Today’s inspiration:

Reaching for something in the distance
So close you can almost taste it
Release your innovations
Feel the rain on your skin
No one else can feel it for you
Only you can let it in
No one else, no one else
Can speak the words on your lips
Drench yourself in words unspoken
Live your life with arms wide open
Today is where your book begins
The rest is still unwritten

- Natasha Bedingfield, “Unwritten”

Ok, here’s the setup: you have suspected something about a friend, you’ve heard it from other people too, but they themselves haven’t said anything to you. Then by chance, through no real fault of your own, you find out a piece of information that confirms your suspicions. This info was not meant for you, but never the less you now have it and can’t unlearn it.

Do you confront the person? Given that they may be a tad embarassed both by the info you learnt and by you having found out, do you shortcut whatever timeline they had for telling you? Do you force the issue or sit back and wait for it to come out naturally when they are ready, trying to act as you always have though you know something you shouldn’t?

A whole week has passed with nary a word from me. After my uncle’s death I was feeling a little low and uninspired to write much. By the weekend I got caught up in some other stuff:

• THURSDAY - Almost my entire day went to pan. First the lunch hour concert, which didn’t go too badly, then preps for the “after-party” to be held after rehearsal, then the after-party itself which had me leaving the panyard after 4am. Fun times.
• FRIDAY - My ever-present Mas Camp posse was in attendance as Machel, Faye-Ann, Patrice, and Iwer did their thing. The night was hot and steamy  (even before we started dancing) so we were all soaked by the end of the night. The performances were great, definitely worth my $1000.
• SATURDAY - Friday night sent a muscle under my shoulder blade into spasm. By time we were heading home after the party I couldn’t turn my head in either direction nor lift my arms. The theory is I injured it mildly on Thursday when packing and unpacking trucks. So I spent all day resting it and doping myself with painkillers.
• SUNDAY - Dragged myself out to a performance at the Roti Festival. It went ok but by the end of the day I felt like crap. The shoulder was fine but the sore throat which had plagued me since Wednesday was still there plus I felt stuffy, headachey etc.
• MONDAY/TUESDAY - Got up Monday morning with a cough. Not your usual dry irritating cough but one of my heavy chest coughs that sound like my lungs are nearing expulsion. So here we go on the antibiotics plus the cough syrup (designed to make me cough more rather than less).
• WEDNESDAY - Headed out to my uncle’s funeral this morning. It went well, if one can say that for a funeral. No major hitches, lovely tributes. Had to cry when my cousin, my big cousin, started his by saying “I miss my Daddy”. I was more than a little irritated when after the service people were walking on and sitting on tombs and graves in order to get a “good view” of the interrment of my uncle’s ashes. The irony doesn’t seem to strike them that they are trampling on someone’s loved one.

So here we are, Thursday morning again. I am still sick more or less. The cough is likely to hang around for the rest of this week. I should be able to get out today so long as it doesn’t rain. If I am stuck here, well I guess I will have to find more stuff to write.

I realized tonight that my little tribute to my Uncle Peter was my post number:

200

Took long enough. I have to admit I kinda slacked off the last few months. Well onwards we go. My one-year anniversary of blogging (not the site tho) is coming up. Whoopeee!!

With a sparkling eye
Laughter would ring
Wide open arms
And a heart just as grand
A life filled with love
For family and friends
A lover of life
Surrounded by beauty

You will always be
Our Beloved

Ok, here we are. Five weeks to go before the road march. The abs are shaping up nicely and the legs will be looking fab in shorts next week Friday when I will be jumping with Machel and wining alongside Faye-Ann. Changed my costume - apparently there is a bead shortage (a particular kind) and as a result our lovely orange costume ended up looking a little cheap. New costume is a deep wine colour which I do prefer to orange. So here goes, pushing onwards for the next month.

Pay close attention
Take a deep breath in
Sit up straight
And now let’s begin

First you’ll go up
Then bring it back down
Making sure all the while
To be clear with your sound

Keep your tongue loose
And mouth open wide
It’s all about releasing
The sound trapped inside

It’s time for a break
Take a sip from your glass
Now on to the next set of
Ma-Me-Mi-Mo-Mu-Ma’s

Watching CNN this morning, I saw that Florida has managed to get a law passed requiring persons convicted of DUI offences to have a licence plate indicating the same. These plates would be pink and orange (why those colours I wonder?) and the number would be of the form “DUI XXX”.

Of course the civil liberties folks are contesting this but I can see where this type of system could prove useful. Imagine if people (and their cars) could be labelled so that you know what you will be dealing with:

• DUI
  • On a car - Driver been convicted of drunk driving in the past
  • On a person - “Drinks Until Inanimate” - You know to stay away from these people at a party because they will be drinking till their sweat is in danger of exploding if too near a flame and continuing till they fall flat on their face requiring your assistance to get them home.
• ZZZ
  • On a car - Driver had incidents of falling asleep behind the wheel
  • On a person - These people either have narcolepsy or cause symptoms of such with their boring personality and conversational skills.
• WTF
  • On a car - Driver has been charged with road rage in the past
  • On a person - “What The F**k?” - Get yourself some earplugs if you plan to interact because these people can’t go more than one sentence without throwing in some expletive.
• TMI
  • On a car - Driver has previously been written up for indecent exposure
  • On a person - “Too Much Information” - We all know these people that have no qualms about discussing loudly and in public (often on cell phones) their most intimate issues and health problems.
• IOU
  • On a car - Driver currently running around with a trail of unpaid traffic tickets
  • On a person - “Indefinitely Owing Until” - Beware of your money because these guys always borrow and never return your stuff whether it is money, books or a pen.
• IMO
  • On a car - Driver has been written up for traffic violations such as failing to yield
  • On a person - “In My Opinion” - Be prepared to hear what they think because they will tell you and everyone else within earshot, whether they are asked or not.
• PMS
  • On a car - Driver been charged with reckless endangerment, changing lanes without indicating etc.
  • On a person - “Potentially Manic Syndrome” - Male or female, these people are prone to mood swings that will take out anyone within range.

I jotted this down while I was in Miami the other day.

This is a picture I did not take of a tomboyish young woman, hair spiked with gel, tattoos on her arms running up under the sleeves of her shapeless T-shirt, striding in a manly fashion in her baggy jeans across Victoria’s Secret with lacy colourful undergarments in her hand.

- Inspired by Unphotographable (Michael David Murphy)

It’s really amazing how our minds work. Before learning anything about someone we have already formed an opinion of what kind of person they are, what things they would like and activities they would enjoy.

With limited exposure to someone in one specific context, we quickly associate them with that activity only. Even though rationally we must expect people to have more than one interest, we still express surprise when they mention something they do or did that doesn’t fit what we “thought”.

Can you imagine how dull life would be if everyone fit the preconceived notions others have about them?

Well milestone 1 on my path to a Carnival body passed. My abs were not looking too bad (tho I decided against exposing them that night).

Just over 6 weeks to go before Carnival 2006. This is milestone number 2 as I intend to be looking well toned by the roadmarch (April 23). As a combination motivation/reward I have already paid for my costume (non-refundable) so I need to continue working my ass off