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Friday, June 25, 2010

Finding rhythm...

"To live is to be musical, starting with the blood dancing in your veins. Everything living has a rhythm. Do you feel your music?" ~Michael Jackson



Today is the anniversary of the death of Michael Jackson... his death day... I don't think he needs any type of introduction really... He was one of the greatest entertainers of his time - the King of Pop - and contributed to music, dance and fashion. Taking a moment here to remember him.
 
I've been learning to play tassa - in the bit of spare time I've got... lol. It's fun and it's with my my girlfriends and it's for the wedding of one of our group. We'll only be playing perhaps a 2-minute rhythm (details aren't finalised yet) and then the actual tassa group will be playing. It's meant as a sorta-gift... we're her bridesmaids you see. It's pretty cool. 

The problem is... I can't seem to find my rhythm. It's a bit of an issue as I'm the 'fulley' - am supposed to hold a steady rhythm for the group. Ergh. lol.. Ah well... I've been feeling tense lately... bit stifled... bit claustrophobic...  which could be the reason of course... Just have to figure out how to get through it.  

Saw the movie Fame (the 2009 version) on Sunday with my family... Kinda wish there was a performing arts school to go to - even though I know that in my own teenage years I was even more shy and non-participative than I am now. I feel like dancing and singing and such though - there should be somewhere Trini people can go to with a large space and wooden floors and fabulous acoustics... I miss the yoga room at Hill House at Kripalu though while I was there I didn't make that much use of it.

Gotta figure it out - get into a groove... maybe channel MJ at our tassa practice today. Isn't it funny that my I Ching hexagram for today is "containment of potential"? Focused attention is required it says... Hmm...

peace,
Rtr

Sunday, June 20, 2010

Happy Father's Day!!!

"When I was a boy of fourteen, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around.  But when I got to be twenty-one, I was astonished at how much he had learned in seven years."  ~Mark Twain, "Old Times on the Mississippi" Atlantic Monthly, 1874

I think perhaps that there is no more appropriate quote on this day. My dad and I have lots of karma as my mum likes to say. We've had our share of disagreements and misunderstandings. As I get older though I realise that a lot of what he's been trying to tell me for so long and a lot of the stuff he does is... real. True. With age comes not only wisdom but appreciation. We'll continue to have our disagreements and such but at the heart of it I know that there is love and that he is really only doing/saying what he thinks is best for me. I love you daddy. Happy Father's Day to all fathers and father-figures. You provide half of the whole. 

peace,
Rtr

Saturday, June 19, 2010

Family Matters..

"Other things may change us, but we start and end with family.~Anthony Brandt 

I talk and write a lot about my family ... I guess cuz they're the most important [and most often] interactions I have on a day-to-day basis ... We're a really great bunch of people ... individually and together ... people generally like [love] us and we are pretty amazing... and I'm actually being modest here... lol 

Had a 'family meeting' Thursday night... sorta in relation to the drama (drama? is there drama? nah...) anticipated in this post. We're still all getting used to being in the same place at the same time... and recognising that we're all older... changes in thinking... changes in behaviour... adjustments needed all around. It went well I think.. in that there weren't [much] tears or raised voices (quarrel? we don't 'quarrel'.. we 'discuss')... minor grumpiness on some parts... general feelings of 'whew! I'm glad I got that out'.. so overall good meeting. I wonder sometimes how it is with other families... What do ppl talk about? think about? do? I wonder sometimes if I have to (do I want to???) start my own family how that will turn out... Am content to just be for now.

Today I got up at an unreasonable (to me anyway) hour for a Saturday (5 am ... *sigh*)... My dad and I went out on a mini-photo-take-outing-adventure... Good times... Though there were no birds or far away birds... mosquitoes bigger than I've seen [ever] and questions about how safe it was to be out by ourselves... There were however blue crabs, jumping dogs, machinery, skinny roads and a rainbow. I must find a way to link my Flickr account with this blog. I must upload pics to my Flickr account... ergh.. lol...

I also went with my mum to drop off stuff at the Cancer Society - they're holding a fund raising type event on July 4th... we're contributing. She drove. It's safer [much less stressful] for both of us that way... We visited the Botanical Gardens - cuz we could barely remember what it looked like - we've been to gardens in Canada, New Jersey and the Berkshires... we should know what T&T's looks like... we got lost [a lil bit only] in Port-of-Spain... we just lime... 

Tomorrow (today? what time is it?) is Father's Day... my brother is making egg-less cake and ice cream... I'm cooking dhal and .. whatever else ... we'll probably watch a movie... ole talk... take some pics... It's just comfortable right now to be here... there'll be squabbles and vexations (hopefully not much tomorrow) but overall there is contentment... support... love.

Happy Father's Day tomorrow people... celebrate not just fathers but family... whether they be family through blood or through ties of friendship - celebrate :)

peace,
Rtr

Friday, June 18, 2010

Oh no!

"We didn't lose the game; we just ran out of time." ~Vince Lombardi

Taking a moment away from work to blog... Germany lost to Serbia! Score: 0:1! *argh*!!! They're still at the top of their group though... Am still fully backing them... Go Germany!!!
 
peace,
Rtr

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Something new...

"Only those who ask for more can get more and only those who know there is more, ask." ~Alan Cohen

It's amazing to me that one can live with or know people for... forever (all of one's life or all of that person's life) and still learn something new about them every so often.


I've learnt recently that my mum likes to watch World Cup Football... Since World Cup 2010 is in progress this month there's been a lot of excitement relating to teams, players, countries etc. It's a tad bit exhilirating... We're (my mum and I) supporting Germany. My mom cuz she worked out a chart system with all the teams... and myself cuz... why not? Germany looks like a good team to support :) World Cup fever has hit Trinidad and Tobago and now that's what's being talked about wherever you go. It's just too bad T&T aren't in but -  they've got time to prepare for World Cup 2014... I remember how excited everyone was when we got in to the last World Cup by winning Bahrain. Granted after we got in our team failed to win any match and was thus eliminated early on... the point is that we got in!!! lol ..  We can do better with practice though I can imagine how T&T would totally shut down if we did get in... There's a television in our lunch room at work... One of the media houses has set up a giant screen in Port-of-Spain so that persons can view the games. 

It's all very exciting.. Who are you supporting?

peace,

Rtr

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

No work today!

"A musician must make music, an artist must paint, a poet must write, if he is to be ultimately at peace with himself. What a man can be, he must be. This need we call self-actualization." ~Abraham Maslow 

Woke up this morning later than usual (around 6 am.. yes.. late.. *sigh*.. lol) because I don't have to go to work today! Yay! Apparently T&TEC is gonna be doing some sort of work in the area where my workplace is and thus there'll be no electricity from 9.30 - 3.30... so.. no work today cuz we can't operate in a building with no lights or fresh air.. granted I'm supposed to pay attention to my emails and if I can do any work from home I should and what not.. but.. I have a day off! No work today! Mwahaha!!! Lol.. 


One day [soon] though I shall find [create?] a job that I would love doing. Something that when I get up in the morning I'll be excited to think that that's what I'm gonna be doing for the day... Something that whether I'm working or have a day off the joy will be the same. I need to figure out what that is.. and how to go about doing it... 

It's along the lines of the million dollar question really... You know the question right? Where someone asks you: "What would you do if you had a million dollars?" and naturally it flows along with the question: "If you knew you had six months to die then what would you do now?" ... I have been asked and have answered and been fairly consistent with my answers to these questions... It is just that I need to get over the 'how' of it.. and the expectations people would have about it.. and just do what I feel that I need to do... The problem as I see it? I'm a bit too practical... need to dream some more... get me some Nike's and Just Do It.. 

lol...

Wish you all a great day! Today I do whatever I feel like doing.

peace,
Rtr

Monday, June 14, 2010

Sunday, June 13, 2010

Of Princes and Politics...

"Rank does not confer privilege or give power. It imposes responsibility." ~Louis Armstrong 

After making (and stating) that decision to blog every day till Saturday... I missed blogging on the first day. Ah well... as Burns says 'the best laid schemes of mice and men often go awry' or askew... or... whichever translation you've got really. Truth is I didn't make it to my computer as I fell asleep instead. Here I am now though and we'll see how the rest of the blogging week goes... 

I've been meaning to talk about politics cuz there has been a lot of political-type changes happening in my country lately. I haven't gotten around to it because I'm not one to get into too much of that - I care about stuff yes but talking about all the drama? Not something I do. I've heard that it's not good to talk about two things in polite company: religion and... politics. This is my blog though and if you don't want to know my thoughts... feelings... opinions... then - move away from this page. If the contents of this blog offend you in any way... that's your story to deal with. And hmm... maybe I should use that line as a disclaimer. Lol

The reason I'm writing about this now though? I went to the cinema and saw Prince of Persia. While it's not a completely fabulous movie - it is pretty good. And there was a bit of nostalgia added to it in my case as way back when (10 - 12 years ago?) my brother and I played this game on our computer... tried to see who would win ... who would get the furthest... that sort of thing. The movie though shows all those relationships and responsibilities of people who are in charge of people... Kings, Queens, Princes, Princesses and Advisers. One sees the opinions of the citizens of the empire - and how they may in no way coincide with those of the rulers. There is a battle for power and the triumph of good over evil. Like I said... it's a pretty good movie :)

We've had a change in Government with our recent elections. Something that I believe has needed to happen for some years now. Why? Cuz our last Government was seriously messing us up. Power corrupts it is said and perhaps that is what was happening. With our resources (natural, intellectual, financial) Trinidad and Tobago should be so much more than a third-world, developing country. It all comes down to management though... and when the persons in charge mismanage ... or manage for their own benefit instead of the country's then there's a problem. There's been private use of public funds, favouritism in a lot of areas, perhaps good vision but poor implementation and shoddy work. Prioritisation of projects that make sense to few... would you put money into tall buildings or food crops? Stadiums or hospitals? I'm glad there's been a change. 

It remains to be seen what this new Government will do. It's unique in that for the first time there's a woman at the head - as I've said in previous posts, we've got a woman Prime Minister now. Perhaps it's sexist of me but I believe fully that women are better suited for both management and governing... a country is just a larger family unit after all and from experience and observation - in T&T it's women that keep families together and functional. Apart from that there are the checks and balances - persons in charge of Ministries with actual experience. Accountability of a sort due to the fact that it's a coalition in charge. Not just one political party but a few... each seeking their interests but also committed to the interests of the people. There is for me - hope - that things will get better. 

There are a lot of trials to be faced by this new Government... the sad state of our financial affairs... floods and now we've entered the Hurricane Season... rising food prices... employment... unemployment... housing... education... health. Security. I hope they take their responsibilities seriously... I hope for positive changes.  I generally have hope that they shall lead us into a better place. 

peace,
Rtr

Friday, June 11, 2010

I've been cutting down on my computer time...

"Most of the shadows of this life are caused by our standing in our own sunshine." ~Ralph Waldo Emerson 

I've always told people that I'm a computer person. I can stay on for hours. Computers have been in my life for as long as I can remember - my dad's a tech-type person - we've had computers since way back in the late 80's/early 90's. I've been ignoring the computer for the past two weeks though ... or at least trying not to spend as much time on it as I usually do... Maybe because I'm tired of being in the constant flow of information? Maybe because I'm at a computer all day (most of the day) because of work? Whatever the reason ... it's sorta kept back my blogging. Yes, I can type and post a blogpost from my phone but it's not the same... in the same way as reading a book on the computer is not the same as having a good paperback to curl up with somewhere. And so this is me re-dedicating... I'm going to blog. Tomorrow and every day till next Saturday... Who reads these posts? I dunno... Does it matter? Maybe a smidgen. Do I want to do it? Yes.. and that's the answer right there. Commitment needed for this and other things. It starts now. 
peace,
Rtr

Friday, June 4, 2010

Timely thoughts.. or thoughts about time...

"I didn't have time to write a short letter, so I wrote a long one instead." ~Mark Twain 

Friday night. Day that should have been a holiday (workdays sandwiched between public holidays and weekends of no work should be a holiday!). Thoughts swirling as they are wont to do. Age. Time. Maturity. What are they really? 

Passing comments - I sound like mom and think like dad. Really?! Consideration. Contemplation. Realisation. Situations of feeling so... old. Situations of feeling so... young. A memory of a passage in a book where the author said she felt like she was all ages wrapped up in one.. 2, 12, 22... (What book was that again?) 

Sitting down to watch Friends and noticing I'm at the age they play in the show... remembering when I was not (When was that? oh.. right.. 10 years ago)... Identifying with the show so much more... I really am getting older... Family... Friends... Work... Relationships... What happens now? What's my purpose?

Time passes... Moments. Memories. 
"What do you want to be when you grow up?" How does one know when one has "grown up"? 
"One day you'll understand" Is it that day? I understand some now... some is fuzzy... some is so far off... one day I'll understand.

Amusement - a person I'm following has just tweeted: "Procrastination is the thief of time. - Edward Young" - How does this sit with me? (Is there something I'm forgetting? Procrastinating? I do it all the time...) 

High heels and short skirts. Flip flops and baggy jeans. Boots. 

Hair - up, down, braids, plait, ribbons - bows - clips, shag... no no no ... layers darling. 

Chubby fingers that turn to piano fingers. Curly hair to no hair to baby soft all new hair. Electrician-plumber-carpenter-auto mechanic-jack-of-all-trades. Teacher. TeacherS... plural... with an 'S'.

Wonder where this post is going? Points on a spiral. Déjà vu? Been here before ... am here now... will be here again. Time is a funny thing. Linear? Maybe not. Step outside the box and look in. 

For now, rest. 

Rtr