I read stories like these and I’m heartbroken by the endless chaos and lawlessness. Year after year rule of law, prosperity and hope for a better future go out the window. What happened to the first independent black republic in the world? 200 years of independence and what? I’m heartbroken because I miss it, the summers with my grandmother, the visits with my relatives, discovering my family history with every trip. The carefree summers spent rocking on my grandmother’s front porch drinking “limonade” and all the Avocados and fried plantains I can eat. Weekends at the beach and week nights visiting all the cousins.
It’s been 5 years since my last trip to attend my grandmother’s funeral. Her death, the destruction of the country at the hands of bandits disguised as politicians have made me reluctant to return. The chaos and lawlessness have run 90% of my family out to new lives in the US and Canada. There’s nothing left but the memories and I miss it so much. Will I be able to visit with my children one day? Not just show them pictures or tell them stories but show them where I spent the majority of my summers as a child.
Monday, December 18, 2006
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Abidjan!
My old officemate and I used to randomly shout out Abidjan! (Capital of Ivory Coast) because of the song below. It used to crack us up that these French and Ivorian artists were representing their city like folks represent Brooklyn. What I love about this video are the two immigrant groups from different backgrounds coming together due to their love of music and their immigrant status and lives in ("Les Banlieue", Where a lot of the projects are) France.
It was our similar tastes in music that had us closing our office door if we were working late and just jamming to everything from Salsa to French hip hop and R'nb. I tuned her into this new Rai'nb mix coming out of France which took traditional Algerian Rai music and combined hip hop and R'nb rythms. To say American music has a big influence all over the world is an understatment. I was surfing on you tube and decided to play this video because it reminds me of my friend and old officemate whom I miss terribly. She moved to Morocco to be closer to her family and I can't wait until I figure out a way to visit her without breaking the bank.
It was our similar tastes in music that had us closing our office door if we were working late and just jamming to everything from Salsa to French hip hop and R'nb. I tuned her into this new Rai'nb mix coming out of France which took traditional Algerian Rai music and combined hip hop and R'nb rythms. To say American music has a big influence all over the world is an understatment. I was surfing on you tube and decided to play this video because it reminds me of my friend and old officemate whom I miss terribly. She moved to Morocco to be closer to her family and I can't wait until I figure out a way to visit her without breaking the bank.
Monday, December 11, 2006
Friendship
How many of us have them. I’ve been thinking about friends and friendships a lot lately and no wonder since it’s all over the internet and on everyone’s blogs. Falling out also seems to be a regular occurrence both in real life and in the blog world.
I don’t think I’ve been mad enough at a true friend to have a falling out with them but I have had a true friend stop speaking to me several times because of something she felt I did to her. She stops speaking to me at least once every two years and when she lived in DC it was at least once every six months I often wonder why she even bothers to continue the friendship. She’s also next level with the drama so I sometimes try to stay clear since I try to lead a drama free life. I’ve had friendships that over time have dwindled only to be re ignited once both or one of us decides to reach out to the other on a regular basis.
Sometimes distance is especially hard and if both people don’t put in the effort to keep in touch and update then it will just slide. I have a friend who lives in Las Vegas who isn’t an oldest and dearest friend from grade school but is one I made about 5 years ago. We hung out and spoke often when she lived in DC but now that she moved our friendship has continued but on an every other month catch up session. I actually have a few friends from H.S and college who I don’t speak to every day or even every week but still consider good friends and know if I needed something they’d do what they could for me. Sometimes we loose touch with people because we’ve outgrown each other or no longer have enough in common to sustain a true friendship. I was talking to a friend on IM tonight and she asked about a mutual friend that she no longer talks to. She said something to me that made me pause and think for a moment, “sometimes I think friends go through so much together there is nowhere to go but apart. Sometime you find your way back sometimes you don’t.” That and other aspects of our conversation reminded me that sometimes the level of friendship you have with someone in your mind and with your actions isn’t the one they have with you.
I’ve been thinking about my best friend from HS lately. I haven’t spoken to her in almost 9 years and lately I’ve wondered what she’s up to. If she’s married, has a child, if her family still lives in the same place. I can’t think of what really drew us apart except to say we grew apart; maybe a different out look on life and different directions. I’ve been thinking about calling her for the last six months but haven’t made an effort to. I think I still know her number by heart; I called it almost every day for the four years that we were in HS together.
Edit: I just called my friend from HS and she was so excited to hear from me. Just like I have, she's been thinking about me on and off for the last 9 years. She still lives in the same apartment and has the same phone number that I remember from HS (NYC's never move I swear!) lol! We're meeting for lunch next week when I go up for the holidays.
I don’t think I’ve been mad enough at a true friend to have a falling out with them but I have had a true friend stop speaking to me several times because of something she felt I did to her. She stops speaking to me at least once every two years and when she lived in DC it was at least once every six months I often wonder why she even bothers to continue the friendship. She’s also next level with the drama so I sometimes try to stay clear since I try to lead a drama free life. I’ve had friendships that over time have dwindled only to be re ignited once both or one of us decides to reach out to the other on a regular basis.
Sometimes distance is especially hard and if both people don’t put in the effort to keep in touch and update then it will just slide. I have a friend who lives in Las Vegas who isn’t an oldest and dearest friend from grade school but is one I made about 5 years ago. We hung out and spoke often when she lived in DC but now that she moved our friendship has continued but on an every other month catch up session. I actually have a few friends from H.S and college who I don’t speak to every day or even every week but still consider good friends and know if I needed something they’d do what they could for me. Sometimes we loose touch with people because we’ve outgrown each other or no longer have enough in common to sustain a true friendship. I was talking to a friend on IM tonight and she asked about a mutual friend that she no longer talks to. She said something to me that made me pause and think for a moment, “sometimes I think friends go through so much together there is nowhere to go but apart. Sometime you find your way back sometimes you don’t.” That and other aspects of our conversation reminded me that sometimes the level of friendship you have with someone in your mind and with your actions isn’t the one they have with you.
I’ve been thinking about my best friend from HS lately. I haven’t spoken to her in almost 9 years and lately I’ve wondered what she’s up to. If she’s married, has a child, if her family still lives in the same place. I can’t think of what really drew us apart except to say we grew apart; maybe a different out look on life and different directions. I’ve been thinking about calling her for the last six months but haven’t made an effort to. I think I still know her number by heart; I called it almost every day for the four years that we were in HS together.
Edit: I just called my friend from HS and she was so excited to hear from me. Just like I have, she's been thinking about me on and off for the last 9 years. She still lives in the same apartment and has the same phone number that I remember from HS (NYC's never move I swear!) lol! We're meeting for lunch next week when I go up for the holidays.
Sunday, December 03, 2006
Thank You Jesus
God looks out for babies and fools right? Well god was looking out for this fool, Moi. Thursday evening I head home and of course traffic in Tyson’s is out of control so instead of the usual 40 minutes it took an hour and when traffic cleared up I was flying. Flying through a yellow/red light right in front of a capital police officer and since they’ve been given new powers to police DC along the Capital Hill area I was pulled over. The officer gave me a lecture about running yellow lights and gave me a warning. No points, no $75 dollar ticket.
Friday afternoon I left work early, braced the crazy winds and made a right turn slightly ahead of a guy who was gunning to make a left turn into the lane next to me. Right in front of me he lost control of his car and hit an oncoming car head on. I was a little bit freaked out but glad he was able to get out the car and it looked like the person he hit was also ok. Their cars however, not so great.
Saturday, a friend and I were driving along GW Parkway on our way to the Leesburg outlets and as I’m telling her about my Friday night metro adventure a deer runs out of the woods right in front of my car. I managed to break, not swerve into another lane and only appeared to have clipped the deer because he was able to run off. To say I was freaked out would have been an understatement.
Friday afternoon I left work early, braced the crazy winds and made a right turn slightly ahead of a guy who was gunning to make a left turn into the lane next to me. Right in front of me he lost control of his car and hit an oncoming car head on. I was a little bit freaked out but glad he was able to get out the car and it looked like the person he hit was also ok. Their cars however, not so great.
Saturday, a friend and I were driving along GW Parkway on our way to the Leesburg outlets and as I’m telling her about my Friday night metro adventure a deer runs out of the woods right in front of my car. I managed to break, not swerve into another lane and only appeared to have clipped the deer because he was able to run off. To say I was freaked out would have been an understatement.
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