A bunch of bees moved into the orange tree on our property! I don’t know if I’m intrigued or nervous, or both…they just flew in this morning and hived up. I am not sure if they are moving in or if they are just resting for a few minutes. I think it’s a good omen (not that I really believe in that…too much :D)
I haven’t forgotten about the retreat pics and breakdown. It’s forthcoming.
Off to the church workday…
Sunday, April 30, 2006
Monday, April 24, 2006
Singles retreat prelim
Yes, I went on a singles retreat this past weekend. Yes, I have a few pics, though not too many. Yes, I will tell the tale of what went down and how great it was…I just am not going to do it right now.
Thursday, April 20, 2006
Correction
A correction about my blog on the Moneague lake…
It’s not a new feature, in that the lake has been in existence as a small pond since the discovery of Jamaica, and the rising of the waters has been previously noted since at least the 18th century. The last time the waters rose was either in 1933 or 1971. The 1933 event had the waters sticking around for about 4 years, finally draining out in 1937. The Doc center has a geological report that I’m going through which was written in 1972 and was examining whether or not the lake could be made permanent…interesting, since the goal these days is how soon can we be rid of it (I think). I don’t know why people built their houses so far down in that vale…guess they either forgot about the lake or thought it wouldn’t happen again.
It’s not a new feature, in that the lake has been in existence as a small pond since the discovery of Jamaica, and the rising of the waters has been previously noted since at least the 18th century. The last time the waters rose was either in 1933 or 1971. The 1933 event had the waters sticking around for about 4 years, finally draining out in 1937. The Doc center has a geological report that I’m going through which was written in 1972 and was examining whether or not the lake could be made permanent…interesting, since the goal these days is how soon can we be rid of it (I think). I don’t know why people built their houses so far down in that vale…guess they either forgot about the lake or thought it wouldn’t happen again.
Wednesday, April 19, 2006
Going Home to Teach
This morning on the way to work, I finished re-reading Anthony Winkler’s “Going Home to Teach.” I hadn’t read it in a while, but found it while cleaning out the garage this past Sunday morning. Anthony Winkler is a really gifted author and he has a talent for clearly reproducing the essence of raw Jamaica, even if it is a Jamaica that existed before I was born. He also wrote “The Lunatic” which I need to find and re-read again as well. He is a white Jamaican who currently lives in Atlanta, GA.
This book “Going Home To Teach” recounts his experiences when he returned home to Jamaica to teach back in the 1970s. Those were tumultuous times for Jamaica, when Michael Manley was in power and socialism was the philosophy du jour. Many people left, while Winkler was coming back. The book has a lot of pathos, humour, and drama; but what really makes it impressive and relevant to me are the observations on Jamaican, American and English culture. Here are some samples. I don’t necessarily agree with all his observations, but I think they are worth noting.
On being white in Jamaica, specifically referring to his American wife’s experience:
“To be white in a black country with a long English colonial history is to be a pariah, an ambiguous entity. It is to be simultaneously respected and despised, to arouse suspicion and curiosity, to evoke defiance, rudeness, envy and condescension. It is to be separated from that inalienable birthright every white American enjoys in his own country; the expectation of being treated with indifference in a public place. When you are white in a black land like Jamaica, you are no longer merely a man, or a woman, or a child. For good or ill, you are also immediately transmogrified into a living symbol of a detested colonial past.”
On Jamaican and American attitudes towards economic roles:
“The American nation is essentially a confederation of economic tribes known as businesses and corporations, each with its own totemic history, identity…when you work for an American corporation it defines you, moulds you…and eventually changes your values and perceptions...Americans are reared with the expectation that a large part of their personal identity will eventually be defined in adulthood by an economic role. One becomes what one does…Jamaicans DO their careers, their occupational pursuits; Americans BECOME them…This wedding of personality and occupation is a most peculiar trait for Jamaicans to comprehend mainly because they have inherited from their own cultural experience a deep-seated dislike for ready-made economic roles. Jamaicans revel in the expression of an idiosyncratic self, and reject any occupational role that brings with it blanket expectations of the self. Why this is so no doubt goes back to our experience with slavery when we waged and endless war of passive resistance against the slave master’s desires and struggled hard to repudiate what he wanted us to become.”
On “getting on bad”
“This expression has a peculiar meaning to the Jamaican, and no known equivalent in America. To ‘go on bad’ is to employ the behaviour of the lower class in a sphere of life where it is outlandishly inappropriate. One cannot ‘go on bad’ in a true democracy like America, but only in a society that separates people into classes by a strictly prescribed code of manners. Under the Englishman’s colonial blueprint, the ragged brute in the streets is expected to rant and rave over grievances and raise his voice in profanity, but not the tuxedoed gentleman at a formal dinner. And should the gentleman so behave for whatever reason other than rare excusable drunkenness, he is said to have ‘gone on bad.’ His sin is not so much bad behaviour as it is a degenerate hybridisation of manners-bringing the lower-class brute into the drawing room- and the penalty is social expulsion. He simply will never be invited back.”
The unfortunate thing is that many times, getting on bad is the only way to get anything done! He notes this in the anecdote that follows this quote, which I won’t replay here.
It’s a great autobiographical novel told from a point of view that I haven’t even considered too much; that of the person who is born in Jamaica and is just as Jamaican as I am, except that he is white. It is an accurate snapshot of Jamaica in the 1970s as well. Well, I assume that, since I wasn’t born then :D At any rate, I highly recommend it. Also read the rest of his books: “The Lunatic” “The Painted Canoe” “The Great Yacht Race” and “The Duppy”. I have read them all except for the last one, those I have read have been very good also.
This book “Going Home To Teach” recounts his experiences when he returned home to Jamaica to teach back in the 1970s. Those were tumultuous times for Jamaica, when Michael Manley was in power and socialism was the philosophy du jour. Many people left, while Winkler was coming back. The book has a lot of pathos, humour, and drama; but what really makes it impressive and relevant to me are the observations on Jamaican, American and English culture. Here are some samples. I don’t necessarily agree with all his observations, but I think they are worth noting.
On being white in Jamaica, specifically referring to his American wife’s experience:
“To be white in a black country with a long English colonial history is to be a pariah, an ambiguous entity. It is to be simultaneously respected and despised, to arouse suspicion and curiosity, to evoke defiance, rudeness, envy and condescension. It is to be separated from that inalienable birthright every white American enjoys in his own country; the expectation of being treated with indifference in a public place. When you are white in a black land like Jamaica, you are no longer merely a man, or a woman, or a child. For good or ill, you are also immediately transmogrified into a living symbol of a detested colonial past.”
On Jamaican and American attitudes towards economic roles:
“The American nation is essentially a confederation of economic tribes known as businesses and corporations, each with its own totemic history, identity…when you work for an American corporation it defines you, moulds you…and eventually changes your values and perceptions...Americans are reared with the expectation that a large part of their personal identity will eventually be defined in adulthood by an economic role. One becomes what one does…Jamaicans DO their careers, their occupational pursuits; Americans BECOME them…This wedding of personality and occupation is a most peculiar trait for Jamaicans to comprehend mainly because they have inherited from their own cultural experience a deep-seated dislike for ready-made economic roles. Jamaicans revel in the expression of an idiosyncratic self, and reject any occupational role that brings with it blanket expectations of the self. Why this is so no doubt goes back to our experience with slavery when we waged and endless war of passive resistance against the slave master’s desires and struggled hard to repudiate what he wanted us to become.”
On “getting on bad”
“This expression has a peculiar meaning to the Jamaican, and no known equivalent in America. To ‘go on bad’ is to employ the behaviour of the lower class in a sphere of life where it is outlandishly inappropriate. One cannot ‘go on bad’ in a true democracy like America, but only in a society that separates people into classes by a strictly prescribed code of manners. Under the Englishman’s colonial blueprint, the ragged brute in the streets is expected to rant and rave over grievances and raise his voice in profanity, but not the tuxedoed gentleman at a formal dinner. And should the gentleman so behave for whatever reason other than rare excusable drunkenness, he is said to have ‘gone on bad.’ His sin is not so much bad behaviour as it is a degenerate hybridisation of manners-bringing the lower-class brute into the drawing room- and the penalty is social expulsion. He simply will never be invited back.”
The unfortunate thing is that many times, getting on bad is the only way to get anything done! He notes this in the anecdote that follows this quote, which I won’t replay here.
It’s a great autobiographical novel told from a point of view that I haven’t even considered too much; that of the person who is born in Jamaica and is just as Jamaican as I am, except that he is white. It is an accurate snapshot of Jamaica in the 1970s as well. Well, I assume that, since I wasn’t born then :D At any rate, I highly recommend it. Also read the rest of his books: “The Lunatic” “The Painted Canoe” “The Great Yacht Race” and “The Duppy”. I have read them all except for the last one, those I have read have been very good also.
Tuesday, April 18, 2006
Easter Weekend
Aah, the joys of a 4-day weekend. It was a good break, with a beach trip thrown in for good measure. Unfortunately, I did not take any pics because I was stupid enough to buy Maxell batteries. They SUCK. They didn’t even last one day. I took the pics from Moneague on those batteries and then they died that same day, fresh out the pack. Never again, never again…
But the trip was a lot of fun. Those in attendance were Andrew, Sarah, Gairy, Tameka and yours truly. We didn’t end up at our intended destination (which was my fault) and had to go to Dunn’s River instead, but next time we go out we’ll check that original place out, Cranbrook Falls or something like that.
Back to work it is now though…let’s see what can get done.
But the trip was a lot of fun. Those in attendance were Andrew, Sarah, Gairy, Tameka and yours truly. We didn’t end up at our intended destination (which was my fault) and had to go to Dunn’s River instead, but next time we go out we’ll check that original place out, Cranbrook Falls or something like that.
Back to work it is now though…let’s see what can get done.
Thursday, April 13, 2006
Moneague- a tale of flooding
Today, I went to take well readings around the Moneague lake. This lake is a pretty new feature, having come into existence about a year or so ago when heavy rains saturated the earth and the water just started to raise up beyond expected levels, as seen here in this picture. The waters stayed high, and seem to show no sign of going down...or rather, whenever they start to go down, rainfall makes it stay up. It is quite deep. Two people actually drowned there in the course of this week, how they ended up doing that I don't know. Some of the locals have made a brisk business providing a ferry service across the lake, since the lake has submerged the roads that connected communities in the lowland and it's about a 30 minute drive to go around. Me, you couldn't pay me to take them ferries. It's a two-man kayak with one lifevest, and guess who wears it? (Hint: it's not the passenger!) Just goes to show how enterprising Jamaicans can be though...
I had a few ideas of how to use this water, since it will be around for a while...it all depends on water quality and an investigation into the area's topography. A lot of sewage pits and other junk were submerged by the waters and I find it interesting how quickly an eco-system has formed around the area. I saw water-birds, fish, and aquatic plants there, so while the water isn't that chemically polluted it would require a fair bit of biological clean-up. All I've divined from the topography so far is that the region was a natural sink; one river called the Rio Hoe apparently flowed into a small pond which was the genesis of the lake...where that pondwater went, I don't know. I intend to find out.
I also took some pics of the Bog Walk Gorge, and two dogs who were romping on the lakebanks as I went around. It rained this afternoon...it's been raining every afternoon for the past few days. I like it, we needed the rain and it's surprising how the lawn has come back to life. I'll bet Hope Gardens is worth walking in now, I'll check it out after the holiday weekend. Good Friday AND Easter Monday off, ooooh yeah :D being a Jamaican has its benefits, hehehehehe...
Wednesday, April 12, 2006
Sunday, April 09, 2006
Inter-racial relationships
http://fiyastarter.com/fs-pages/fs-socgen-interrelation10.html
take a look at how inter-racial relationships are viewed…
take a look at how inter-racial relationships are viewed…
Monday, April 03, 2006
daylight come and mi waah go home
I have been to the bowels of hell here on this earth, and its name is Berth 8 at the Kingston Wharfs. Therein, I spent virtually all day trying to pick up the remainder of my few earthly possessions that I shipped to myself from the USA, and for which I was nearly charged $6780 Jamaican. Thanks to my uncle Alvin, who told me to go home and get my school transcript so I could prove myself to be a returning resident, I managed to only pay $600 in duty on that…but why would it have been so much if I hadn’t proved myself to be a broke student coming back home? All I had were bunches of clothes, pots, pans, a couple game systems and a VCR and textbooks…plenty of THOSE. Sigh…plus I had to give the shipping people their cut, and the driver to deliver it out here in Spanish Town. At least it’s all over now…virtually all of my junk came over the way I packed it. I now have a bit more clothes to add to my work wardrobe, a lot more books to read, I can now fry my brain even more with the PS2 and assorted games…
So, back to work tomorrow, which might actually be easier on my system than today was.
The mangoes on Uncle Alvin’s tree are starting to bear…and I’m happy for that, hehehehehe. Ain’t no mangoes like those ones.
Exhaustion sets in, so I turn in. peace out.
So, back to work tomorrow, which might actually be easier on my system than today was.
The mangoes on Uncle Alvin’s tree are starting to bear…and I’m happy for that, hehehehehe. Ain’t no mangoes like those ones.
Exhaustion sets in, so I turn in. peace out.
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