Things I find when cleaning my room... (warning: long post ahead... with pics!)

I've not been at work for two weeks now and am heading into the third (and final) week away. I'm not quite sure what I've been doing these two weeks but my days have been full and though I'm tired, I'm not *tired* in the way that I am when at work. One of my co-workers messaged me - said to make sure to do 'something fun' before going back into work. I don't know what would apply. 

We're heading into a new moon in Cancer - a time for nurturing whatever we have going on in our lives. I've got some thoughts, a list that I may put up here, of things that I'd like to come to fruition. In the meantime, I woke up yesterday morning and decided to try cleaning out some of my room. 

Total Room Domination will be mine!

It takes *forever* though... partly because I get distracted by stuff that I find. It's even worse now that I'm on twitter because I feel compelled to share with people. This post is in fact inspired by that sharing - +Tracey Chan, in response to one of my tweets, requested that I do a post about my finds. This then is: things I find when cleaning my room! 

Flower girl dress

I incorrectly tweeted that this was my first bridesmaid's dress. It wasn't - I was a flower girl. Forgive me +Tracey Chan, I was little... 3? 4? 5? Young. I do remember that I had a headband with flowers. I think I'd like to get another. Flower headbands are cool.

Brochure & Postcard

Found this as I was going through a box of stuff collected during my travels in 2009. I have a weakness for dolls... especially fashionably dressed ones (though I won't know what fashion they're dressed in). If I collected stuff, I think I'd collect different dolls. In 2009, Ventfort Hall hosted an exhibition called: 'Les Petites Dames de Mode' (The little ladies of fashion). It was most beautiful, well crafted and, I believe, is still running if anyone wants to go see it. 

Vial of bubble liquid and one fake eyelash

This photo was the one that inspired this post. I was going through my purses and handbags and found in this one purple purse: a vial of bubble liquid and a fake eyelash. They've been there since 2011 - this is the purse I used for my cousin's wedding. It was also the first time I wore fake eyelashes. I'm not a fan of them at all. Apparently I'm also not great at emptying my bags. Oops?

Mystery watch

I found this watch on my dressing table. I have no idea where it came from. Once upon a time I had one like it but it was pink and pretty and I was much younger, another time I had a slim female version of this and another time I had a Citizen watch that my parents bought. My latest watch has not been worn in... maybe more than a year or two? I have a phone that tells the time. I don't know where this watch came from.

Randoms

I opened a box that has my collection of bindhis and found these. They're random stuff collected in 2010 I think. The dragon buttons were bought cuz they reminded me of both my brother (he's a Dragon and collects dragon stuff) and Puff the Magic Dragon. The corset charm cuz I think it's awesome. I'm not sure where I got the Scratchy coin thing but I kept it because... poor Scratchy. 

Dust :(

A lot of dust. Layers of dust. Dust, dust, dust. I'm still sneezing. Ergh. 

Heart, heart, heart...

A heart collection. Hmm? I did not quite realise that I had so many heart shaped things. The one with my name on it was given to me by my mom - she made a bunch of them for her friends for Christmas in 1997. 

A card from my family that's been wishing me rainbows since my 8th birthday. 

 

This. I don't even know what to call it so I'm just going to refer to it as 'Oink Oink'. It was given to me by a relative who had come home to visit (person lives in foreign). I can't remember what age I was when I got it but I was old enough to wonder why this was the gift. It's the thought that counts? The piglets move when you open it - as though they're nursing. My brother got one that was called 'Pocket Soccer' - it opened up to reveal guys on a soccer (football) field playing soccer (football). 

A troll, not one of those updated Trollz, just a troll: 

Troll in a barrel. 

What things can you find in your space? Stuff that you've forgotten you had? Stuff that have random memories attached to them? I'd love to know.

peace,

Ren  

Spiral

I've been thinking of spirals these past few days. Thought this would work for tonight's post. 

Happy weekend all!

peace,

Ren

Maybe I don't look like a traveller anymore?

"I have found out that there ain't no surer way to find out whether you like people or hate them than to travel with them." ~Mark Twain 

There was once a time when if I had to go anywhere I'd either have to ask someone to carry me or, and this was the most common option, I'd travel. It's because of that time that I know how to get to various places in Trinidad using our public transportation system, and that I am somewhat known to the taxi drivers in my area. There are taxi drivers that have known me for over 15 years as I travelled with them to and from school and various other places. 


Today I had the opportunity to travel from my flyover to home (my car has been down... car drama... oy)... it's not very far and I was hoping that I'd get a taxi that I was familiar with... just because. I didn't though... got a taxi driven by an old man who looked as though he shouldn't be driving anymore. What I thought kinda funny? Driver and other passengers gave me a look... a 'why is this person travelling?' look... or maybe a 'how come this person is travelling?' look. I'm not sure which... It was as though they weren't sure how I'd come to be there and if I knew where I was going. 


It was very strange. 


Perhaps having a car has changed me in some way? Perhaps to the casual observer it seems as though I shouldn't be travelling? Perhaps I seemed to be too calm, cool and collected?


Ah well.


I think that each person should at some point try out their country's public transportation system. Figure out how to get from point A to point B and then just do it. I've found the experience to be entertaining and educational. There are times I've found it to be frustrating and tiring. As is the case for most things, I think that you can't really appreciate what others go through, the waiting, the hustling, the environment (people and places)... unless you experience it yourself. 


Maybe I don't look like a traveller anymore... perhaps I need to be out and going places without my car (or without being driven around by the cute guy or the cousins). 


Get out and go somewhere... walk, bike, taxi, maxi, bus, something...


:)


peace,
Ren

Thoughts about (having) children...

"Children are the world's most valuable resource and its best hope for the future." ~John Fitzgerald Kennedy

My coworker gave birth on Monday to a girl - 8 lbs some ounces. A healthy baby girl with long fingers (maybe she'll grow up to be a piano player?)... 

I've been thinking about writing a post on children for the past two weeks... it's just that I haven't quite figured out what I want to say.

My cousin visited with his not-quite-2-year-old son... A very active little boy who kept testing us - could he go here? Climb up there? Touch this? Lots of fun and very cute and he seemed to like me. Young children seem to like me. I've been told it's because I'm closer to their size... :-/

A little girl waved to me as I was leaving a food court last week. I'd met up with the cute guy, as I was without lunch and he was in the area, and there was a family of four sitting at the table next to ours. Little girl liked us... he says they are fascinated by him (maybe because of his size?)... but she waved to me when we were leaving.

I kinda blame him for these thoughts I'm having. The whole wondering about maybe I'd like to have a child... someday. When I was much younger I said I'd never have any (my mother was horrified... and said I shouldn't say that out loud... and I shouldn't call stuff on myself in the event that I did eventually want). As I've gotten older I've become more open to the idea... but I haven't really found anyone that I thought I'd like to have children with. Also, I'm not sure I'm in a financial position to be having children. Then there's the fact that little children scare me a bit... cuz they're so *small* and completely dependent on others... I can barely manage with the Cat!

There've been times though when I look at the cute guy and the thought occurs to me that it might be very awesome to have a child. Ergh. Is this biological? Is the whole ticking-clock thing real?

Ergh. It's way too soon in this relationship to be thinking such things.

*sigh*

There are things I'd like to share with/teach/show a child though... and I think it would be a wondrous thing to be able to see a person develop from birth to whenever and to know that I have a hand in their development. I think I've learnt a lot from my parents but I've also had a lot of outside learning as well... I value their discussions and time spent with them shapes who I am. I think I'd like to have that same impact.

There's also the practical bit... my dad has said (in a manner which I can't tell is joking or not) that the reason he has had children is so he'll be taken care of in his old age. I've been annoyed by that statement before but now that I am getting older and I've had to do some of that taking care (though more with mom than with dad) I have found myself wondering - who will be around to take care of me when I'm older?  

Do other people go through all this thinking? Ergh.

Children. I think I'd be happy to have them (I seem to be thinking in the plural... ergh?!).

peace,
Ren

Interesting Reads: The Electric Typewriter's 150 Essential Articles and Essays

"Acquire knowledge. It enables its possessor to distinguish right from wrong; it lights the way to Heaven; it is our friend in the desert, our society in solitude, our companion when friendless; it guides us to happiness; it sustains us in misery; it is an ornament among our friends and an armor against enemies." ~Muhammad

When I saw this link floating around my timeline I had to check it out. I haven't read all of the articles and essays as yet but I'm slowly working my way through them.

Hope you enjoy...

peace,

Ren

Responsibility...

"I want to remind us all that the world is listening, all the time. How we are ripples out from us into the world and affects others. We have a responsibility – an ability to respond – to the world. Finding our particular way of living this responsibility, of offering who we are to the world, is why we are here. We are called because the world needs us to embody the meaning in our lives. God needs us awake. The world we live in is a co-creation, a manifestation of individual consciousness woven into a collective dream. How we are with each other as individuals, as groups, as nations and tribes, is what shapes that dream." ~Oriah Mountain Dreamer

There's a lot of talk happening on my Twitter stream about the recent turtle deaths. It is heartbreaking and I'm wondering just what will come out of all the talking.

This article best reflects my thoughts... who bears responsibility for what has happened? People are talking about the Government and how this could be allowed to happen and what is to be done about it... this situation did not just spring up in a week. Who allowed the hotelier to build so close to the nesting site? Who is supposed to monitor our waterways? A river does not shift course suddenly. Yes, bulldozers moved in and devastated a nesting site. Who sent them in? Who were the drivers? As I told my mom - if I were driving a bulldozer that unearthed so many eggs/hatchlings I'd have stopped to consider the consequences.

I think we all need to look at ourselves, at how we think and at how we respond to circumstances. If we are placed in positions where we can effect major change, as in the case of persons in Government, then we should realise that such positions carry with it a responsibility and a trust from the persons that have bestowed that power. If, in the course of our daily lives, we see opportunities for us to further develop ourselves... it is our responsibility to consider how such development would affect the environment around us.

My thoughts of course... feel free to disagree. I'm just wondering how deeply people are thinking about such things at this time.

peace,

Ren

My life, as it were...

"How far you go in life depends on your being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving, and tolerant of the weak and strong because someday in your life you will have been all of these." ~George Washington Carver

I think my life is interesting... or perhaps it is that life is interesting and people don't take the time to appreciate it? There's always something happening... something to learn or see or do. Every moment brings a lesson if we're in tune enough to realise it... I know I'm not always tuned in... I don't always pay attention. Ah well.

I've been thinking about my parents and about growing older. My mom's birthday was last Sunday. I think she's been through a lot in her life... I am older now than she was when she got married and also when she had me. I'm wondering what lies ahead. New experiences and new relationships... Hmm. I think that people my age don't have enough awareness about what their parents have been and continue to go through. I may be wrong. I've spent this past week thinking about the fact that my parents were my age once... I've been hearing stories about what life once was and about stuff that they have done. I've been thinking about how they are now... and realising that there are things I'd like to have in place for them and for myself as we get older.

I've been thinking a lot. I'm much more of a 'thinker' than a 'doer'.

I've been grumpy with my country... or rather the people in my country that are supposed to be doing stuff/organising stuff/making the country [world] a better place. Should I really feel this way given that I don't know how I'd change any of it? Hmm.

I went to Mango Festival 2012 - it's the 4th one that's been held apparently. It was interesting, filled with mangoes and mango products. I could see that some persons were very earnest about getting information out about growing mangoes and sustainability and the benefits that may be obtained by investing in our agri sector. Overall a very good event to have. I wasn't quite satisfied with the execution of the event... Could have been more polished... could have taken much more advantage of the opportunities present. Did come away with photos of mangoes though...

I'd written much more to this post but ... I posted and it didn't show the rest... I guess it should be ended here.


peace,
Ren

Of anger and love.

"Love, also known as compassion, stems from a sense of universal being and the experiential understanding that all suffering is connected." ~Deepak Chopra

There are times when something that someone says resonates with you... when you think 'ah yes, that's exactly it'. I've had that experience many times and today one of them is relevant. I've mentioned before that Shoeaholic and I look at Oprah reruns during our lunch hour at work. Today's episode was 'The Color Purple Reunion' and one of the guest stars was Whoopi Goldberg... what struck me was that during part of the interview she was asked about how she stormed off the set of The View because of something guest star Bill O'Reilly said and her response was:

"[In my head,] I heard myself say something that would have cost me a great deal of money from the FCC," Whoopi says. "[I] knew that if I didn't get off the stage what was coming. I know Bill. I like Bill. I think he just got caught up in that moment and didn't realize that what he had said was too volatile."

I completely identify. Completely.

I don't get angry very often. I'm very even-tempered but there are times when incidents can cause me to lose my cool. Shoeaholic says that I remind her of her dad... direct quote (tweet): "you remind me of dad...cool for yrs but when time to erupt is like whoop aaa!" ... I always try to remove myself from the scene before the 'whoop aaa' comes out... and I try not to be around the people/circumstance that causes the eruption till I have time to settle down.

Anger is a very tiring emotion and is composed of many different (sub?)emotions. It is annoyances and discomfort caused by persons in charge being reactive, it is disbelief and  disappointment in people/events where they should really know better, it's disappointment in myself for expecting more from people than they can apparently give or are willing to give.

It's a mystery to me that people are content to just accept a negative situation and then try to convince others affected that they are not affected... 

You may not know what I'm talking about... but it's a work-related issue that has had me pissed-off-mad-as-hell all week... and that's why this post is so vague. Am mostly over it though. People will be people... not everyone is ready to be mature... the vast majority of the population is concerned with their own selves. Accept, shrug, move on... it makes no sense getting mad when they don't even realise what's there to be mad about.

Went out tonight with my closest girlfriends. It's a release of sorts.. a relaxing of all that is tense when you are in the company of persons that you'd trust with your.. everything. It's freeing to be able to tell persons every thought in your head and have them both respect and encourage your thinking. It is a sharing of sorrows and joys such that sorrows are spread out so that they don't weigh as much and joys are magnified exponentially. It is laughter and tears and love of a sort that is different from family blood bonds but that is necessary for the maintaining of a person's sanity.

Or at least my own sanity.

Cuz otherwise there'd be a build up of 'whoop aaa' ... and I'm not sure the world can handle the eruption from that. 

peace,

Ren

Flowers make me happy.

"All the flowers of all the tomorrows are in the seeds of today." ~Swedish Proverb

I haven't blogged in a bit and that's because I usually don't on weekends... and work has me crazy-busy-tired. I have any number of topics to write (complain) about... ranging from how some people apparently don't need clean air to breathe or room to move around... to the rainy weather that we have all day (but not all night)... to the misconception that women need to douche... to how some people can be annoying - without even trying/meaning to.

I'll write about happy stuff though... cuz otherwise I'd be depressed/grumpy/ready-to-turn-psycho. The world does not need that kind of drama. So...

I've started a flower garden. :D Please pray for me (and my flowers-to-be)... or if you're not into praying please send happy (growing) thoughts my way.

If you've read my 'about me' page (if you haven't that's fine) then you'll know that plants tend to die when I try to grow them... or get eaten... I had a pink rosebush when I was younger that made it to two years old before being eaten by ants.. or something. I usually satisfy my need for pretty growing things by taking photos... or looking at photos... or visiting gardens. I've been feeling the urge to grow stuff though... to get out into the green and plant. It's against my nature (dirt, soil, bugs.. ick) and yet apparently Taurus people are supposed to be natural gardeners. I guess sometimes we all need to be in nature and just grow or help stuff to grow...

This is my new garden:

Soon-to-be flowering! Yay!

It's smack in the middle... ok, not exactly the middle... of our lawn. It's an accomplishment on our part (my mom and I) cuz for YEARS my dad just wanted lawn... which is fine except when you have to cut/rake/sweep/carry. Also, lawn grass does not really come in colours other than green (as far as I know). I like colours... We now have some fruit trees... and my flower garden. I still have to find something to put in that empty section there.

So there. Soon I shall have flowers of my own... in colours of yellow, orange, red-ish orange, pink, purple and white. Yay me!

peace,

Ren

Edited to add:
Pics of flowers.. taken with my phone.. lol...

Marigold

Not sure what's the name.. Got a white, a pink and a purple though...

I am showing off...

"All achievements, all earned riches, have their beginning in an idea." ~Napoleon Hill

I just want to state that upfront.. This is a post wherein I just show off or bask in the achievements and happiness and overall excitement of my people... Remember how I said that my cousin and dad are two of the happiest persons in Trinidad and Tobago? You can totally see that shocked/stunned/excited/happy look in the official video of the first Red Bull Flugtag event in the Caribbean... See that winning team? Those are my people... I'm most happy for them :) There's been a lot of talk since the event about the competitors and how lame some of the crafts were... but I know the amount of thought and effort and labour that went into that winning craft. So. Yay! and congratulations... and people you did well :)

Happy Thursday!

peace,
Ren

I don't understand the concept of 'boredom' anymore...

"The cure for boredom is curiosity. There is no cure for curiosity." ~Ellen Parr 

I haven't really used the term for years in fact (ah to be a teenager...). It just doesn't apply... and I find myself puzzled by people that are bored or complain that they 'have nothing to do'. Really? Nothing?? Wow. Perhaps it's only me that's got so much to do? Except that on some days I do hardly anything at all. It's a puzzle.  

I wonder about the lives that people have - much different from mine? Similar? Am just very curious as to what people do and when they do it. Over the past week apart from working and being at home (doing home stuff) I've experienced the following:

• Defeat - at the hands of a 12/13 year old. I'd just like to say that once upon a time I had the skills to defeat other players - because Chun Li and Cami were my girls from Street Fighter whilst Kitana, Sindel and Sonya Blade were my girls from Mortal Kombat and therefore I ruled. Not having played in years has affected my skills though... *sigh*
• Lots of ole-talking - on different days, because I've got lots of cousins of varying ages and there's always something going on. 

• Lunch with a new friend and an old one... with conversation topics such as 'sparky thing vs. sparkly things'.

• Movies with my mom - sappy, romantic mush that I can't remember the names of but do remember that I thought they were good... hmm...

• Tried to find space for a stack of books in my room... it's current location is on my bed... I need more shelf space...  

• Took part in a photowalk around part of the Queen's Park Savannah - met new people, got some exercise, took lots of photos :) 

•  After-work lime with a newly-wedded girlfriend - taught her how to read instructions and how to install batteries in various house stuff. Listened to tales of newly-wedded bliss. Somewhat horrified that marriage is starting to sound appealing.

• Read books... not those in the stack pictured here... from another stack. Ergh... need more shelf space...

• Entertained the kitten... cuz he is apparently my chile... who follows me around and has a particular cry that I can't tune out. Evolution thou art a heartless thing. 

• Tried to out-manoeuvre the Cancer Bus... went with my mom to St. James hospital today for checkup/blood test/x-rays... got stuck in traffic *behind* the Cancer Bus. We always try to reach the hospital before the Cancer Bus cuz then we get through quicker... luckily, though we didn't make it before the Bus, we did get through fairly quickly. 

I've got no time to be bored really. Too many things to do/see/talk about/take part in. Life is an adventure... while I'm not particularly adventurous I do try to make the most of it :)

peace,

Ren

'Sparky thing' vs. 'Sparkly things'

"I suspect the secret of personal attraction is locked up in our unique imperfections, flaws and frailties." ~Hugh Mackay

***

Title and inspiration for this post comes from Shoeaholic and Kramtt with whom I shared a most fun lunch hour filled with good food and ...interesting conversation. Thanks people :)

***

You might not realise on looking at the title of this post that they were referring to chemistry... or sexual chemistry rather. I am here to let you know that when Kramtt says 'sparky thing' and Shoeaholic says 'sparkly things' ... they're both referring to the same thing. Apparently, Kramtt is given to adding on '-y thing' to words (such as spark in this instance) and Shoeaholic either didn't hear that initial comment properly or was somewhat distracted such that she thought what he said was 'sparkly thing'. In this instance I am inclined to agree with Kramtt, chemistry is usally referred to as that 'spark' of attraction between persons, 'sparkly things' brings to mind (to my mind anyway) images of vampire characters from the Twilight saga. Sorry Shoeaholic - perhaps you can blog about why 'sparkly things'?

Sexual chemistry, as defined by askmen.com (because I can't find a better definition/reference), is:

"a natural, mutual romantic attraction between two people that results from a mixture of physical attraction and natural, mutual personality-based rapport"

According to COSMOS (the science magazine.. not Cosmo/Cosmopolitan the women's magazine), sexual chemistry is:

"the product of millions of years of evolution all focussed on one idea: successfully passing your genes on to the next generation. And the whole dating scene is really just people assessing the reproductive potential of prospective mates." 

To me, chemistry is one aspect of a relationship. Part of our lunch discussion was whether sparks fly instantly or whether they can be developed over time... I'm thinking both. Sometimes when one meets someone one can be instantly attracted and that can form the basis of a relationship... sometimes one can be friends with someone a long time and then slowly realise aspects of the other that will create sparks. I think it's a personal thing.... dependent on the instincts and awareness of each individual.

Found these two blog posts on the subject:

1. Chemistry
2. Natural Chemistry: The Mystery of Love

Interesting viewpoints both... similarities abound. What's your take on chemistry? Instant attraction? Developed over time? Mysterious combination of both? Sparky thing? Sparkly things?

 

I'd love to know :)

 

peace,

Ren

Shout-outs :)

"Be grateful for whatever comes because each has been sent as a guide from beyond." ~Rumi 

I've been blogging for a year and some now and recently realised that I haven't given much thought to the readers of this blog... I've assumed that there are readers and I know that I've got at least three (I'm looking at you mom... and Shoeaholic... and Guaico... )... I've also added a flag counter and learnt that blogger has stats - both of which let me know which countries visitors come from.

I've just never thought that perhaps other persons regularly read my blog.. which in the grand scheme of things is kinda wonky since I regularly read a lot of blogs.

Ah well.. 

Just wanted to say thanks... for stopping by... for reading. 

If you got here from Flickr - hello, I am the person behind the photos...

If you got here from Twitter - hello, I guess the posts would be more insight into the person behind the tweets...

If you got here from Facebook - hello, you already know my business... this is just more of it.

If you got here from anywhere else - hello :) I hope you find what you're looking for or that you're informed or that you're entertained ;) 

My thanks to you readers...

Much blessings,

Ren

Thoughts on marriage...

"Marriage is not a ritual or an end. It is a long, intricate, intimate dance together and nothing matters more than your own sense of balance and your choice of partner." ~Amy Bloom

Every lunchtime when we're at work... and we're able to get to the kitchen/lunchroom between the hours of 12.10 - 1.10... and we're able to snag the remote, Shoeaholic and I try to watch Oprah. Of course, as the world knows, there is no more Oprah... just Oprah reruns which is fine for me since I haven't seen all the episodes (I'm not as dedicated a fan as Shoeaholic).

 

Today's rerun was the show that aired on January 28th this year - Love, Marriage, Betrayal: Our Most Memorable Couples Return and whilst we didn't see the entire episode we did see that part which featured David and Elizabeth Weinlick. Apparently David, at age 28, decided that it was time to be married... he set a date, bought rings and picked a location ... then asked his friends to find him a bride, which they did and so he got married. David and Elizabeth Weinlick are still together, have four children and looked fairly happy (though I don't know whether that was cuz they are happy or cuz they were on Oprah).

 

David Weinlick (and yes, that surname makes me smirk a bit) has real balls... and by that I mean that he has real belly... and if you still don't know what I mean - David Weinlick is pretty darn brave...

 

I don't think I can do that... I'd like to say that I have faith and full trust in the workings of the Universe. I'd like to say that yes, I can put it out there that I want a husband and that I'll get one. I'm not quite there yet. In fact... the thought of marriage scares me a bit. I don't personally know that many happily-married-people. I'm also not sure that I could live happily-ever-after with one person... I'm just not sure of the whole marriage thing... I can see myself in a relationship... and I know that if I ever decide to have children that I'd want a male person there for them... but marriage. Wow. Idk.

 

Last month one of my best girlfriends got married... she's always known that she wanted to be married... most of my girl friends know with all their heart that they want to be married. I don't. What is 'marriage' anyway? I'm happy for my friends when they get married simply because I know that's what they want.. and weddings are pretty...

 

Incidentally, last week Friday during breakfast my mom looked at my dad* and said "I think we should find a boy for Renee to get married to"... both my dad and I were like: O_o WHAT??? because this isn't something that my family pushes for... it's accepted that my brother and I will do whatever we want to do in our own timing. There's been no push for marriage, or grandbabies, or .. well that's it really. It turns out my mom wants something to look forward to (wedding planning for a wedding)... which is a different thing entirely from wanting me to get married right?

 

In any case... who would I get married to? Perhaps it's that I'm not looking but at the same time I'm not exactly seeing/meeting/finding any males that want to get married... and I think if I married a woman my mom would freak out just a little bit (and then accept my wife? into the fold)... of course I'm not sure if I can marry a woman in T&T... I like men more anyway.

 

Marriage. Just the thought of it is scary...

 

peace,

Ren

* Yes, I live at home with my parents.. as do most persons my age..

Went to the cinema...

"Cinema should make you forget you are sitting in a theater."  ~Roman Polanski 

I have now seen Transformers: Dark of the Moon. I thought it was good - which means to the rest of the world that it wasn't bad or that I'm easily entertained - the action was good, the graphics/animations were excellent, the plot was... ok. I'm not now nor have I ever been a major movie-watcher like Shoeaholic (my new source of everything entertainment-oriented) - it takes a lot for me to convince myself to either stay out or leave home and go to the cinema. When I get there I like minimum fuss.. my ticket, my popcorn, my seat in the middle of the room - I don't like lines or waiting on people or having to decide what film to see - If I'm at the cinema it's because I know why I'm there.  

I thought it interesting that on one of the days I'd decided to go to the cinema this article, by Express columnist Sheila Rampersad, ran in the papers.  Interesting because each time I go to (or know that I'm going to) either MovieTowne or Caribbean Cinemas 8 I find myself reminiscing on the older cinemas - most especially Globe Cinema on Market Street, Chaguanas. I'm not sure whether it's still in operation as a number of factors (ok .. maybe just two?) led to my turning to the named multiplexes above to fulfil  my film-watching needs.

Every July-August holidays (note not summer - we don't have 'summer') once my brother and I were old enough to handle ourselves we chose the movies we wanted to see and went to Globe. We had a system. We'd arrive early - and lime on the stairs waiting for them to open the cinema itself... we'd split up - I'd get tickets whilst he got snacks... we'd then go in and find The Perfect Seats (though not like this) in House. Our system ensured that we got through quickly with ticket-and-snack purchases... and that we got the seats we wanted. Arriving early let us check out the crowd... and enjoy the general atmosphere found when any group of Trinis gather in one space. As you can read in this fabulous article from Outlish.com, House was where all the action was... running commentary was available (whether you wanted it or not) on the movie. Our system was so perfect that we used it every year until my brother went away to college (and then I lost my movie-buddy). We also got to be pretty well-known by Globe's operators - there was one instance (just one) where we ran late... the guy that guarded the entrance to the theater told us he was worried when he didn't see us.

A friend and I were talking about our experiences and, in truth, in those days that is what it was... it was not just an outing to see a movie, it was a total experience - interactions with people, double-features, a lot of snacks with just a $20 bill. Whilst I appreciate the cleanliness, the huge screens, the more-comfortable seating, the improved sound and 3D capabilities there are times when I really miss those days and that old cinema. 

Price of progress I guess...

Does anyone else miss it? 

peace,

Ren