The Black Blog

Since my last blog things have been even more hectic as it is now confirmed that I will have to go to Jamaica for the funeral of Aunt Lucy. I am still saddened but I have not been home in a while and I am sure a little sunshine and fresh Caribbean food won’t hurt :0). Amidst the tears and grief I will find the time to breathe fresh tropical air and hug every single person in my family cause I miss them so much!!! I will be in the beautiful town of Port Antonio for most of my stay but before I hop back to the UK I will also visit the tourist towns of Ocho Rios and Montego Bay. Strategically my visit to these places may hold secrets I can use to write further essays, coursework or even my dissertation. There’s also a conference in Cuba on Educational Tourism and its sustainability and I explored the thought of going to the 2 day event to get some information and professional exposure in this area, but not sure how that will pan out just yet.

My ticket was booked yesterday at a cool 400 quid; usually my ticket costs at least £1000 because I prefer to travel in premium economy where it’s quieter and the flight attendants aren’t grumpy and jetlagged. I once heard one of them hiss and raise her voice at a passenger and I was flabbergasted! I guess in light of all these industrial disputes some of these companies are going through, our expectations should be lowered. Good essay question for my Tourism Management course... maybe I should approach one of my lecturers with the hot topic. On another note, I have a 3000 word specimen due on the 25th and all I have so far is the title. With everything happening I guess I can’t focus and I hope my sad little trip to the island may bring back some sort of new perspective on life.

Listening to the radio on my fav reggae station just now, I heard that one of our musical greats has also passed. RIP Gregory Isaacs. He was very influential in reggae music, and one of the few to break into European scene on a large scale. The months of October and November seem to be the months of doom; they both have unusually high death rates in my observation over the years. My cousin’s boyfriend aged 26 passed in his sleep recently and so did the connections to about 5 other people I know.

Life is short and sometimes we have to accept that God has taken back that which is his, but it still hurts to the core. It will hurt even more when you see the cold body lying in state; you wait for their chest to rise or for their nose to twitch but it never does. Life, the spirit, has left the body. I don’t celebrate Halloween being quite unfamiliar to the tradition as it’s not something done in the Caribbean. I always thought it was comical to promote death and the other gory subjects of life because it’s so final and so hard to come to terms with. Some people love the costumes and the parties but if you think beyond the surface or if you’ve ever lost anyone there’s nothing to be happy about it.

So wish me a safe flight to my Port Antonio, will be sure to take loads of pics of my country, maybe I’ll bring you back a bottle of Jamaican rum (if you show me your ID first lol). See you soon folks!

Live And Let Live

“Tears on my pillow, pain in my heart, you on my mind” words from a famous song that comes to my mind when I think about Aunt Lucy. I lost her to cancer yesterday and it’s been an utterly painful experience. Death is such a cold arm and brings us closer to the realisation that one day our souls will leave our bodies. Crying helps with grieving by physically taking the stress and strain away from our hearts, even if it’s momentarily. I am also making plans to take part in the funeral so I can pay my respects properly and say goodbye to a wonderful woman who embraced me with so much love. Overall the last few months have been very hard for me in a number of ways and with the sun less and less present, my depression is elevated.

Today’s blog will be quite short as I am overwhelmed with a number of issues at the moment but it’s been a great start to university and year 2 for me is no joke. It not only counts to the final degree classification but the subject material is a lot more intense and in a lot of ways more edifying that the basics of last year. I am not a big fan of group work but I am pulling out all the stops in hope for a successful year. Everyone is fantastically anxious to do their best and I can sense it in the attitude of most of the second years. For the most part there’s less chatting and giggling in the lectures and there is nowhere to hide from the ever present name register. As they say, the only way out, is in.....

I managed to get a glimpse of Mr. Depp as well which was an awesome honour. He is well loved and admired by thousands of people and recently I have confirmed that he is in the top 5 most talented male actors to be found. I watched interviews with him and his humility cannot be understated, such class, charisma and influence but not a single breath of presumption; even though he’s one of the best to ever do it.

Further on, the news, strikes and budget cuts are simply dismal; not that the new tuition fee will affect me, I am already an international student, but I cannot bear the fact that we are on high alert for a terrorist attack. Where I come from news of this kind is nonexistent, maybe because we live in a constant state of emergency there anyway (hehehe). But there are no bombs or mass destruction weapons there though and the kind terrorists prefer to pay attention to large number of people in frequently trafficked areas. But to be honest, whats the point? Why cant we all live in peace and get along? The frightening scenario with hundreds of lives wrecked due to pointless feuding is not what we need in 2010.

In light of all these issues, be prepared to live life to the fullest if you haven’t started to, pressure busts pipes or makes diamonds, you decide. Again, welcome to all the Fresher’s of 2010, hope you all are sober enough to make classes after all the partying!!!

Good luck.

The Universal Healer

I’m not talking about laughter, I’m talking about music. Some say its other things like water but for me it’s the bass, the song, the rhythm and talent – music. While I’m not quite big on X-factor I do pride myself in the fact that I am able to appreciate all genres, except one of course. Country has never ever appealed to me, I think it has something to do with my maternal grandma playing it at very high volume on Sundays and there was nothing anyone in the family could do about it. So I was left traumatised and decided when I grew up I would not be touching it with a long stick and I’ve been shielding myself ever since. The drawl and the cowboy feel was simply too overwhelming for me, Elvis offends me and I never understood the whole scene of sequins and 10 kilos of hair gel. Maybe one day it will dawn on me. This is however my personal sentiment and if you were born with the secret gene that enables you to understand and love these elements, I lift my hat off to you, heehaw!!

I get gospel, alternative, acid jazz, hip hop, opera, retro music but I have never managed to put on a country tune without slapping myself in the head after the first 5 seconds. David Bowie, Mark Ronson, The Who, The Killers, Bounty Killer, Vybz Kartel, Faith Evans, The Kinks, you name it, if it isn’t country I love it!!!

Music soothes me just as my mothers voice can. It stabilizes, energizes and reassures me and whats better than knowing there are a million different songs to choose from at any one time. Mind you, reading is my next love but nothing brings me to tears like Jeffery Osborne's , Hello or cause me to burst into happiness (and occasional dancing) in the most random places like Mavado's song, I'm so Special. Being Jamaican some people assume that I may only like reggae; Bob Marley and Jimmy Cliff are iconic artists but the world of music is very colourful and vibrant and holds man other special treasures. I find the history and creation of the art and artists themselves quite interesting too. I spent much of my rainy weekend indoor watching documentaries of a few of these precious souls who made, lived and died music. The bass guitarist from The Who and Jimmy Hendrix fascinate me with their ability to transform a piece of wood and strings into impeccable mastery. I looked at myself as I have a number of times before, wondering if I was too old to pick up an instrument. Truth is, I probably am but my ears will never grow tired of loving the rich talent and melody and inevitable contentment music provides.

You may not have given it much thought but music intertwines itself with our memories, that's why so many of our ceremonies have the symbolic treat, think about any wedding, funeral or sweet 16 party you’ve been to. At points in our lives we hear a certain song and it takes us back to that place in time, a déjà vu moment; and that's such a beautiful thing.

Heaven had a choir for reason, music was pivotal in the way worship was offered. It is alive, assertive and unapologetic. If you don’t like it all you can do it turn it off... you cant stop it. In a world where I have little friends music provides company and solace. As I write I listen to Eryka Badu and her smooth meditative voice and metaphoric lyrics. Just what i need to help defeat my flu.Take a deep breath today when you have some quiet time, dim the lights, inhale your favourite music and see how it frees your spirit and puts a smile on your face... : )

With uni studies started I know breaks like those are going to be exactly what I need to put me in the right mind frame at the end of a long day. Express yourself, explore this medicine, music.

Are you technically a techie?

Last night my beloved 1994 Hp laptop gave up the ghost and I fell to pieces. What about my status updates, the weather, updates on my hair, the colour of my socks? How will I check my friends new pictures and check the fabulous up to the minute celebrity news? Two words: Heart Failure.
To be honest the laptop wasn't that old but after doing some F12 diagnostics it was confirmed that my hard drive needs to be replaced. We all know its cheaper buying a new laptop than doing that, not falling for those old tricks! I do have a crisp white blackberry with web capability but face book, twitter and emails are just not the same on such a small screen. I am afraid it will have to take the brute typing force dealt to it in this great time of desperation. Granted I have no choice now, I feel like a close relative has died. This morning I woke up and stared at my HP wishing it back to life but no grand resurrection happened... I wore my black to work in mourning. Poor Momo.

This situation has led me to a great soul searching question; have we become part of the machines and technologies we use in our everyday life? Is it easy to draw a line of independence from these gadgets? The answer isn't easy at all.

I know it must have happened to you at least once; a day when you left the prized PDA, mobile phone or laptop sitting on the kitchen counter next to the cereal bar. I bet your world stopped when you realised at your destination that your precious tool of communication and planning was left behind. I know you felt naked, just like Adam in that garden. You also got the eerie sixth sense that people could look at you and know you were "out of touch" with life. It is indeed beyond me how people in the early 70's or even 80's coped without these necessities. But the truth is, they did. Communication was a more personal subject at the time. Divorces weren't based on text messages, managers didn't fire you via email and your mother may have spent loads of time penning romantic letters to a boyfriend. Communication was a bit less fluid as considerable time and effort was put in to ensure things went smoothly, but the inclusion of a wink or smile or a punch to the face as the case may be is priceless. I can also sensibly assume that there was less information misinterpretation of something like "I hate you, lol" - is that jest or is someone being serious? How did the writer intend the message and was the exact sentiments conveyed. As usual I sound like a boring lecture but why have we become so dependent on electronics and mobile technology?

My aim is to stimulate you, not your search engine or your hard drive, but your brain cells. I dare you to leave your mobile phone behind one morning. Then again I want it known that I will not be held responsible for the ensuing increase in suicide attempts subsequent to this blog...

We can of course hail the benefits of technology but what of the arising problems? Biological weapons, deep outer space exploration and possible exploitation, genetic manipulation, sex changes, in my mind its all gone a bit too far. I am an advocate for advancement but not at the expense of human life and the environment. Straying from the main point a bit, the matter of destruction of natures equilibrium is in direct relation to technological factors too; not to mention carbon emissions. This week on The Telegraph I saw a funny yet sad little picture of a hermit crab that made the remnants of a soda bottle its home. Heaven only knows how its managed to curl its soft little body in the thing. It is obvious that mother nature is showing us signs; signs that sometimes we need to go back to basics to help to save the Earth. I am not exactly saying we should all live in holes and hunt with sticks and stones for food but sometimes we need to listen to our minds talk, learn to love the moon rising or the sun fading. How much more rewarding is it to feel the gentle summer breeze on your face instead of making a twitter announcement that you just ate a biscuit. Float around in the mirror in a new dress and think of yourself as a princess, engage your imagination. Learn to entertain yourself, by yourself. Challenge your mind with board games or puzzles instead of wasting away in front of the game console. Also, a hand written letter or a personal visit counts for so much more. Think about this and save energy, save the planet and save yourself. I have tried it, its not too bad.

Back To Reality

Where did my three and half month break vanish too?

I swear it was only last week that I completed my end of year exams, the weather warmed up to a bearable temperature and Clearing started! I really cannot believe that induction time has rolled around once again and my lectures commence next week. Even though I am facing my second year of University with great trepidation due to the lack of studying I have done over summer, I can safely say my main fear and anxiety lies with the weather.

The past few weeks has produced nothing but crazy weather. One minute the sun is out, the birds are singing and the squirrels are doing whatever squirrels do best; the next minute nothing but high winds, battering rains, and angry looking wet squirrels. I am slowly packing on the layers of clothing, no joke! Whilst people are still running around in their little tank tops and miniskirts (sporting their fresh I’ve just had carotene poisoning spray on tans), I’m beginning to look like a Fashionista Eskimo. Yes, I used the word Fashionista. I am a firm believer that even though I may be dressed in 5 layers of clothing, I should always look presentable and be coordinated. None of this multi coloured, I am simply wearing every piece of clothing I own and don’t care business for me!! This brings me on to my next point…..Fuggs!

I must apologise in advance for my ramblings to anyone who so happens to own a pair or heaven forbid several pairs of the so-called footwear known on the commercial market as Fuggs. Now, don’t get me wrong, I am an advocate for warm, cosy feet… however I draw the line at counterfeit rubbish such as Fuggs, which do not look good and also causes great damage to the wearer’s feet. It is beyond me how a person can feel comfortable walking around with their feet clearly sliding around in their footwear, to a point where they are no longer walking on the heel/soling portion of their boot but rather on the side or back portion. And, do not get me started on the very interesting combination of Fuggs and rain! The only words or word that flashes before my mind is: “Why?”

In conclusion to my Fuggs ramblings; if you must own a pair of fluffy furry I’m wearing my dead pet boots (because if you don’t the world will surely end immediately), either save up for a pair of original bank busting UGGS, or, alternatively try to find a trusted brand which will be kind to your feet, are waterproof and will last you through several winter seasons… not just the week!!

Well I’m running off now… It’s Fresher’s Week and Pirates of the Caribbean 4 is currently filming on campus!!!! I’m going to have lunch with Penelope Cruz and Johnny Depp… Yay me! Lol… in my dreams :o) There is so much going on at University right now and I don’t want to miss a minute of the fun!! For more information on Fresher’s Week and must events to strut your stuff, make sure to visit the SU’s “What’s On” page http://www.suug.co.uk/whatson/

Have a safe and fun Fresher’s Week…. You only get to live it three times, make it memorable one :o)

Love or Hate

Many of my Islamic brothers and sisters will today be celebrating Eid ul Fitr and I do admire the fervour, reverence and discipline of millions of people who adhere to these and other religious celebrations and rites. Personally, I am of no singular conviction but I can see and appreciate the good in each one of them. The main advantage of having a liberal approach isn’t about taking the bits and pieces I like and disregarding the “absurd” to make my own unique religion. My train of thought is merely to respect everyone’s point of view giving them the chance to express their liberty. After all that’s what religion should be about, inevitable unity.

I guess stealing all these different and sometimes opposite concepts add to my already complex character. I have gotten back into reading my uber cute hot pink Bible as well as some bits from a Quran and I must stay I am enjoying every second of it. Apart from music, nothing else has the power to touch my soul and send me into meditation. In the end we are all searching, some of us for material wealth, eternal youth or others like me, seek contentment, peace of mind and happiness. House, dog and tv as the saying goes.

It’s great to be ambitious but we sometimes should be grateful for the simple things like being born with sight and fingers that work or even the ability to age properly. I saw an article in a mag sometime this week that brought tears to my eyes; it was a group of kids with progeria. It’s utterly heartbreaking to see innocent children suffer and ache horribly with arthritis and wrinkly skin like true 90 year olds; chances are they probably won’t even make it to age 15. I love life and the fact that I am able to feel water tingle on my skin, bend all my joints without pain or just simply being able to breathe without tubes.

My mind is running wild now and hope I have given you something to think about too. Even if you are an atheist, having a positive attitude in anything you do always brings results.

Another issue I want to talk about is what I call the weight factor. How thin is too thin or how fat is too much? I had this discussion with some colleagues today and it was very inspiring. Some strong personalities noted that even if they are a size 24 they don’t care who accepts or likes them because they are unique and wouldn’t have it any other way. This is a very sensitive issue and I may offend some with my ideas, but muffin tops and several spare tyres where your waist should be are not cute. It’s sometimes a genetic disposition but as adults we should be able to control how wide we open our mouths to vacuum in food in; likewise children should be monitored and not allowed to consume all the junk that surrounds them. I always thought that if I became mayor scales would be out at the door to every fast food joint which basically alarms if you are over a certain weight. This alarm will go off and the customer will not be allowed to purchase any of the things on offer. This to some will sound quite cruel and inhumane, but it will also be very redundant by nature as people will send others to get the food for them or simply order invisibly. I think people should be proud of who they are by all means but the country is in deficit as it is even without the pressure of weight related diseases on the NHS. I am all for big women as I am a size 12 myself and being stick thin to me isn’t very attractive either, but I am pro-life and unfortunately people who eat 3 burgers per day are staring death in the face. I don’t care if you had it with a diet coke.

This tie together the fact that some of us do not appreciate a simple thing such as our health as we take it for granted as if we can just grab £20 worth in a shop. Self destruction happens when we are not conscious of who we really, what we want to be and how we want to get there. Liposuction, gastric bands, lip injections, rhinoplasty, even buttock augmentation should not be commercialized for profit, people should love who they are and appreciate that broader nose bridge or that double chin. Finding peace in your head and your heart matters more than how full your lips look after a poison injection. Black women also have the cursed practice of skin bleaching, which destroys melanin and leaves your a face a blotchy pink and black patchwork which in the voice of Paris Hilton “aint hot”. On the other hand its so funny seeing carrot coloured female who forgot that the back of their ears and necks existed; waltz down the street as if they just got modelling contracts. All self hate.

I do not proclaim to be better than the other woman or man, we are all flesh and blood; we just need to use discretion and appreciate the small simple things so we can find love within.

From Momo.

Say Happy Birthday!!!!!!!!!!

Today as a gift to you I will reveal myself because it’s the month of my birthday!!! Well maybe next post, let the avatar satisfy your curiosity for now, looks a bit like me anyway....

In case you wondered my cake was gorgeous and I loved the pink ribbons and flowers scattered on it. On Saturday, I did it big in Club Colloseum with champagne and various wines courtesy of my cousin who arranged the party. The music ranged from reggae, dancehall, funky to rhythm and blues; but I really couldn’t care if Percy Sledge was playing- my excited little heart felt good the moment I went through the doors. I was intent on having a fabulous night and even the bouncers seemed friendly. It was a jam packed affair and loads of ladies scantily clad, some with way too much make-up on strutted through the disco halls intent on making an impact. The theme of the party “Dons and Divas” would have appealed to anyone from the Caribbean, but I had no idea the turnout would have been so explosive. True yardie heaven, I loved it!!!!!!

I woke up bright and early to get the day of shopping, pedicure, manicure and eyebrow tweezing started and was surprised when the weather man announced that we would have a pleasant 20 degrees out. Not exactly my kind of barbeque weather but I hate carrying an umbrella so news of fair condition is brilliant! I must say that a few tears flowed as I spilled the proverbial liquor in remembrance of my family back home who mean so much to me. Cards and phone calls will never replace the smile of my mum, the corny jokes of my sister or the little tail wag of my shitzu poodle Youkie that I had to leave back home in Jamaica.... I guess having over 350 people wishing me happy birthday on facebook has made up for it but I still miss the beach and bikinis I alluded to previously.

Birthdays are not just reminders that we are all becoming fossils eventually but as time passes we should feel some level of achievement and look back on the many life lessons we have learnt and become a lot stronger because of them; in an ideal world anyway. If your birthday is in September you will be a reflective person by nature but for those of you who aren’t; please get a clue and get it together. A birthday is also the time to tell the people you love know how you really feel because with every minute that passes life is not a guarantee, it’s a gift.

A part of the birthday agenda saw me going to church on Sunday as well, got some worship and prayers in to “balance di ting” and had a splendid curry goat dinner after; complete with fried ripe plantains. Church was rocking just like the party and now I’ve had my fill of chimes, bass, singing, even my phone ringing gets on my nerves right now. My weekend was a blast; much appreciation to my wonderful friends and family this side of the woods who have made it such a success for me.

The hectic weekend has seemed to take its toll and I’m presently at my desk with a well deserved banging headache. Things are a bit slower now that the Greenwich University is closed for Clearing, but we are still accepting applications for a few other courses offered at our partner colleges. This year is my first exposure to Clearing, it’s been really successful and the team has worked very hard to ensure we have met most of our targets. I am still quite busy fielding calls and queries from the young and innocent ones registering. They honestly brighten my day with their zest and questions about living alone and what to wear for Fresher’s ball to look hot – someone thinks I am a fashion advisor for some reason. But then again everyone knows what a little black dress can do for the figure and complexion.
Just got the cutest hot pink birthday card which the whole office gathered around to present to me!!! It was such a nice surprise, can’t see how they got everyone to sign it without my knowledge. It was so heart warming!!!!! I swear when the Head of Department called my name my heart stopped and my chest got tight; I knew I didn’t do anything wrong but still...

Love you team!!!!!!!!!!!
We had a SpongeBob theme on Friday and I lamely dressed as Patrick to the delight of my fellow team mates, beach shorts and all. We have a beautiful Bikini Bottom sign with real foliage and another ream member made a gorgeous SpongeBob cake that you have to see to believe. We had a blast acting this out and Leigh who played Sandy managed to get a clear shower cap to stick the flower in just in time for judging. The winners were announced at our gathering on Friday but we didn’t win and I felt especially stupid for my colleagues who sang the SpongeBob theme song. I of course hid under the desk at this point and hoped to vaporise into the air vent, but it was good fun. Congratulations to team “Cops and Robbers” who were working to make the Enquiry Unit a safer environment **giggle**

University starts for me later this month and I can’t wait to be back in the swing of it all, it feels like a while since I did any studying. I feel like such a loser right now and hope to be put back into a more challenging environment where ideas are bursting my seams.

Till I speak to you again, from Momo with love. xxx