Hi ho!

It's freaking December. vejgurl will be here by this time next week. YEY!

The Independence celebration went well. I built a freaking ship out of cardboard and stuff for the kids to sail across the stage on. Someone took photos so hopefully I will get some to show you. Now it's onto Christmas and we have like less than 2 weeks to get everything sorted for the Christmas Concert. and by we, I mean me, cause I'm the only one who actually gets things done. Fun times!

I've come to the realisation that most of my closest friends are Virgos. So to all your Virgos out there born in September, happy birthday month.

My cousin's birthday was today and we went to this amazing restaurant on the east coast of the island, facing the atlantic, up in the hills named Naniki. It was amazing and there is a Nature Resort/Spa and even an Anthurium Lily nursery.

Also, does anyone on my flist know anything interesting to do in Leicestershire or in near counties? Just checking out for my friend who is there early for Grad school and is bored out of her skull.

Also, I have gone low carb. I miss cake! :(

Hello there. As usual it's been a while since I've posted but I generally keep up with all your posts. It's just that I hardly ever have anything to say. School was hectic (still is) because it is the exam term. My kids had to do the big 11-plus exam last month and did fairly well and now we are on to planning for graduation which is stressful and frustrating. I can't believe I'm finishing up my first year as a teacher.

More importantly, my summer holiday starts on June 27th and I'll be leaving on a jet plane to New York. Unfortunately I'll only be in the States for like 2 weeks but I'll try to make the most of it. I'm trying to see whether I can make it down to DC in that time for jo_ron's birthday and to meet little b00.

Unfortunately I'm leaving before the HP premiere, but to tell the truth that really doesn't bother me much. Movies are cheaper in Barbados anyway.

American things I'm looking forward to:
1. Seeing a Broadway play. Apparently, even when you live in NY it's difficult to find the time and money for a play, so I'm going to try for one now I'm not living there anymore.
2. Sushi and Thai food!!!!! Ok this is not American but I've missed being able to just stop in at a my conveyor belt sushi places and getting some unagi without people giving you bug eyes.
3. NY pizza. I actually was craving it while I was here.
4. Medium rare steak at a good restaurant. We nah do anyting wid de word "rare" in dis island.
5. Fresh Bagels. I didn't realise how much I'd miss them.
5. My friends and the

I do hope to I get to see my NY friends. Currently I'm being inundated with the Super 8 cricket series at Lords. At the moment it's Ireland versus Sri Lanka. As much as i am happy to see the Sri Lankan team out and about, I'm shallow enough to be rooting for the Irish, because they have redheads.

( Nummy )

Anyway, I've been also geeking out over the last week with old Dragonball fics that I haven't read in years. All because of the Dragonball movie coming out today in Barbados. Now I have no real hope that this movie will be good, but I can't help myself. I've loved Dragonball since I was like 13 and it was my first real internet fandom. ( I had dabbled with Newsies, but it was already dying by the time I got the internet). I met friends, bought hundreds of dollars in merch and it was my gateway drug into Anime and then Japanese culture. I have a lot to thank it for. So in spite of the fact that I believe that they should really never try to make American live actions out of anime ( Speed Racer being a very good example of why not) I will spend my money and go watch it. Hopefully James Marster's Evil Piccolo will not disappoint me. I also want the movie to do well enough so that they will do the Saiyan saga Movie. I admit it. I just want them to cast a Vegeta.

I fail horribly at being able to post about my country. It's been a long month for me and Independence day is Sunday. So today I bring for you a video on the Barbados Landship and Tuk band music.

Barbadiana fact number 6.

( Days of our Lives )

Barbadiana fact number 5
( Education System )
( For enduring that here is CUTENESS and poppies )

Barbadiana fact number 4

( Parliament )

Thanks for reading about my country's form of government. I'll take this time to give my American friends good wishes today. The World is watching and we're all anxious about the outcome as this election will affect us all worldwide. So please if you haven't voted already, vote and make your voice heard.

Barbadiana fact number 3

( Chattel Houses )

Barbadiana topic number 2.

( Green Monkeys )

It's the first of November and for some people this month is about effigies and for others it's about turkey. But this is the month of Independence for my island, Barbados on November 30th. So I've decided to try to post something informative about Barbados everyday if possible. It's probably not going to work out because during the week I have a hard time getting online but here's to trying.

( Cricket )

I really meant to talk about something else but I'll do that later as watching that cricket match stressed me out.

In an interesting turn of events I went to see a dermatologist and was informed that indeed it is not sunburn but a skin condition called miliaria which is also known as prickly heat. I completely get why it's called PRICKLY heat now. It feels like thousands of tiny pins are sticking me. *sigh* My doctor basically told me that all he can do is give me some creams and antibiotics but really the only way to help the prickly death part is to not sweat.

Yes you read that right. I moved back to a tropical island and have been told not to sweat, during the hottest months of the year.

...

Why me?

*sigh* Well at least I'm being cheered up by the Olympics. Jamaican Usian Bolt won the 200 metre and broke Michael Johnson's record and his teammate, Melaine Walker won the 400 metre hurdle and broke the Olympic record. I was devastated when I heard about Churandy Martina from the Netherland Antilles (the Dutch West Indies) getting disqualified. It would have been his country's first ever medal.

Now onto the 200 metre womens and the relays. Yey Caribbean.

Also, thanks to fiendling for the awesome postcard from Deutschland.

OMG THE JAMAICANS DID IT AGAIN.

This time it was the Jamaican women. They took the entire 100 metre final. And not only that, they tied for silver. They are RIDICULOUS!

I am so proud. Congratulations Jamrock! You are doing the West Indies proud.

ETA: apparently no one bothered to get Grace Jackson (the Jamaican track commentator for our local channel) waterproof mascara today either. *snicker*

ETA2: In all my excitement I forgot to mention that not only am I sunburned again ( for the 3rd time since I got back home) but that when I woke up this morning, my left eye was almost swollen shut. wtf? sunscreen spf 50 and my melanin fail me YET AGAIN.

WAHOO!!! The Caribbean has taken gold and silver in the 100 m mens. A Jamaican just set the new world record and a Trini took silver! OMG Usian Bolt is CRAZY AMAZING. There were 6 Caribbean runners in the final. First time EVER for the Caribbean. I'm so proud of them.

ETA: NY Times article

There has been so much speculation about drug use in the Olympics and it's really interesting to see that now they have tightened up on drug testing how well the Caribbean Athletes are doing.

Is it sad that I may have made my father break a few traffic laws to get home in time to see the race start?

Also, Grace Jackson (Jamaican silver medalist in the 88 Olympics) is one of the commentators. I think when he won, she started crying cause all her eye makeup is ruined. Next time I'm sure she'll remember to go waterproof for when a fellow Jamaican does something mind-blowing.

Yesterday I went for an interview at the Ministry of Education here. It was quite nerve wracking as I had to interview with a panel of Education Officers and they asked me my opinion of what a teacher is and what kind of teacher I would like to be.

( Being a teacher )

For the last few weeks I've been playing the lazy unemployed bum.

However I did do some things that interfered with the lazy time.

( island time )

Guess who got a laptop for Christmas.

Yey for being able to check my mail more than once a month again.

Hi there. Just an update because I am sitting at a computer for a slightly longer than usual time. I've been basically working, hanging out with friends and family, sleeping and reading. That's my life for now.

I spent Thanksgiving with a large number of my father's side of the family. I've also been helping my cousin out with her salon which is kinda cool. It's called Pangea and it's an upscale NYC salon. I'm really proud of my cousin for what she's done so far with it.

I've only been able to check my mail when I visit fiendling's studio. So I have no idea what's really going on here in LJ land.

Those of you who are on my AIM list can probably just text me if you want to say hello since I'm always mobile on AIM. I am basically waiting on being able to afford a new computer (or maybe the new web enabled phone from my phone provider). Kinda sucks for those moments when I really want to google something but otherwise I'm not really suffering too much from my lack of internet.

I love you all, and if I don't get to talk to you soon, Happy Holidays and have prosperous New Year.

Hi there. Just checking in with you lot. My computer's power supply is dead so I don't have computer access. I don't know when next I'll be at a computer.

I'm just working a lot and generally being busy and tired and lonely and computerless.

Thanks cuteej4 for the poke.

I'm sorry, but in my discussions with people I'm digging up more things. I hope you guys don't mind it.


A metaphor scarah2 caught that I missed:

( DH SPOILER )