Guest Writer; Daine O. King,

Glitter 

The whispers of my conscience thunders through my mind

In hopes of silencing the screams that eat at the walls of my hallow thoughts

Is this all there is to me now; Shadow and despair, without aim or purpose?

Should blackest night desire me, should I go gentle into that good night?

The light rages on, shadows whisper, yet they terrify.

There is much whisper, yet it speaks of a nameless fear

The time has come, the fight has begun and yet strength fails to present itself.

In the stillness of night thought strays from perfect peace to daunting wonders

Thoughts of what can never be but yet now is

Thoughts of whom one should never speak of yet words would fill the pages of a book

And still fail to capture what was once a ray of sunlight; a glitter like that of polished diamonds…

All is but shadow now; just an unbalanced equation

There is nothingness and the void is ever present

The vacuum of outer space holds more matter in comparison

There is no need to fight for there is nothing to gain yet a loss will be garnered if there is no fight

If the battle is pointless and will yield no reward, how can it be of value?

By Daine O. King 

Guest Writer: Jason Ricardo Thomas; Young Men and Celibacy

Young Men and Celibacy

Strict self-denial and raging bulls darting down the streets of Pamplona are seemingly a match made in opposite’s heaven. Existing on such differing ends of the logical spectrum, youthful vigor and committed patience are often at odds and fully demanding of energy and consciousness. This conflict is the home, if he so chooses, for the young man who desires to be celibate.

Celibacy, the voluntary abstaining from sex and marriage, is a life of withholding and withstanding. Young men are glorified for their brute, exhibition, fellowship, and lack of tire and restraint. All hail the ‘Young Buck’, yes all marvel at the feats of the ‘Young Stud’, and few notice the value of the young sage. The conquests of the brash are celebrated and the non-conformity of the celibate is vilified; excepting in religious circles where it is expected though still not praised. There is great value in discipline; the wisdom of celibacy should not be golden only to the priestly.

The young man who desires to be celibate is as much at war with himself as with the societal beckoning of conformity. Celibacy is by no means a simple want or a need, neither is it an aversion to sex or marriage. This misconception is at the heart of the alienation of the celibate, who grapples with human longings for intimacy and companionship as feverishly as those who dive in at first glance and repeatedly. His covenant is of love; his celibacy is a commitment to his future; to his forever. Celibacy is not a hatred of, celibacy is an intangible motivator, it is a journey of choosing to practice some and wait some. Life lived at a moderate pace, is living in control. Celibacy is not the brakes it is not even the vehicle, celibacy is the continuous movement towards the reward. It is evident that there are prizes for promiscuity, notches on the belt of the player and disappointments for the discarded. Celibacy takes you in a totally different direction.

Where does one channel the vitality of youth then? You do not want to waste your young-manhood, but if you are not chasing what are you doing with your time? The simply answer is every virtuous thing, with all the passion and strength you possess. Absence of sex and marriage does not stop you from any great aspiration or ideal; you have years to prepare your mind and body for both and you do not need to chase either for they too await the best you. Do not take the puss in a bag in your adolescence, twenties or thirties, never take the bag. Live everyday fully engaged, befriend and love. Learn, race, explore, invent, relax, perform, travel, do, and be. Celibacy empowers you, encourages you to be all you can be.

There is a time for everything under the sun, let the fire of your younger days burn bright and steady. Take the time; you'll be ready for sex and marriage, and priesthood. Take the time, make the right choice. Celibate and run the streets of Pamplona free as a young man in his prime, you can do both. Nothing is stopping you but you.

By Jason Ricardo Thomas 

Guest Writer: Casey Kwiss Thompson, Virtual paradise

Virtual paradise

I have a friend who is into Kpop (Korean pop music) she had me listen to a song by a group called 2ne1 they did a song called come back home while watching the music video and listening to the song I found myself rocking to the beat and admiring the vocalists of course I didn’t understand a word of what they were saying except for the few English parts. After it was over she explained to me what the video was about and showed me the English lyrics for the song it was basically about being drawn into the virtual world and how many people choose to live in their rather than the real world. I seriously thought about this I mean how many people would rather text a person or IM them rather than meet face to face? Would you rather just stay home and watch a movie or your favourite series than go out with your friends?

For many people technology or the internet is their virtual paradise it is their scapegoat from the real world. Last year my cousin spent the entire summer on IMVU an virtual avatar game where he had his own crew his own place his own girlfriend etc for him he could achieve  or be on IMVU  what he couldn’t  in reality I guess for him that was his virtual paradise. If we are going to get philosophical on this who am I to say that virtual life isn’t real?  Do I have the right to say virtual relationships aren’t real how many people go on dating sites and find their future husbands or wives do I or anyone have the right to judge them? I shiver to think how much money my cousin spent last year but hey the heart wants what the heart wants.

By Casey Kwiss Thompson 

Guest Writer: Judene HInes, For Single People

For Single People

Judena Shine.

My name is Judene and I am single too. I have been this way for almost half of a decade, and often times I fret about my “condition”. My fretting does not come from my inability to be hitched, but because I am sometimes a little intimidated. I am not intimidated by couples and lovers, but rather, my heart palpitations occur when I am around other single people. Other single males. Instead of focusing on the matter at hand, I immediately start analysing him and me. How tall is he? How does he look? Is he funny or serious? Ignorant or smart? Haughty or down-to-earth? Or too loose? What’s his last name? Judene Hines-“him”. Sigh. Then if he matches my criteria somewhat, I start analysing myself: Do I look presentable? Am I being a total fool? Is he interested in me? Do I like him? Do I care to see him again? Then I find myself being forced to make a decision. “Should I go forward or stay right here?” Forward in this sense means, “Should I show my interest, or grab his?” Then I go home and start wondering. I then have prayer sessions like this:

“Lord, please show me a sign that I should make a move to show so-and-so  something...I mean, to show him that I like him...But I can’t like him Lord. I don’t  even know him. I don’t even know if You want me to like him. *loud sigh* Help me  Jesus. Amen.”

Despite my wailings, these days I am learning how to be single. I am learning that singleness is a time to be all that I can ever be singularly. This is the time to take major risks. Do I want to go on that Student-work programme in Japan or France? This is the best time! Do I want to start a business or take up leadership roles? This is the best time. Being single does not mean that you should use all your energy to “find” that person. When people ask me if I haven’t found someone as yet, I just tell them “I didn't know that someone was lost and I needed to help find or rescue them.” Instead of finding your mate, singlehood is the time to find yourself. Do you know who you are? What do you absolutely like? What are your dreams? What hobbies are you just developing? What is your cholesterol level? Lol! :) Yes, you should know about yourself before you try to know others.

As you grow to know yourself, you will inevitably discover talents and thoughts you never knew that you had. You will want to develop yourself more, as you see all that you wish to become. You will love yourself more too. When you love yourself more, you will attract that person who will love you, for you. He or she will see your potential and your accomplishments. That person will find little in you that they would change, if anything. That person will grow with you to help you develop your dreams. Your dreams will be theirs too.

So friends, take your time to grow. Whether you have been single for a day or a decade, remember that each day you have is a blessing. Just like coupleship, singleness is beautiful.

By Judene Hines 

Professionalism In The Workplace by Jason Ricardo Thomas

Professionalism In The Workplace

All professions have a workplace; one would think it safe to assume therefore that professionalism is part and parcel. Woe to the assumer and double woe to anyone believing that the place gives birth to the ‘ism. However, whenever the work is to be done, the greater the professionalism the higher the success.

Professionalism is all encompassing. The workplace is a fusion of environment, resources, and culture; the ideal setup provides for and responds to the human resources in the pursuit of maximum output. Each aspect is held to a high standard, though we often think of the workers alone, to achieve the quality of the outcome desired. In a nut shell: Location is the where, Mission is the why, Vision is the future, and Professionalism is the how.

Of everything we’ve highlighted so far the human resource is the most important, and our focus and the sure fix to most workplace issues is the professional worker. So let us define professionalism in relation to the right person for the job.

            

Professionalism:  is the expertness, status, methods, character or standards expected of a professional, such as reliability, discretion, evenhandedness, and fair play.

How does that translate into an actual being? We'll zone in on the top 5 areas where being a pro is key:

1.      Dress & Grooming: Look the part, be the face. Adopting and maintaining the appropriate image and attire empowers you for success whilst identifying you with what you do.

2.      Knowledge: Know what you do, be the voice. Be the encyclopedia, reference manual, subject matter expert and bull horn of your field; consume the data and be the source of what’s relevant.

3.      Practice: Master the skills, be the example. It is not enough to look the part and know the part, one must be. Perfect your skills, share the craft, teach the learner, improve and innovate.

4.      Attitude: Carry the load, inspire the work. What you take to battle is as important as well you fight; model the right, be the code of ethics, champion the cause.

5.      Competence: GET THE JOB DONE. When every factor is equated, the result is the proof; complete the task well, on time, every time.

Oh, these are just the top 5 areas; there’s so much more. Feel free to share your experiences and related insights. Comment and join the conversation.

By Jason Ricardo Thomas 

 http://about.me/YungJayWonder

The Value of Family; Family is Priority By Edwina Henry

“A man travels the world over in search of what he needs, and returns home to find it.” - George Moore

The family is God's ideal inner circle where nurturing, cultivation and development begin. He instituted the family; therefore it will always be around as families are the building blocks of society. People were made to associate with other people. We need relationships. Man was not made to be alone, thus God created the family. No one will ever know the hardships and the severities that life has brought on you as your family does. The happy moments with family are the most precious ones but even the worst moments are just as important and cherished.

 

The love that binds the family is like a safe harbour, where we feel secure and where we can assure that companionship and loyalty are pillars of the circle. This bonding helps to build a trust and hope that, no matter what, we have people to be with us in all life’s situations. It is through family that we learn the values of love, trust, hope, belief, cultures, morals, traditions and every little matter that concerns to us. A strong foundation for any individual comes from being with a supportive family.

Being part of a blessed family is one among the greatest gifts that we treasure in life. In fact it is the first gift that we get from God. To have parents, who support us, teach us standards of life, give us a strong foundation in character, teach us the importance of love and being loved, trust to be there for each other and many other morals that could be obtained only from a family. It is a gift not only with lovable parents, but siblings who care and love us beyond themselves. All these precious gifts can never be bought or sold, neither can they be demanded. “Other things may change but we start and end with family. Family is everything!” 

By Edwina Henry 

Patience Is a Virtue By Leonard Richard

“We run after you and you stand a far off, we are overly anxious.”

But to the person who came out with this quote, seem to have forgotten to thank us.

“Patience Is A Virtue”, that’s what was said, somebody seems to be looking in my head,

As I run and hurry and anticipate the future, I at times fail but never a loser,

I Look at life differently, that just who I am, Now a boy but trying to be a man,

I am not ready but on my own I want to stand, because I want I believe that I truly can.

Patience, who need that? : The firm ability to wait, I will move now at my own speed as soon as they open the gate…….

 The above story is that what I use to say, back then in those long years ago, but now I'm grown and now know what I know and that is that Patience is truly A Virtue. 

By Leonard Richard