@marriamb moments:

Every point defines an aspect of @marriamb’s personality and stuff about her I’ll always remember:

1. IN HURRY: She’s always “ma3jou2a” in whatever she does, someone will think she’s pissed but she’s just hyper most of the time. She packs her stuff so hurriedly and bangs doors when taking a break from a boring lecture or a sleepy mood.
2. PHONE – She forgets to turn her phone off or on silent each time we’re in class – In Competitive Strategy class it rang more than 4 times. And argues with the lecturer about it. It has become my daily duty to remind her in each class “mariam, is your phone on silent?” – she still forgets. (U still owe Mr. Bentil)
3. YOY – She has a “YOY” reaction to anything and everything cute.
4. “MELTING MOMENTS” is so irresistible, she’ll leave whatever she’s doing for a meal there.
5. ROAD RUNNER: She’s a road runner, walks super fast I can barely catch up. I pant when walking *running* with her from building to another.
6. GOOGLE TRANSLATOR: Mariam has super power bilingual skils .. NO problem with languages at all, Google translator is always a handy tool. She speaks Chinese, Spanish, Portuguese, French.. you name it.
7. MAKE UP ISSUES: Whatever the event is, she never likes my makeup, she complains its too light and “mish mbayan”.. drags me to the bathroom and “re-makes me up”
8. FLOWERS: She loves flowers, and most especially on the hair. She’s always chasing me with flowers to stick in my hair. And they don’t last for long. Or I simply don’t listen.
9. BREAKFAST: I don’t like having breakfast in the morning, but with mariam..it’s a different case altogether. It’s a big deal if she gets to know “ba3dni bala terwee2a”.

Sugar.

HOPE AND PROMISE

We live our lives in different situations, with different mindsets at different points in time but there is one thing that we consciously or unconsciously hold close to our hearts and minds; it is hope and promise.

A child starts embracing his journey in life by first allowing elders to carry him with the hope that he may one day carry himself around. This hope becomes a promise as he attempts to crawl his way through life and gradually takes baby steps. He promises himself to become independent by not giving up every time he falls down due to his faltered steps.

Children play with their mates pretending to be a mother, doctor, teacher etc. They hope to be the successful character they imitate. This sense of hope and promise is what makes them strive in life, even though at a young age, they do so unconsciously.

We learned to walk, talk and become independent. We learned what it takes to become whatever we want to be.  Some of us apply what we learn while others do not for one reason or another. But whether we become what it is we consciously want to be or not, we always live with hope. We promise ourselves that life will be as we wish it to be. We promise ourselves to maintain our smiles. We promise others to maintain their security. We promise our loved ones to give them all what they hope for. We hope life will always shy disappointment away.

Dreams, hope and promise are what keep us going and aspiring. Dreams, hope and promise are what welcome our tomorrow as we wave off our today.

Spice

THINK WITHIN THE BOX

There is a perpetual encouragement to think outside the box and to be as creative and innovative as possible when attempting to solve problems. This thinking however, is not always valid or feasible as simple problem solving techniques and answers might be the optimal solution in some situations.

A couple of weeks ago, I faced an embarrassing situation because of this issue. I was helping a friend of mine locate something on her laptop.  While working on it, she asked me to go to ‘My Computer’.  I went to Control Panel instead thinking I have to configure some settings. Then I was like, hang on a minute, my computer..hmm..?

After a few seconds of rummaging my mind, I asked my friend where “My Computer” is. Of course after pointing it out to me, I felt stupid. Had she said she wanted to check the partitions of the hard disk it would have clicked to me, but simply go to My Computer seemed vague.

You might find yourself facing a question that requires a simple answer but due to your super “thinking out of the box” skills, you miss the answer. For example:

Qst: What do you do when you feel like walking?

Ans: Go for a walk.

Well, though this question might seem stupid to ask but some people try to apply their thinking out of the box skills that they forget the simple answers. This issue can cause embarrassment even in the work place at times. So guys, think within the box once in a while and not out of the box all the time.

Spice

The Older We Grow The Richer We Become

Silver in the Hair

Gold in the Teeth

Stones in the Kidneys

Sugar in the Blood

Lead in the Feet

Iron in the Arteries

And an inexhaustible supply of Natural Gas

We never thought we’d accumulate such wealth!!

WONDERING WHAT TO GET AS A BIRTHDAY GIFT?

So we have reached the second month in 2010 and birthday gifts must be given out. Many of you are probably wondering what to get your friends and loved ones on their special day in terms of suitability, practicality, and so on. Here are a few tips on the kind of gifts to get:

1. Toothbrush and toothpaste. The toothbrush can be as per the person’s favorite color.
2. A beautifully elegant box of tissue and matching toilet paper. Again as per the person’s favorite color.
3. A car tyre and car tools
4. A set of colored bowls for the kitchen
5. Some rice and oil for your mom
6. Batteries for the remote control for your dad to watch the news
7. Detergents for cleaning
8. Some shampoo, soap and deodorant
9. A carton of mineral water
10. The daily news paper on the persons birthday
11. A skipping rope
12. Bathroom scale, especially for a lady you want to get at
13. A set of clothes hangers
14. Some cotton swabs
15. Some bug spray

Finally, do not forget to nicely wrap your gifts and present them with warm birthday smiles and wishes.

Warning: Do not get us any of these gifts on our birthdays!

Sugar and Spice

The Honour Code:

What is the honour code?

According to Stanford University and I quote “The Honor Code is the University’s statement on academic integrity written by students”…” It articulates University expectations of students and faculty in establishing and maintaining the highest standards in academic work”

In simpler words, trusting students and faculty to do academic work with a sense of morality and integrity.

This includes:

1. Faculty clearly confident about trusting their students.
2. Taking examinations without proctors hovering over your heads and keeping you more tensed.
3. Take-home examinations and assignments.
4. Plagiarism
5. Independent individual work (assignments, research, projects etc)
6. Unpermitted collaboration

As is the case in Ashesi University, the whole student body signed up to the honour code, accepting the fact that any violation to it will cause them to face the AJC (Ashesi Judiciary Council). This system was implemented as a means of instilling trust in students in order to gain more benefits in the future. This article is not to discuss how feasible or not the honour code is, but rather throw light on the gradual change in an educational institution.

Although some bodies are refusing this system, (such as the National Accreditation Board) many employers are seeking employees that can be trusted to do things right. This is surely ringing bells everywhere, and people are noticing it. Ashesi’s mission is educating a new generation of ethical leaders and the honour code goes a long way to mark a significant step in the university’s mission. The honour code began in January 2008 with a few classes signed up to it at the beginning. The good news is that whole student body is now on the honour code.

Sample of the Honour Code signing sheet for examination:

(Source: Ashesi Site)

The whole idea is simple, write your examination independently, and make sure you reference your work (do it right and you’re safe). Personally, I wrote exams in both situations (with and without proctors) and it feels much more better when you’re left alone without having one or two people walking around the room making you feel much more tensed. Every student is ‘policing’ the other, you don’t know who’s watching you and might not sign the honour sheet after exam.

It’s such a nice feeling when you’re trusted.

Sugar.

You’ll know you are in Ghana when…

You’ll know you are in Ghana when…

1. Medicine is advertised on TV like candy
2. People say “your head” or “your face” as retorts
3. You see a truck embedded with maxi speakers and a bunch of people in the truck dancing while moving on the road
4. You see a bunch of plastic chairs and tables casually organized at the side of the road with maxi speakers as a “café”
5. People have ‘waakye’ (rice & beans) for breakfast
6. Appointments are never met on time
7. Students walk 15 minutes late into class as though they are 15 minutes early
8. You can shop while stuck in traffic
9. You find a “don’t walk on grass” sign where there is no grass
10. You find a “no hawkers” sign on a street filled with hawkers
11. You find a “throw litter in bins” next to overflowing bins
12. Almost all the food joints have fried rice and chicken on the menu
13. Employees miss work when it rains and expect their employers to accept it as a valid reason
14. You find herbal medicine advertised on billboards with visual directions on where to apply them on one’s body, no matter the part.
15. You see ubiquitous “Post No Bill” signs plastered or painted on walls.
16. It is common to block streets on weekends in order to set up tents for funerals.
17. Coffins are shaped as per the deceased worldly profession eg: a fisherman may be buried in a fish shaped coffin.
18. People  urinate on the “do not urinate” signs
19. O – is added to everything .. Shut-up-O!
20. You know exactly what a “knock” is and how it feels!
21. Alcoholic beverages are advertised on TV and streets like they are soft drinks

Representing Ghana!

Sugar & Spice

QUESTIONS ABOUT LOVE

February 14^th, the day of red roses and chocolates, the day of red everything and smiles, the day of intimate to friendly gatherings and expectations. February 14^th, the day some people are highly expectant as others are conveniently not, the day some people feel especially cherished as others feel let down or missing out. February 14^th has been conveniently commercialized into different countries across the world, but does it really deserve all the fuss?

Do love, appreciation and friendship need a day to be re-ignited? Do they need a day to be reminded of? Do they need a day to be particularly acknowledged? This topic may be viewed differently per individual, per culture or sometimes per an entire continent but it just saddens me to think that people only care enough to show appreciation on a festive day after the first period of excitement of a relationship.

Love is not just about a rush of adrenalin, excitement or emotions at a particular point in time, it’s about understanding and commitment. It’s about so many things I’m not going to act like an expert and a doctor about. But one thing I can confidently say is that love is about actions.

Does love mean you only get to live its true meaning with one person in life, or does it mean you can love multiple times? Does love make you unfair, or does it force you to be so fair that it causes you aches? Does love make you as greedy as to want your counterpart by you at all times no matter what, or does it teach you understanding and forgiveness?

What is love? Is it a surge of emotions at a point in time, or is it a lifetime with someone? Dear reader, I know you are expecting me to go somewhere with all these questions but how can I when I feel lost myself? Whatever the case, or whatever analogies I might come up with at points in time, I believe that “It is better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all”

Spice

WHY DO WE ACT AS WE DO?

I often wonder why we act as we do at particular instances in time. I always thought that quarrels, fights or disputes came as parts and parcels in any type of relationship. However, I am beginning to wonder as to whether they really should. When two friends or loved ones first meet or meet afresh they tend to be at a level of composure where seldom do they get irritated or upset. I wish to speak of these moments of ultimate understanding.

I do not in the least intend to make my fellow readers think I am of superior character, but I just wish to convey triggering thoughts that emanate when observing people interacting around me. When two people first meet, they tend to be acutely aware of their partners wants, likes, feelings and displeasures. They sometimes go out of their way to make their partner happy. However, after some time together some people develop into a state where their counterparts’ unease comes second place to them. Their problem solving skills turn into heated discussions with occasional steamy remarks meant to infuriate their counterparts. At points such as these, I sometimes find myself remembering their exuberant smiles and dreamy eyes when they first met each other and then I ask myself, does this mean I shall act as such with my partner in the future?

I still find myself pondering over why couples quarrel and fight in upsetting ways. I wish to understand why we as humans end up fighting over topics when we could discuss them. When about to charge into a state of anger, I sometimes feel myself crossing a line from composure to anger but I still allow myself to cross that line when I find myself overly upset. But I still don’t understand why I can’t handle every matter in a state of composure? I still don’t understand why couples who come together with so much love end up fighting instead of solving matters as they did at the beginning of their relationship.

Spice

Tomorrow

When is tomorrow?

Tomorrow, when the sky becomes blue

And strangers grow together like a crew

And trees spread their shade over this crew

And the days witness what is true

When is tomorrow?

Tomorrow, when sorrow says goodbye to the moon

And happiness comes rushing like a loon

And crews smile as they shall be rewarded soon

When is tomorrow?

Tomorrow, when the truth stands proudly

And lies hide shrewdly

And crews join arms in the name of the Almighty

Tomorrow shall come

Wait no more young one

Convey the happy message to others one by one

And have faith in what’s true as it is the only one

Today is your tomorrow

Yet tomorrow isn’t today

Be prepared for your tomorrow

And make up for today

Today is your tomorrow

Wait no more and shed your sorrow

Live as if today is your tomorrow

Spice.