And Still I Rise

Last year Earl "Ole George" Daniel and Joel Butcher set out to walk for 6 days without sleeping.Upon completion of the feat they had their hearts broken when the Guinness Book of records failed to give them recognition.Undaunted the duo decided to up the ante by walking for seven days without sleep.Originally,the seven day walk was to take place in North America but climatic conditions caused the shift to Kingston,Jamaica.

The Jamaican walk began on Tuesday,Sept 19 at 5.37 pm and finished a week later on September 26th at 5.37pm. Unfortunately, Joel Butcher had to drop out of the walk after suffering a sprained ankle. In all honesty I wasn't feeling the vibe this time around but I acknowledge the tremendous willpower behind such an undertaking.

Surely,it is the ultimate in monotony to walk around Emancipation Park for seven whole days.There must have been times when there was an overwhelming urge to just give up and retire to the nearby hotel. However,despite all the discomforts the goal was realised.

I have a friend who constantly reminds me that the human spirit is capable of achieving great things once we do not limit ourselves. I believe that is a creed by which the marathon walkers live by and one we can emulate.

I don't know if the feat will be recognised by Guinness this time.I do know that these guys are winners with or without the formal recognition.

A young girl and her beloved grandmother sharing a moment.It wasn't necessary for her to say "I love you" since her every action spoke of love.Whether it was preparing a favorite meal to ensure you ate or being a buffer between a mother who had way too quick hands she was always there to provide comfort.Here's to you Miss Rosa,you are sorely missed.

It's wise to remember how easily email can be misused, sometimes unintentionally, with serious consequences.

Consider the case of the Illinois man who left the snow-filled streets of Chicago for a vacation in Florida. His wife was on a business trip and was planning to meet him there the next day. When he reached his hotel, he decided to send his wife a quick email.

Unfortunately, when typing her address, he missed one letter, and his note was directed instead to an elderly preacher's wife whose husband had passed away only the day before. When the grieving widow checked her email, she took one look at the monitor, let out a piercing scream, and fell to the floor in a dead faint.

At the sound, her family rushed into the room and saw this note on the screen:

Dearest Wife, Just got checked in. Everything prepared for your arrival tomorrow.

P.S. Sure is hot down here

Browsing the blogher Caribbean site I came across the idea for a Love Thursday as suggested by Chookooloonks.

Her rules. For those of you who have blogs, post a photograph today on your blogs that shows love -- it can be of you and your partner, you and your children, you and your pets, you loving life, your kids playing with your pets, strangers in the arrivals lounge at Heathrow airport, whatever.

2. Once you've posted it, come back here (or go to Irene's), and leave the permalink to your post in the comments, as evidence that love is, indeed, all around us.

3. For those of you who don't have blogs, don't feel left out -- you can leave a description of a time you witnessed love in the comments as well. Who says a picture has to be made with a photograph?

I decided to play along and here is my picture.Sweet,ain't it?.

Getting very fed up of the atmosphere on the homefront. Tomorrow,the Minibus drivers will mount another strike in the ongoing saga with respect to increased fares. I wish I knew when it would all end.

Secondly,there was a press release stating that a Talk show host had lost his appeal in the East Caribbean Court.The case centred around allegations that the PM had used public funds for airfares and accomodation for 2 family members who journeyed to Rome.I fear we are fast becoming a nation that is quick to run to the Courts.

While I agree that it was a slanderous and ill advised comment am not sure it was worth going to court for. Seems to me there are far more important issues to deal with than to have the Govt responding to every silly comment made by talk show hosts.I understand as well the need for hosts to be more responsible but at the same time you don't want a nation where people become afraid to speak.Or do we?

If the news release is to be believed then 60,000 sex workers could converge on the Caribbean shores for CWC 07.This figure has been offered up based on the enquiries Charles Lewis,owner of a world wide booking and recruitment service located in Barbados has received.

Acting on the enquires,Mr Lewis has submitted proposals to several regional Ministers of Health seeking licenses for the sex workers over the duration of the tournament.Interesting,very interesting indeed and asking a lot of moral questions.

I can safely say that no Caribbean Govt is going to be granting licences to any sex workers.Truth is I don't even think granting licences is necessarily a bad thing. Why,you ask? Well,the way I see it the sex trade is here to stay and licenced sex workers as opposed to street walkers would be in a better position to insist on condom use in today's HIV world.

But,prostitution which most of us equate with sex workers is not legal here so it would be very difficult for Caribbean governments to turn around and begin issuing licences.I wonder if they have done the mental calculations and are ruing the monies they could have collected if only there were some way of getting away with it.

Meantime,licence or no licence am sure sex workers will show up and hope the authorities look the other way.After all,with the traffic during CWC the money making possibilities should be endless.Like it or not the issue is on the table and sooner or later the region would have to deal with it.

The blog mood has been sombre for the past couple of days and its time to change it.I found this amusing-depending on your perspective .

The Queensland Fisheries Department is investigating the illegal slaughter of stingrays in the south-east of the state.

Ten were found with their tails removed near Hervey Bay and Deception Bay in the past two days.

Conservationist Steve Irwin died last week when a stingray barb pierced his heart, but his close friend John Stainton says killing the marine creatures is senseless.

"It is a criminal offence and I contacted the RSPCA about this this morning when I heard that it was happening and asked them that whatever action they can do to help and I know that they're under way," he said.

"I'm sure that the Marine Department and National Parks and Wildlife will be doing whatever they can to nip it in the bud very quickly."

I knew the stingray had achieved notoriety when it killed the Croc hunter.Never thought though that they would be hunted and killed in revenge.You would think the stingray hatched a plot to kill Steve Irwin and as a consequence its entire family should be eliminated.Stingrays around the world better start hiring PR personnel and fast.

I've been thinking about how many young people we've lost in the last 17 or so months to vehicular accidents.It's such a waste of precious lives to what I consider as avoidable circumstances.Last week,I was also saddened and angered by the news that an 18 yr old student had chosen to end his life.

When someone can put a gun to his head and pull the trigger you know that the society has failed him. Surely,someone must have seen the warning signs.Yet,parents,teachers,friends and others all claim to have absolutely no idea as to what could have been the root cause.

Teen years are a particularly trying time.Back then we saw things in black and white and every little problem was magnified. Of course we never saw the light at the end of the particular tunnel we were going through. Most of all we never believed others had experienced the same and come out winners. No doubt today's teens would have similar stories. Left to fester it gets to a point where hope is lost and suicide begins to look very attractive.

From what I read in the papers this young man's self esteem was probably at a low since he was not doing well academically.Sometimes,I am disgusted by our education system which at times seems all too willing to discard children. We speak of children being "thrown out"-(reminiscent of garbage) from school for not passing exams and we stigmatise technical vocation schools.So,the child who can't make it in academics ends up feeling unworthy.

We have to find a way to help our youngsters.One suggestion I heard was for more counsellors to be placed in schools.Too many cries for help fall on deaf ears.Adults have to learn to listen too and not just pass off the concerns as trivial.Maybe,if we practice being our brother's keeper then we won't be as bewildered when our children end their lives.

Just a few short weeks ago 18 year old Patrice Bascombe asked us to support her in her quest to be the next Digicel Rising Star.By the time the voting was completed she was one of the two finalists chosen to represent St Vincent and the Grenadines in the 2006 competition.

Already a household name on the strength of winning performances in Dance,Gospelfest,local pageants and regional talent shows she undoubtedly had visions of emulating fellow Vincentian Kiokya Cruickshank,the 2005 Rising Star winner.

Sadly,Patrice who was involved in a car crash on Tuesday succumbed to her injuries this morning.It's quite sobering when the fragility of life is driven home like this.We know we will die but the death of the young is even harder to come to grips with.Seems like my dream really had some meaning after all.

Rest in peace,baby girl.No doubt we are a little bit poorer now that your sun has set.

Last night I dreamt I got married.If dream interpretations are to be believed then it means someone I know is going to die.I hope not since lately I've being saying too many goodbyes and I don't want to die just yet.Conversely, dreaming of death means a wedding will take place.Not too strange since more than a few persons associate marriage as fate comparable with death.

It's kinda fascinating the way older folks interpret dreams although I find many seem to be concerned with dying.One night I dreamt was following a woman through a valley and at the end of the trek was a wide flowing river which we had to cross. At this point I became apprehensive and refused to cross despite the coaxing of the strange woman.Next morning I recounted the dream to my grandmother only to be told I would have died in my sleep had I crossed.

Muddy water is supposed to mean death as well.Then it is said that if you dream you are digging land a friend or family member will soon be going to meet his/her maker.It doesn't end there because I've also heard if you dream a tooth is falling out that death will make its presence felt.

If you dream of nakedness you would think some pleasant sexual encounter is on the horizon,right? Wrong,they say it's a warning of impending shame and disgrace. Being chased by an animal? Look out for confusion with the neigbours.

On to pleasant things i.e depending on your perspective.If you dream of fish it means someone close is pregnant.But,if you are actually eating fish then you better start shopping for baby clothes.I don't know if this is a dream interpretation or one of our superstitions.However,I remember hearing if a cock crows on your doorstep it means a relative you haven't seen in a long time will pay a visit.

I've never proved any of these things and I don't even know their origins.Some interpretations I find very amusing and some chilling.But for the most part I take them with a grain of salt much to the chagrin of some friends.

Yesterday,after listening to some Marley -(on what else but my new love the Ipod) a friend and I had a discussion on what would make our Marley top 5.Pretty tough ask,right? Anyway,at the risk of being blasphemous neither of us cared much for Redemption Song or One Love. We both agreed that "ride natty ride" and "so much trouble in the world" would top our list.We parted ways on "crazy baldheads" and couldn't decide if "exodus" which we both liked would make the cut.

I decided on the following 5 as my favorites:

Ride natty Ride

War

So much Trouble

Crazy baldheads

Zimbabwe

Just outside of the five would be:Is this love,Exodus and Africa Unite.Your job now is to list your top 5.Let the fun begin.