TOP 50 NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS

Some take it seriously. Some bid it farewell just after the clock strikes twelve. Some call it a Second Chance to Dream with Eyes Open. New Year Resolution — no one can deny having made some.

People change with time, so do their aspirations. Seriously taken, Happy New Year Resolution is an opportunity to gauge our goals. For the adventurous souls, it is the opportunity to tickle a funny bone or to try something bold.
123NewYear offers Fifty amazing New Year Resolution 2016 ideas. Some are simple, some are exotic – but each is unique in its own way – there is surely a one that would appeal to you!

1. Look Where You Stand – Made loads of resolutions last New Year’s Eve? Accessed how far you have stood by them? If not, it is time you did!


2. Accomplish the Incomplete – If you still feel that the resolutions you made last year and abandoned midway are worth a second shot, give it another chance!
3. Realistic Resolutions – Instead of weaving dreams in the air, make a resolution that would have significance in and add a meaning to your life.


4. Monitor Progress – Resolve this year to monitor how far you are holding on to your commitment – it will help you to hang on.







5. Quit an Addiction – It will not take you anywhere good, trust us. If it does you no good, why stick to it? If needed, seek help of support groups or professionals. If you have the will, you shall find the way.


6. Back to School – Learning has no age. Pick up where you left off.


7. Fit in Fitness – Secure a future with fewer trips to the doctor – exercise. Select a regime you can stick to. A group activity may add the element of fun to the routine. Lose some flab. But don’t set any strict target, for then the chances are you may get de-motivated and quit.
8. Soak up New Skills – Learning something new and interesting is always fun and a value addition too.


9. Healthy Hogging – Think before you put any morsel in your mouth. Occasional indulgence should be there.


10. Lose the Loan – Pay off any debt you may have and feel light at heart.


11. Sack Stress – This sounds easier than it actually is, and there is no magic tip. You have to find your own haven.


12. Contribute for a Cause – Giving back to the society is the least we can do to make the world a better place to live in.


13. Treasure your Treasures – Splurge is fun, but saving should be the way of living. Plan with your future in mind. Relax the grip once in a while for that blissful indulgence. But should be just one or two annual affair.


14. Liven up Your Lifestyle – Professional growth is okay, but your personal life requires attention too. Strike a balance.


15. Organized – This is the key to make life easy, manage time and live stress free. Make a proper To-Do list, and you are half way there already.

New Year Resolutions

16. Fun With Family – Bonding with the family will add a treasure trove of memories for you to cherish all your life.


17. Wowed By Wanderlust – If new places interest you, plan to reach out to them. You may consider including a fund for your trotting in your annual budget.


18. Adopt a Pet – The devotion, love and loyalty of a pet can never be matched. Feel the bliss by giving one a home.


19. Wreck a Record – This does not necessarily have to be a world record. It could be your own set standards — getting better grades in school, saving more than last year – anything.


20. Relive your childhood – Bring back the simplicity in life – dance in the rain, jump in a puddle, lick a Popsicle – just be carefree.


21. Spice up the Mundane – Bring some sizzle to your daily life. Plan a candlelight dinner. Bring some fresh flowers to your bedroom. This will make life seem more beautiful.


22. Unleash the Angel in You – Nothing feels better than seeing a smile on someone. Do your bit to stand by people who need support. Every little help matters.


23. Get Struck by Cupid – Falling in love is the most beautiful thing to happen in a New Year. And if you are rosy eyed enough, you could even ring the wedding bells.


24. Snooze away to Slumber-Land – Catch up on the sleep you lost and see a beautiful glow back on you – bid farewell to those dark circles for good!


25. Pep up your habitat – Beautifying where you live is the easiest way to beautify your life with a feel good factor.


26. De-clutter the accumulated junk – Life will be more organized with the unnecessary extras gone — donate the unnecessary stuff to charity. If you want, organize a garage sale – the incoming cash may motivate you to de-clutter.


27. Get a Gadget – Has there been a gadget you have been longing for? An expensive one? Save up to make it your own!


28. Step up or Step Down Social Media Activity – If you have been out of touch with your pals and peers, social media would help you get back to the grove. But if your virtual life is affecting your personal life, it is time you remedied that.


29. Tame the Mane – A brand new makeover will be a great way to discover a new you.


30. From Vocation to Profession – When your hobby becomes your profession it not only brings in money but also makes working a fun experience.


31. Positive approach to life – Vow to always view the glass to be half full. This will help you solve any obstacle you may face in life.


32. Speak Your Mind – Chuck the niceties. It is mandatory to say No at times. However remember, politeness pays too. Judiciously decide according to situation.


33. Get Pictured at the Wonders of the World – This is for the travel bugs. This would be an experience of a lifetime, but needs advanced planning.


34. Learn Language – Language skills are always an added plus.


35. Chuck the Couch – Whether we use a slang to call it being a Couch Potato or an ornamental term like Sedentary Lifestyle, if you belong to the category, you need to break out of the vicious cycle.


36. Present to hand make tokens or cards with every gift – Add a personal touch to every gift with a handmade note card or a greeting card.


37. Go for a Blind Date – For the adventurous souls, a blind date may be fun. But take care to consider the risk factors and take adequate precautions.


38. Wake up to World News – Newspaper may seem boring, but not staying abreast with current affairs will make you a bore in a crowd. Stay informed.


39. Groom Your Green Thumb – A patch of greenery is a solace in the concrete jungle we live in – well if a garden seems too much, even a few potted plants would liven up your living space.


40. Patron the Prints – E-books and softcopies are all great and convenient, but nothing compares to the luxury of snuggling up with a nice read. Hit the library and feel it.


41. Waste Not, Want Not – If there is something you don’t want – food, extra medicine, etc — hand it down to those who do.


42. Terminate the Tantrums – Being opinionated is okay. But having your fuse blown off at the slightest pretext is not. Neither are mood swings. They make you out of bounds for friends even if they do not want that.


43. Pep up your parents – Doing something nice for your parents will bring you guaranteed bliss – you are the best to know what will light up their face with a smile.


44. Give up on a bad habit – Old habits die hard – some really need to – like, biting nails, biting your lips etc.


45. Endear a Diary – Letter writing is a dead art. But expressing feelings is not. And nothing pleases a literary mind more than a few solitary moments with pen and paper. Pour your heart out in a diary.


46. Remember the Important Dates – Remembering birthdays, anniversaries etc will make your loved ones feel special, wanted and cared for. If your memory doesn’t help, take the help of technology!


47. Pamper yourself once in a while – You deserve it – do whatever your heart desires – but remember not to go overboard.


48. Enrich your vocabulary – Communication is vital in any sphere of life – enrich your vocabulary to master the art of reaching out.


49. Overcome a fear or mental block – This will make you feel liberated – it will free your mind of shackles.


50. Be sincere about punctuality and commitments – This is a resolution, if followed, would help you succeed in life and be respected too.
    

CITADEL OF LIFE LECTURE #By Sunsampaul Venue: Citadel of Life@whatsapp.com

instrumentalist and a spoken word artiste.

Today I'll be talking on STYLISTIC TECHNIQUES IN WRITING

Before I proceed. What is writing?
Writing is the process of representing a language with symbols or letters.
Writing is the act of penning down what you are to say

Today we are going down the ocean of stylistic techniques in writing

Many people write but don't know the style they are writing or what
they are even writing .
All they could say is  'article is article'

Now let open the book of the word 'stylistic'

Stylistic is a pertaining to style, especially to linguistic or literary style

In literature we have three major genre. Which are:
Poetry
Prose
Drama

Now before you write you must know that stylistic techniques must not
be lacking. Which are :

 Allusion:
It is an author’s reference to a person, place, event, or piece of
literature which he expects his audience to recognize or understand.
Example:  In John Steinbeck’s Grapes of Wrath, the author assumes his
readers’ familiarity..pls try and read that book
You will see what I'm saying

You will find it in any good book shop

 Caricature:
I Sunsampaul will tell you that this is a representation of a
character in which, in literature, his or her characteristics are
exaggerated to produce a comic effect.  Example:  In Twain’s
Huckleberry Finn, the “Duke” is a caricature designed to satirize and
create humor.

 Consciousness, Stream of A style of writing:
This is a method in which the author uses interior monologue to show
how the mind works.  The unbroken fl ow of a character’s thoughts and
perceptions are revealed either directly (first-person narrative) or
indirectly through free-wheeling discourse.

 Modernism & Epiphany In literature:
These are sudden revelation that illuminates meaning or
understanding—an “aha” moment.

 Foreshadowing:
This is a hint of what is going to happen next.  Example:  In
Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, the speech by Friar Lawrence about the
mingling of good and evil foreshadows the coming entanglements.
This is a clear example of foreshadowing.

In Media Res:
This is a Latin expression that means that the story actually starts
in the middle of the action.  Example:  Since the Odyssey starts in
Media Res, with Odysseus imprisoned, an audience already familiar with
the character Odysseus can forego mention of his background and go to
the heart of the action.

Irony:
This is a literary device in which action or language stands in
contrast to what appears to be true or expected.  Example:  “Dr. Fujii
hardly had time to think that he was dying before he realized that he
was alive...”

Do you know there are several types of IRONY?
If you don't, just relax, today I will teach us the types of irony
we've in literature for we to know them vividly when writing any muses

 TYPES OF IRONY
1) Cosmic Irony:
This is a literary device that contrasts what a character attempts to
become and what.  actually happens, due to forces of the universe.

2) Dramatic Irony:
This is also called Tragic Irony, this occurs when what a character
says or believes contradicts what the audience knows to be true.  In
these circumstances, a character’s words and actions have one meaning
for the character and an entirely different meaning for the audience.

3) Situational Irony:
This is a literary device in which the expected action and the actual
action are in direct contrast, usually due to forces out of the
control of the characters.

4) Structural Irony:
 This occurs when a naïve protagonist holds a view or outlook that
differs from the one the author holds.  The reader will usually feel
intellectually superior to the protagonist, and empathy for the hero
often suffers.

5) Verbal Irony:
 This is a figure of speech in which a character says one thing but
actually means the opposite.  Sarcasm often falls into the
classification of verbal irony.

These are the types of irony we need most in life. Let move to the
other stylistic techniques in writing

Let's move on to other stylistic techniques in writing

 Melodrama:
This is a drama of any type that relies on stereotypes or two
dimensional characters whom the audience recognizes. An exaggeration
of emotions, behaviors, and events is often evident in a melodrama.
Example:  Melodramas often use a serialized story line, damsels in
distress, and characters who are clearly good or evil, as in the early
silent film “The Perils of Pauline”.

Pathos:
This is the manner in which a play or story’s action causes the
audience to feel pity for a character.  In drama, it occurs mainly in
tragedy, but can be found in comedy too

 Poetic Diction:
This is a manner of speaking or expression that is used mainly in
poetry and not in casual conversation.  Example:  William Wordsworth’s
poem, “Ode: Intimations of Immortality from Recollections of Early
Childhood,” provides a classic example of the elevated language of
some poetry.

Poetic License:
This is the privilege of a writer to take liberties with grammatical
rules and structure for desired poetic effects.  Example:  E.E
Cummings is a poet who has made the most of the freedoms of poetic
license

 Theme:
This is the overriding or dominant idea in a story that is a universal
statement about humanity.  The theme is the central meaning in a piece
of writing and the message that the author wishes the audience to
understand and take away.  Theme may be represented in an indirect
fashion, and differing devices may be used to hint at theme:  the
title, certain quotes, a repeated observation, a recurring motif can
make the reader discover the theme Example:  Justice, dignity, and
freedom can be themes of a certain poem or story. It depends on the
writers motif of writing that particular muse that can as well make
the reader to discover the theme of the muse

®All rights reserved
©Copyright
28-12-15
10:15pm

I'm Sunsampaul Egwu Philosopher a poet, Published writer, an

ONE MORE RIVER TO CROSS(a poem by Decent Innocent)

The ocean was deep and huge
The wave so heavy and scary that crossing over flee my thought
But with my paddle and mini boat I hopefully paddled to this very last
moment despite the rocks and flood...

Moments when unemployment, failure, sickness, hate, poverty will be
BURIED for the RESURRECTION
prosperity

This moment when pagans worship in His sanctuary dancing shakiti and
shoki fulfilling all righteousness

Chie, moments when we say farewell to Christmas songs, disco light,
sounds of bangers and rockets stoned to the sky

Wow,moments when we sit behind Ejebu's Palm Wine and Ishi Ewu corner
running bottles of magic moment

Moments when we stroll with friends, relations or lover sharing
stories of the previous moment

Moments when we light up tyres, roll round the burning flames
screaming Happy New Year

Cheers! Cheers! Cheers friends
It's  just a river to cross
Congratulations!
The ocean then, It's now a river to cross over.

#DecentInnocentMySaint
#OneMoreRiverToCross
#YouMadeItToThisLastMoment
#ThanksToOluwa
#YouAloneIsWorthy
#ThankYouLord
#Citadeloflife
#Plsrebroadcast

of employment, success, health, love and

I HAVE A DREAM(a poem by Sunsampaul Egwu)

I have a dream that one day
My pen will write about freedom
And leads us out of boredom
Taking us out of the dungeon
Where our daughters are victims of child marriage
Forced to everlasting union
Perishing in undeserved communion

I have a dream that one day
My spoken word will speak of justice
With the right of removing the sack clothes
On our sisters' bodies
To make them leave in joy, peace and harmony
Without being pushed to undesired dreams
Of forlorn streams and everlasting beams

I have a dream that one day
These excruciating pains
They suffered will disappear and drain
Leaving them to be strong and reign
To resist every heat from every pit
Poverty will seize and anarchy ease

I have a dream that one day
Our leaders will lead and not rule
Our children will no longer eat in the loo
Our parents will no longer be fooled
Night will no longer be responsible for evil
Our character will be civil
Our ambition will be sumptuous

I have a dream that one day
My pen will spark and lead the way
Where many has lost turn
Some unable to return
Due to the massive thorns.
Alone in the confines of their heart
They always place their mat
And trade to the path
Of a greater act.

BRIEF BIOGRAPHY: Sunsampaul Egwu Philosopher is a poet, a prose
writer, a spoken word artiste and an instrumentalist, he studies
computer science and he's a blogger, a founder of Citadel of Life and
a pioneer of Ghetto City of Poetry. Email address:
sunsampaul4globe@gmail.com. Tel: +2348180861170