Her strength of will and resilience definitely won me over but that is all you are getting from me, Marlo.

Oliver Shaw- Oliver is my favorite training officer ( TO). He is funny, smart and such a great father figure to all the rookies. He always kept it together and he gives great advice. Thank you for everything Oliver.

Sam Swarek- Sam is tough, smart and a rule breaker. His bad guy good guy personality got to me. He is probably one of the only characters I am truly in love with.

Noelle Williams- I love snarky, smart and kick ass Noelle. She thought the rookies to be tough yet kind.

Luke Callahan- The annoying detective who broke Andy's heart, we forgive you anyways.

 Jerry Barber- Tracy's fallen hero and my personal favorite detective. We miss you, Jerry.

 Frank Best- Who doesn't miss our tough but always loving staff sergeant? I certainly do.
   
 So yes, thank you all for 6 amazing seasons and the best 6 years. The lessons will stay with me forever and so will you all. I will never forget my loving RB family. Love you all!
 If you haven't seen Rookie Blue yet, what are you waiting for? It's the best in town.
                                                                                                              Till next time... It's
                                                                                                                                          Paxxy.
 

Welcome!

Hey there! My name is Paxton (which is not necessarily my real name). I decided a few years ago that I really liked the name Paxton because it means Peace. But then enough about my name, let me tell you about me. I am a voracious reader and writer (very lazy writer); you can check my work out on WattPad if you are interested. I love to talk and I am a crazy but fun person.
   I started this blog a few years ago because I wanted to write but as I went over some of my old posts, I discovered they were a little different from my writing now. So I wanted to start a blog where I could express myself and vent ( we all need that sometimes right?) and I remembered I created this a few years back. So basically, I am going to talk about what bothers me, the stuff we all go through as teenagers. The stuff we sometimes can't tell our parents or friends about ( it happens). I am going to talk about my struggles, my fears, my concerns, my dreams and anything that goes on in my head. What being a teenager is really all about.
  Feel free to comment, to vent too and if it's really good, I might post it. I just want to create a platform where we ( all teenagers, including me) can be true to ouselves. Being a teenager is not a curse, it is a blessing and fun times come out of it. We are teens, we are happening, tingling. We are Tingling teens.
                                                                                                       Till next time... It's 
                                                                                                                                   Paxxy.

FRIENDS




“There exists a friend sticking closer than a brother”. 
This is my favourite friendship quote because it shows the importance of a friend to human development.
Someone once said when I am happy, I need someone to share it with and when I am sad, I need a shoulder to cry on and that is exactly what friends are for. They are not only there to help and comfort you during life trials but they are also there to share the good times; along with your family members, friends are part of your support system.


We all have friends but then there are friends and there are friends. There are friends you can’t do without and there are those you talk to and then there are acquaintances. I have so many acquaintances but not many friends, my acquaintances are those I talk to, who help me while my friends are the ones I tell my deepest fears and secrets.
I used to have so many friends until I found out that friendship was so much more than talking, it is a relationship that you have to keep working at. And just like marriage, in a friendship it takes two to tango. It takes two people to make a friendship last forever, it takes love, determination, forgiveness, loyalty and so many other qualities.
The problem most people have is that they think they don’t have to make an effort to make a friendship work; they just want to sit and enjoy the good things that come with friendship without doing anything at all or contributing their own quota to the friendship. These makes a lot of people shy away from friendship.
Another reason a lot of people do so is because of betrayals from bad friends. And just like a heart break, a betrayal hurts. It can shatter one’s confidence in people and leave one depressed. Betrayals from close friends can be especially painful because of its unexpectedness. After a betrayal it is hard to trust people again but it is possible and you will trust again.
One of the ways to get over a betrayal is to be surrounded by friends, true friends.  True friends are like diamonds precious and rare and everyone needs at least one true friend. They may be rare but finding them brings a lot of contentment and joy. My friends are my most precious possession after my family, I love and value them so much as few as they are.
Friendship is all about finding that special person that makes you want to be a better person but if you haven’t found that person, no need to worry you will. I will mention six steps that can help you to make and maintain true friendship.
One important step is to be a friend by going out of your way for people, doing things for them and just being nice. Another important step is to make time to cultivate a friendship; remember, friendship, like a flowering plant, needs to be watered and nurtured for it to blossom- and that takes time. The third step is to pay attention when others talk and the fourth, be forgiving. Another is to respect the privacy of others, avoid possessiveness which can lead to jealousy. And lastly, be generous, show genuine interest in others, think of what you can do for them instead of focusing on what they can do for you.
So go out there and make friends and then you just might meet that special friend who sticks closer than a brother.
                                                                 MERCIFUL

Exploding rates of diabetes

The new research, which was published in the journal Pediatrics the week of May 21, examined some 3,400 kids and young adults aged 12 - 19 who participated in the Centers for Disease Control's National Health Examination Survey, which is used to track the overall health of all Americans.

The percentage of teens that were overweight didn't change much between 1999 through the end of 2008, the survey said, remaining around the current range of about 34 percent. In addition, the frequency and occurrence of hypertension and pre-hypertension remained stable at about 14 percent. High levels of bad "LDL" cholesterol also remained constant at 22 percent, the survey said.

But the occurrence of diabetes and pre-diabetes rose dramatically, from 9 percent of the surveyed population in 1999-2000 to 23 percent in 2007-2008, a little less than 10 years later.

That's not just significant, that's serious.

"I am reassured that at least we haven't seen a continuing rise in the rate of childhood obesity," Dr. Lori Laffel, chief of pediatrics at the Joslin Diabetes Center and a professor at Harvard Medical School, said.

"I am reassured that most of the cardiovascular risk factors the researchers looked at have not increased. But it is concerning that it looks like the rates of pre-diabetes and diabetes have more than doubled over that 10-year period," she added.

Some good news, but not enough

Laffel said the current results would need to be validated with additional research before any real public policy changes are implemented. That's because the results are atypical in that, despite steady obesity rates, the prevalence of diabetes has risen. She and other researchers want to know why and how, since obesity increases resistance to insulin and impairs glucose tolerance.

Still, overall, the new study does reaffirm the link between obesity and cardiovascular problems.

Just about half of overweight teens and more than 60 percent of obese participants in the study had at least one cardiovascular risk factor, a discovery that researchers felt was "concerning, given growing evidence demonstrating that cardiovascular risk factors present during childhood may persist into adulthood."

Pre-hypertension (high blood pressure) and high amounts of bad cholesterol was the most common combination of risk factors among overweight and obese teens. Both can increase risk of heart disease earlier in life than normal.

"This really speaks to the need for pediatricians to be vigilant about following screening recommendations, especially for obese and overweight teens," study co-author Ashleigh May, with the CDC's Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity, said.

"We do see these risk factors are high for all youth, not just overweight and obese youth," she said, adding that 35 percent of teens whose weight was considered normal also had at least one risk factor.

Get your kids off the couch!

Mitigating the risks isn't as difficult as it might seem, researchers have said for years, noting that even moderate lifestyle changes can dramatically decrease risk factors. Scores of earlier studies have shown that simply eating less fat as well as smaller portions of foods containing fewer calories, combined with 20-30 minutes of exercise daily, people can reduce their risk of developing diabetes by almost 60 percent.

That's also significant.

"We do know that we can slow or even halt the progression of pre-diabetes and diabetes," Fonseca said.

But if nothing is done, the consequences for the future will be severe.

"This is telling us that there is a very high prevalence of obesity-related problems in people in the age group 12 to 19. That's something we used to see only in people in their 40s," Fonseca said.

"What this really means is that people are going to get serious health issues when they're in the prime of their lives."

THE TEENAGE YEARS




Welcome to my world, the world of teens. I am Alanu which means Merciful, I am a teenager and I will be talking about everything from fashion to clothes to boys, love, relationships, family and heartbreak. Today I will be talking about the teenage years.
  Many parents dread the teenage years and would do anything to spare their children the pain and mistakes that come with those years. But these are the years that shape us as adults, they are the years we make our choices in life and become an individual. As hard as these years are and the many mistakes one makes, it is still the most interesting stage of life and the most fun.
You get to choose what to do with your life, your career, your relationships, friends and even what member of your family to associate with. You also have the energy and time to do a lot of things like sports, games, competitions and even parties.
These years are also filled with a lot of emotional changes like mood swings, awareness of the opposite sex, falling in love and heartbreaks. It may even lead to depression because some people cannot cope with the emotional changes. All these might seem so overwhelming at times but you can always talk to someone especially your parents.
Parents, who are supposed to be our rock during these times, are sometimes even part of the problem. A lot of teenagers complain that they don’t listen, they are always looking for faults and mistakes in your decisions and life, they are over protective etc.  All these make teenagers distant from their parents rather than opening up to them. Nevertheless teenagers should pour their hearts to their parents because they have a wealth of knowledge and experience and they are in a better position to help.
The teenage years are also the time for physical and psychological changes. The sexual organs will be developed, this makes one feel awkward at times but it is all part of the growing process. There is also the psychological development, development in your way of thinking and acting. For example, you may start to see the world in a different way or you may start to dress in a different way to show your individuality. All these changes can be overwhelming but the truth is we all have to go through it.
So no matter what it is you are going through learn to sit back, relax and enjoy the moment. The teenage years is all about growing into yourself and becoming you. So enjoy it, make friends, talk to your parents, do something you enjoy, make the most of those years; after all you are only young once. Have fun and stay blessed.                                                                  
                                                     MERCIFUL
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)