... to one and all

What was your day like?

The sexton of Holy Saviour Anglican church in Curepe, Trinidad, had a real drama this morning. He was abducted right in front of Royal Castle, Curepe junction. A man stopped and offered to drop him to church. Then when he got there the man said, "We going for a run." They stopped at the corner of Ragbir and Maclean Streets and picked up 2 other men. One took out a note book and the other asked the questions: When the collection is taken up?... If kept at the priest's house?... How much he works for?... What bank they put it in? They took him as far as Cane Farm Road, Trincity, then dropped him at Kaydonna Cinema. The sexton came to church later to tell the priest and make the report to the police and he was still in shock, most likely counting his blessed stars he was still alive. There have been a recent wave of hold-ups of business places in Curepe. The St. Joseph Catholic church got held up a short time ago - the crooks stayed in the congregation the entire service and then held up the persons counting the money. A woman was abducted on Tuesday. Police says she put up a struggle. This was evidenced by the discovery of her bloody dentures. I can't describe the level of disgust I feel right now. This isn't the first time I am going to say it, but it is definitely the most passionately I think I will ever meant it: I have no intention of ever living in my homeland again.

Oh, by the way, my mother is the priest at Holy Saviour Anglican Church.

ALCOA, please stop.

There isn't enough being done about ALCOA's proposed aluminum smelter plants in Trinidad. That much is obvious since the plans have not been halted. What is more troubling is the government's refusal to come clean on why this venture is being allowed to proceed despite the warnings from around the world. Partnership in the deal is not an excuse for permanent destruction of the nation. Find out what you can do to stop ALCOA and the government of Trinidad & Tobago from constructing the aluminum smelters. Then do it.

And the scores are in.

United Workers Party wins the St. Lucia general election with 11 seats to the St. Lucia Labour Party's six. History has been made as Sir John G.M. Compton becomes the world's oldest Head of State, a record previously held by Fidel Castro. Times are about to change as they tend to do, but now, more drastically. As a forienger in the Helen of the West, I was privy to an objective view of the entire affair, and suffice it to say, there were some very disappointing performances and behaviours exhibited by individuals on both sides of the game, none moreso than the outgoing Prime Minister, the Hon. Dr. Kenny Anthony. But as politics is not my passion, nor is the commentary surrounding it, I'll leave this one as a statistical stamp on my environment's history.

Worth Quoting.09

That's three out of two she's lost.
Don't you mean two out of three?
No, she didn't even know number three was coming.
Me, commenting on a recent run of creative conflicts among co-workers.

Unclick.003

Untitled

Dark lonley alley
Flash of light, dull burning pain
Please call nine one one

I see stars

It was a cloudless night, but the air was still moist with the day's showers. Conversations were light and comical, crossing into the threshold of tear-jerking hilarious at times. Topics ran through their natural progression from gossip, social commentary and inevitably to sex. Every now and then though the odd celebrity faux pas personally witnessed thrown in at pertinent discussions. On one such insertion of celebrity association, someone tossed the lit match to what can only be described as a leaky petrol station.
Surmised conversation as follows:
"So my cousin is meeting George Bush next week."
"Really?!? ... interesting. How's that happening?"
"The something or the other institute is honouring her father and the president always attends to present the thingy and so on."
"Oh, ok, so a sort of meeting by default then."
"Yeah, I guess, but she does get to meet him personally as part of the event though."
"Well that counts if she talks to him then."
"Funny you should say that, because I asked her, 'What are you going to say?' because she isn't really a big fan of his."
"What did she say?"
"She's thinking about it. But I mean, if you were going to meet someone who both indirectly and directly affected your life through their actions, wouldn't you want to say something? Even in that maybe 30 second chance you get to meet them?"
And thus the flames were ignited.
So here's the scenario: You're at an event to honour a family member with international recognition, about to meet one of the world's most influential human beings. You're not ignorant, and you've already rationalised the consequences of dumb actions.
What would you say and/or do?

Excellent

Scott Adams (creator of Dilbert) pointed this out in his blog today. Bill Gates looks like Montgomery Burns from The Simpsons, doesn't he? We won't get into mentioning the unmisssable implicaitons of this similarity. I have nothing against the guy except that his company won't develop MSN for Mac (for blatantly obvious reasons of course).

Wake us up

I had an old dream
I was me and so were you
It was not very clear

Sam Brown draws for me!

Yay! I sent explodingdog a title to illustrate and it was chosen.
Here's Sam Brown's interpretation of me next. please?

Just a little more

a pillow held tight
your scent lingers - i miss you
now it smells like me

Rant in A Minor

Why do they bother with the "Remember Me" check box if they never remember me? In three consecutive visits to my dashboard, I was required to check in each time. And there, for a fleeting moment, I was misguided to believe the Outernet Elves actually cared who I am. You've been here before though. You'll remember me, won't you?
La la laa, bam bud-duh bum... kasplash [cymbal]!
That is all. Thanks for coming [again].

Is it hot in here, or is it just me?

[Dhara's entry]
It's that time of year for me. Only comes around twice, but boy does it seem to last forever! Those humans who share my home have me locked down out on the balcony and have tied Buddha in the furthest corner of the house. Are they mad? I NEED my man right now!!! I get a glimpse of him sometimes through the glass doors. I think he's suffering more than I am... at least he's still eatting this time. He's figured out how to get out from the leash clip twice in vain attempts to come rescue me, so the folks have him strapped with Dad's climbing carabiner. He'd need opposable thumbs to beat this one. Poor guy.
But enough about him. What about my needs? I tried being more lovey-dovey with them, and it gets me as far as their room, but still no action. Dad says despite the smell, this is good for me because I haven't been as confrontational with other dogs, and I put on a few pounds too. I try to tell him, it's just a phase... I'm too horny to care about that right now. He says I'm still too young for fooling around with boys so just cool out. I'm in HEAT Dad!!!
Whatever!
Anyway, next week it will be back to normal. Mom says "so much for my clean house". Ah well, what you gonna do. You know you miss me sneaking up in the middle of the night to keep your feet warm.
Who wants the heat now, huh?

Free Wallpaper - "No Evil"

This isn't an original concept, nor is it probably a new execution, but it's what happens when I am bored and uninspired on a lazy day-before-Friday. I guess the whole try harder thing will kick in from next week. Until then...

Random snipets

1. It is elections time in St. Lucia. Something claiming to be responsible in me required that I post that fact. There are few things that interest me less than Caribbean, especially small-island, politics. It is a pretentious, ignorant, exploitiary, degenerate point in time in my environment's current history... Hold on, is there such a thing as "current history"? After all, whatever "it" is (and you can't buy this one on eBay) won't be history until no longer current, right? Furthermore, something has to happen to make it historic, not just historical. But that's another day's gramatical argument. Let's amend that to recent historical existence. This fiasco will repeat itself with the same chicken and rhum (and fete) formula in the next five years anyway. I have dealt with some of the key players and it is safe to say that given the motives, reasons and methods they plan to employ not only to hopefully (do we really hope for this?) run their constituency, but simply to gain the seat, nothing will be done for the long term benefit of the nation. At least not in my lifetime.
END

2. I sold the Bumble Bee (my '98 Honda Hornet/599) last month. The end of another chapter in my motor book. A friend is going away this week to go look for new bikes, one for himself, one for yours truly. I can only wait.
END

3. I've worn flip-flops to work every day for the last two weeks, and on average, three times a week previous to that. Just thought you should know.
That is all.
BEGIN

Morning Melodies

Twelve kids playing pan
There is no better commute
My day will be fine

To die for a smile.

Saint Cecilia by Guido Reni, 1606

Today is the feast of St. Cecilia, the Patron Saint of Music and Musicians. As with most saints, her story is one of romantic tragedy, Middle Age inhumanity and ignorance, and inevitable martyrdom.
On the way to work this morning, in the midst of the thickest part of traffic on my three minute, 48 second commute, the was a steel pan band on the road side playing the most cheerful tunes. They were set up under a tent on the northern side of the round about without any signage or self accolade. Commuters out of earshot on the southern side wore stony faces of varying degrees of unfortunately regular annoyance. However, as you overtook the stagnant line of vehicles with your gaze, those grave countenances yielded to curiosity, mild amusement and eventually sheer joy. Smiles broke where once lips were held taut. Heads bobbed where they once stayed low. Hearts soared where once they barely sputtered.
Doesn't matter your religion to appreciate what a little music, some selfless offering, can do to brighten everyone's day. It may horrify some to think of why we are priveledged to have such a treat this morning. I think the horror may be balanced if at least one person honours not just her memory, but her faith.
Thanks for your sacrifice St. Cecilia.

Eight forty-four and a half in the night

19 minutes of half-hearted experimentation resulted in the above.
I stayed at it because of a half-hearted comment when I began.
I posted it was to remind me to try hard, or stop.
Nothing in between is acceptable.
Or so it should be. Ugh.

Recent Work

Two friends of mine have opened private businesses (independent of each other). For their corporate identities, they came to my business.

Finally

Lately I have not been priveledged to say the following words often: I had a good weekend. The swell was here and could not have been better timed than to ride out through the weekend. If you were on my MSN list, you would have known why my handle was "waiting...". The wait is over. We surfed all day, both Saturday and Sunday, until we could barely manage to climb over the rocks to get out of the water last night.
Yes, last night.
When you are subject to such infrequent ocean activity, you take all you can when you can. When the call goes out that the waves have come, a monomania ensues among the surf-fraternity, where nothing else matters but getting out on the water.
I had a good weekend.

Worth Quoting.08

They are sly, occasionally vicious, pathologically stupid.
Joanne Harris, Chocolat

Worth Quoting.07

There is nothing laymen like less than layman's terms.

Worth Quoting.06

When you're dreaming with a broken heart,
Waking up is the hardest part.
John Mayer

Two silver strands

They call him an old man with new ideas. His perspective comes not from looking back, but having come from there and not wanting to go back. It is said that history repeats itself, but he says history needs to remain where it is in order to allow an infantile future to mature unencumbered. Ask for an example.
Would that require me bringing something up, or making something up?
The point was made immediately. Later there were thoughts of having gained the knowledge of some invaluable lesson (Did you notice the use of multiple tenses in that one sentence? Is that a contradiction on my own point of bringing the past to the present with future intent? What am I thinking?). In retrospect, the light was already there, not yet illuminated.
END

I had a moment of minor epiphany (possible?) while scouring the Outernet for inspiration. I think beauty is lost in the clarity and definition of colour. That's why old black and white photos look so appealing, even when their subjects are quite ordinary. And oh, what injustice we face for being ordinary! So much emphasis is being given to high definition, high DPI, high contrast, hijinks, that the subtle seductive charms of imagination have ebbed out of our daily searches for unadulterated happiness - living simple lives with our Utopian fantasies. Enjoy.
I don't have to tell you how, do I?

END

I finished the elbow section of my left sleeve tattoo. Gift to myself for the season? Perhaps a sensual two in one with the wife and hers. Alvin the tattoo guy will definitely be having a Merry Christmas with us.
END

You have a grey hair. Oh look, there's another one. You growing up, eh old man?
BEGIN

Worth Quoting.05

"I just called to see if you got my email."
identity witheld

What do I call this one?

I went through a rash of vector creations a while back and finally collected them for posting... have fun.

Food for thought

After officially recognising them as 'Unsung Heroes', what do we call them?

Unclick.002

LuvMe

Worth Quoting.04

"If I shower you with affection, will you get wet?"
Me, yesterday morning

Waves

Friday after work we limed at one of the bars on the beach outside the airport until it was too late to do anything else. Not a bad night, if you consider that the dollars spent stretched way beyond their normal means under the comforting extentions given in the name of familiarity.
Saturday's surf was up. There were no immediately encouraging visual indications, but Gary's prescient view was justified and we were happy. It's that simple with us.
It was not that simple on Sunday. We stood in the tray of the pick-up with the babies just talking, relaxing, staring at the ocean. Waiting. Hoping. In vain. Let's call it quality time instead, and make it a great day in memory, rather than one that just lacked waves.

Free Wallpaper - "Happiness"

Unclick.001

I finally got myself a sketch book, not for a lack of trying though. Sad to say, they (journal with unlined leaf) do not exist in my immediate retail world. Here is the first piece of what I hope will be a resurrection of the pleasure of drawing by hand. I have so long ignored its siren's song under the indomitable magnetic presence of this very machine. Away with the screen. Unclick. The joy of hands on is back. If only there were that convenient "Undo" command now...

Worth Quoting.03

"Pap is contemplating a hip replacement, but insists on a test drive."
Thorax, "9 Chickweed Lane" by Brooke McEldowney

I hate cake

I am not scared. Not scared that I might become one of them. Not scared that what they say is true. Not scared that I fall among the statistics. Not scared that who or what I know I am is not known to those that claim to know me. Not scared of laying claim to those who claim to love me. Not scared that the truth has already infiltrated this life. Not scared that I am lying to myself.
There, I've said it.
I am not scared.
Then what the hell is it?
What am I/is it that makes me think this much when all I want to do is feel, love and live? How do I exist with this feeling of my chest yearning to burst open yet I stand crest-fallen? Dynamite detonates deep within what is growing to be a very thick, relentless, indestructible vault. It was like this a long time ago.
I am not scared. I am not the slightest bit hesitant. I may even be too damn patient. What right is there that I should not claim my own rights? It should not be like this. It is not supposed to be this hard. All the time. Now.
I am not scared...
I am angry.
But my anger is the quick, destructive, terminal kind. There are no back steps, after my first step forward. There is no do over. There is no room for regret.
I am scared.
Scared that I might be angry.
I hate £*@!ing cake.

Free Wallpaper - "Take Charge"

Worth Quoting.02

"It's not your fault, your honesty touches me like fire."
Dubstar, "St. Swithin's Day"

Baked Chicken, rice and beans, with a sprinkle of sea salt

The weekend is so close I can almost taste it.
Almost.
The pile of job folders precisely scattered around my desk reminds me I won't be enjoying that flavour for at least another five and a half hours. Individuals from various firms, displaying the most fatuous methods of thinking, running their departments/companies with rampant ignorant recklessness, are the ones I inevitably must appease for the agency on any given Friday.
And this Friday is no different.
I sit staring at dark curtains miserably thankful that they prevent the beautiful vista of beach and ocean on a cloudless day. Just across the road. I do not think I could function through every day, leaving paradise - a mere stone's throw away - alone.
Ah, but then there's lunchtime.

Hello, old friend

For the past six months or so there has been a complete and absolute absence of tidal activity on the perpetually fair shores of St. Lucia. Then Saturday afternoon, they returned. Those wayward Neptunian travellers graced us with their passion. They brought back the swell. They delivered the waves.
Sunday was fantastic. We were improvident men, forgetting the previous season of drought, ignoring tomorrow, should it never come.
Today, we would have the greatest of their gift - 14ft overhead sets.
Today, as with every Wednesday, I am stuck at work.
What a friend you are, Neptune.

T minus none

Today it the day we have been awaiting. Our new Mazda B2500 TDi champagne silver pick-up truck, signed, sealed, (and insured) is ready to be collected. The journey was educational, not just for the process of loans, buying and owning, but for learning more about ourselves, and how we approach life, relationships, obstacles, challenges, excitement and a host of other experiences. We were erudite shoppers for the item we desired, but completely ignorant of the life the actual shopping developed seemingly on its own. In the end (or is it the beginning), we are wiser, stronger and stylishly mobile.
Keep on truckin'!

Worth Quoting.01

"My memory lane is now paved"
'Beach Balls', Billy Talent

Loud whispers

Cesar Millan is one of my heroes. I came across this article about him and his methods recently. It is well worth the read, not just for dog lovers, but for human lovers too.
What The Dog Saw

Ink.

The wife commissioned her next tattoo (over a year ago mind you) and I finally got around to it.
What she understands yet still seems to overlook is my desire to create a truly original piece, one that will propel her even more towards sui generis.
The concept and initial design are done. I would have posted the layout on the snapshot of her back, but you never know who is watching and will try to beat her to the inker's well. You know how it goes on the end of the Interverse. So, I'm currently 'enjoying' the re-drawing phase until it is tattoo friendly. Next step: find the right artist for the job.

Worth Quoting

'Computers are useless. They can only give you answers.'
Pablo Picasso

'Even in a make-believe world, you don't believe in me.'
Less Than Jake

Free Wallpaper - "filtered"

Created in Photoshop, beginning with the Render Clouds filter on an empty layer.

Free Wallpaper - "viva libre"

Created completely in Freehand MX, starting with the beautiful wand tool, then it was all fun from there. Get well soon Mr. Castro, the world would not know what to do without your presence.

Free Wallpaper - "do no deny"

The first of my (intended) series of original wallpapers inspired by [fill in the blank]. Feel free to use, adjust and have fun with them as you please. And if you have any ideas, tips or comments... click below and leave 'em.
Enjoy.

I Do

The week before I said "I do" to my wife, I had a pair of rings made.

Many people find it hard to believe when I tell them this: the entire process of being pierced through both nipples was entirely painless.
The handful of minutes spent lying on the piercer's table awaiting the steel intrusion constituted one of my fastest meditations ever. At the point when asked "Are you ready?", I gave a wry smile and blinked once... the most I could manage from my state of utterly blissful, self-induced, physical calm. His clamp was cold but the pinch was imperceptible. Then I felt the tip of the needle rest against my flesh. It was the last sensation with the material world I was to experience.
"Deep breaths, don't hold ..."
I was way ahead of him.
I heard the needle puncture my skin. I heard it travel the mere fraction of an inch to its predetermined exit. I heard it sever my skin a second time as the tip left me.
Inside, I came alive! Sensations I refuse to describe lest I do them injustice spread from behind my chest throughout my torso. While my body never so much a gave a shiver or twitch, I could feel unknown entities within running wild.
"You okay?"
"Is it bad that it was... good?"
He laughed. "Well, let's go for Round Two, shall we?"
My smirk returned and he prepared the second instrument.
Again, I heard every movement the needle made, never actually feeling its destructive path. Again, my body exploded from within. No amount of adrenaline or intense eroticism ever gave such a pure and uninhibited rush as this marriage of cold steel to warm flesh.

Minutes after it was over and I was walking out of the studio, I was acutely aware that I possessed two nipples. Two anomalies of flesh embedded in the lower half of each pectoral muscle. They throbbed, clenched, and yelled into me... No more?

The Harem has spoken

Judgement can be fair, objective, justified, harsh, sympathetic, unfeeling and deserved. But most of all, it is final. It doesn't not ask for comprimise. It is not an opinion. It is unfailing in its most primitive form.
It is the final word.
The final action.
No more deeds.

Among the angels, one seeking acceptance fell short. And fell hard. Not knowing what was expected or what to expect, the fallen one found herself in a whirlwind. Within the twirling and tumult, she found herself in a position most would have acquiesced to being swept away with the surge. There, at least she may have salvaged her broken feathers. There, at least she may have walked among the clouds.

And the winner is...

We made it to all four of the automotive dealers (that offered pick-up trucks) and have come out with a favourite thus far. Mazda B2500. Hopefully the bank will like us enough to make it happen.

Rollin'

Today we begin our hunt for a new vehicle. 'Zuki has served well despite her occassional neediness but as our family becomes, we need to upgrade to something more. From the moment we got our babies to our recent nuptial blissful begining, a delightful concatenation of events inevitably brought us to this point.

Let the trucking begin!

Trinidad & Tobago Youth Philharmonic Debut

The orchestra's debut, in their spanking new uniforms sporting my logo design, was featured on the front page of the Monday 28th August 2006 edition of the Trinidad Express.
Looking good guys!

Don't you know our love is...

We are One

Mr. & Mrs. Joseph
Saturday 19th August 2006

For the better days

Yasodhara is 14 months. She has arthritis. It's not pretty. Now isn't the best time for her to fall under its malignant grip, not that there is ever a good time. We're leaving the island for 2 weeks for our nuptials (more on that later maybe). We're leaving her in her worst state in the hands of another.

23 minutes

23 minutes.
Doesn't seem like much.
23 minutes late. Makes a difference all of a sudden.
Didn't know what time I was supposed to be there but when I arrived, I was late.
23 minutes late.
Perhaps your final words could have met my first.
Perhaps you would have ended with something different.
Perhaps I could have said something different.
Perhaps I just could have said something.
Perhaps we could have talked.
For 23 minutes.

Trinidad & Tobago Youth Philharmonic

Final design for the Trinidad & Tobago Youth Philharmonic logo.

The goal was to caputre the feeling of fresh music and instruments in motion more than using literal imagery, although one can discern the brass and strings depicted. The secondary aim was made to incorporate the initials "TTYP".

I could go on

A smoky haze drifts almost imperceptibly around your face. I lean back and admire the aura we've created. It follows me in slow swirls, beckoning me back to the intimacy of you. The intimacy of us.

Familiar rhythms begin...
I see the way you look at me
As if to say its right
I pray for you day in and day out...

I focus my gaze on you, smiling. The invitation is offered, unspoken. You lean forward and rest on my lips. The invitation replied, accepted. The last of the day subsides, and we are taken from time. I drift, lost in you, filling somewhere inside of me. The space between becomes the space around. Heaven is inside of you.

No RED tides here