In Passing…
A sample:
“The light we see now left the sun 8 minutes ago. So if the sun goes out, we’ve got 8 minutes of light left. Before it gets friggin’ cold.”
“If the sun goes out, like, seriously blows up, I actually think gravity is the more immediate concern. I don’t really know, without the sun, gravity might go screwy.”
“Man, I hadn’t even thought about that. I feel like I should hold onto something. I’m going to have to, like, sleep holding on now.”
–A girl and a guy at the Parkway theatre

Into the Wardrobe :: a C. S. Lewis web site
C.S. Lewis is the author of one of my favourite series, The Chronicles of Narnia (filled with Christian symbolism I never got till I was older). The site contains info on the author and his works.

Postsecret
The concept: People make their own “postcards” with their secret on it and submit to the site and selected ones get posted (anonymous of course).
The result: Some sad, some funny, some weird.

It just takes a moment,
a split second without restraint
and all the walls
seem made of glass.
Even in the dark
the images whirl blindingly.
No sense of order,
a timeless recall.
Endings draw out beginnings
which bring back the pain
of the final futility.
Flashes of words in silence,
songs blend into scorn,
loathing into laughter.
An unimagined future
now distant past
disturbing the present.
Timely dimensions melding
till a second lasts an eternity
and a lifetime erased in a flash.

Watching all the reports on Hurricane Katrina over the last couple days, I have seen and heard a few things that bugged me:

• Constant mention of the conditions going downhill is silly. It’s a hurricane, people! The conditions have to get worse.
• Why do the reporters insist on being dramatic and standing in waist deep water in the middle of the storm, or being outside when they can’t actually stand up against the wind?
• The damage is not beyond belief. A Category 5 hurricane, by definition, produces catastrophic damage, hence it is not even just within belief, it was predicted.

On the positive side, there was a Holiday Inn in Florida (I think), that not only stayed open, but lowered their rates to assist residents and tourists that needed accomodations to ride out the storm. Thumbs up to Holiday Inn!

We’ve all been in that situation where we are forced by proximity to overhear a detailed conversation being held by a stranger on their cell phone. And we’ve wished there was some nice way to let them know that they’re being way too loud. Well it’s here! Introducing the reasonably polite SHHH, Society for HandHeld Hushing, who have produced “Dear Cell Phone User” cards perfect for that moment.

And for those extremely idle collectors among us, the packrats who find themselves with drawers of unidentifiable objects, there is a solution - a classification system designed for those objects that torment us. Check it out at www.verysmallobjects.com.

(by Pearl Buck) 

The truly creative mind in any field
is no more than this

A human creature born abnormally,
inhumanly sensitive.

To him a touch is a blow,
a sound is a noise,
a misfortune is a tragedy,
a joy is an ecstasy,
a friend is a lover,
a lover is a god,
and failure is death.

Add to this cruelly delicate organism
the overpowering necessity to create,
create, create —- so that
without the creating
of music or poetry or books
or buildings
or something of meaning,
his very breath is cut off from him.

He must create,
must pour out creation.
By some strange, unknown,
inward urgency
he is not really alive
unless he is creating.

The poem above was presented to me in the programme for the inaugural concert season of the Jamaica Young People Symphony, whose motto is “UNITY THROUGH MUSIC“. They describe their mission as being “to create an inclusive orchestra movement on the island and provide unique educational opportunities in collaboration with other music entities, for the benefit of the young people of Jamaica.” They have a way to go but appear to be led by passion.

As for me, the poem seemed well suited, because I have spent most of my spare moments this weekend working on my blog, updating the design and continuing to tweak as fragments of ideas come to me. It is not yet completed but I will continue until it is as I envision in my head.

• Empty suitcases
• Piles on chairs
• New bookshelf
• Late night practice
• Printing surveys
• Bags of rubbish
• Get hair done
• Opening night
• Lost phone numbers
• Rediscovered TV
• New bedspread
• Working concert
• Counting surveys
• Where’s my desk?
• Great reviews
• Making plans
• Project meeting

3 papers, 3 reviews, 3 thumbs up:

• Jamaica Observer, Sunday aug. 21, 2005: Panoridim pleases at Panfest 2005
• Jamaica Star, Tuesday, Aug. 23, 2005: Sizzla on steelpan at UWI
• Jamaica Gleaner, Wednesday, Aug. 24, 2005: ‘Music is …’ beautiful

It’s amazing how things that we spend so much time preparing for seem to vanish in an instant. The band spent 7 1/2 months learning songs and rehearsing, with many late nights. And then just like that, it’s over. 3 days and it’s gone. There is always a mixed bag of feelings afterwards. What to do now? It’s finally over! Is that all there was? Can we do that again? Let’s never do that again! Althoguh you’re relieved it’s over, part of you feels the gap left where all that practising would go. You now have to find a new focus for your life, redirect your energies. So to my fellow band-members I say, go forth and live life, then we’ll see you in 2 weeks.

I have watched you grow
Seen you shine when you do well
I have seen your disaapointments
And the thrills of success
It is so hard to not come to your side
To help you through these times
But know that I am with you always
In my heart and in my mind
I take each step with you
Knowing deep in my heart
That you will be stronger going it alone
With me watching from afar

Tonight’s show was great! Better than last night. Big thumbs up to everyone!

P.S. I HATE not playing.

The soundtrack to my dreams
Sweet strains behind closed curtains
The rhythm for my feet
To never stop moving
The trigger for my memories
Each name sings its song
The songs from my soul
Carrying me from womb to grave

GREAT SHOW GUYS!!