Life or something like it....

HOWDY YA'LL,


Well last weekend, as you may have known, I went to Eleuthera for a funeral (R.I.P. Aunt Ruth). Like most, if not everybody's, family, death seems to bring everyone together. I saw people I haven't seen in YEARS and met some new people. But we'll save the sappy revelations for later.


Lets take a trip back...back....way back in time....


To Thursday (lol)... So I'm shopping for something to wear to the funeral on Saturday and I'm trying on loads of clothes in the dressing room...and there's this lady in the next dressing room with her young child (around 3 0r 4) ... I'm not really paying attention until she says "Miss you ain gat dis jeans in a 13/ 14 eh?" Silence persists for a few minutes until I hear nails dragging on denim along with a few grunts and puffs of air. Silence. The next I heard was kid chatter and then the lady said "Well gee these ain gat no pull eh? I ain gun get these...Move *child's name* cuz you ain help me fit in dese pants" This brings me to the age old question WHY DON'T YOU GUYS JUST BUY YOUR SIZE??? I mean for real though if you're a size Extra large you can't be expecting to fit in no Smedium clothes...Yes yes we know you USE to fit into that yesterday but apparently that is not the case TODAY!


But anyway small tings...lol or big tings whatever you wanna call it.


So the next day I went to the airport around 2:00 for my flight at 3:45 checked in and stuff...settled and ready to go. I happened to venture into the bathroom and had to take a step back to make sure I was still in the Bahamas...EVERYTHING WAS AUTOMATIC....I mean toilets, faucet, hand wash dispensers and yes my friend, even automatic tissue dispensers. There was more than one tiny mirror that only shows you from bust to waist. Anyhoo I was truly impressed. But like Nelly Furtado sung (8) Why do all good things come to an end? (8) Remember that 3:45 flight I was gonna catch........D-E-L-A-Y-E-D until 4:30.



After hearing about 50 flights called that was not MINE, I decided to take a nap... and as soon as my lashes touched my cheek they called my flight... -_-' Uncool. So we get up to go to our gate and when we get there...no plane...there's a man that said go to the plane straight to the far end....so as I'm approaching, I see one big Bahamas Air plane at the next gate.... so I figured that this man, like most Bahamians don't even know what he talking. I eventually notice that the plane's stairs aren't down so you can board the plane....BUT THEN I notice the other people on my fight are walking past the Bahamas Air plane so I continued on and what came into view was a 16 seat PINEAPPLE AIR plane. o_o

(above is inside the plane...Yes ahead is the pilots cabin and there was one row behind me and that was the plane.) My younger sister and I were the ONLY black people on this tiny flight there was with grown hip man behind me who's claustrophobic and ranting about how he feels like he's gonna have a panic attack yet he's talking throughout the whole flight...I'm like NIGGKA U SUCKIN UP ALL THE AIR IN THE TINY SPACE TALKIN SO MUCH...thats probably why you can't breathe. I survived though so....YAY!!




Well anyway we drove to Gregory town where we were staying and I got to meet up with my cousins who I have not seen in like forever... *CUE NOSTALGIA AND EPIPHANIES* It was a pleasant weekend that wouldn't have happened without the passing of Ruth Mackey...God Bless her soul... The family's back together again.


Long story short, the weekend was filled with death, family love, food and MEMORIES....


BELOW ARE pictures from the weekend.... :-D


singin "If I were a boy" lol Me and mah lil cuz Goin to the funeral


Graveyard/ Coffin Me and the boys... Erin, me and Sherry





CRASHED!! Mouth Jammed Room like a hair salon jed!






Talking Old Talk Me me me EATING!







I hope you guys get to spend time with the people you love like I got the chance to this season.


Anyhoo smooches, much love, merry christmas to you (if i don't get a chance to say it) all wrapped up in a big HUGGIE!. Until Next Time,


Shandia

Here's the fourth piece that I did at tonight's open mic. Its not as good as I wanted it to be but someday I'll revamp it later on in time.


Respect Me



On life's dark corners
is where I dwell
minus palm tree
bright sunshine
and sea shells
where raw talent its for show
not sell
and you're never far from a challenge
but bring it on
sound da big ting
it ain long before you
hear out shots ring
lead bullet shells
of a # 2 milli meter
litter the asphalt
next to another bleeder
but that's just what happens
when you battle
the King Pin
the Boss
the leader
siren sounds
popo's on the streets
squad car pass by
looking for me
but I don't hide
where they seek
seek for me on the lyrical streets
passionately performing my
poetry
but that doesn't mean you shouldn't fear me
I AM ARTIST
Armed and dangerous
Respect Me.

I'm just kinda swelling with emotions and stuff going on in my head and I kinda need to get it all out.




~Unbridled~




Why is it that I want to cry
go all out in front of this
computer screen
scream
at the top of my lungs
until my voice runs out
but my fingers continue
unstoppable
still making that tap tap tap


why is it that I
can't seem to focus
and
punch out perfect pieces
but instead
my inspiration
creeps up under my skin
making me
pant for it
want it
need it
lust after it
but dissipates as I sit here
striking keys tap tap tap


why is it that I
can travel to the pinnacle
of expression
only to free fall down
where Ginger tells me
the grass is much greener
but all I see
is shrubs and weed
encircling me
as I sit at this computer and
tap tap tap


why is it that I
set myself up for
another disappointment
when it only hurts me
when my best friends
forget me
when my family
moves around me
but its awfully lonely
as I
sit in front of this computer
literally spent
and shaking
while my fingers go
tap
tap
tap.






Just had to get this out.....

JUST FA YOU TIA...I GUN DELETE THIS SOON AFTER

Hey thizz-ere,

This post just stuck me while I was supposed to be studying for this exam tomorrow. Anyway I was just really thinking about the fragility of humans. My thoughts are all over the place with this one but I just really need to push these stuff out of my brain.


Glass Rocks


Have you ever felt invincible or maybe just strong as if nothing could hurt of stop you from your goal. It's something we all have felt at some point. Although we feel this way, we rarely think about how fragile our existence really is. We see it every day. Death. There's no escaping it but we find ourselves skipping over it all the time.


We can mentally build ourselves up to withstand hurt or pain but physically we are unable to block all forms of pain. For example in a war, the best soldiers and captains can easily be taken down by a carefully aimed bullet or bomb. The amount of hours spent training, working out and planning... are gone. Washed carefully down the uncloggable drain of life. There is always that 50/50 chance that if we turn this corner, if we eat this food, if we run that red light (well maybe 80/20 percent chance with this one) that we will run up on brakes and stare death straight in the eyes.


When it comes to us as humans, we tend to build walls around ourselves and within ourselves. Mentally and emotionally growing stronger. Its not always so easy to attack these forces but then there are often times where we grow stronger from past hurt but then there are other times where there are some hurt that goes so deep, time dare not mend. One can move on but there are times when the pain gets unbearable and then there are other times when the pain is as a dull throb…silently threatening to rip one apart.


In the end when I think of humans I think of us as Glass Rocks. Although we suffer from being extremely fragile creatures we have the willpower and the inner strength to withstand so much greater battles. The complexity of our lives are amazing........but this was just an Epiphany.


Until Next Time,


*Shandia*

Yeah mayne,


Now I know many of us have been exposed to some of the extremely poor grammar that some Bahamians use. I've been wanting to do this post for a while so here goes.....




1) SAW-CHEZ: This, you might agree, is a word that deserves to be at the top of the list for the most annoying words Bahamians use. This word is said in replacement for the word sausage and is commonly used when buying 99 cents breakfasts or when ordering a pizza. "Gimme one saw-chez and grits" or "I wan cheese, mushrooms and saw-chez on da pless."


2) -EBBLE: Commonly used in the place of -able and is highly annoying in conversations. People try to stretch words particularly vegetable, comfortable and reasonable...(just to name a few) into Vege-tebble, comfor-tebble and reason-ebble. It does not sound intelligent.


3) I-SINNING: This commonly used word for Icing is another Bahamian regular. Heard a lot at bake sales and in bakery's or even house parties. "I wan dat one with da i-sinning." Chronic use of this word will potentially cause a reduced IQ number.


4) PLASS-KIT/ ELAS-KIT: These two words for plastic and elastic will leave you at a loss for words. I mean for real though why you gatta be rhyming plass-kit with basket???


5) YONCE: This teeth chilling word is used in the place of the word yours. For those of you who don't understand...Used in a sentence: "Dine mine das yonce." First of all they starting on the sentence with Dine....I could have sworn that dine to have 'dinner.' I must have been sadly mistaken.


6) FILL-UM: Used so nonchalantly in the place of the word film, fillum is another Bahamian favorite. If you ever managed to watch the show "Controversy TV," you might have seen that during every commercial break they thank their sponsors one of who happens to be Nitro Film Records. Naturally it was said as Nitro Fill-um Records. *Shakes head*


7) This number just so happens to be a story. So my older sister and I are in John's last christmas season just looking around and whatever. We gather our purchases and head to the check out counter. There's this lady in front of us who is I assume trying to return something. The cashier waits patiently and had an intelligent look on her face as the lady tells her story. When she is done the cashier opens her mouth to say "But no ma'am, when you dida got them shoes...." (I think I blacked out after that...because I can't remember anything else that was said.)


8) V as W and vice versa: This classic example is heard so often it can easily be mistaken to be truth. You might have heard this used when referring to Sandwich as a sand-vich or Cassava as a Cassa-wa. The word convention heard as con-wention can be heard on the news often as well as Wolley-ball for volleyball.


9) FEDDA-CHEENIE- This one is a doozie! If you've ordered from D&C surely you've heard of their chicken or shrip fettucini. Being Bahamians as we are, we tend to shorten things... but this one is interesting. Instead of saying chicken fettu they say "Gimme one chicken fed." I don't know about you but the first time someone said it to me I was highly confused.


10) HOO-NE: This word is used in replacement of the words whose own (Which is already grammatically incorrect because whose already shows possession.)


11) AIG- Now now now..... this interesting fellow is used in the place of, egg and threatens to make your top lip fall off if you say it too much..lol


And last but definately not least because there are so many more


12) Break-wast: This is amazing and shows the extent of the poor grammar. What the FRIGG Is break-wast. This goose-bump inducing word can be heard alongside saw-chez and aig at any 99 cent breakfast counter near you.......




Don't get me wrong...I, in no way, have perfect grammar BUT there's a certain time to use dialect and when to speak clearly. In board meetings, in front of your boss, talking to customers or clients, quite frankly, in front of anyone beside family, poor grammar should not be used. Even in front of family it should be at a minimum.


Anyhoo


Signing out~


Shandia

Here's the latest piece I performed at the 3rd Open Mic last night. Enjoy:

HOIIII,


Just something that popped in my head....I don't usually do love pieces BUT ine know. Just my ramblings :

November 17th, 2007

Revelations and Epiphanies
Volume 2

Sup suppy sup folks?


This Revelations and epiphanies came to me just the other day while I was takin a walk around school. Its a new thing that everyone's wearing...


Clue 1- Not the spaghetti strap top over the t-shirt....
Clue 2 - Its no longer bell bottoms.......


Haven't guessed it yet? Well I'll tell you now.............


The SKINNY JEAN.

NOW, the skinny jean.....not only is it conveniently named because of the cut of the leg BUT its not for pleasantly plump people. That time more children walkin around school their pants so tight it look like it burning their skin when the walk. Its either it burns or it cuttin into them. Better yet..... I'll not say all solid people can't wear them only a select few can wear them but if you are:

1) BUTTLESS:

Now I ain even gun front.......if you solid and ain gat no bunghy I suggest you not participate in this fashion craze because what you're doing is giving people the biggest misconception....thick thighs and no bunghy...If I was a nigga i'd be hot like a six because when I see you comin (thinkin you sexy eh!) and when you walk pass its like wtf....."Sweety here's a compass....I think you lost something."

2) CURVELESS:

Wow I had the most amazin site in front of me the other day in the Michael Eldon Building, this girl just turned out in front of me like her head wasn't screw on straight. So anyway....she wasn't skinny but she wasn't fat......wearing what else but THE SKINNY JEAN. Well she had a butt BUT (lol i said butt but) from her shoulder blades to her knees were one straight line. I'm like man and this is COOL! who does that? Curveless people....save yourself the trouble of revealing that you're the human ruler.

3) TOO CURVY:

Ok this one goes out to gals who draggin lil too much wagon but in denial about it. They wan wear everything skinny chicks wearing.....Quite frankly I feel that they reveal too much of their lil anatomy. Why must I see your underwear (or a junglesses) lack thereof?

DO NOT WEAR THEM PLEASE!

Now that we've covered the basics, the Skinny jean, in my opinion should be worn but models sized people or people with a curvy and not overbearing bodyshape. So people who fit the 3 categories above, if you were considering buying a pair...


"CEASE AND DESIST FROM SUCH A VILE THOUGHT,"


and if you already have a pair, can you say 'B-O-N-F-I-R-E?"

I'm sorry if I offended anyone BUT I'm not going to front.....Skinny jean+ bad shape= EYE ACCIDENT. Where are you in the equation?....choose wisely.

Until Next time,

Shandia

~Fashion, which elevates the bad to the level to the good, subsequently turns it back on the bad and the good alike.~ Eric Bentley

Volume 1

This is the first in the series of notes from me. These are basically Epiphanies that I've had and just need to get off of my mind. They might be helpful just as well as they might as well might not. Here goes:

Child to Adult

Lookin at today's world but in particularly refering to the Bahamas, it seems as if children of todays world are in some sort of rush to become an adult or surpressed to forever childhood. 

I've noticed that high school students are so quick to morph into something that they aren't supposed to be just yet. They work for quick money or they have these much older partners that force them into maturity beyond their time. After graduation, if they graduate, they work and are being underpaid not concerned about furthering their education but "Makin that paper." They will go on sayin that "It'll make me a better person in the long run." But will it really? You're 35 and you haven't smiled in years, you're either in dept up to your eyeballs or you're so stressed you chew blood pressure pills like gum. At 50 you're suffering a mid-life crisis and you want to be young again...live your youth but.........not saying thats its never too late to be forever young....but lets face it you're so beat you couldn't jiggle your eyebrows much less your tail feather. It just doesn't seem right.

Then there are those other kids whose parents shelter and protect them that they have no form of independency or experiences to get them on the road of maturity and onto becoming an adult. They are then forever trapped under their parents' finger. Not knowing how to survive in the real world. Why risk themselves when they can always return to the security of being "Mama's litle boy or daddy's little girl." 

I'm not saying that you should never mature or that you should try to be a child for as long as possible. The transformation from an child to an adult should be a gradual process and not something that just is or it isn't. 

I see adults as grown children with a bit more experience. No matter how old we get or the people around us get they do childish things. Some people are more focused and drop more of the childish things and others are holding on. I think that maturity and becoming an adult is the taking in of experiences and wisdom so that they mold and shape your character for the bettering.

So when thinking of adults now, its not right to say that "I pay my own bills....I'm a man or I'm a woman." Its the fact that you've actually learned responsibility and used the things you've learned to shape your thinking and actions. 

~ Life is the only real counselor; wisdom unfiltered through personal experience does not become a part of the moral tissue.~ Edith Wharton

Hey GOIS!!!! (g-oy-z) 

Zagga Zow,

JAOW!!,

Hey there,