Gratuitous post..

So much things to say right now it have so much things to say, so says Bob Marley, 3Canal also echoed the sentiment. Its so like me to attach to greatness to help me define myself and my views. I ain't saying nothing, though.

I marvel at parents, it must be so exciting to know you're bringing a new creation into the world. I feel a modicum of that when I start shaping a post for my blog. Its like I feel it will solve all that's wrong, I just have to create it and the world will be better.

I see my friends getting engaged, excited about expecting babies and I remain placated by the chance to speak to you, the reader. I do get excited.

Well I don't have anything I want to say in that there is stuff I can say but still nothing I want to say. Expect something meaningful soon though as life is always best with promise and potential and possibility.

P-young Gang style

Who knows where slangs come from? But in Trinidad and Tobago we have a history of coming up with terms that permeate a generation. To me they are like values that we share as an age group. There have been so many there have been over the years.

The thought for this post came to me this morning while listening to BLS online, NY radio station WBLS, known to New Yorkers as BLS. A caller said “I’m 41 Sun!” I thought to myself that there may be young people wondering why an ‘old man’ would say “sun”. The fact is that his generation would have been using that slang in their youth, in their 20’s and so it was still his. But that may not be understood by some who feel him too old to use that kind of slang.

It’s interesting what people feel 40 something’s should be doing and saying. Most are married with children and should be protecting their young ones from the evils of the world, insisting on proper values.

In Trinidad and Tobago it’s worse in that the values we ascribe too are determined by the ruling political parties and those in my view are rooted in the post independence era, heavily imbued with colonial mores.

One term that my generation coined was the phonetic equivalent of pyong, much like the North Korean capital, Pyongyang. It means one who loves something a lot – a t.v. pueong watches a lot of t.v., a mango pueong can’t not eat a mango. And in true Trini form one is mildly but albeit vilified for being a pueong/pyong. The contemporary equivalent would be a "banton", I hope – it not being any longer my generational responsibility to come up with slangs and be able to defend their definition.

As I write the UN believes that any exacerbation of the North Korean dilemma would be “uncontrollable” to quote General Secratary Ban Ki Moon. My only hope is that if my Seoul is in danger that I have enough time to fly south for the winter as it would mean a new cold Cold War. 

River Colors

Went to the Caura Valley in east Trinidad this morning. It was a beautiful walk with my friend, designer Robert Young of The Cloth, and his dogs Jasmine and Ramses.

Robert, Ramses and Jasmine

Robert and Ramses

And we're off!

Jasmine

Light, water and rocks

Ramses

Ramses and Jasmine

Jasmine

Making time for a little business

Jasmine

A beautiful pool at the end of our walk

Bamboo patch

Jasmine, Robert and Ramses

Ramses, Jasmine and Robert

Yellow Poui in bloom

Houseless

Ask me what my favorite genre of music is and I'll tell you House Music. Its true. There is no other music that makes me feel like House. Its gender neutral for the most part and usually positive, when its not its gender-bending and fun or funny.

I was introduced to House in the 80's in Trinidad at clubs, that like they do today, play a cross section of music. My friends and I would revel, though, in the thumping bass lines of songs that were taking electronica into vocal realms never heard before.

When I moved to NY in the early 90's it was a whole other world. I so remember Glenda saying she had found a club she thought me and Gillian would like. We all worked for Le Croissant Shop, along with her steady of many years, Brian Richardson. Many would remember him as the hot and moody pantomime on TV and around town, an actor par excellence. We all ventured that late night to a place I'd come to know well.

The club was the Sound Factory and the funny thing was that at the time it was Frankie Knuckles, The Godfather of House - who I'd later befriend- who held it down at that point. He had just released his phenomonal hit The Whistle Song. It's funny because he was half of a DJ war that many times left me divided (see Junior Vasquez).

After that introduction Gill and I found shelter at the Shelter for many years with its resident Trini export, Timmy Regisford doing a whole other style that remains inimitable and legendary. The Sound Factory would become, though, in later years, the place where Junior Vasquez claimed my heart. He is one of my favorite House DJs, when he's in a good mood (there were many theories and stories about his state of mind and life when he played sets that left some of us less than effusive about NY's best club night). Junior, to me and many others, was the opposite of Frankie in many ways except in their undeniable mastery of their craft.

I sometimes a longing to be Housed again, in a way that only few can, if you know what I mean, lol.

Question..

Ever felt like you needed a miracle? Its a simple word, we use it all the time, but its complex too. You might think after reading this that I need help, but no what I need is a miracle, trust me.

A call to action

Father Harvey is the kind of priest you hear questions raised about in Central America - those who were active during times of social unrest. He has been critical to Trinidad and Tobago in times of unrest like the revolution of 1970 and the attempted coup of 1990. He is a revolutionary in his own right having done a lot to make the Roman Catholic Church more relevant to Caribbean people. Some of the hymns in the official hymn book are penned by him, I am also sure many would have been inspired to write hymns through his encouragement and efforts.

            It’s Easter. In his message as carried in the media, he called for more positive stories to be told in Trinidad and Tobago. Knowing him as I do I don’t imagine he imagines as the Government does, that more positive stories be carried of the work done by the State. He is a man that stands for freedom, and I am sure too, freedom of the press. He takes on all comers though, and so it may not be a stretch to in fact imagine that he does mean even in the media.

            The media guard freedom, not for itself only but for all. The media are an extension of the population. I always say press freedom is assured by the culture of the industry, no one is hired or fired for their views, it’s an all encompassing slice of the population that makes up the many news rooms around TT. No media house can afford to take a stance aligned with a political party, it is assumed and understood by those within the fourth estate, that they serve the people and that comforts us, inspires us and keeps us focused on the tasks at hand.

            I have known Father Harvey personally for a few years. He is a man I respect. Many times while in church I would check hymns to see who wrote them, particularly if I like them. I remember crying at mass one day. It was a day when the closing hymn was Tell of my Love for the Islands. It says “tell of my love for the islands, tell it everywhere, tell all the brothers and sisters of the Father’s loving care, brothers who are seeking living in the night, sisters who are weeping, searching for the light, tell of my love to all people, live in my love every day.” This was written a long time ago in the 70’s perhaps. It’s still true today and it still makes me cry. Maybe I may want to consider the words of this esteemed cleric and tell more positive stories, if only so that I myself can stop crying. Christ is risen. Happy Easter.

Correction

So I woke up this morning to a request for a story about the President requesting information on Section 34.  immediately I get scared.The story was apparently carried in the morning news and a fellow reporter was asking me if I had the details. She sent me a fb message cause she thought I was at work already. But I sort of jumped when I read what the big story of the day is. Having thought about though I realized that life is made hard in Trinidad and Tobago by an 'opus magnus' of morality and rectitude that betrays the island paradise we sell. No wonder we're unfriendly to tourists, I think we spend too much time being unfriendly to each other! And hasn't the Prime Minister already told the Office of the President what transpired with Section 34? It will be a fine day even after all.

I also woke up this morning to realize I created a mash-up with my brief post last night, four people saw it. I watched an episode of The Bible currently showing on The History Channel and I saw the scene where Mary and Joseph were heading to the census on a donkey when Jesus was born and yesterday being Palm Sunday the image of Christ on the donkey blended with that one. I had also just come from a very good benefit concert for St Francis of Assissi Roman Catholic church last night. Added to this the election of Pope Francis. It was just 'donkey' on my mind and so we ended up with what can now be seen below:

Happy Palm Sunday! Have a holy week! Stand up and be counted! Bless!

Its all about getting past the illusion this Holy Week. A good God would remove the sting from a minister saying he was libled when the esteemed publication, also legally advised, said it did not libel him. The funny thing is that any good journalist knows when they libel someone, of this set I am not. It is a direct attack on the media by a man who presents himself as a really good, honest person. Its like he is possibly speaking to the public that will not even find out what is libel but just interpret it as another case of the bad media in Trinidad and Tobago as the politicians are wont to say. Its like they are infallible and unimpeachable but oh the media are just so bad. So yes, let Jesus, light the way!

I will be spending hundreds of dollars on fish this week. It is a family tradition to prepare salted salmon or smoked mackerel for Easter and they are both about $50 a lb. I like to buy enough to store to cook again later in the year when it is no longer in the groceries. Imagine these things are soaked in brine, pickled fish, and cost more than steak! But I love eating it and preparing it so here's to tradition!

Be careful out there!