hand in the air

earlier this month i saw the deftones at the 930club. the best thing about the show was watching this rasta be the one to start the moshing on the main floor from up on the balcony. the rest of the show was loud enough that you couldn't understand the lyrics (courtesy 930's shitty sound system) unless you happened to already know the words which, of course, i didn't. the spit from the guy next to me told me he knew every word and probably would've continued singing each lyric if i hadn't stopped him to give warning that his spit would be his demise if it touched me again (the second near fight in as many visits).
spit, shit sound, and a cramped space contributed poor vibes and once again i was reminded why i don't like the 930club and why i will always prefer an outdoor venue.
refuge: i luckily spent last night racing around maryland venues, catching first, the long awaited manu chao at the merriweather amphitheatre, followed by machel mantano at the boardwater estate (thank you dc carnival). both outdoor venues, both great shows, both carrying crazy positive vibes. i was wining and jumping and dancing with the best of dem, all the while throwing an eye to the stage to watch two artists that i have grown to love and appreciate; regardless of my ability to comprehend every lyric.
the only downfall of either show was simply that neither act brought a full cast of characters; missing at the very least the horns from both shows. such a big part of latin and soca music, i feel the horns section is not to be missed/left behind - even when it means flying the musicians and their brass to dc from trinidad or spain. hell, explain to me that my ticket price hasta jump $10 so they can afford a show with horns and i'd tell you to make it twenty and don't forget to include manu's second vocalist with all the hot lyrics and machel's wining girls proven previously to direct ones focus to the stage.
the evening air was warm and crisp and swirled a consistent hint of herb across both crowds (another benefit of the outdoor venue). the music, the weather, the vibes, a little grass, a drink, a brownie, and some corn soup all contributed nicely to a beautiful night - one simply not possible indoors.
i'll hafta plan to see both acts again in the future; hopefully with horns, probably with grass, but definitely outdoors - as the rest of my live music endeavors will have to be.
ps. while we're on the topic... you wish you had one of these.

beautiful freedom

f@*king swear jar

this trini girl wishes it wasn't an ad for bud lite. i agree. enjoy anyway.

retraction

a while back i mentioned a good deed from a startling location. i believe it came across as a surprise in human quality. i would like to retract those comments from the record. that person is definitely an asshole and the good deed musta simply been an accident. and i musta been high. really high. sorry to mislead you.

reaching new heights

yesterday as i wandered the nature's best photography exhibit at the national museum of natural history i came across this picture of a dolphin on the nose of a giant humpback whale taken off the coast of kauai, hawaii. lori mazzuca, photographer and marine biologist, tells of the odd interaction between two dolphins and this humpback in which, with great understanding between species, the whale gently lifted the dolphin out of the water where the dolphin laid atop the whale's rostrum for as long as she could hold on.
maybe it was a dolphin-double-dare that led to this stunt or maybe she simply wanted to work on her tan before vacationing off the coast of mexico. my personal opinion is that the good-natured humpback willingly aided the dolphin in her endless desire to reach new heights and perhaps a new sense of freedom (which i imagine is possibly the most universal desire across the entire animal kingdom).

in the middle of a museum filled with the contents of our world was a picture of understanding and caring between two beautiful creatures and i found myself hoping that we might all someday share that understanding. though, i suppose that before we can expect that level of understanding with other species we must first learn to understand and love our own.
the nature's best exhibit is fantastic and a great transition for me, an avid photographer, especially after just completing bbc's planet earth series as seen on the discovery channel. i would highly recommend seeing the exhibit in person if you have the means but i hooked you up with a link to all the photos and their stories in case you can't venture to the museum before it's closing which has been extended until october 28, 2007.

up next: bodies: the exhibition, currently at the dome in rosslyn, virginia also open until october 28, 2007.

*if you have the interest or simply haven't seen much of the planet earth series. the bbc, planet earth and discovery channel links above are amazing and full of great videos and information.

tempur-pedic contraception

a while back i had the opportunity to lay down on one of those tempur-pedic beds. i leaped onto the mattress that was sitting at least waist high and began to sink into the sand colored dais. i fought the sand, finding refuge in the pillow floating on the surface. finally calm, i suddenly understood why people say these beds are so amazing. first the mattress holds you allowing you to feel completely weightless. next the mattress caresses you easing away all your stress. then, right before the mattress begins to lull you to sleep, you're out. 8hours later the store supervisor wakes you to tell you that they're closing. here's my problem: as i lie on my back in the moments before i passed out i pictured, as i assume everyone does, whomever was the object of my desire at the time mounted on top of me. in it's brilliance (i have a great imagination) i couldn't see us, or anyone for that matter, having great 'fuck me harder' kinda sex on this bed. with so much cushion in the mattress i just can't see a lot of success with neither the pump, the thrust, nor the grind. if i'm right and it is harder to fuck on tempur-pedic beds, i suppose the owners of these beds have an array of other surfaces to fuck on (a carpeted floor may seem safe - i recommend use of a blanket). a bed shouldn't be built as simply a place to rest but as a sexual tool. beds have to be comfortable and functional at the same time. now there is the chance that i am completely off base here and people everywhere are thanking their tempur-pedic beds for reviving their sex lives and if so i would love for someone to set me straight and maybe let me try it out?!? ps. i feel the same way about those sleep number beds. and it seems to me that when sleeping, whomever has the firmer side of the mattress is always going to slip off onto the softer side of the bed.

sidebar boredum

i just added a few links to my sidebar to deter boredom at work. the japanese talent show links to a sweet trini post that will guide you through the website (it's in japanese). this is some of the coolest video on the web. the impossible quiz is not nearly as impossible as it may seem at first. i've gotten through question 102 and can tell you that it is certainly possible to complete it. use your head and you shouldn't have any problem. finally, the kingdom of loathing is the cheapest (it's free) rpg available. i used to be a seal clubber but that account closed on me a while back. now i'm an accordion thief. mind your instruments.

marley notes

please realise that these are simply notes for my own purposes as much as anything. i found it quite hard to write about this show. beautiful show. shit crowd. needless to say the steven+damian 'jr. gong' marley show was incredible, though i can't help but imagine sweet trini's outdoor venue solution which is clearly the more conceptually sound decision. the 930club's cramped, sardine-style space doesn't make for any kind of much needed mobility. of course, i suppose some wouldn't call it a show if you don't fight your way to the front (9people back from dead center with a great look of stephen on the mic) only to be dry-humped half the night by some guy's girl simply so you can save some room for you and yours to move and breathe. dude needed to keep his girl in check but instead decided against exchanging words with me after mistakenly grabbing my arm. with a little confrontation in the crowd and a completely different confrontation on stage, the lights, rhymes and beats contributed to a brillant array of color and sound, easing hearts and cleansing souls the way live music do; especially true with the marley's. walking for the car in the brisk night air post-show, i felt so much lighter. great show. read this brilliance from a most amazing mind.

feels just like i'm walking on broken glass

why broken glass? perhaps more importantly, why quote annie lennox? the answers are simple. i need a rug. i managed to shatter both of my bowls on the hard tile floor of my place in 24hours (one wednesday night, the second thursday afternoon). one of the bowls, the newly deceased, was made for and had been with me for closing on seven years. the other piece made it's journey into my repertoire of paraphernalia courtesy of amy, who acquired it for me at bonnaroo2004 (which she enjoyed without me). so both beautiful pieces explode on my newly swept and mopped floor sending color, glass and resin everywhere leaving me bowl-less and walking on broken glass - thank you annie lennox. damn, do i need a rug. still without carpet and confined to papers on friday, this trini girl i know suggests a choose-our-own adventure-mission across the dc terrain to find me a new piece. k+g news stand, just two blocks from work, downtown, provided us with our first destination. it turned out to be our last. i was picking up new glass for maybe the tenth time; it was elisha's virgin experience (she came up rolling everything). i walked in looking for blues, greens and yellows as always, followed the end of elisha's finger and found my perfect piece. it is perfect too. all of the intricacies of it's perfection have been fully realised and discussed with participating parties and i think we are both in love. i'da let her have the piece had i known then that she cherishes it as i do. i am thrilled to report that elisha had great successes as well, walking out with a wonderfully sexy colbalt blue bong, sized perfectly for her and an amazing bowl i can only describe as a beautiful adaptation of a red and blue squid. patience will have to be her virture though since she plans on keeping both pieces smoke-free until her return trip to trinidad. friday's positive vibes continued throughout. you should read up on our awesome food discovery on elisha's blog. i love my new perfect piece enough that i am petrified of it shattering like it's predecessors and thus the next hunt is for a rug. damn, do i need a rug. until then every time i smoke over this floor it feels just like i'm walking on broken glass. walking on. walking on. broken glass.

human quality

often when someone i've pretty much written off as 'asshole' does the littlest thing to remind me that they're human, i somehow find myself accepting them as human. thanks for the chocolate necco's.

note: a shower stall

when showering in a shower stall where the temperature of the water is dependent upon the direction of the handle (found appropriately at elbow height), always be sure to turn in the direction of the hot (counter-clockwise in my case). better for the water to scold me quick than kill me slowly with pneumonia.

worldly notes

this is something i pulled from the notebook that i wrote a few months ago. it is incomplete. i haven't often revisited the state of mind i was in when i wrote it, so i just assume post it unfinished with the possibility of completing it in the future. outrageous, outlandish poetry turns words to bloody money for the poetically poor - struggling through the standards to fit the norms of a society designed to make the rich richer. health and health care exist for the elite while the rest turn to smoke to withstand the stress of being sick of the street. streets of a world where the rich forge wars against unfortunate souls and an unexpecting envirnoment. blood for money comes thick as oil, killing seals and melting ice caps with smelters that destroy paradise. clear cutting trees becomes cut+clear that rainforests no longer reign supreme. the rain pools in lifeless fields no longer suitable to sustain life - the suits get nicer; the rich richer. nature fights back, flooding valleys and spreading disease. hiv positively aids her in the fight against negativity - sacrificing those not prosperous enough to survive; creating a viral genocide combated only through education. but where are the schools? where are the teachers? they sit in rooms lonely, with books getting dusty. the street corners call kids from classrooms. saved from the bell, their bags and books are replaced with bricks that slowly build their walls of confinement - leaving behind the schoolhouse for the jailhouse. books and bars; the only things left to befriend. no dust found on those books now for they are the only true great escape beyond the bars and back to the world. outside it's sunny and warm in the depths of winter - no snowmen are skiing this year. instead avalanches and islands of ice appear as the world melts around us. maybe there is something to this global warming phenomenon?

musicovery

what do you feel for?

the three second killers

a great video of everyone's true favourite art form: martial. these guys aren't slow. enjoy. ... and this one is for all the inventors and macgyver fans out there. i really am trying to get away from video links.

seriously def poetry

i spent some time this evening watching 3hours of def poetry on comcast's ondemand (it's comcastic) so that i could catch up on the current season. i must say that it was incredibly encouraging to see such beautiful talent beaming from so many young artists. in a time when this world seems to be on a collision course with disaster, be it natural or manufactured, it is nice to find that not all youths are completely lost of the consciousness. those like dahlak braithwaite, who has braved the stage on def poetry more than once, and others like him will be the leaders and teachers when it comes time for the revolution. we will fight with brushes, pens, and photo lens. and we will win with words, dance and our own two hands. you must be the change you want to see in the world. def poetry continues to celebrate those willing to stand up for change - i, just briefly, wanted to celebrate def poetry. ps. i am aware of my recent increase of video links in posts. my only justification is that i wouldn't link to them if i didn't find them brilliant on some level.

crash

the landing was a debacle. a wintry mix of snow and ice forced a downward spiral that left me stranded and alone; cargo scattered across miles of terrain. left to spend the night wandering over seemingly familiar landscape; slowly stopping through the snow while i gathered the boxes that had once circled the sky with me. a snowy earth mirrored a heavy sky, reflecting the same moonlit glow that highlighted the clouds; illuminating each of my cavernous footsteps just enough to lead me back to the wreckage after each outing. as the snow grew brighter, now tinted with hints of orange and pink from the sky, i began the journey from my wreckage to my home, dragging what cargo i did gather on a piece of metal from the crash. arriving at what is suppose to be called home, i lugged my duffel bag and sheet metal through the door. my home had no walls, no electricity; but it was new and full of possibility. now, with walls and electricity provided i am given the opportunity to paint myself my own world. and i'm gonna. again.

a new level of humiliation

the fox network has taken the typical american idiot to a whole new level of humiliation with the introduction of are you smarter than a fifth grader? this wonderful show pits fully educated adults against america's youth, testing their knowledge in simple math, well-known history and common, everyday science. hosted by the country's favourite redneck moron, jeff foxworthy, the show proves both that the education system in this country is working to some degree (assuming the show isn't completely rigged) and that a typical american has a lower education level than a 10year old. a new low in reality from the american public and it's producers. congratulations. posts about the landing are in progress.

clear for landing

after holding in a pattern for the past couple of months my skies are finally clear. my earth, warm and welcoming, anxiously awaits my arrival as i anxiously await another fresh start. i am packing up my life and moving to new residence; purging my life along the way. while the move will temporarily remove me from my blog, i expect the experience will bring about a post or two. i should be back sooner than later. it'll hopefully be a safe landing - leaving me grounded, happy and home.

love and happiness

news about the brain always fascinates me. check out what the albert einstein college of medicine in new york are finding out about your loving brain. such a fitting story on the day we celebrate saint valentine and whatever it is that he did.

failing a generation

check out this report unicef released regarding the welfare of the world's children. it's completely upsetting that such global powers are neglecting their youth. perhaps there are bigger battles to fight than the ones about resources and power?!?

maybe i'm crazy...

... but gnarls barkley's st. elsewhere is still a part of my regular rotation. cee-lo and dangermouse are masters of the popculture craft, fusing two completely different styles into a spark of artistic innovation producing a sound that makes you sit up and take notice. their touch extends to their album/record covers and 3music videos as well, which if you haven't seen are included below: i thought about linking the artwork to it's corresponding video but then you can't look at the close up of the art. the artwork is first, the music videos below.

crazy - directed by graphic designer robert hales gone daddy gone - directed by chris milk smiley faces - directed by robert hales

they have been nominated for 5grammy awards this year including 'record of the year' for crazy and 'album of the year.' given their competition they should win both awards and then produce a new album... possibly?!?

another random life event

i was leaving the district tonight, slightly high and content with the days events, when suddenly an array of lights and sirens from at least a dozen cops filled the road behind me. i briefly judged my own driving over the past minute to ensure that i wasn't responsible for this intense police response. i wasn't. instead of being asked to keep my hands on the wheel i was being 'belled and whistled' forward into the intersection. as requested, i moved out into the intersection where i would sit as the cruisers weaved around me and off to save the world. it was a moment later when i realised exactly what the cops were doing out. as i pulled into the intersection i was immediately joined by a rust red nissan pathfinder, sprinting from my left, that swerved around my front end and off into the distance. he was followed by the dozen cops behind me and the few that were already in pursuit of the pathfinder. i just witnessed a high speed chase. as the amazement of the situation faded i thought about how a high speed chase isn't normally something seen in real life but is rather found in your typical action flick* or the la freeway. ...adding to my list of random life events. #2,179: witnessed a high speed chase. *the action flick link was originally the chase scene from the french connection, hailed by most as the first car chase in cinema. i later changed it to the transporter simply because i love the opening chase scene.

coachella

the 3day music festival in indio, california has assembled a pretty good bill for it's late april show including a third day ending finale of manu chao with radio bemba followed by the reunion of rage against the machine. stephen marley featuring jr. gong, ghostface killah, the brazilian girls, the roots and the chili peppers round out the bill nicely.

suits and straightjackets and cashback

during a past fff, a character briefly mentioned my suits and straightjackets theory. i thought i would take a moment to broaden and bring some understanding to the theory. before i continue, i must recognise that there are two types of people other than myself. there are (1) those of you lucky enough to not have to suffer through the angst of wearing a suit as a daily routine, and there are (2) those of you who may actually enjoy wearing a suit, believing that it brings a sense of accomplishment, importance and professionalism to your career and life. it doesn't. for me and those like me, the suit isn't a choice. the suit is an inconvenient, uncomfortable aspect of a job probably hated if for nothing other than the uniform; the straightjacket. the suit, merely itchy at first, becomes tighter with passing hours, strangling every part of my body and leaving behind the pins and needles felt throughout as my fingers and toes go numb. the suit coat weighs heavy on my shoulders and ties down my arms, the pants stiffen, cramping my legs and the tie hangs like a thousand pound noose around my neck. physically exhausted from it's weight, i feel the threads of the suit begin to weave themselves into my skin - it'll bind to me forever if i don't remove it soon. the suits handle on me grows a little each day thriving on it's eventual takeover and my becoming what i hate most: a suit. the suit near unbearable, i try to divert my mind toward cheating time; fast-forwarding until i reach home where the suit tears away at me as i tear away at it. i concentrate my day on loosing track of time by avoiding clocks, playing stupid games for added distraction and daydreaming about life. it is oddly reminiscent of sean ellis's recent short film cashback in which a young grocery worker discusses life on the night shift - notice the girl sporting the penn state sweatshirt (my alma mater). ellis's oscar-nominated short is brief genius and reminded me of a fantasy i recently discovered when reading nicholson baker's the fermata, a book i will definitely read again. i highly recommend watching the short and reading the book; they are both great works of art. my recommendation must come with a disclaimer that both mediums contain adult content and thus i must insist that you ask an adult before enjoying either - and you will enjoy them, trust me.

subway: eat what?

while trekking across the city today i stopped by the local subway to fill my empty stomach. with the perfect sandwich in mind i walked into a completely vacant restaurant immediately filled with the joy of being the next, first and only person in line. i approached the counter, standing like a pro under the 'order here' sign, when i suddenly realised the restaurant was void of both patron and employee. with the faint sound of running water coming from further within, i waited patiently until my solitude began to weigh on my time schedule. with a more than friendly knock on the glass, two eyes flashed from around a corner beyond the cash register. the eyes fled briefly, rounded the corner and were then followed by the pleasant smile of a young woman. with places to be, i got right to the task at hand, sharply delivering step one of the subway process: 'foot long, subway melt on wheat.' she pulls and cuts a white roll. maybe she misheard me? 'wheat,' i restated and with a soft 'sorry' she switched rolls, pointing at the wheat for my approval before pulling it from its tray. what i soon came to realise was that the nice woman preparing my sandwich didn't understand a vast majority of what i was saying. my expeditious stop for the long awaited sandwich in jeopardy, i found myself in a panic, pointing at some meats and cheeses, discarding others. i would point, she would point and with an agreeing nod, the selected would make it's way to the bread. the finger pointing method was working well until we stalled out looking for the bacon (a key element for any truly great sandwich). after a 10minute search for the bacon, i was about ready to forget the sandwich all together and get on my way down the road when a second, unexpected employee turned the corner from the back room. the language barrier, smaller but still stifling what should be a fast process, the second employee toasted the sub after which we began working through the second step: the veggies, sauces and spices. at this point, it was not to my surprise that they were out of barbecue sauce and didn't even carry old bay seasoning; nor did they have coca-cola available (neither bottled nor fountain varieties). i paid (the unfortunate third step), waiting another 10minutes for a pen to sign off on the now cold sandwich. totally discouraged with my half hour subway stop and now well behind schedule, i left, cola-less, with my partially constructed sandwich and a sour attitude. the sourness past relatively quickly and after adding barbecue sauce and old bay from my own kitchen the sandwich was quite good. in future, i will, however, avoid the local subway in hopes of dealing with faster food.

schwaggy

in recent weeks i have come across a run of some really awful schwaggy grass. i call it schwaggy because it isn't exactly schwag, but it isn't exactly grass either. it's been a real disappointment for someone who gets maybe a few hours a day to even come close to relaxing. this strand of shitty grass has interrupted my enjoyment and relaxation on more than one occasion and has upset me enough to deliver this post. the quality of recent herb has been staggering. in the last couple weeks i have had the harshest, the most bitter and one of the most fleeting grasses i have ever smoked. 3 different grasses, each with it's own different terrible result. now my throat is sore, my mouth still tastes tart and my head, far too sober. why not just buy better herb? simply because i have a hard enough time trying to pay rent and gas my car - better herb isn't always the easiest, best solution. nevertheless, plans are already in the works to fix past spliff tragedies. with any luck these joints will be left far behind us with nothing but wonderful, smooth, long-lived tastiness in our future. goodbye schwaggy grass. here's to tasty trees. until next time, this is i wishing everyone sticky, green wishes and cannabis dreams. may all your smokes be good smokes. good night.

superme

i told you i was a superhero. i told you my uniform was under my suit. well this survey outed me. 90% will power and imagination, 90% fast and flirtatious. my secret is out. i'll save you. i am the green lantern. i have strong will power and a good imagination. i am the flash. i am fast and flirtatious. (superme is unfortunately unable to figure out how to get rid of all this empty space.)

green lantern		90%
the flash		90%
iron man		65%
robin		65%
hulk		60%
batman		60%
spider-man		55%
supergirl		55%
catwoman		55%
superman		50%
wonder woman		45%

maybe you can be a superhero too.

punk'd out

i caught a preview on television this evening of some movie starring an overly-tatted justin timberlake which made me probe the obvious questions regarding the validity of a movie willing to star everyone's favourite mousketeer. as the preview ended i sat, stunned, feeling as though i must had just been punk'd by mr. moore. it occurred to me moments later that my favorite justin timberlake moment is watching him bawl to his mommy while the punk'd irs repossess all his stuff. please be aware that i am in no way condoning the show punk'd or it's creator - the show is absolutely awful. kutcher and his clan of cronies blew their load on the timberlake episode and have never come close to matching it's caliber. their faces (token trucker hats included) plastered all over hollywood for half a second provided all the warning the rest of the 'beautiful people' needed to catch on to these pseudo-jackass wannabe's game. by the second season kutcher had become obsolete, leaving his face and voice behind for hosting purposes. the cast had to be refreshed in a desperation attempt to revive the element of surprise to the show. quickly running out of ideas and celebrities to punk they turned to us, the public, for continued 'quality programming:' punking the everyday teenage girl shopping with her friends or a random guy just trying to take his date to dinner. punk'd had suddenly become candid camera. punk'd had punked out. still punking the occasional b or c list celebrity, the cast and crew couldn't live up to the challenge they had set for themselves - punking the currently famous icons. any idiot can plan on pulling a practical joke on an everyday jack or jill, but it takes a sly hand and a conniving mind to punk those people we all want to watch cry to their mommies. a truly successful punk should be well researched, developed and then brilliantly unleashed on it's prey. why not punk donald trump by locking out his bank accounts and canceling all his credit cards? now that would be a punk to be proud of. instead the show is a nothing more than a bunch of punks who are only punking themselves. i suppose kutcher and company had two options; punk out or man up - thank you for punking out and saving us all from your shit programming.

intolerable ignorance

a co-worker of mine today said that she hopes if/when she has children, ideally 5children, that they are gay like her. for someone who isn't afraid to announce to the world that she's gay and won't hold back a second to tell off anyone who's opinion differs from her own, i was shocked at such a statement from someone i had thought to be a more open-minded individual. her ignorance was astonishing and when i called her on it, she started to tell me off when i said that 'it would be no different than someone hoping for all straight children.' she could, of course, see the wrong in that situation and had to agree with my assessment. argument won easily enough. still, i didn't appreciate such ignorance. open your mind.

traffic jam

i drive my little piece of shit car all over the pothole-encrusted streets of this city, often feeling like every suv-driving-asshole is purposely trying to slow my travels to a crawl. it seems that no matter how much time i allow myself to reach a given destination the inevitable cluster-fuck of asshole-drivers surround me with an array of break lights and quick turns (without signal). even when i beat those assholes with a series of amazing maneuvers and lightning speed the district finds a way to fuck me up the tailpipe with the usual construction zone or inconvenient detour. and of course i have found the joy of really needed to get somewhere through the rush-hour traffic only to have the road bite back and leave me changing a tire after an crater in the asphalt tried to swallow my car. the streets of dc truly are an unparalleled obstacle course even greater than those marc summers would have you and your family running on double dare. add some rain to the dc turf and you too could be slipping and sliding around town like your family through the slime. whether you have 60seconds on the clock or 60minutes to get across town, the course is designed for failure. the obstacles, be it slide and slime or assholes and potholes, will, with near certainty, always make you late to the finish line. in my travels i have to keep a tight schedule and thus always allow enough time to reach any desired destination. it's not a lack of planning or time management on my part. it is the assholes and obstacles on the road that contribute to my angst toward dc driving. if only i didn't have to share the road with all the assholes, bitches, motherfuckers and other foes that have been cursed from my lips as i race past; the streets would be empty and the driving, dare i say, enjoyable - potholes excluded. ironically the same city streets that i loathe with such passion will be encompassing me in a matter of weeks when i move further into the heart of dc. you probably think that i'll end up driving in more of the traffic i hate but the reality is that i'll be driving significantly less; hopefully placing myself minutes away from the job and several other places of interest. instead of sitting behind the wheel yelling at the traffic gods, i could be walking (taking the physical challenge) in front of cars whose drivers would be yelling about me. it sounds blissful. driving will still be part of my daily routine and the roads will still be tainted with holes. but maybe we can take all the asses and fill all the pots.

the chronicles of narnia

after all the hype while it was in theatres, i finally saw it. truth be told, i find it sad that i get more enjoyment out of a 2.5minute snl spoof about the chronic-(what?)-cles of narnia than the movie itself. if you haven't seen it, check out the skit. it's hilarious and one of the only funny things to come out of snl in the last 5years.

holiday season: just add patience

i've always held great distain for the holiday season. it has always been a time that continuously presents me with constant worry, stress and opportunity for huge error. this holiday season was no different and lived up to every expectation. it included the usual family debacle spiced up with added house guests and inconvenient circumstances. add a dash of near unbearably bad timing and an unimaginably nauseating rollercoaster of emotions and you are left with an all too familiar series of 'christmas miracles' - some of which are still turning my stomach. the unfortunate events of my sickening holiday season don't allow me look for sympathy or a sedative because i cooked up this recipe on my own and, thus, have to eat what i stewed. the harsh words, raised voices and sarcastic undertones contributed to a variety of arguments too wretched to rehash now and too bitter to ever want to taste again (like aloe). i realised, only after having more than my fill, that the cuisine could've tasted so much better if i had added one main ingredient: patience. one might think that adding some patience to the holiday seasoning must mean that i typically boil in conversation when i simply need to simmer. the truth of the matter is that i am one of the most level-headed people you could ever meet and the patience isn't to keep me from blowing up; but rather keep me from giving up. i all too often misplace the patience, or forget to add it to the recipe, and then after about 5hours of cooking up the same fight i loose the ambition to continue stirring the sauce and just let it burn. sure, it'll taste like shit, but i've lost the patience to make it flavorful for everyone and, typically, give in. if i just add patience to the mix i would be closer to the perfect recipe and creating something that everyone can enjoy. no one likes being forced to eat sour meat and i feel terrible that some had to even smell it in the air. future arguments will find me with spoonfuls of patience at hand in order to prevent distasteful concoctions and create gourmet happiness. together - we will eat fine home-cooked cuisine again.

never get busted again

former texas drug agent, barry cooper, will soon join the rest of the online-entrepreneur-millionaires by selling his video 'barry cooper's never get caught again,' designed as a how-to on successful drug possession and getting around the man. barry will teach you, the user, all the necessary tactics and diversion techniques from concealing your stash to fooling a drug dog. trained by the dea, cooper was seen as one of the best drug task force officers in the country with over 8hundred arrests. his help can be yours for the incredibly low price of $24.95 barry cooper: anti-narc - welcome to the dark side.

the godfather of soul

the hardest working man in show business. mr dynomite. soul brother number one died today, the 25th day of december, from a heart attack; the result of a fight against severe pneumonia. he was 73. now, this isn't exactly the type of thing i want to be posting about and i'm not sure how i feel about 'tribute posts' but mr james brown impacted my personal development as an artist immensely over the years. i could never talk about my influences without mentioning funk and the godfather of soul. rest in peace james. thank you for sharing your talent with the world.

sweet engineering

together we can accomplish so much more. clearing skies... thank you.

the holding pattern...

... as it was so precisely put to me the other day has left me circling turbulant skies. the circling is nauseating but not completely dreadful. the turbulance however has left me up in the air and away from my blog. there are plenty of decisions that need to be made before i come down from these clouds (each cloud banging me back and forth like a football), and it's easy to say i will be circling the runway for a bit until i navigate through some of these desicions. with air traffic control helping me realise that the holding pattern is an acceptable plan of action for the moment, i've already been able to begin plans to clear the air and start my descent. luckily, i have found some inspiration in these skies and will hopefully be back posting anytime now. sorry for my flight delay. eta: unknown.

fff #62

this is the first post coming from my new sexy laptop, and my is she sexy. that said, i've finally completed an fff. i admit that it's not exactly my masterpiece but my head was preoccupied a majority of the weekend. just the same, it feels good to fff again.

He/She ran in front of…

he ran in front of the pack; sprinting toward a goal that he had been dreaming of for what seemed like a lifetime. the endless days of training to become faster were finally about to pay off. his newly acquired speed made his feet feel like feathers hovering on a gentle wind just above the ground; the way it feels to rush down a steep hill as a child. he moved so fast that the air made his eyes water and the world around him blur. his heart and his arms pumped in unison. his chest burned. his throat went dry. he tried not to think about what tortures he could face if the wolves behind him caught up. they each wanted to reach his goal, his dream, before he did. the finish was already so close. he could hear their banter and knew they were clawing right at his heals. one of them got hold of his shirt in a last ditch effort to lead the way, but was denied by his unstoppable desire to win. the goal was within reach and his dreams were about to come true. he could see the shiny silver truck that contained his trophy and knew that if he won there would be music to accompany his victory. nearly in shock by his success he sprinted straight toward the truck, running his fingers down the blistering metal as he came to a stop by the it’s side. out of breath, he leaned against the truck briefly and listened to music that reminded him of a circus. he looked up toward the side of the truck in astonishment as the glass window slid open. a man dressed in all white with graying hair and soft hazel eyes looked out the window at him with a kind smile. “what’ll it be, son?” “chocolate fudge chuck,” he replied, pulling his 50cents from his pocket and setting it on the counter. the man filled a sugar cone full of the ice cream and handed it to him. his eyes lit up as he took the first lick. his chest cooled. his throat sighed in relief. the first one in line at the ice cream truck – not too bad for the last day of summer.

update: a friend, a hero

evidently, i have one last quick post in me before i depart from the connected world for a while. to echo a previous post, there is a video on carribeanfreeradio filmed by wendell manwarren and edited by roger roberts, himself, highlighting his triumph at the new york city marathon. check out our friend and hero: roger roberts.

obituary

unfortunately, despite every attempt for revival, my laptop has passed after a long two-month battle with an unknown cancer that inevitably lead to it's self-destruction. it is survived by myself, creator, owner and friend. it was nearly 6years old. i ask that you understand this time of mourning. i will be unconnected from the rest of the world for at least a week while dell builds a new laptop for not just anyone, but only one: me (i acted fast to help the kids forget). i'll be using this time to remember the feel of my pen as it strokes across the pages of my notebook. hopefully by the time i rejoin the digital community i'll have plenty of posts to share with my new, younger, sexier laptop.

ghana youth photo project

i gotta say that i love the power art has to change life. the ghana youth photo project was started in october 2005 by photographer jamie lloyd in nima - one of the poorest ghettos of ghana's capital city, accra. i came across a video describing the project on youtube earlier today. the objective was to give ghana's youth a chance to become ambassador’s of their neighborhood, city, country and continent by showing the world a look at life through their eyes. the project provides these children with an amazing outlet to express themselves: photography; one of my many personal favorite mediums. there are similar projects already in existence in other countries like india and indonesia; inspiring hope and creativity among the world's youth. the sad truth is that programs like this should be offered on an even wider scale. in this day of war, mass genocide, and extreme poverty, the world's youth needs a reason and a path to seek out the beauty and the truth woven within the chaos. even in this city, the capital of the supposed "most powerful" country in the world could use more programs like this one. as an amateur photographer and a believer and leader of the consciousness (the effort to better the world), trying to create a program like this one is very appealing. the dc youth photo project has a nice ring to it - now it's just a matter of lobbying for funds and support. this link will allow you to check out some of the photos taken by the children in ghana. big-up jamie lloyd for her efforts to create a better more beautiful world. more to come...

orchéstre baka de gbiné

i am always on the lookout for great music, particularly music with a purpose. recently i came across this album: gati bongo by orchéstre baka de gbiné. orchéstre baka de gbiné is a musical group composed entirely of people from the baka tribe found deep in the rainforests of cameroon. the baka pygmies spend their whole life in the same forest that is continuously being harvested for wood by several international logging companies. this unfortunate conflict of interest inspired the name of the group - gbiné meaning help. the group's first album, gati bongo, which was released this past april echoes the baka people's cry for help. thankfully, with help from the global music exchange, a charity based in the uk, all royalties earned from sales of their album are returned back to the tribe. the album is fantastic and is available on itunes and cduniverse.com. the purchase of this album will support a great cause for a struggling people. give it a listen and a purchase for yourself- help the baka save their home.

hbo would rather women play nice

i love hbo. not being able to afford it right now kills me on a weekly basis. their original series programming is without a doubt the best entertainment television in production to date. most nights, hbo shows are the only programs worth tuning in for which is why, when it's not football or comedy central, my dvd player gets nearly as much time as my television. clearly, i am a huge advocate of the hbo network; they do not disappoint - until now. i was checking out espn.com today (yes, i am a guy afterall) and came across an article that popped my hbo bubble. apparently, an ali will be fighting at the garden once again. muhammad's daughter laila (the best known female boxer in the world) is set to be in one bout of a four bout ticket, including the male heavyweight championship fight this saturday night at madison square garden. the evening is scheduled to be broadcast live via hbo late night boxing starting 10pm est. unfortunately, hbo is refusing to broadcast laila ali's bout against shelley burton simply because they do not condone female fighting. while i, myself, am not much of a boxing enthusiast, it does seem wrong that in this day and age, where we could possibly be watching hillary run this country in 2008, that a network like hbo is taking it upon themselves to sensor the world of female boxing.

friends and heroes

i spent yesterday with a sweet trini traveling to nyc to visit two thirds of the 3canal triad. roger roberts and warrenman made their way to new york from tnt so that the ever heroic roger could be one of the 37,000 running the ing new york city marathon. holding tough through the 42kilometer race, roger crossed the finish line in the 224th minute (quite an impressive time for those unaware). as if i needed another reason to look up to rr - he really is my hero and one of my best friends. congratulations roger. i am very proud of you. the near 4hour lime with the boys, complete with bonus homemade barbecue, rice and beans, and macaroni pie, was entirely worth the 9hour drive. seeing wendell and roger is a rejuvenating event. they both thankfully looked happy and healthy, even with the p-funk-role-reversal experienced between, the movie star, warrenman and myself. thanks for the lime fellas. sorry to miss stanny. biglove and blessings to all the canals.

fff#59

i had a hard time with this fff and as a result it was a bit rushed. just the same, it's still nice to be fffing. thanks to jj for the opportunity.

It was untoward what he/she said to him/her/me but worst of all was…

it was untoward what he said to me but worst of all was the tone he carried through his near incoherent mumbling. it was his “long-day-at-work, third-glass-of-gin, you-little-shit” tone again: a tone that i hated and tried to avoid at all costs. it meant i would be waking up hours later with a headache and any combination of fat lips, black eyes, chipped teeth and bloody ears. i often wished my ears could bleed earlier as a warning sign; at least then i would know to keep my distance. they never seemed to warn me on time, of course, and the stresses of the work day and the chilled sting of the gin could be felt with each individual punch which i found was proportional to the number of drinks. sometimes, when the drink count was above five i was able to find him too tired, well, too shitfaced to take out his stresses. unfortunately, tonight had only been a 3 or 4 drink night, judging by the amount of slurring, and i had to bare the brunt of it. after i came to i would normally watch him passed out on the couch, staying awake all night to make sure that if he did wake up in need of another stress relief, it would be on me and not one of my siblings. tonight would be no different, including the strict promise that i would never let it happen again. i told myself, as i had so many times before, that the next time i would battle back. i snuck away from my post at the end of the couch long enough to see what stress marks he left on my face. with my head throbbing and my right eye practically swollen shut, the blurry self-portrait starring back at me couldn’t lie and showed me a monstrosity of a man i was starting to know all too well. i tried to wash my face clean of all its color, but the soap and water removed only the red; leaving behind the blacks, blues, and purples. returning to my post just after midnight, i noticed immediately that there was an escapee from the couch’s holding cell. where was he? i rushed to the bedrooms, checking on each room to ensure the safety of the innocent. they were fine. walking back down the hall and past the holding cell, the faint smell of gin got caught in my nose and i turned just in time to dodge the bottle coming toward my head. i watched the image of a beefeater shatter against the coffee table and quickly grabbed the largest shard i could find in anticipation for combat. he came at me in a drunken, staggered rush and moments later found himself with the glass shard pressed hard against his jugular. it was time that i hold up to my promise. i pressed the shard even harder into his skin until a bead of blood developed at the point of impact. in a moment of sobriety, i watched his face go white and fill with fear. my arm went weak and dropped the now red-tipped shard. “never touch any of them, or i’ll come back for you,” i said with a certainty to let him know i meant it. i walked out the front door and collapsed to my knees in the street long enough to comprehend that i had just nearly killed my father. i’ve never gone back and hope my siblings are still alright.

catch and release

if you love seafood then you may want to get out to your local red lobster or legal seafood restaurant while you still can. the next generation may not have the luxury. recent studies (another source) have determined that fishery stocks have depleted by one-third on a global level and if current trends continue the sea fish market will drop out by 2048. experts chalk up this near inevitable destruction of marine biodiversity to direct individual acts: the pollution of the seas and over-fishing. the technological advancement of the fishing industry, in recent years, has increased the success and ease of the trade and thus increased the tendency of over-fishing. both pollution and over-fishing are problems contributing to a possibly permanent change in the ecosystem - something no one should be willing to settle for. as a species we would definitely feel the effects of such a change and it is ultimately up to us to reverse the process. it starts with a conscious effort to cut down on pollutants across the globe. of the 48 areas in the world set up to protect marine biodiversity, all have shown an improvement as a direct result of a growth in the protection against pollution. over-fishing is, unfortunately, a problem that will require more of a political powered regulation. hopefully that will come with time. this is a call to stay conscious about our ecosystem and make every attempt to take care of it. if we don't, we may leave behind a world with far less than just a lack of sushi, shark+bake, and lobsterfest.