Segilola Salami's Blog, page 22
May 13, 2019
BabyMountain FlowerBear: Daily Battles With Depression + £30 Giftcard Giveaway
BabyMountain FlowerBear is today’s guest on The Segilola Salami Show. BabyMountain FlowerBear shares with us his journey from living in and escaping from an abusivedysfunctional household. We talk about sadness and depression to finding love. I assure you, you need to click play now to listen to this most intriguing conversation with BabyMountain FlowerBear.
If you enjoy listening to this podcast, please consider supporting it
About BabyMountain FlowerBearI was born in 1972 and spent most my young life with a fractured identity, and living in an abusive dysfunctional household. I got in a lot of trouble, and almost committed suicide. I have been given second and third chances in this life and I think I’ve been given these chances to share my story, and to help people who are living in despair. I have battled depression my whole life. I’ve been in jail, rehab, and the U.S. Navy. I’m now a professional development expert with a U.S. state agency. I have been married to my incredibly patient wife for nearly seven years. I have two stepdaughters, four dogs and five cats. My life at the moment is quite good, but I still battle daily depression – I’ll never give up this battle.
Giveaway to win a £30 Amazon Gift Card
As a thank you to everyone who has taken the time to listen to this episode, BabyMountain FlowerBear is offering on listener the chance to win a £30 Amazon gift card.
About The Segilola Salami Show
The Segilola Salami show is hosted by Segilola Salami who is also an author, freelance writer and blogger. Please click here to see the full list of books written by Segilola Salami.
The show is set in a virtual cafe and is about books and publishing. The aim of the show is to be both educative and informative but in an entertaining way. Guests from all works of life come on the show to talk about the books they have read or written and how books motivated or inspired them. Listeners of the show get to discover new authors and new books as well as learn something new.
The show is published weekly on Tuesdays at 9 am GMT London. Please click here to subscribe to be notified when a new episode is released.
If you would like to appear as a guest on the next episode of the podcast, please click here to book your slot.
Please leave a review on Apple Podcasts (iTunes) by clicking here!
If you are an author, blogger or book lover, please subscribe to my authors and bloggers mailing list to find out about new self-published books that need reviews. I send out monthly newsletters with details of authors and their books that need honest feedback.
The intro music used in this episode was provided by Chris Lament.
Please download a FREE copy of Yetunde: An Ode To My Mother by Segilola Salami on Amazon
***
I would love to know your thoughts on today’s episode “BabyMountain FlowerBear: Daily Battles With Depression”. Please leave a comment below.
If you have found this blog post useful, you can subscribe to Segilola Salami's blog via email by visiting http://www.segilolasalami.co.uk/blog/. You can also follow Segilola Salami on Twitter https://twitter.com/iyayetunde1
The post BabyMountain FlowerBear: Daily Battles With Depression + £30 Giftcard Giveaway appeared first on Segilola Salami. You can follow Segilola Salami on Twitter https://twitter.com/iyayetunde1. Download a FREE copy of one of Segilola's books on Amazon http://amzn.to/2H0xKHu
May 11, 2019
Sunday Snippet: What Would a Muslim Say: Conversations, Questions, and Answers About Islam by Ahmed Lotfy Rashed
Today’s Sunday Snippet is from the 156 paged book on freedom and security What Would a Muslim Say: Conversations, Questions, and Answers About Islam by Ahmed Lotfy Rashed. It is currently available as a Kindle ebook (ASIN: B01N7V28AK, Publisher: Common Word Publishing; 3 edition (21 Jan. 2017)) and paperback (ISBN-13: 978-1943740161, Publisher: Rashed Lights Press (18 Sept. 2016))
Synopsis of What Would a Muslim Say by Ahmed Lotfy Rashed
Readers’ Favorite is one of the largest book review and award contest sites on the Internet. They have earned the respect of renowned publishers like Random House, Simon & Schuster, and Harper Collins, and have received the “Best Websites for Authors” and “Honoring Excellence” awards from the Association of Independent Authors. They are also fully accredited by the BBB (A+ rating), which is a rarity among Book Review and Book Award Contest companies.
Review by Kimberlee J Benart for Readers’ Favorite:
“What Would a Muslim Say: Conversations, Questions, and Answers about Islam by scientist and author Ahmed Lotfy Rashed is a compilation of questions and answers shared by email between visitors to the WhyIslam.org website and Rashed, who was a volunteer with the organization. Questions posed by the visitors range from the general to the very specific, and cover a broad spectrum of topic areas. These include details of Islamic worship; laws related to women, chastity and marriage; and Islam’s role in the modern world. Rashed provides these email transcripts with the stated hope that they will lead to better understanding and harmony between people. In the process, he shares many references and links which the reader can pursue to deepen their knowledge. The email exchanges are arranged chronologically with the topic area noted in the table of contents.
For readers who know little about Islam, but see or watch the news and social media and have some questions, What Would a Muslim Say is a useful introduction to the topics. Rashed’s responses are intelligent, detailed, thorough, and scholarly, but offered in a respectful, understandable, and friendly tone. He is like a skilled educator who encourages dialog, rather than simply answering a question. The topic areas are broad enough and Rashed goes into them deeply enough so that the reader not only learns new facts about Islam, but finds that they have new questions about it as well. One topic can lead to another as the conversation continues, and we find ourselves coming to know each other better as people in the process.”
With Dialogue Comes UNDERSTANDING
This is the first book in the series, covering a variety of conversations from 2009 to 2011. In this book, you will learn about:
Faith, Sex, and Marriage in Islam
How a Muslim Should Respond to Criticism
Jihad and Freedom in the Modern World
How the Qur’an Informs a Muslim’s Faith
Islamic Worship, Prayer, Charity, and Pilgrimage
Salvation and Tolerance in Islam
Muslim Culture and Modernity
Understanding Islamic Law
Etiquettes of Visiting a Mosque
God’s Grace and Free Will
Are Islamic Rulings Static or Dynamic?
How Can Islam be Called a Religion of Peace?
Can Muslims and Christians Ever Live in Harmony?
These days, Islam is no stranger to controversy. There are many questions, fears, and misconceptions about Islam and Muslims. I believe these books can answer questions, build bridges, and promote understanding.
Since 2009, I have facilitated interfaith dialogues with many different people. The conversations in these books are real. Some are curious, some are concerned, some are hostile, some are academic, and some are soul-searching. My hope is that this can be a small step towards better understanding and harmony.
This snippet is from the chapter: A Message From the Author
“You will never understand a man until you walk a mile in his shoes.”
I thank you for walking a mile with me on my journey of interfaith conversations. It has always been my belief that understanding comes with dialogue, and I pray this book has added understanding and benefit to you. I would like to take this opportunity to share some reflections about these dialogues.
One of my earliest lessons as a WhyIslam volunteer was that there are three main types of visitors. The first type hates Islam and Muslims, no matter what we may say. They have a right to their opinion, and as the Qur’an says, “You are only responsible for conveying the message.” So I learned to keep emotionally aloof, replying only with enough objective facts to address their issue or refute their accusations. This has the benefit of keeping the conversation from degenerating into unproductive arguments. While these visitors rarely turn over to reconciliation, it does happen occasionally, so it behooves us to keep a level head, to speak to the talking points, and to restrain from comments that will only lead to escalation.
The second type is supportive of Islam and Muslims and usually come requesting clarification and advice. For these visitors, I learned that they are hungry for details; therefore, it is okay to go more in depth, with tangential comments or background stories. These extra details add substance to the conversation and often lead to other lines of inquiry that these visitors find very valuable to them.
The third type is the truly undecided, and it is this type that provided the most memorable and soul-shifting conversations. To me, these visitors represent the essence of what we are trying to achieve: to touch the minds and hearts of those who do not know us and bring them from a position of not knowing about Islam and Muslims to a position of knowing Islam and Muslims. Even if they do not agree with us at the end of the conversation, what is important is that there was dialogue and the opportunity for improved understanding.
The last thing I learned is that sometimes people disengage and stop responding. You may have noticed a few times in this book that a conversation would end abruptly. While this is not satisfying, it is unfortunately the nature of email. Nobody is obligated to reply, and for this reason every reply is precious. Likewise, remember that “in real life,” nobody is obligated to return your greeting or your salutation of peace; therefore, everyone who does respond to you – whether neighbor or classmate or coworker – is likewise precious.
***
If you enjoyed reading this snippet from What Would a Muslim Say: Conversations, Questions, and Answers About Islam by Ahmed Lotfy Rashed, please consider purchasing a copy of the book via your favourite book retailer or from Amazon
If you have found this blog post useful, you can subscribe to Segilola Salami's blog via email by visiting http://www.segilolasalami.co.uk/blog/. You can also follow Segilola Salami on Twitter https://twitter.com/iyayetunde1
The post Sunday Snippet: What Would a Muslim Say: Conversations, Questions, and Answers About Islam by Ahmed Lotfy Rashed appeared first on Segilola Salami. You can follow Segilola Salami on Twitter https://twitter.com/iyayetunde1. Download a FREE copy of one of Segilola's books on Amazon http://amzn.to/2H0xKHu
May 10, 2019
How To Make Homemade Soap With Your 4 Year Old Child
It was the May Day bank holiday in the UK a few days back and my daughter and I spent it making homemade soap. This was our second attempt and it went much better than the first. If you have a young child, here’s how to make homemade soap together! Happy reading!
Ingredients for making homemade soap with your 4 year old child
Melt and Pour Soap Base Goat’s Milk – 1Kg
Unrefined Shea Butter
1 fresh lemon
Procedure for making homemade soap with your 4 year old child
As my child is still very young, ensuring her safety is very important to me. Whilst I could have bought all the ingredients to make soap from scratch, I opted for a melt and pour base. The one I chose had goats milk, which I hoped would be beneficial to our skin. It was also paraben free.
I don’t have a double steamer, so I melted my soap base in a plastic bowl using my microwave. I had bought a 1kg melt and pour soap base block and using a kitchen knife, I simply cut off a quarter of the block.
After making the first batch, I found that my hands were quite dry immediately after washing with the soap.
So the second batch, which is what this blog post features, has some additives that I hoped at the time would make the final product less likely to leave your skin dry after use.
I had some Shea butter at home that we bought the last time we went to Nigeria, so I shaved approximately 100g of the Shea butter into my bowl (that had approximately 250g of melt and pour soap base).
The first batch of soap I made did not give out a lot of lather but there was sufficient for it to be fit for purpose. Because I didn’t know how much Shea butter would dilute the soapiness of the soap, I opted for roughly 100g of Shea butter.
Within 1 minute and full power in my microwave, both the Shea butter and melt and pour soap base had melted. However, the melted Shea butter stayed at the top whilst the melted soap base stayed at the bottom.
This gave my 4 year old assistant her first job, mixing the solution so that the Shea butter mixed in with the soap base to form a homogeneous solution.
Whilst my daughter was mixing the solution, I got my grater and using the smallest part, got the zest of the lemon. I added the zest of one small lemon to the solution whilst my daughter continued mixing to ensure an even distribution.
Something magical then happened, the white goat’s milk melt and pour soap base absorbed the colour of the lemon zest and turned a lemon yellow colour.
We didn’t have a soap mould at home but both my daughter and I love reusing things at home. We had the plastic from a packet of biscuits my daughter had finished and we decided it was as good as any soap mould. Whilst pouring, I found that the plastic was ‘collapsing’ a little bit on the sides due to the weight of the solution. So I held it upright for a few seconds before transferring to our fridge to help it cool down quicker.
After it had solidified a couple of hours later, we had the most beautiful quirky shaped soap that smelled of lemon. It was the perfect gift for my daughter to take to nursery. It gave her her 15 minutes of fame, where she talked about how we made the soap. The soap also had pride of place by a sink for everyone to use at my daughter’s nursery.
CONCLUSION: I did try a few of the flakes of the soap (from taking it out of the mould) and whilst washing the bowl where we did the mixture and found that adding the Shea butter did indeed make the soap a bit more moisturising than without. However, I think for the next batch, I would add a bit more Shea butter to the mixture as I don’t think it would affect the amount of lather you get from the soap.
I love to shower with lots of lather, so I don’t recommend this for use whilst showering if you are like me. I would totally recommend it for handwashing though. I really did love the lemon smell in the soap hmmmmm 
May 6, 2019
Ahmed Rashed: What Would A Muslim Say
Ahmed Rashed is today’s guest on The Segilola Salami Show. Ahmed shares with us his journey immediately post 9/11 to becoming a public speaker and advocate for Muslims. I assure you, you need to click play now to listen to this most intriguing conversation with Ahmed Rashed.
If you enjoy listening to this podcast, please consider supporting it
About Ahmed Rashed
Ahmed Lotfy Rashed was born in Egypt and raised in Maryland. During his three years of graduate study, he served as Public Relations Officer for the Muslim Students’ Association. It was at this time that Ahmed started talking about Islam at various churches, temples, and schools. He became known for his informal and approachable demeanour. His ability to break down complex religious and historical contexts for audiences earned him high reviews. Since coming to Boston in 2004, he has been an active volunteer at several mosques in the Greater Boston Area. He has been the head instructor for the local Islam101 class since 2006. Also, he has been a volunteer for WhyIslam.org since 2009. He has presented Islam at schools and churches, and he has hosted visits to several major mosques in the area. He is currently pursuing a degree in Islamic Studies from Mishkah University, with a Master’s thesis on Interfaith Social Activism.
After listening to this episode, this is what Ahmed wants the listener to take away:
One of God’s gifts to humanity is the gift of speech. It is through dialogue that we can come to greater understanding and peaceful relations.
It is a dark time we live in, but we are trying to push back against the ignorance and fear and hatred with patience and authentic information and knowledge.
Many times we are blindsided by our negative emotions: fear, disappointment, anger, resentment, etc. We become intolerant of the shortcomings we see in others, but we don’t look closely at ourselves.
Humans make mistakes, often even critical and chronic ones, but the final arbiter is God … not people.
I have to constantly remind myself that “only God knows best.” When a person begins to assume that they are free from their ego or self-interest, then that is the beginning of their descent into evil.
About The Segilola Salami Show
The Segilola Salami show is hosted by Segilola Salami who is also an author, freelance writer and blogger. Please click here to see the full list of books written by Segilola Salami.
The show is set in a virtual cafe and is about books and publishing. The aim of the show is to be both educative and informative but in an entertaining way. Guests from all works of life come on the show to talk about the books they have read or written and how books motivated or inspired them. Listeners of the show get to discover new authors and new books as well as learn something new.
The show is published weekly on Tuesdays at 9 am GMT London. Please click here to subscribe to be notified when a new episode is released.
If you would like to appear as a guest on the next episode of the podcast, please click here to book your slot.
Please leave a review on Apple Podcasts (iTunes) by clicking here!
If you are an author, blogger or book lover, please subscribe to my authors and bloggers mailing list to find out about new self-published books that need reviews. I send out monthly newsletters with details of authors and their books that need honest feedback.
The intro music used in this episode was provided by Chris Lament.
Please download a FREE copy of Yetunde: An Ode To My Mother by Segilola Salami on Amazon
***
I would love to know your thoughts on today’s episode “Ahmed Rashed: What Would A Muslim Say”. Please leave a comment below.
If you have found this blog post useful, you can subscribe to Segilola Salami's blog via email by visiting http://www.segilolasalami.co.uk/blog/. You can also follow Segilola Salami on Twitter https://twitter.com/iyayetunde1
The post Ahmed Rashed: What Would A Muslim Say appeared first on Segilola Salami. You can follow Segilola Salami on Twitter https://twitter.com/iyayetunde1. Download a FREE copy of one of Segilola's books on Amazon http://amzn.to/2H0xKHu
May 4, 2019
Sunday Snippet: Legend of Song de Light by Kaitlynzq
Today’s Sunday Snippet is from the Adult Literary Fiction, Romance audiobook Legend of Song de Light by Kaitlynzq
Synopsis
The stories within Legend of Song de Light
connect, unfold, interweave many character’s stories
needs, feelings, desires, dreams
their threads as two crescent moons
connected under the firelights
that layer the chords, and form the lyrics
all of you entered my world as dawn’s awakening sky of soft palette
my garnet heart melted in iridescence to bloom in sun’s rays
glow in night’s depth as the stars echo the rhythm of my heart
my insides sigh and expand in delight
harmonious blend as our lives
circle the melody
Information for the audiobook:
Recorded in Kaitlynzq’s voice with a blend of music like a heart’s wave into
downloadable mp3 files.
An audiobook that is interwoven in the Lovecontu Song de Light Lovecontu series that includes
Ancient Script of Lovecontu audio poem
Legend of Song de Light audiobook
Legend of Song de Light audio play
Lovecontu Song de Light Lovecontu audio set
Hashtag for: series of interconnected stories #lovecontusongdelightlovecontu
Vocal Synopsis: https://youtu.be/j2XiCz03N0Y
Excerpts from Legend of Song de Light by Kaitlynzq
“…I awoke to a sonic dream of rhapsody ensemble, hummingbird wings, and chimes that were the
arrangement…”
“…Again and again I muted the caution sign, and proceeded with Kamille, but my mind got even more
insistent as I thought of telling her…”
“…Those chrysanthemums burst a duet of color that are silk to the touch, and bring visions of a certain lady,
but I haven’t returned to the garden since that day in May…”
“…Dearest Euzy,
Your drum of cashmere footsteps,
harp of silk strings touch,
and velvet flute voice,
Are an ensemble for my heart.
Forever Yours,
Edwin…”
“…As my imagination worked its magic, I vibrated to a guitar string’s luxurious touch…”
“…Dendranthema x grandiflora has layers of petals that caress every fiber of the flower’s center, as my dear
Rquhwy’s touch vibrates in my veins to the core of my breath…”
“…The room that is partitioned with a fireplace’s heat wave, and holds teardrop flower petals in the corners,
flows freely into my heart with each pebble of sand in an hourglass. Wisjvye’s heartbeat radiates…”
“…Danseur pulls ballerina into him, their eyes speaking the volumes in their hearts as he lifts her above to
hold a cherimey for an eight count. He draws her into him again, and upon her signal, tosses her high in the
air for a leatur to land softly in his arms. Danseur reimey, as ballerina performs an intricate olor fu de ar, a
bea uh li, triple tizpin, turns back to Danseur, and magnifi-gras-se-susay. Danseur catches her right on cue.
Joined hand to hand, they geeté, geeté, adream petite into the final truset luh-es-aglo lift, and return
encircled with their eyes speaking the volumes in their hearts…”
“…The development process of this collection included the use of a paint brush to add to the photos the
undercurrent of feeling within them, and when the four piece panorama is placed side-by-side, a gentle
stream is seen that carries this private story…”
Available to Purchase on the author’s Website:
https://kaitlynzq.com/
Direct Links on the author’s Website to the story:
https://kaitlynzq.com/legend-of-song-...
https://kaitlynzq.boutique/legend-of-...
***
What do you think of today’s Sunday Snippet Legend of Song de Light by Kaitlynzq? Please leave a comment below
If you have found this blog post useful, you can subscribe to Segilola Salami's blog via email by visiting http://www.segilolasalami.co.uk/blog/. You can also follow Segilola Salami on Twitter https://twitter.com/iyayetunde1
The post Sunday Snippet: Legend of Song de Light by Kaitlynzq appeared first on Segilola Salami. You can follow Segilola Salami on Twitter https://twitter.com/iyayetunde1. Download a FREE copy of one of Segilola's books on Amazon http://amzn.to/2H0xKHu
April 29, 2019
Annabelle Hill: Becoming A Better Writer
Annabelle Hill is today’s guest on The Segilola Salami Show. Annabelle shares with us her journey from publishing 4 books to taking a creative writing course to what she’s learned from her course. I assure you, you need to click play now to listen to this most intriguing conversation with Annabelle Hill.
If you enjoy listening to this podcast, please consider supporting it
About Annabelle Hill
In 2008 Annabelle obtained a Bachelor of Arts from Southern Cross University, Australia, with a triple major in writing, justice studies and psychology. In 2012, she obtained Certificates 3 and 4 in Fitness from Kingscliff TAFE, Australia. In 2014, her mini short story 0% Victimisation was shortlisted in the Positive Words Mini Short Story Competition for the month of February. Also, that year she completed a Certificate 3 in Business Administration from Kingscliff TAFE, Australia. In 2015, she published her first book titled Crazy Funny Beautiful: A collection of short fiction and haiku poetry. She obtained a Certificate 2 in Hairdressing from Kingscliff TAFE, Australia that same year. In March 2016, her mini short story A Soulful Reflection won the Positive Words Mini Short Story Competition and appeared in the Positive Words Magazine in June, 2016. Annabelle’s second book Joyful Excitement: A collection of short fiction was published in 2018. Her next book I Have Schizophrenia And Bipolar: A memoir of my eight-year experience with voices was also published in 2018. Then in 2019 her book How to Live an Amazing Life: Important things to remember to get the most out of your life was published.
Annabelle resides a short drive north of Byron Bay and spends most of her time writing creatively. She is also studying the Associate Degree of Creative Writing at Southern Cross University part-time.
After listening to this episode, this is what Annabelle wants the listener to take away:
Let it simmer;
Have a scrapbook;
Have fun
with it;
Reward yourself; and
Read widely.
Bonus points
Have a great strategy for learning and studying;
Understand what escapism is and have the motivation to refrain from indulging in escapist tendencies in order to live a super amazing, extremely long and great life; and
Have healthy fluid consumption.
About The Segilola Salami Show
The Segilola Salami show is hosted by Segilola Salami who is also an author, freelance writer and blogger. Please click here to see the full list of books written by Segilola Salami.
The show is set in a virtual cafe and is about books and publishing. The aim of the show is to be both educative and informative but in an entertaining way. Guests from all works of life come on the show to talk about the books they have read or written and how books motivated or inspired them. Listeners of the show get to discover new authors and new books as well as learn something new.
The show is published weekly on Tuesdays at 9 am GMT London. Please click here to subscribe to be notified when a new episode is released.
If you would like to appear as a guest on the next episode of the podcast, please click here to book your slot.
Please leave a review on Apple Podcasts (iTunes) by clicking here!
If you are an author, blogger or book lover, please subscribe to my authors and bloggers mailing list to find out about new self-published books that need reviews. I send out monthly newsletters with details of authors and their books that need honest feedback.
The intro music used in this episode was provided by Chris Lament.
Please download a FREE copy of Yetunde: An Ode To My Mother by Segilola Salami on Amazon
***
I would love to know your thoughts on today’s episode “Annabelle Hill: Becoming A Better Writer”. Please leave a comment below.
If you have found this blog post useful, you can subscribe to Segilola Salami's blog via email by visiting http://www.segilolasalami.co.uk/blog/. You can also follow Segilola Salami on Twitter https://twitter.com/iyayetunde1
The post Annabelle Hill: Becoming A Better Writer appeared first on Segilola Salami. You can follow Segilola Salami on Twitter https://twitter.com/iyayetunde1. Download a FREE copy of one of Segilola's books on Amazon http://amzn.to/2H0xKHu
April 27, 2019
Sunday Snippet: How to Live an Amazing Life by Annabelle Hill
Today’s Sunday Snippet is from the practical and motivational self-help book How to Live an Amazing Life: Important things to remember to get the most out of your life by Annabelle Hill. It is a 130-page paperback book (ISBN-13: 978-1795633444) and a 76-page ebook (Amazon ASIN: B07NBX1SPF) published on the 31st of January 2019.
Synopsis of How to Live an Amazing Life by Annabelle Hill
Life need never get depressing again. It can and should be amazing. This book is highly informative with references to several sources in providing great ideas, tips and suggestions in order to live a truly remarkable, extremely healthy, amazing, long and great life. From escapism to fun to happiness in the now and more, the book explores a variety of topics. The topics are communicated in an upbeat, positive and sometimes humourous way. The overall intent of this book is to help people improve themselves by giving valuable insights into health and wellbeing.
Chapter snippet is from section two of the book titled The Importance of Having Fun with It
The most important thing to do is to have fun with it. Have fun with what you enjoy doing the most. You can also have fun with doing other things, like the washing up. Make every action pleasurable. By doing so you have things to look forward to and get excited about.
What is fun? Ask yourself – in your heart, in your mind and in your soul. You can probably think of at least one thing; maybe over a hundred things. What makes your heart sing? What would you do the most if you only had a few more days to live?
Experiment. Try new things. Make yourself feel happy. There are so many things out there that you can do. What if you have injuries? Then read. What if you’re dyslexic? Then listen to books. There’s a solution to practically everything. Just ask someone, or Google it. The Collins Australian Dictionary defines fun as ‘a source of enjoyment, amusement, diversion, etc. … pleasure, gaiety, or merriment’ (Collins, 2011, p. 663). Dig deep; write, type or voice record a list of your most pleasurable activities, and stick it up somewhere in your home so you can go back to it and remind yourself of what will make you feel great. If you want to really excel at something, narrow the list down and focus on only one thing or a couple of things; but if you like variety, and variety truly is the spice of life, try new things. New things get invented all the time. You might enjoy watching movies, as DVDs at home or at the cinema; writing poetry; creating artwork; stamp collecting; gardening; sewing; listening to music; beading; making music; knitting…. Whatever it is, there is something for everyone.
Enjoy yourself. Have as much fun as you can, when you can. Make time for it. Allocate an hour each day to start off with for the fun times, and expand it or not. People always forget about fun. Life gets very serious and downright depressing at times, but by introducing fun in to it you can feel more uplifted. I know that surrounding environments can be difficult to change, and can be so terrible that you just want to vomit, but it’s not permanent. Things can and do change.
We were all born into this world, no one with a perfect life (Byrne, 2013) – absolutely no-one – but there are ways to make your life more ideal and if you’re spending it with fun –‘enjoyment, amusement and pleasure’ (Collins, 2011) then you’re on your way to live a long and fulfilling life. Just think, ‘How can I make the tedious tasks more enjoyable? How can I get it done?’ Set a timer for one hour for those tedious tasks, like housework (if you find doing housework tedious that is; I know some people may like it). Write up a list of what needs to be done; make it pretty, have fun with it, and get it all done in the hour. Have a break, then go for another hour. Listen to music while you do it. Tick off the tasks once they are done and reward yourself at the end with something like watching some TV, going for a walk and/or eating something healthily nice. Have a DVD night, veg out, and pat yourself on the back for all your hard work. Or read a good book. Find something really pleasurable to do, which doesn’t feel like work but fun.
Fun’s been around for a pretty long time and it seems as though the further we get into the future, the more fun things there are around to do. Please don’t feel overwhelmed. It’s just something great to look forward to. Can you imagine what other fun things there will be in about ten years’ time? Truly, stick around for it because technology is constantly evolving; new inventions and more fun stuff to do are on the way.
I suppose fun is something that we might have had more of when we were kids and had toys to play with. That’s it. Play. It just doesn’t seem like an adult thing to do any more. What is there to play with?
How about video games? They can improve your spatial memory. Think about it. You gotta keep remembering where everything is on the level or whatever, and what happens. It’s truly a great thing.
Or brain training games, to give your brain a good workout. That doesn’t sound as much fun, but there are benefits to it. Such as a feeling, a sense of accomplishment, and a good mood and memory. There are more possibilities – board games, role-playing games, etc. – which might be worth Googling. Try searching ‘games for adults’.
Being a kid was probably a really fun time for most of us, because it involved play, the idea of play: playing around; playing on the play equipment; playing with toys…. This is what we need as adults too. Life just gets so serious and we forget. Enjoy your life. Play. Have fun. Give yourself the time.
Play. Play around. Experiment with what you’ve got. Get new things to play and experiment with. It could lead to great work. It could lead to following your passion, your heart’s desire, whatever makes that heart of yours tick and provides you with the ultimate in merriment. Don’t become that old, serious, crabby, mean, angry person who works at a boring job they hate – so boring that they probably feel awful all the time and don’t even dare think of what would be fun and enjoyable. Or worse, they have forgotten.
Let’s not end up lying on our deathbeds telling a loved one what we wished we could have done more of. Fun is around and you can zap it out of the atmosphere and introduce it into your life at any time. It’s never too late. It’s never too late for fun and play. Play around. Fun yourself to death! That is, fun yourself alive, right up to the end of your hopefully long life.
***
If you enjoyed reading this long snippet from How to Live an Amazing Life by Annabelle Hill, please consider purchasing your own copy via your favourite retailer or on Amazon. The author would truly appreciate your support.
Please leave a comment below, I would like to know what you think of this snippet. How likely are you to recommend it to someone else?
If you have found this blog post useful, you can subscribe to Segilola Salami's blog via email by visiting http://www.segilolasalami.co.uk/blog/. You can also follow Segilola Salami on Twitter https://twitter.com/iyayetunde1
The post Sunday Snippet: How to Live an Amazing Life by Annabelle Hill appeared first on Segilola Salami. You can follow Segilola Salami on Twitter https://twitter.com/iyayetunde1. Download a FREE copy of one of Segilola's books on Amazon http://amzn.to/2H0xKHu
April 22, 2019
DeWandus Johnson Sr: Marketing Strategies For First Time Authors + $50 Giftcard Giveaway
DeWandus Johnson Sr. is today’s guest on The Segilola Salami Show. DeWandus shares with us his journey from leaving prison, working as an electrician apprentice to the things he’s learned marketing his first book “Cry Baby Cry…. Or Not.” This helps him share marketing strategies any author, but most especially first-time authors, can apply. I assure you, you need to click play now to listen to this most intriguing conversation with DeWandus Johnson Sr.
If you enjoy listening to this podcast, please consider supporting it
About DeWandus Johnson Sr.
DeWandus Johnson Sr. was born and raised on the West Side of Chicago, in the North Lawndale Community. Involved in the street life at an early age, his first visit to prison was at the formative age of seventeen-years-old. In his adult years, Dewandus decided to leave Chicago. It was time for fresh start and a slower pace, so he relocated to Omaha, Nebraska. Unable to shake his “get it by any means necessary” attitude, he found himself in prison again. While in federal prison, he was introduced to legends of the Chicago lifestyle, and gained knowledge on other ways to live successfully. One particular friendship awakened a new understanding of life for DeWandus, and a new goal was born. His goal is to give unfiltered mental visuals and testimonies about the untold truths of the ghettos of America. As of today, DeWandus has written several books and has plans of writing more in the future. DeWandus’ writing style can be described as live, vivid, and raw.
Please enjoy the first novel published under Royal Roar Publishing LLC and keep your eyes open for the next release, ” All Cried Out!”
At the end of today’s episode of The Segilola Salami Show, DeWandus wants listeners to take this away:
1. I want the listeners to know that Royal Roar publishing is more than a publishing company. We partner with Haccllc.org to help at-risk youths cope with the struggles of inner-city problems.
2. I want them to also know that it’s not your fault when you don’t know but once you are aware your accountability is a must.
3. The listeners should know that I was once a product of the gang, drug and poverty-stricken streets of Chicago.
4. They should know that I attend State Prisons every Wednesday and Saturday speaking to adult men that want to change their lives when they are released from prison about what to look for when they are re-entered into society.
5. Last but not least, I want them to know that time stands still for no one, the only one that is stopping your progress is you. Things will never change for you if you don’t take the first step toward change.
Giveaway by DeWandus Johnson Sr.
Win a $50 Amazon Gift card or one signed copy of “Cry Baby Cry…. Or Not”
DeWandus Johnson Sr. $50 Amazon giveaway…
About The Segilola Salami Show
The Segilola Salami show is hosted by Segilola Salami who is also an author, freelance writer and blogger. Please click here to see the full list of books written by Segilola Salami.
The show is set in a virtual cafe and is about books and publishing. The aim of the show is to be both educative and informative but in an entertaining way. Guests from all works of life come on the show to talk about the books they have read or written and how books motivated or inspired them. Listeners of the show get to discover new authors and new books as well as learn something new.
The show is published weekly on Tuesdays at 9 am GMT London. Please click here to subscribe to be notified when a new episode is released.
If you would like to appear as a guest on the next episode of the podcast, please click here to book your slot.
Please leave a review on Apple Podcasts (iTunes) by clicking here!
If you are an author, blogger or book lover, please subscribe to my authors and bloggers mailing list to find out about new self-published books that need reviews. I send out monthly newsletters with details of authors and their books that need honest feedback.
The intro music used in this episode was provided by Chris Lament.
Please download a FREE copy of Yetunde: An Ode To My Mother by Segilola Salami on Amazon
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I would love to know your thoughts on today’s episode “DeWandus Johnson Sr: Marketing Strategies For First Time Authors”. Please leave a comment below.
If you have found this blog post useful, you can subscribe to Segilola Salami's blog via email by visiting http://www.segilolasalami.co.uk/blog/. You can also follow Segilola Salami on Twitter https://twitter.com/iyayetunde1
The post DeWandus Johnson Sr: Marketing Strategies For First Time Authors + $50 Giftcard Giveaway appeared first on Segilola Salami. You can follow Segilola Salami on Twitter https://twitter.com/iyayetunde1. Download a FREE copy of one of Segilola's books on Amazon http://amzn.to/2H0xKHu
April 20, 2019
Sunday Snippet: Cry Baby Cry or Not by DeWandus Johnson
Today’s Sunday Snippet is from the fiction and crime thriller Cry baby cry or not by DeWandus Johnson. Cry baby cry or not was published on March 4, 2014 with ISBN 9781630680909 and is currently only available as a paperback book.
Synopsis of Cry baby cry or not by DeWandus Johnson
Trina is a young girl raised by her mother Jackie, who is cursed with being deaf and mute. This
curse has Jackie so mad at the world, that she pours out unimaginable hate into her daughter.
Trina grows into that hate, until she finally has had enough and stands up to her mother. She
runs away and finds herself subjected to a world filled with murder, gangs, and extreme violent
behavior. Trina knows nothing about this type of lifestyle and is forced to learn by trial and
error…. until she meets Mistro. Mistro, a young gangbanger blessed with royalty in his mob,
sees something in Trina that makes him infatuated with her persona. After she witnesses him
murder a mark, she asks a question that catches him completely off guard…..How does it feel to
kill someone? After fleeing the scene, he cannot get her off his mind. He locates her and tries to
find flaws within Trina because of his own battles, but learns her loyalty is REAL. Mistro starts a
new hustle but now Trina starts to question his love. Then Trina meets Tee Tee, a woman of the
night, she introduces Trina to her own hustle and all hell breaks loose. Will Mistro understand or
will Trina find her own way into a world of selling dreams and orchestrating her own survival?
Find out as you dive deep into Cry Baby Cry……Or Not.
First chapter snippet:
Trina heard Marco open his door so she started to take the stairs two by two. When she got to the second floor Marco was standing there looking down on her with his work uniform on.
“Who is your friend Trina? He asked while listening to her cry with slow progress up the stairs.
“That’s Mimi, Sharon’s daughter they live in apartment 3c upstairs”?
“Why is she crying”?
“We saw somebody get killed today and she doesn’t want to go home by herself!” Trina explained.
“Where’s Sharon?” Marco asked.
“At home sleep.”
“She can come in for a while.” Marco said as Mimi came into vision. “What is your name little lady” Marco asked while trying to make small talk.
“Mimi” Mimi answered as she fought back the tears.
“Come on in.” Marco invited as Trina passed by him into his apartment. Marco had pure predator in his eyes as he looked upon Mimi. He kneeled on one knee to give Mimi a hug. He wanted to feel the youth of her embrace and innocence of her touch.
“Are you okay little lady?” He asked while rubbing her little body sensually.
“Yeah!” She said with a nod.
“Go have a seat in the living room.” He directed as he observed her pure young development. He called out to Trina who was already sprawled across his bed ready to be his sex toy. “WHAT?” She yelled with her hands inside her ***** ***** ***** like Marco always did before he ***** *****.
Marco had been molesting her for six years now and she had grown to want him in his absence. He was a short man in his early 30’s with a muscular build. He was about 5’7” 180lbs with a very dark complexion and light brown eyes. He was actually a handsome guy and that’s how he was able to keep new girls in the child porn business. He didn’t look like he was able to even hurt a fly and in his eyes he wasn’t. Half of the pre-teen girls that he had already recorded were already having sex. Those girls were the daughters of the streets. Their mothers, crack whores, and their fathers were who knows where? He was once again looking for the innocent, unhampered fruit and he saw that in Mimi.
“Trina! What the ***** are you doing?” He yelled without taking his eyes off of Mimi.
“Come and See.” She said while stripping down to her panties and her bra.
Marco Walked down the long hall to his bedroom and saw Trina entertaining her box and instantly got aroused.
“What’s up with Mimi?” He inquired.
“I don’t know, she can stay in there, Trina suggested as she laid there ready for Marco to do his unmentionables to her.
“Do you think that she would tell?’ Marco asked with a serious tone.
“That’s my friend, if I ask her not to then she won’t.
“Okay, when I call for you I want you to come to the living room just as you are.” Marco instructed as he grabbed his video camera and headed for the living room. Trina knew what he was up to when she saw him grab his video camera. She had performed for that camera many times before and seen a lot of other girls taped as well. She actually liked to be videoed and liked to watch it, whenever Marco would let her. Marco walked into the living room with his plan playing itself out in his head.
“Do you want something to drink Mimi?”
“No, I’m okay!” She said in a soft tone. “Where is Trina?”
“She’s using the bathroom. She’s almost done!” He lied as he placed the camera on top of the television. He walked over to Mimi and sat down next to her.
“How old are you Mimi?’ Marco Asked.
“Ten.” She mumbled.
“Trina told me that you saw someone get killed today! What happened?”
Mimi began to relive the scene in her head and started to shake with fear. “Somebody got shot and we saw it. Then he walked up on the man after he fell and shot him again. I got scared and ran!” She explained to Marco.
“It’s okay Mimi.” Marco began to comfort her with a hug. He rubbed on her right shoulder while burying her other shoulder into his chest. “We live in a rough neighborhood and that probably will not be the only time you ever see somebody get shot. You’re okay now, you are safe with me. I won’t let anybody hurt you.” He said as he continued to caress her shoulder. Mimi hugged him back because she did feel safe in his arms.
***
If you enjoyed reading this snippet of Cry baby cry or not by DeWandus Johnson please support the author by purchasing a copy via your favourite book retailer or on Amazon.
What do you think so far of the book Cry baby cry or not by DeWandus Johnson? How likely are you to purchase your own copy as a result? Please leave a comment below.
I blacked out some of the words as I didn’t want any impressionable person(s) reading those bits on my blog. As a parent, I find the reality of this book turning a knot in my stomach. It reminds me that we live in a really really sick world. That said, these reminders are essential. They are essential because they remind us to have certain conversations with our children, to try to prepare them for the horrors in our world.
If you have found this blog post useful, you can subscribe to Segilola Salami's blog via email by visiting http://www.segilolasalami.co.uk/blog/. You can also follow Segilola Salami on Twitter https://twitter.com/iyayetunde1
The post Sunday Snippet: Cry Baby Cry or Not by DeWandus Johnson appeared first on Segilola Salami. You can follow Segilola Salami on Twitter https://twitter.com/iyayetunde1. Download a FREE copy of one of Segilola's books on Amazon http://amzn.to/2H0xKHu
April 18, 2019
CBD Monthly Wellness Capsules for cramps
As someone who very often suffers from monthly cramps, I was very intrigued when I saw a tweet seeking reviewers for a CBD Monthly Wellness Capsules. I am naturally very cautious about anything I ingest, so before I agreed to take part in this campaign, I asked some key questions about the product and this is what I found:
Place of Manufacture: The capsules are made in Kentucky. CBD is not a medical product, it’s a food supplement so there was no clinical trial. Tested in Laboratory, no pesticides, non-GMO
Ingredients: CBD isolate, cramp bark, chaste berry tree, dong quai, valerian root, caffeine, MCT oil
Benefits: CBD and its anti-inflammatory properties will help calm cramps, headaches and other discomforts periods can bring along
I reviewed their website and it confirmed what I was told about the CBD Monthly Wellness Capsules. The website also stated:
Your monthly aid has arrived – a tablet with a unique blend of organically grown ingredients to produce the only supplement you need, when you need it. The Monthly Wellness capsules make your time of the month YOUR time of the month again.
DISCLAIMER
*CBD products are not medicines and can not diagnose, treat or cure diseases. Always consult your own doctor before starting a new dietary program. Always consult your doctor if you are pregnant, lactating or taking any medication. Not intended for children under 18 years old. Do not exceed 200mg of CBD per day. Food Supplements are intended to supplement the diet and should not be substituted for a varied diet or healthy lifestyle.*
We are fortunate to operate in a heavily regulated industry with no room for misleading promises. As result we cannot make health claims for CBD oil. However, we do encourage you to research this ingredient for yourself, with plenty of resources online explaining CBD’s popularity
How to take CBD Monthly Wellness Capsules
The suggested dosage on the pack states:
Take two capsules, up to four times a day and adjust usage as needed. Consult with your physician for optimal amount.
What do the experts say?
I still wasn’t satisfied, so I needed to find out what experts on the subject had to say on CBD use. Here’s what I found:
Pain relief
In the article “Exploring cannabis use by patients with multiple sclerosis in a state where cannabis is legal” published in the journal Multiple Scelrosis and related disorders Mult Scler Relat Disord. 2019 Jan;27:383-390. doi: 10.1016/j.msard.2018.11.022. Epub 2018 Nov 20, it was stated that “cannabis users experienced greater than 60% benefit/relief from cannabis use“.
In the article “Chronic Pain Treatment With Cannabidiol (CBD) in Kidney Transplant Patients in Uruguay” published in the journal Transplantation proceedings Transplant Proc. 2018 Mar;50(2):461-464. doi: 10.1016/j.transproceed.2017.12.042, it was stated that “two patients had total pain improvement, 4 had a partial response in the first 15 days, and in 1 there was no change.”
What do I think?
Whilst I am no expert, I feel much more confident giving these capsules a try. As it is not yet that time of the month at the time I’m writing this post but you can be rest assured, if and when the need arises, I would not hesitate to give these capsules a try.
What I would suggest, if you want to consider taking these capsules for cramps, is for you to speak with your doctor or healthcare professional if you take any other medication. This is to ensure that there are no interactions with the medications you currently take.
If you have found this blog post useful, you can subscribe to Segilola Salami's blog via email by visiting http://www.segilolasalami.co.uk/blog/. You can also follow Segilola Salami on Twitter https://twitter.com/iyayetunde1
The post CBD Monthly Wellness Capsules for cramps appeared first on Segilola Salami. You can follow Segilola Salami on Twitter https://twitter.com/iyayetunde1. Download a FREE copy of one of Segilola's books on Amazon http://amzn.to/2H0xKHu
