Godt Dammit Barack in Jamaica!!!

Like who gives a flying saucer that Barack Obama will be in Jamaica?! Apparently our Government, the ruling People’s National Party or as many of us like to label them, the PainP.

So apparently, world Leader Barack Obama, THE President of the United States of America is to be in Jamaica. Oh dear Jesus! let me get out my best suit!!!! To be honest, initially I was like amazing, I would like to shake this man’s hand I admire him . . . until . . .

UNTIL:

• The Government of Jamaica JUST realized that some of our roads needed to be fixed
• The Government of Jamaica thought it best to disrupt the working populous of the Kingston and St. Andrew area for this man
• They decided to “take Jamaicans fi eediat” with this alleged scare at the embassy
• They decided to disrupt the livelihood of the vendors by Heroes Circle

• Angela Brown Burke decided to highlight her “ratchetness” with this post . . .

All that is happening reminds me of the movie “The Interview” starring Seth Rogen – For those who haven’t watched the movie, it is about Some Americans being granted the privilege to interview Kim Jong-un; however the part that stands out is when the interviewer realizes that they fixed up sections of North Korea to impress the reporters to let them believe that North Korea is far better than that which is portrayed by the media.This is exactly what is happening now.

I’m sorry Barack Obama, but:

1. Jamaica is a place where we have pot holes that resemble river beds, roads that cause us to do maintenance work on our vehicles too much times for the year, roads that force us to buy SUVS that we really cannot afford just so that we do not have to buy front ends ever so often.
2. The educated minority of Jamaica knows that, that white man throwing things over the fence of the embassy is a farce! It is just your security team testing the response of the security in place at the embassy; I’m pretty sure just like one of those movies or CSI shows, his superiors walked into the police station to let them know what the real deal was.
3. GOJ, why don’t you just declare a national holiday whilst he’s in and around the area, since we cannot drive nor take bus to work, since we have lost all privacy, since we’re going to either be too late for work or be falling asleep at work due to how early we have to wake, since you will be disrupting our lives that much for so many days for a man who is spending only 1day – please ma beg you fi call a national holiday fi da period de!!!
4. Betwix Angela Brown Burke, Poorsha and the over bearing USELESS PainP conglomerates (to mimick Angela here) Why the F unu a disrupt the ppl dem livelihood at Heroes Circle, (that is what drove me to write this post). Them dede fi years, ( from my childhood or even before that) wid all year round crab (the puzzle I never can solve) whe ya move dem fa?! How do you expect them to “eat a food”, how dem fi send dem pickney ga school?! No Sa . . . unu reach barrel bottom wid di levels whe unu sick me stomach now!
5. Speaking of Angela Brown Burke – not even uneducated ghetto gyal foofool lakka you! not even them is as immature as you are. What kind of foolishness is that you keeping up?! Like how the hell did you manage to convince the “jumaican” people to vote for you?! Did you also buy their votes?! No Sa You Is A Hembarrasment!!!

Portia Luecreshia Simpson – Miller – In case you haven’t noticed, Barack Obama is not like you, he would have appreciated the presence of the individuals at Heroes Circle, fi taste di crab leg dem off a di land crab (is sea crab him used to), He would have appreciated seeing some of OUR (Jamaican) people and what they are about. We are not terrorists!!! We would have loved to kiss this MAN and take a picture or two with him just to go to the embassy to say “See me and barack a big friend so gimme me visa”

Once again Portia, you are a disgrace, a disappointment, a embarrassment and a failure to the Jamaican People. I truly hope that:

1. Your resistance to the Trafigura trial

2. Your response without documented notes whilst representing us in New York

3. Your inability to protect the interest of the Jamaican People during this tax season

4. The constant disrespect meted out by your members of parliament

5. Your inability to maintain JEEP

6. Your rush to disband the FINSAC enquiry just for political ammunition

7. The wastage of Tax Payers monies at the Tivoli Enquiry

8. The handling of the Chikungunya saga

9. The handling of the Riverton City Dump Fire this time around

I truly hope that all of the above, plus the others which I have failed to make mention of and the other mistakes which you and your party WILL BE SURE to make, will cause the Jamaican people to wise up.

WISE UP:

and not take the monies that your Members of Parliament and their sponsors will be allegedly handing out, not be so eager to feed the hunger in the moment, but to reminisce about how much quality of life have deteriorated and how much we need to better ourselves to be able to provide for our self and our families.

Elastic Heart - Sia (Feat. The Weeknd & Diplo) [Lyrics]

No Lik Di Pickney So ! ! !

Four (4) hours ago I encountered a post that was posted almost a day ago of a mother beating her child. (See video below)

I am hoping that this post reaches the mother. I have been a victim of that type of beating, and yes I did not turn out any worse than most people my age, and yes I hear the debate that you need to discipline the child. I also hear older folks lamenting about "back in my day" etc etc and you are not worse, and you now have respect and you this and you that. We hear you, very loud and clear, but how many of you resent your parents for those actions?

My father hit me at school for not attending extra lessons, and then he grabbed me one day in public believing that I should have been home and not "idling" on the road, had he questioned me in private he would have discovered that I did not attend extra lessons because the teacher told me not to because she did not receive payment for same, and had he questioned me whether there or in private he would have discovered that I had just stepped off the bus in the town and was about to seek out the other mode of transportation to get home.

I am pretty sure that had this mother taken the time to question her daughter about what she heard, she possibly would have gotten a much different response than her daughter trying to evade punishment.

I have encountered other individuals who have TERRIBLE relationships with their family members who hear something from meddling acquaintances and then made no attempt to hear the side of the story of the child, they punished them and they are a pinch short of hate for that person.

In my experience, individuals just prefer to cause discord in your home and family life so they will set their mouths in all directions just to achieve that. We should always remember the three (3) sides to a story, Your side, My side and the TRUTH!!! and just like in sets in mathematics, you will always have a common factor showing up in either stories.

So dear mother who humiliated your daughter, please to remember that:

1. You will need her later down in life, and the resentment created now will affect your communication going forward.

2. Do not ever attempt to do such thing to your child and or children again it will affect their self-esteem and the way they communicate with other individuals.

3. These friends that may or may not be around for their lifetime, is the training ground for effective social communication. Your children will not be stuck with you for life, they will branch out and they will be speaking with other people, you should know that each person has a different type of personality and we do not relate to no two (2) person the same.

4. Due to this humiliation she will face students who will jeer, mock and bully her stating that "she a behave like bad gyal when she a no one" and teachers who will use the opportunity to tear down her self-esteem due to your actions.

We are seeking to build empowered women of society, we struggle enough as it is daily, to have men and women alike respect us, we do not need another damaged young woman entering society with issues to take out on others, we need her, that child that you so viciously held in the throat, that child that you took off your slipper to hit across the head . . . WE NEED HER!!!

We need her:

1. To enter a room with confidence

2. To have great communication skills

3. To add value to the lives of others

4. To be respected

5. To be empowered

Mothers, Fathers, Family members, Teachers, Peers . . . I beseech you to go forth and speak life into our young people and break the cycle of young people who have been angered and made bitter due to the encountered actions of our "guides".

Loving Without Boundaries . . .

Is it possible to love without boundaries? When I speak of loving without boundaries I do not speak of your significant others, nor do I speak of Paternal nor sibling love. I am speaking of people that we meet on a day-to-day basis, our coworkers, our most difficult friends, strangers even.

Recently, I posted my New Years Resolution:

In case you are unable to see it, it states My New Years Resolution . . . March Forward with God, Expect Nothing, Love without Boundaries. A friend of mine then commented stating that she hopes that I will be able to give real effort to the latter (loving without boundaries).

Hence my question . . . Is it really possible to love without boundaries?! After all the hurt, the desire to smack some sense into people or like me, the great desire to just lock myself in a bubble away from them, away from their stupidity, away from their selfishness, away from BullSh*t!

According to scripture . . .

Matthew 5:43-45 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.”

The above verse, highlights that in spite of how different we feel that we are from others, we are all the same. We believe in class, I am of the upper class and you do not fit into my category, or I think I am too educated so I do not meddle with 'idiots', but how different do you believe that you are from another. Classic example, recently Jamaica suffered at the hands of the Chikungunya Virus (Chik V) and guess what, that virus was not a respecter of class, it walked across the island like Hurricane Gilbert, from the richest to the poorest, and we all felt the same pain, the pain that crippled us and rendered us unable to reach to the bathroom on time, the pain that caused sleep to be difficult, the itching that made us happily walk naked!

Another scripture that calls us to love is:

John 13:34-35  “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

That verse brings back a thought to mind, the thought that many "Christians" forget this verse. We choose who we love, and this choosing have caused us to treat other people as being non-existent. When Christ walked the earth, HE loved regardless of . . . When others frowned on his musings with the tax collector, HIS date with the woman at the well, HIS ability to forgive and wish well in spite of betrayal. 'Christians" need to be mindful that they are called to be "LIKE CHRIST" which outlines the mandate for you to love regardless of . . .

Yes, so many scriptures, but why not be practical?! I say that to love is practical, the same person that you express love to may not be able to return as how you expect, however, love will be returned to you via other avenues. Yes my people the Karma 'crap' is very much real.

I am not declaring that it is easy to do, because people are the hardest creatures to love, it is easier to love lions at times than human beings, however, my experiences have shown me that those that seem hardest to love, are those that need it the most.

I have not been successful with the aspect of "Loving Without Boundaries" in the past, however, I hope that I accomplish the task of Loving Without Boundaries, as:

First Peter 4:8  - “Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.”

Go forth, and set the world on fire with Love ! ! !

Expectations . . .

Can you recall the feeling you had when something didn't  go quite how you wanted? For example . . . A friend encounters your significant other acting out a lie and then decides to side with your significant other in the lie and keep you in the dark . . . Imagining that scenario, can you imagine the emotions that arise? Can you imagine how hurt you felt by both and can you imagine the betrayal that you feel from that friend?

Well, all of that, my dear, is expectation. Expectation according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary is "a belief that something will happen or is likely to happen" another definition that it gives is "a feeling or belief about how successful, good etc., someone or something will be"

The truth is, expectation is the root of hurt. Like the opening scenario, one would expect that the friend would side with you and not your significant other, hence the hurt. Expectations causes stress, causes depression, causes frustration all of which deteriorates our body and our health. That is not the way to live ! ! !

 As we approach 2015 let your New Years Resolution be to toss expectations out the door! Let us grab life as it comes, let us live in the moment. Life is too short and too precious to allow expectations to rip us apart into invaluable pieces. Yes we hope for the best, yes we plan but life does not stick to the "ideal" box that we put it in.

 Enter 2015 defying all odds, breaking free of the box that others have placed you in, and live and love without boundaries. 

‘I am open to the guidance of synchronicity, and do not let expectations hinder my path.’ ~Dalai Lama

Unemployment is a *****

I am a newly unemployed individual in the island of Jamaica. I was made redundant due to organizational restructuring (or so they say).  I have always known the heart rending process of seeking gainful employment as I have encountered quite a few individuals who have been seeking work. The climate in some organizations in Jamaica is of such . . . If you do not know somebody who is able to assist you in getting a foot into an organization, then "dog nyam you supper" as it will be a tedious and drawn out process as it is for me. A young woman, trying to complete my University degree, but each time as I approach that mark, I hit a bump, this time around, with roughly one and a half year to go, I have hit the unemployment mark, with no funding to complete my studies.

It was mentioned to me that on average it would take a "qualified" individual three months to acquire gainful employment, as for me . . . well . . . I am at my three month mark, with more frustrations than ever before. From being called into the Human Resources Manager's office on the Monday to be told that effective the Tuesday, September 30, 2014 would be my last day, I have been seeking employment. I have lost track of the countless resumes that I have sent out, I have lost track of the nights and days that I comb the newspapers and websites, I have lost track of the countless cold call resumes that I have sent out only to be called on three interviews. To give a grand idea of the ridiculousness that I, Pending degree in Marketing with a Minor in Administrative and Information Systems Management, and I with over seven years work experience in various aspects face. One interviewer was begging me to take the job which would pay me $40,000.00 a month before tax, to supervise his staff, market his company, reconstruct his website, develop a Facebook page for his organization and also to launch a new product that they are about to delve into to varying organizations. Please to note, I am not averse to work, I enjoy work, I was looking forward to those tasks, but they could only be achieved if I was to work from home. The proposed funds would not have me at work for the entire month, maybe a week at most. and not to forget, any vehicle that I have access to, is an asset to the organization, for the same funds.

According to articles published on the JIS website dated November 5, 2014, it has been reported that unemployment has declined by 11% (well as of July) oh the irony of ironies (to borrow a phrase from The Polished Hoe) why are jobs still so hard to get? Why are employers utilizing the phrase of  "oh the economic climate" when they know that they are not affected by it (except for the chikungunya outbreak that decreased production drastically for many).

What about creating my own employment? I have been attempting that avenue, let me see how much fruit will be born from that tree. To extract a paragraph from an article published in The Gleaner dated February 19, 2014 by Dr. Andre` Haughton:

Unemployment among youth and women has increased despite a fall in the overall unemployment rate. More adult men have been given jobs relative to young people and women. Growth projections for this year are positive; therefore, we expect a further reduction in the unemployment rate for this year as well. Overall, the onus is on us to create jobs of our own via entrepreneurship and enterprising. In this modern world, it is useless to sit and rely on others, including the Government, to create employment opportunities on our behalf. 

 http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20140219/lead/lead94.html

http://jis.gov.jm/statin-reports-11-per-cent-decline-unemployment/

http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/PHOTO--Long-line-for-hotel-jobs

Sibling . . . Rivalry?!

Imagine growing up the youngest of three, being seven and five years apart and they never grew up with you nor did they grow up together. You see, my parents each had a child  before they got married, my father begat my brother and my mother begat my sister, then they got married and created this awesome creation called me. All my life, I was somewhat close to my sister but never to my brother; I wrote, I begged, I beseech my parents to please create some ways in which I could be close to my brother. One such cry was evident in a notes post titled "25 Random Things About Me" that I made on Facebook in February 2009:

18.wished i had a close relationship with my brother

At that stage I had just gained my legality in all of the world, so yes I was fairly young, but not that young for me to still be having pains over the absence of a relationship with my brother, however I still yearned for it.

Then there is my sister, We had somewhat of a relationship where everywhere I went it was “hey, this is my little sister” OK yea, I cannot change that fact even if she dies, I am still her little sister as that fact will never be erased. So she was always here, having me behind her everywhere, doing majority of the things she wants till it became annoying like sis why the hell do you have to constantly be calling me just to sit beside you and I was just there less than a minute ago?!

Then there is me, the young one, the miserable one, the one who closes out the world and sticks to herself, however there is good reason for that. I have always been shut out so therefore I just accept it and stay to myself. I love my family, but honestly I cannot stand them!!! As for my siblings . . . I have come to the realization that I have a strong dislike for them. Why do I have this strong dislike?! Hmmmm . . . Is it that I am too caught up in myself? stuck in my “fairy-tale” world? Am I truly the problem?!

When I relayed the story to a friend, they could not imagine why I would be in a situation of such, because I am so “warm” (I say that warmth is relative) and always looking out for others (that is true until you give me a reason to be colder than Pluto and Antarctica put together). So why is there this great discord with my brother and I, My sister and I, and My brother and sister versus I? To categorize the reason, would be a bunch of ass making (assumptions), so I’ll just relay the happenings in mixed order leaving out a few years of them never playing any role whilst growing up.

1. My sister being overjoyed to relay a message that I was not all too excited to receive about my driving, Somebody complained to her about me driving too fast (side eyeing that person now) and my dear sister whom I have never felt was genuinely happy for me and the acquisition of a vehicle relayed the message in such a manner that pissed me off to the point that I flipped and was just about ready to cuss her out (which I did) and I was then ganged upon by her, my aunt (who I’m also not speaking to, no valid reason but I’m still pissed), my mother and to a lesser extent  . . . my father. Fine, yes I do speed at times, and I do have road rage all the time, however, from before this message came I have been tapering my non-verbal communication on the road. You might be saying, C, what is the reason for you to flip at your sister, I’m pretty sure she meant well?! Well honey, it was because of who the message came from, my sister. All my life (feeling like Sophia from the color purple here) I have felt the need to defend myself around this woman, every single time when she is here . . . We argue to the point of malice, and when she is not here, you guessed it, we don’t really speak, if at all. She is a teacher by profession and once she’s around I am one of her students, she shouts, she commands, she dictates and it pisses me the hell off, because she also does it to mom, it is as if we (well more me for this post) is not good enough for her, and oh yes, let me not forget to insert here the belief that I am my parents prized child -_- . . .

2. They (brother and sister) : I cannot just single out my brother, except for the fact that he NEVER made an attempt to be there for me, when I say that I make reference to him NEVER just calling to say hey, NEVER telling me about ANYTHING that is happening with him among other things (if he reads this and say I am lying I will just quote the scripture to him that daddy always quotes “Lying lips are an abomination unto the Lord”). Now on to “THEY” Scenario#1 that soaked me in gasoline: Bro: “C, you know that you are the one that got most of the parents money, so you will have to be the one to take care of them” – I have no problem taking care of them, because I know they ARE my parents, but since they MIGHT be your parents, could you give some consideration as to not measure your contribution to them? Scenario#2 now this lit the match: Sis: “C, A vehicle is a liability and a house is an asset, you need to take care of the house because when your parents die they will be leaving the house to you” – in the words of my aunt , my mother pissed out two girls and inherited my brother, so why the hell do you believe that I will be the sole inheritor of the house?Scenario#3, now hey, I’m on fire here, somebody please get the fire extinguisher or even call the fire brigade: I have been unemployed for 3 months now . . . My brother has never once asked how the job hunting process is going, nor as he ever forwarded any job leads my way, nor as he ever asked how am I coping, until Sunday passed “C, how are you paying your car loan?” My response “my mother is paying it?” – Why this question? You know you really don’t care . . .

It is at this juncture that I acknowledge that I am an island! It is at this juncture that I realize that the relationship that I have been yearning for from either sibling will not happen, especially my brother as their concern is what money I am getting and Lord knows I wish I had money, the economic climate in Jamaica makes it impossible for anybody to have money , however you choose to classify money. It is at this juncture I say . . . Who cares?! Lord knows I don’t anymore . .