My World
The world according to me!Archive for Issues
Life in London
I’ve been in this country since the 9th of October, so I’ve already completed one month and I can’t complain one bit.
School has been hectic, but not hard, and so far I haven’t been wasting my mother’s money. In fact if you’d looked at this morning’s tweets you’ll already know that I got a merit (just under distinction) for my first essay. I’m quite proud of myself. The plan now is to keep up the high standard.
As for my blogging, well my camera is playing the ass and I am still unemployed. Working on both of those senarios at the moment, I’m job hunting like crazy, and when I get a job then I can buy a new camera.
My laptop, a story I’d rather not rehash (check my tweets;synopsis: Amazon UK sucks), I’ll be getting from Dell next week. Then I’ll apply for internet with Virgin Media. But the library has been saving my ass with connecting to the fam and keeping up with research.
Anyways, I’ve got to go.
What’s Up?
OK I been slacking and I apologise. But it’s been a hectic week at work. But I’ve been hitting the Twitter pretty hard. So follow me, for a little dose of what I’m doing when I’m not blogging. And if following is way too much commitment (ha). Just stop by my blog and check out my twitter feed.
But I’ve started a lovely 4 day weekend, so expect a new post soon. But now I’ve got to go and do my hair.
Living In a Fast Car
These days once it rains in sweet T&T, it’s flooding. Constant rains create overly saturated grounds, and with it landslips, collapsing homes and highways, mud everywhere and death. Which all amounts to a frustrating reality for residents.
So any car I buying ( if I was in the market for a car) would be a Sport Utility Vehicle. With all my eco-friendly ambitions, reality suggests a sedan just ent go cut it in Trinidad no more. I want a REAL SUV, with manual transmission and 4-wheel drive to boot.
So I was having a “what if” conversation with my disrespectful brother this weekend, and asked what kind of vehicle he’d suggest for me. The first thing he did was veto, my dreams of balancing a clutch. According to him, I (who is licensed to drive a car with manual transmission) am not a “real” driver and should stick to automatic.
Secondly, he said, since I’m not a car person, translation: don’t know or give a shit ’bout them, should buy a vehicle local mechanics are familiar with. In other words, forget about the European cars.
So what does my rude brother recommend?
- Hyundai Tucson
- Suzuki Vitara
- Kia Sportage
- RAV4 (my fav)
Well yes, “pull up to my bumper babay.”
Crime and Punishment
We’re trapped in a vicious cycle of crime and violence in T&T. Is seems the police can’t manage the crime
situation. Fortunately it seems to be concentrated in specific areas, and within specific groups. But the truth is that’s hallow comfort, because people are still being killed, and the security forces don’t seem to have a clue as to how to arrest the spiral.
Jail in Trinidad & Tobago has been described as a university for criminals. You get arrested for petty theft, you spend some time in jail and come out knowing how to commit fraud. You get arrested for fraud and get schooled in T&T’s drug trade, and so on and so on. Jail is a punishment yes, but shouldn’t we use that opportunity to help those people whose lives made getting the help they needed difficult? The ones whose histories led them to lives that include time in jail?
It’s not surprising that a search of the Golden Grove Prison could reveal all kinds of weapons and drugs. As for the prison officers; when they not threatening your life, they encouraging criminal behaviour.
Merry Christmas!!!
It’s my favourite time of the year. No snowmen or sleigh rides for me. To me Christmas is the celebration of the birth of the Christ child, family, charity, parang, carols, sorrel, ham, pastelles and presents! I know this may be early for some, but if there are 100 days of Christmas, I’m actually a little late. So Merry Christmas people, God bless and good night.
What A Week!
Well, it’s been quite a week. Madonna drop-kicked Guy; poor Guy. The cutie from Desperate Housewives, who I liked since he was on Queer As Folk, got into a terrible accident. But good news, his prognosis is good! T&T’s national football team gave the United States a solid cutass 
And I, in a fit of madness, signed my unfit ass up for triathlon training. Sigh. It’s a for a worthy cause, really! So I’ll need support and prayers.
So you see it’s been quite a week.
Reading Romance
I used to really love romance novels when I was younger. They were so adult, so sexy, so fun. I’d eat them up in minutes and return for seconds.
We had a book club in school. We’d source the books from our mothers’ shelves and plead with the borrower not to damage or lose them, since we’re not supposed to be reading those kind of books anyway. Lets be honest, some of them are practically soft porn. Sidney Sheldon, hello!
My romance novel introduction started with the the Sweet Valley Highs and Sweet Dreams. They were the best. Not at all filthy, just innocent cutesy teenage romance issues.
Or so I thought. Apparently they had all sorts of horrible sub-plots. I don’t even remember what they were about, but I don’t doubt it at all.
Then I got into Mills and Boon. They were a little more adult, a little naughty. You’d get in trouble for these, at least you would in my household. Though I honestly can’t imagine why, other than they rot your brain. The love I had for these books was fleeting. The formula was obvious, especially in the books from the 60s, 70s and early 80s.
Happy Independence Day Trinidad & Tobago
46 years ago today, we decided to go it alone. Make our own way as a country, free from any ties and obligations to any another.
We’re still a young state, and still have a long way to go in terms of defending our right to exist and express our selves as Trinbagonians on the global stage. But we learning.
The national flag of Trinidad and Tobago being raised for the first time.
There’s a really interesting story of how the flag was raised. Apparently Her Royal Highness, the Princess Royal was operating on “Trini time” and was running late. The ridiculously thick dress costumes the military wear was too much for Coast Guards man Rawle Coa to bear and he fainted while hoisting the flag.
Of course, the Doctor had to address us. As Prime Minister Dr Eric Williams asked,
“What use will you make of your independence? What will you transmit to your children five years from today? Other countries ceased to exist in that period. Some, in much less time, have become totally disorganised, a prey to anarchy and civil war.”
What use indeed?
Still, Trinidad is my land, and of it I am proud and glad. I couldn’t find The Mighty Sniper’s original recording; so click here for Byron’s remake, and click here for the lyrics.
Racism on the Internet: Lets Broaden Our Minds
“I studied psychology in school, and the best psychology is in literature. It’s so much easier to understand a character than a theory.”
Natalie Portman
If you want to be a better person, you’re going to have to work. I think reading is the answer to all of life’s problems. Everything you need to know, you’ll find in a book. So if you want to read to free your mind, here are the best subjects to choose from.
- History- It’s simple really, you need to know the facts of what happened, what the conditions were like, how it was, and how it ended to know why we are how we are. You have to read from a lot of authors to come to the truth, because History is about perception. Also you would be well served to include in your readings, books about life in Western Africa before, during and after the Transatlantic Slave Trade. It can be overwhelming sometimes, or it could be like reading a newspaper article from another time. Whatever, the rewards to your mind and soul will be numerous. For suggested readings click here. Read the rest of this entry »
Animal Tales
Oh dear, cute and heartbreaking animal stories have been making the news these last few days, and I just couldn’t stop myself from sharing the most poignant with you.
Sigh, this is Gana holding the body of her infant aloft. 3-month old Baby Claudio died suddenly over the weekend, and Gana is taking it hard. And after seeing this picture, so am I.
Gana lives at a zoo in Stuggart. She won’t let zoo keepers near the corpse, so they’re yet to determine the cause of death. According to zoo director Joerg Adler, gorillas in the wild have been known to “keep hold of a dead baby for weeks”.
The other heartbreaking animal story making the rounds this week is about a lost humpback whale calf.
The poor thing got separated from its mother, and bonded with a yacht. The 1 to 2-month old calf was seen trying to suckle the yacht in the Sydney harbour. Since feeding the calf is out of the question, its only hope would be for it to find another pod, and hopefully be reunited with its own mother or find a new one. Unfortunately the prognosis for the calf doesn’t look good.
But my final and favourite animal story is this one about dolphins!!! 
Apparently wild dolphins are tail-walking on water. Now tail-walking isn’t done in the wild. What happened here is that one of the dolphins spent some time in an marine centre recovering from some illness a few years ago. She may have witnessed some others doing the trick. Now that’s she back in the wild, not only is she doing the trick, she’s teaching it to her friends.
Aren’t dolphins cool!
