Ushahidi

Ushahidi means Witness in swahili.

Listen to interview of how it works.

It is absolutely brilliant.

I know we live on an island

Notwithstanding, would it be so difficult for us to defend our borders.

Be it dengue spreading chinese or swimming pool americans.

Notice the immigrants never get kidnapped.

Sorry if that sounds mean, but so are your references to "Trini on Trini" crime.

The Weekend

Clearly I do not find time to blog during the week.

I see that ScotiaBank has given the prize to Sharene Gaitor for a version of the VarInstall Loan that caused the demise of Workers Bank.

Lol!

No vibes

Iz jus not feelin d carnival vibe.
And I know why. Iz too stress out over the pending eye surgery for E.
The next two weeks will be filled with doctor's visits and trying to find a reliable caregiver post surgery.
Speaking of which I don't know why the tradesmen and domestic workers out there keep trying to jook out yuh eye so.
I know is de trickle down theory and so but the fact is what I take home is just about a decent sized fridge.
Contrary to popular belief by the trade classes, the professional classes are for the most part up to their eyeballs in debt, and most of the money we making going to the government (15%) and the Bank (25%).

Just as well I don't have no vibes since de dinero lacking too.

Choosing your battleground

I know Seldo is happy.
But I feel sad that he felt he has chosen to leave.

I hope that one day what Mango heard will be true.

I am happy Julia has the courage to stay.

____________________________________________________

"You do not choose to fight. To live is to fight to strive.
But you can pick your battleground"

Why 8 - 4 ?

Notes for Footie.

1. Always ask about flexitime at the job interview.
2. Factor in half the cost of commuting when comparing job offers ie. take it out of the basic salary.
3. Look for a certain degree of autonomy if you can get it. That way you can schedule your work to suit you. Negotiating this depends on experience.
   I am willing to work as and when needed, just so long as you don't mind when I take off two hours to get my hair done every other month.

What remains

I hope this blog lives longer than I do.

I want to be burned along the Sea.

Kenyan Crisis

Clearly I was feeling bored over the weekend and decided to google Kenyan Blogs to find out what is the real deal on the "humanitarian crisis".

Things I found out

Kenya had a coup in 1982.

Apparently, the underlining causes of the situation were never addressed and have once again come to a boiling point.

People in West Nairobi (the posh part) don't see the people in East Nairobi.

Just to gain some perspective Nairobi has 5 million people.

The most resonant part of what I read is this - written by a blogger about my age (twenty something).

"they forgot to give us the details in school."

How many Trinis, my age and younger, know what happened in 1970 and 1990 ?

How did our own recent history become irrelevant in the school?

Will what we have forgotten also be our undoing?

Last night

I woke up to shot gun shots. At first I thought it was a transformer blowing. Then my sister put the light on. Then she opened the window. No lights in the sky. Not fireworks.

I never moved from my bed. Not that hearing shot guns is an everyday occurrence in this neighbourhood. Eventually I went back to sleep.

So why didn't I get up? Was I not concerned?
Actually you could tell that the shots were being fired somewhere away. ie. there was nothing for me to see. (Linda Baboolal must have thought the same, she's the reason I know I will not go without water this dry season.)

And also, like Jean in a Winter's Tale, or more to the point like Jean says.
And nobody see nuttin'.

You see we are not so far distance as you think.

Home at last

I'm a little older than Footie, so it is only fair I can say.

I am happy with the person I am. It took a long time.

And I've learned to walk with my dead.

I'm OK with dying tomorrow, I have no regrets.

I have lived and fought well. I know my best weapons and old wounds.

It's OK if my room is not clean, as long as I can find what I need.

I will not do my masters because I have come to believe in the university of life.

Jobwise- I am drifting, yes, but quite happily bobbing, enjoying the scenery.

I've found my Home at last.