The Man Who Mapped The World

Hitherto, you have wondered “what is life? How can I make something good out of my life? I bet you; by the time you are through with this piece something must have changed in you…

Geradus Mercator was born 1512 in Rupelmonde, Belgium. After graduating from the University of Louvain, he studied the teachings of the philosophers and discovered they did not conform to the Moses version of the creation of the world. In respect of this, Mercator started a quest which he was on throughout his life.

In 1534, Mercator began to study Mathematics, Astronomy, and Geography. By 1536, he had greatly evolved and worked as an engraver with Gemma Frisius and Van der Heyden in the production of a terrestrial globe. By 1537, Mercator made his first map – the map of the Holy Land, which identified more than 400 places and showed the route followed by the Israelites on their journey through the desert after the Exodus. In 1538, this time when mapmakers knew little about North America, calling it the Unknown Distant Land. Mercator published a world map that made him the first to apply the name “America” to both North and South America.

In February 1544, Mercator was accused of heresy and convicted. On his release after 7 months of imprisonment, all his belongings were confiscated (but not his mind and vision). In his search for more tolerant religious climate, in 1552, he moved to Duisburg, Germany.

Mercator continued in his quest, devoted to making a synthesis, or overview, of the entire creation of heaven and earth. In his aim to help readers understand their place in time and history, in 1569, Mercator published the first part of his synthesis, entitled Chronologia. In the years that followed, Mercator devoted much time to develop drawings and engraved plates for the maps of his new geography.

In his days, the major problem faced by mapmakers is how to project the globe on a flat map. Mercator, a diligent and unyielding trendsetter solved the problem by introducing a system that is known as the Mercator projection (used in ocean maps and modern Global Positioning System). In 1590, Mercator suffered a stroke that made it extremely difficult for him to continue his work. However, he still continued till he died at the age of 82 in 1594. His son Rumold completed his five unfinished maps and the completed collection of Mercator’s maps was published in 1595. It was the first collection of maps to bear the name atlas.

Today, whenever we consult an atlas or switch on a GPS, we are benefiting from the labours of Mercator, a trendsetter who programmed his life to seek to know his time and place in God’s creation. No wonder he called titled his study “The Goal of My Labour”.

What is your goal? What is your vision? What do you want to be remembered for? Map out your life today and live by the map, then you are great.

How Current and Smart Are You?

The is a test of how current and smart you are. Answer them and I will get back to you...

Send your answer to talk2thommy@yahoo.com

1. The inner part of an orange is called _________.

2. In the nursery rhyme "Humpty Dumpty", Humpty Dumpty is _________.

3. The world richest man is __________.

4. The world richest black woman is __________.

5. Who won the 2010 South Africa FIFA World Cup __________?

6. The World Bank Headquarters is located in which country ___________?

7. The Movie Franchanise of all time is ___________.

8. The youngest person to ever climb Mount Everest is ____________.

9. The largest political party in Africa is __________.

10. 2014 FIFA World Cup will be hosted in ___________.

11. The official name of the 2010 FIFA World Cup ball is __________.

12. Nollywood is to Nigeria as ___________ is to Ghana.

13. Who wrote the declaration of Independence for the United State of America ___________?

14. Who is the CE0 of Facebook ____________?

15. What does it mean to retweet___________?

16. What is the greatest Scientific Invention ___________?

17. Windows operating system is owned by ___________.

18. Which Nigerian Artist was nominated at the 2009 Grammy Awards ____________?

19. Who is the first music artist to get a plane named after him __________?

20. Who has the highest Facebook fans ___________?

21. Who scored Nigeria's first ever world cup goal _____________?

22. The official sponsor of UEFA premier league is _____________.

23. Who is the first African Artist to be nominated for Grammy Awards _____________?

24. The first Doctor to seperate co-joined twins is ____________.

25. In one world, write how you feel answering these questions __________.
(first idea - Tunde Ajetumobi)

Please, send your answers to talk2thommy@yahoo.com

Check back on this site for next line of action concerning this Quiz.

Stay INFORMED.
Thanks for your time.

The Hero You Are!

When comes the time
When all done;
This far cloud the mind
When the best effort
Affords no jack
When frustration looms
When the heart weakens
And the spirit wearies
When confusion
Becomes best ally
And the wish for the end sets in

When comes the time
When the eyes are heavy
of the tears they cry
When the head aches
of the thought it carries
When the body frails
of the sleep it despises
When all hope lost
And life seems a waste

When the day hides the sun
And the night quest the moon

May be in the tunnel
u walk
May be in the valley
u grow

May be your pain
I feel
- listen to this lyrics

Look back not -
Where were you yesterday -
Today, a step away from egypt

Look ahead
The world awaits
There,
At the tunnel's end
Gazing the mountain top
For your arrival to come

The day you no longer afraid
The time the strength you feel
never fade

Finally,
The hero you are
Makes the mark!

The Thin Line Between Idea and Reality

Many are those who have great ideas that never materialize into reality. Then you want to ask why? The only valid answer to this question is INACTION!

You won't know whether or not your idea will work out if you never give it a trial.

These are 7 tips to help you turn your ideas to reality:

1. Generate a clear goal
Now that you have idea, what do you want to do with it...

2. Set up plan of action for the goal:
You must plan the 'how' to your goal - how you want to go about achieving it.

3. Focus on the goal not obstacle:
Obstacles will come but overcoming them should not deter you from your goal

4. Take appropriate risks:
Everything ever done was once impossible

5. Stay motivated:
Sure the road will be rough but always remember that their is light at the end of every tunnel

6. Stay put and ever push forward:
Since your goal is in line with who you are do not give up, it is all about making progress - improvement and development by deployment

7. Now is the the time:
'At the end we only regret the chance we didn't take and the steps we waited too long to make'

The ball is at your leg...

ZERO TO HERO (Part1)

...continued from last post
Friend, you must be ready to appraise your current state and get a clear picture of where you really are in the journey of life. Though embarking on this may be difficult a task to carry out and even the result may come out to be daunting, mind you this is a vital step in the journey to liberty and fulfillment. The great writer T. D. Jakes wrote; in order to move forward in life, you must acknowledge your pain and recognize your needs and tend to your suffering soul. That is you must abase yourself and get contented (but not satisfied) with the journey of your life and stop waiting for you to attain certain destination before real life commences. What I mean by this is that you must take total responsibility for the direction your life has taken and know you are the only one that has the power to change it.

In the same vein, you must also be willing and ready to know yourself at an intimate level that supersedes others opinions and approval. You have to look beyond your personality* to examine your thought and admit who you are. The importance of this is what T. D. Jakes identified when he said; “the unexamined life falls short of who we could be and what God has empowered us to do, and makes it a tragedy, a life wasted.” So for once life not to be worthless and his living not to be a waste he must intimately and ultimately know who he is to that level he will be comfortable with.

Of all the factors of history making; knowing who you are is the utmost – for it apprises you with what you are capable of; the specific service you are designed for where you are. Nonetheless, I know what it looks like to wrestle with the intricacy of who you are but for you to liberate yourself from that struggling position and retrieve your dream from the captivity of your weaknesses you must at this juncture prepare to engage in a simple but crucial exercise – “Self-Analysis Exercise.” Friend, if you are now thinking “how can I get to know who I am truly?” Here comes the answer.

Now! Get a plain sheet of paper on which you will make a character* list by listing without pride and self-delusion your strengths and weaknesses. You can do this by tabulation or any how you find it interesting. Your strengths are those positive attributes of yours; these may include loyalty, time consciousness, creativity, leadership skill, integrity, analytical skill, assiduity and so on. While your weaknesses may include unstable self-esteem, segregation, pride, narrow mindedness, lack of confident, procrastination, indecision, lustfulness, and the like. You can list as many as possible strengths and weaknesses you can think of. But remember you must be fair and objective with yourself in this exercise.

This is what heroes like those mentioned above have one time in their life done (Though methodology may be different but same is the exercise). So for you to be like them – these heroes, you need to apply similar tactics that fit.

Note: However, to make it easier for you even while you might not want anyone to see the list, you might still require the assistance of some trusted friends on their own to help you make a personality* list – listing your strengths and weaknesses as how much as they know you. Make them see while they should be objective and honest with their listing. Appraise these personality* lists with your character* list; what do you deduce?

This expedition shall halt at this port to allow you carry out this History-Making-in-Life Exercise. Meanwhile, at the end of the list try not to be ashamed or feel guilty of the listed weaknesses and rather should you be self-sufficient with your listed strengths. Who we are is much more complex than just a “positive” and “negative” list of characters*.

In the next voyage, our (http://thomasidowu.blogspot.com) expedition shall address and simplify the complexity of who we are and how the self-analysis list you have made can be used to inspire, birth, and raise the hero in you to stardom and record your name among men that history will live to remember shall also be discussed.

Thanks for your patience!

You’re a hero!

©Thomas Idowu!

ZERO TO HERO (Part1)

ZERO TO HERO (Part1)

How Has The Royalty Got Lost?
Yes! Some people don’t know where they are. Some don’t know why they are. Some don’t know who they are. Oh! Many don’t know why they are who they are where they are. Let me ask you; how many of the deaths recorded daily ever received the accolades that the performing stage of life holds for the hero in them before they passed on? The answer to this question will reveal how unexpressed within-heroes answer grave call daily. However, not that this dead never will it – to be revered and honor, but along the way the “will” of their life turn to “wish” because of imagined and material barriers has the great visionary, Gideon Bankole called what I referred to as inevitable hurdles of life. Thus they give up their royalty.

However, you and I have read, seen and heard about how people who are once referred to as underdog have overcome and crossed the inevitable hurdles of their life to register their name boldly in the book of history. Now! Ask yourself this simple question; are you the utopia you dream of in your childhood? The answer to this question will provide you with the clear picture of how you ever wanted to rein, to be valued and revered. How come now you are not in the reign? Why do you remain in that position for too long? Why does everything turn inside out? The royalty is lost! (Has rightly explained in the last post- “Once King”). Painfully today most live wrongly. Why? Because they no longer pay tribute to their Individuality* - they’ve totally lost it. Thus they traded their right to significance in life. And this has greatly deprived many of the opportunity to birth and raise the hero within to stardom. Therefore, they inescapably lose the recognition due for the royalty they bear. As to this they occupy the relegation zone.

To move beyond the inevitable hurdles of life that have left you in that continuing condition of unvoiced cries and contact the due celebration that awaits the hero within. Better still, for you to join the clique of living heroes such as: Soichiro Honda, Bill Gate, and the recently celebrated Usain Bolt and President Barrack Obama you must be ready to take a bold step and acknowledge those fundamental principles they have followed to come that far: a well designed procedure and process of examining your life; a lucid picture of where you are and who you are. (The article: “What is life about?” earlier posted on this blogsite ascertained that life is about why you are who you are you may wish to check this out)

...to be continued

Mark Zuckerberg

He started facebook at age 19 in his dorm
9 months later he became a millionaire
At age 21 he became the world's youngest billionaire

Do you think u are still young to start something worthwhile with your life think about this...

The Second Half

I woke around 1:11am this morning and was wow;time flies. When was first of January; just like yesterday. In actual fact six months have gone, which we can never go back to or retrieve.

'How far?' The question I asked myself...

...mind you, forget your flaws; mistakes; flops but remember what they thought you. Be not afraid of growing too slowly, be afraid of standing still.

The hero lies in you
Your life is ur responsibility
Be different, Be unique; BE YOU

The $64,000 Question

...continued from last post

These two questions constitute the “what is life about?” question. And if you and I must make the life’s journey easily and meaningfully, we must provide answers to these two “make-up” questions about ourselves.

Every new life is a new being on earth! Which ever way you come to this world, so far you went through the process of fusion, the Biologists agrees that you are a brand new and unique individual, who has never existed before you were born. Even if want to think in terms of cloning, Biotechnologist states that cloning is a copy of animal or plant. You and I know that a copy of something will only exist if there is or was an original! Even a cloned organism has variations or genetic recombination that differentiates it from the original. Besides, there’s no known man who is cloned.

Therefore, every normal human (even identical twins) is unique. No two persons can have exact traits, skills, talents, beliefs, convictions, potentials and intellectual capacities. To make it pragmatic and even more convincing, the fact is, no other human being has the finger print as yours anywhere under the sun! So you are you and I am me. You are designed to be exclusive.

In other words, you must understand that your make up (skills, talents, convictions, potentials, intellectual capacity etc) is your individuality – those things that make you who you are and differentiates you from others. It is also your inbuilt compass to help you navigate in the journey of life.

In this wise, this exquisite and precious asset of yours - your individuality is worth searching out. And when found, you have to cling tenaciously to it, nurture it and treasure it. Most important of all, live it. Living it answers why you are! It makes you able to occupy the vacuum that has always being there, waiting specifically for only you to fill. This affords you the right to importance and fulfillment in life. Every man is specifically designed for specific purposes.

In this vain, I admonish you never to try to follow in another man’s scripts. That is, do not imitate. It rids people of their significance and individuality. But it is expedient that one learns from others and receives adequate mentoring from experienced ones.

Life is about why you are who you are. This is unqualified, unrivalled, purpose-fulfilling answer to the all time soul-troubling, life-threatening, but destination-revealing question – “What is life about?”

Be yourself. Live your life.

The $64,000 Question

The birth of a new baby's always heralded with a cry from the baby, but joy from the family and well- wishers. Why are we happy while the new baby comes out crying? Nearly everyone knows the cause of the happiness. But why does the baby come crying? This is the $64,000 question that we all seem to delight. Rather, we seem to take delight in the baby’s sadness.

Most times, I wonder deep within my mind’s depths about this scenario. Why the weeping? What is the cry about? What must be responsible for making the innocent little infant start of its life with a cry? “JAMB question.” In the quest for answers to this easily overlooked, but critical question, I cannot but ask another critical question: what is life all about?

The baby cries as it pokes out its head into this world because it comes out with the same question – what is life all about? – But could not find immediate answers to this question. The new comer realizes it is in the journey of life and confused on how precisely to navigate in our confused world. So the question lingers, “what is life all about?”

Today, many people (even the gown ups) are still unable to find answers to this destination-revealing question. What is life about? Pause and ponder. Try to answer the question; I realized there is a need to ascertain 2 things;

1. Who you are

2. Why you are

to be continued...

Who Am I

Who am I?

Think am what you see (my body)
Think am good/bad
Hey! That’s not me
It’s just the veil
Used to mask the real me
Either to please/displease you
You’ve been deceived!

Who am I?
Exhibiting the veil
You accept/reject me
Hey! That’s never my will
It’s just my wish – apparent me
Am relieved but never fulfilled
All for your sake
You’ve been deceived!

Who am I?
Though the veiling ever alerts
True me still flashes unconsciously
“Whew! Never knew he’s like this”
Yes! You’ve seen a little true me
Whence comes my sense of freedom
Don’t be surprised
You’ve been deceived!

Who am I?
Unmasking who I am; the real me
Look beyond my laughter/frown
Examine my smile/grimace
‘Cos veiled by my body:
My soul and spirit
The emergence of the true me
You’ve been deceived!

The Royalty is Lost

How deserted lies the soul
That once so treasured
How like outcast is the one
Who once was heir in the kingdom
How like alien is the being
Who once was clothed with regal splendor
How has the value lost
How has the care been withdrawn
How has the honor turned rebuke
Hey! The royalty is lost

How relegated lies the being
That once full of reign
How like slave is the kin
Who once was master in charge
How like servant is the being
Who once was adored a king
How has the regal priesthood departed
How has the kingship suffered abdication
How has the praises turned reproach
Hey! The royalty is lost

The Making of A Child

When a child lives with criticism
He learns to condemn
When a child dwells amidst reproach
He develops guilt attitude
When a child grows with mockery
He develops self-doubt
When a child develops amidst hostility
He assumes life of cruelty

When a child lives with praise
He learns to appreciate
When a child dwells with tolerance
He develops patience
When a child grows with encouragement
He develops right esteem
When a child develops amidst fairness
He assumes justice and good conscience

When a child lives with security
He learns to have faith
When a child dwells with approval
He learns to believe in others
When a child grows with acceptance
He learns to believe in himself
When a child develops amidst amity
He learns to love

How to Stay Young

1. Throw out nonessential numbers. This includes age, weight and height. Let the doctors worry about them ... that are their job.

2. Keep only cheerful friends. The grouches pull you down.

3. Keep learning. Learn more about the computer, crafts, gardening, whatever. Never let the brain idle. “An idle mind is the devil's workshop." And the devil's name is Alzheimer's.

4. Enjoy the simple things.

5. Laugh often, long and loud. Laugh until you gasp for breath.

6. The tears happen. Endure, grieve, and move on. The only person, who is with us our entire life, is ourselves. Be ALIVE while you are alive.

7. Surround yourself with what you love, whether it's family, pets, keepsakes, music, plants, and hobbies, whatever. Your home is your refuge.

8. Cherish your health: If it is good, preserve it. If it is unstable, improve it. If it is beyond what you can improve, get help.

9. Don't take guilt trips. Take a trip to the mall, to the next county, to a foreign country, but NOT to where the guilt is.

10. Tell the people you love that you love them ...... at every opportunity.

AND ALWAYS REMEMBER:
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.

- Anonymous

Ways to Make More Enemies

- Portray NOT your real self - attract the wrong people to yourselves

- Make NOT Yourselves understandable

- Be NOT patient to details - respond NOT to issues/situations rather react

- Be NOT spontaneous

- Put the “How” before the “Why” - Leap before you think

- Over- guard your ego while you leave it unguided

- Living by prejudice

- Be Mr. Know all

- Wanting to please every one

Everything You Need to Know

Everything I need to know,
I learned from Noah's Ark... ONE: Don't miss the boat.

TWO: Remember that we are all in the same boat.

THREE: Plan ahead.
It wasn't raining when Noah built the Ark.

FOUR: Stay fit. At 60,
you can be challenged with something really big.

FIVE: Don't listen to critics;
just get on with the job that needs to be done.

SIX: Build your future on high ground.

SEVEN: For safety's sake, travel in pairs.

EIGHT: Speed isn't always an advantage.
The snails were on board with the cheetahs.

NINE: When you're stressed, float awhile.

TEN: Remember, the Ark was built by amateurs;
the Titanic by professionals.

ELEVEN: No matter the storm,
have faith ... there's always a rainbow waiting.

Quote for Today

I've always felt successful people are products of brilliant foresight and great strategic planning, but it's far more satifactory to appraise great men and women as consequences of basic vision - processes - via daring: passion keeping at what work with who they are - their values
- Thomas Idowu

Used vs Loved

While a man was polishing his new car, his 4years old son picked up stone and scratched lines on the side of the car. In anger, the man took the child’s hand and hit it many times; not realizing he was using a wrench. At the hospital, the child lost all his fingers due to multiple fractures. When the child saw his father with painful eyes he asked, ‘Dad, when will my fingers grow back?’ the man was so hurt and speechless; he went back to his car and kicked it a lot of times.

Devastated by his own actions, sitting in front of the car he looked at the scratches; the child had written ‘I LOVE YOU DAD’.

The next day the man committed suicide…

Anger and love have no limits; choose the latter to have a beautiful, lovely life… Things are to be used and people are to be loved, but the problem in today’s world, people are used and things are loved… Let’s be careful to keep this thought in mind.
– Anonymous

When Love Goes Sour

Last night my soul was hurt. Then I laid my frail body on my bed and sank my aching head in my pillow, for a forever sleep. Not even a wink – rather, my mind chaos my head; instead of sleep my eyes shed tears. Instead of blood my heart pumped pains. The night was hell.

This morning; the weight of my sleepless eyes, the aches in my chaotic head and the frailty of my heart all together add to the ordeal to greet me a terrible day ahead. As much as I strive to disprove this, the worse the situation amplifies. My mouth wouldn’t just accept the food; my entire system could only help by malfunctioning. Then I realized how awful my day has become!

Yes, often times have I heard, “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” Yet I never stop asking; why is my one plus one never equals two? Why do my fair deeds amount to imperfections? Why do my definite throws always off target? Why do I get this ill-fated with people? Why…?

God knows I hate to see people sad or dejected. God knows I do not like to be of help and decline the opportunity. God knows I hate to bother others with my problems. God knows I like to be a shoulder hurting people can lean in. But now I’ve come to realize it’s not only about what I hate or like but in essence, the people that concern.

Though had my spirit wearied and at the verge of giving up. But for this one intangible reason; this invaluable hope; that one day the life I live, the things I do, the trail I leave will be appraised and the impart I make shall be indelible.

Then an icon; a hero; a legend I become.

How to Live Positively!

The Conclusion:
I visited my sister yesterday and talked with her about the forum I just started for teenagers; I was kind of discouraged that things are moving too slowly for my liking, that we are more than where we are now and that there is more to what we achieve now. She advised; I should just take things step by step and whatever stage we are we should enjoy it. She quoted: “When you grow too fast you lose value.” She also advised further; there will come a time you will be in position to advise/mentor those that are starting something like you then you will have experience to share. And she shared her own experience of how she started her crèche – what a profound experience. Then, I came to this realization and conclusion: we grow by default but develop by experience.
LIVE LIFE POSITIVELY.

Tommy's Conclusion

This evening in a nostalgic conclusion I watched her leaving. The wish of my heart, my body could only help to decline. Then my eyes became tiny and colored red. My system went into hush. My soul expressed disappointment.

What a conclusion – How I wish they (people there) could understand took captive of my head. But “people never understand until you make yourself understandable” came to my rescue. What a pity my situation won’t just adopt this. Then up for me, I made do with what the scene permitted.

Shaking hand with her, I held on (as if I never did…), this could be till eternity, I felt, but just in a jiffy she had no option than to bid goodbye. Then my eyes could only salvage the situation by gazing as the car zoomed off.

The good, the bad, the ugly – the memories of the moments we had together; all that her leaving left me with as I count the seconds till we see each other again.

Every time her memory dwells; if I could turn back the hands of time… But I want to believe greatness is to be explored.

Now I know for real I cannot run from my shadow. Now I come to realize how much my heart feels for her.

In conclusion, I miss her…

Genevieve Nnaji to Feature in James Bond Movie

It's actually accounted that Genevieve Nnaji is going to feature in the abutting James Bond’s Movie, this antecedent is yet to be confirmed and there is no amend of this on the official James Bond website. We will amend you on approaching developments but appropriate now, this report is not valid.

Quote for Today

All can not be loved; otherwise life is boring. So also all can not be hated. Boring spells terror and horror. Love and hate are for a purpose, thus an astute will rather live life by and for purpose.

- Thomas Idowu

My Conclusion 1

The road may be rough
And the going may be tough
There is light at the end of every tunnel

The day may be horrible
And the night may be terrible
There is sunshine every morning

Whatever you’re passing through today
It’s just for awhile
If only you will never give up

The journey of life is in phases
Each stage challenges to the other

Keep hope alive
But never abandon
What you have to do

Have faith
But never despise
The principle of process

Miracle happens
But it is never a myth
The law of sowing is universal

The world is large
But never forget
Your life is your responsibility

My conclusion

God first then you’re great