Saturday, December 25, 2010
About Christmas
It wasn’t the day
Or the hour
Of His birth that we remember
It isn’t who knelt
By His manger in worship
The matter or circumstance
Of His parentage is miraculous
But it’s beside the point
Each and every Christmas
We think back Two thousand years
And see
God
In His great Love
Removed His glorious raiment
Clothing Himself in flesh
Stepping off His mighty throne
To stand as an equal amongst us
He knew that He would face betrayal
Since before time began
It was already His Plan
To come and die
And rise victorious
Bringing Salvation
For all mankind
So
In essence
Each Christmas
We remember His sacrifice
His mercy
But most of all
We remember HIS LOVE
Monday, August 23, 2010
An Unwelcome Reality
In the face of a changing world
Where do you stand?
In the inevitability of our cultural extinction
What will you do?
Could you imagine yourself a refugee?
Assimilated into another nation
Just because yours lies hidden beneath the waves
Could you bear the harshness of asphalt under your bare feet –
And not the intimacy of sand shifting in the sun?
Can you imagine our children speaking foreign tongues –
But not the one spoken in these isles for thousands of years?
Our cultural heritage steeped in custom and tradition
Relegated to the dusty shelves of museums
Soon to be forgotten with the passing of time
The idea that our islands are sinking seems a farce
But the harsh reality seems closer than we had earlier thought
They’re giving us 50 years to move on to survive
Five decades to farewell our sacred groves
Five decades to mourn our dead long gone
Five decades to watch our land occupied over four thousand years ago disappear
50 years of heartache and pain
To set our house in order before we leave
This is our unwelcome reality
Where do you stand?
In the inevitability of our cultural extinction
What will you do?
Could you imagine yourself a refugee?
Assimilated into another nation
Just because yours lies hidden beneath the waves
Could you bear the harshness of asphalt under your bare feet –
And not the intimacy of sand shifting in the sun?
Can you imagine our children speaking foreign tongues –
But not the one spoken in these isles for thousands of years?
Our cultural heritage steeped in custom and tradition
Relegated to the dusty shelves of museums
Soon to be forgotten with the passing of time
The idea that our islands are sinking seems a farce
But the harsh reality seems closer than we had earlier thought
They’re giving us 50 years to move on to survive
Five decades to farewell our sacred groves
Five decades to mourn our dead long gone
Five decades to watch our land occupied over four thousand years ago disappear
50 years of heartache and pain
To set our house in order before we leave
This is our unwelcome reality
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
For Grog
This is my ode to the national drink
To the juice that makes you squint, squirm and lower your head in shame
Only to rise in proud stance to the call TAKI
This is for the first timers and avid fans
For those who wear their badges in scaled degrees
On their hands and knees (all over in fact)
This is for the conversations that flow along with the drink
Slowly winding down to a quiet contemplation
Each person wondering whose brave enough to call the next round
TAKI
The magic word sounds
The drink of the gods pours down
The poison spins round
This, well this is for the sounds of the frantic search for chaser
This is for the crackle of sweet wrappers
And the suckling sounds of mango skin sucked dry of all flavour
This is for the various ways of drinking
Some like they want to swallow the bilo along with the juice
Other’s like sipping hot tea
This is for the grimace and complaints of a strong mix, or the odd call that it’s too waicala
Served high tide, low tide, or in between
The levels dropping as the hours fly
This is for the different sized bilos used
And even the variety of substitutes
Ranging from mugs to porcelain bowls
Even the odd wine glass for the classy connoisseur
This is for the odd bucket, basins
And other odds and ends
That serves as the majestic tanoa
This is for reconciliation
For the weddings, funerals, birthdays, anniversaries
Class or family reunions, the odd encounter
The coincidental meet at the market
Rugby World Cups, Super 14’s and other rugby championships
And those moments when our thirst gets the better of us
This is for the yaqona of Fiji
The Ava of Samoa, Kava from Tonga
The Awa of Hawaii
And that potent stuff served in Nakamal’s in Villa, Noumea, Moresby and Honiara
Also in kitchens, grog shops, backyards, front porches
Vatuniloa’s, mango trees, village houses, sugarcane fields, University campuses
The list is endless
Those places where grog is served with relish
Whether five star or not
This is my ode to the magic of the call
TAKI
To the juice that makes you squint, squirm and lower your head in shame
Only to rise in proud stance to the call TAKI
This is for the first timers and avid fans
For those who wear their badges in scaled degrees
On their hands and knees (all over in fact)
This is for the conversations that flow along with the drink
Slowly winding down to a quiet contemplation
Each person wondering whose brave enough to call the next round
TAKI
The magic word sounds
The drink of the gods pours down
The poison spins round
This, well this is for the sounds of the frantic search for chaser
This is for the crackle of sweet wrappers
And the suckling sounds of mango skin sucked dry of all flavour
This is for the various ways of drinking
Some like they want to swallow the bilo along with the juice
Other’s like sipping hot tea
This is for the grimace and complaints of a strong mix, or the odd call that it’s too waicala
Served high tide, low tide, or in between
The levels dropping as the hours fly
This is for the different sized bilos used
And even the variety of substitutes
Ranging from mugs to porcelain bowls
Even the odd wine glass for the classy connoisseur
This is for the odd bucket, basins
And other odds and ends
That serves as the majestic tanoa
This is for reconciliation
For the weddings, funerals, birthdays, anniversaries
Class or family reunions, the odd encounter
The coincidental meet at the market
Rugby World Cups, Super 14’s and other rugby championships
And those moments when our thirst gets the better of us
This is for the yaqona of Fiji
The Ava of Samoa, Kava from Tonga
The Awa of Hawaii
And that potent stuff served in Nakamal’s in Villa, Noumea, Moresby and Honiara
Also in kitchens, grog shops, backyards, front porches
Vatuniloa’s, mango trees, village houses, sugarcane fields, University campuses
The list is endless
Those places where grog is served with relish
Whether five star or not
This is my ode to the magic of the call
TAKI
Monday, July 5, 2010
A Parody of Nature's Love
Mother Nature must really love us
She showers her love upon us each and every day
Raging sun, freezing storms, devastating winds and thirsty deserts
Volcanoes erupting, earthquakes rocking and waves surging
We feel and see her love for Humanity each and every day
Why does she love us so much?
Just think about it,
We destroy her virgin forests to expand our cities
We spill millions of barrels of oil into her oceans and seas
We kill indiscriminately the whales, the deer, the elephants, the lions, the tigers, the bears
And the list goes on and on,
In fact no creature of the animal kingdom is safe from us
Isn’t it a wonder that Mother Nature loves us???
She’s grateful to us for destroying the protective covering
That shields us from the sun’s rays
She giggles every time we dig deep mines into her face
Searching for gold, diamonds and every other mineral under the sun
She is happiest when we create landfill after landfill to contain all our waste and litter
Yes, I’m sure she loves us for all the fun things we do
In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if her love consumes us
Drowning our islands, flattening our cities
Burning our homes and killing every single human in existence
What greater expression of love could we ever expect from our Mother?
This could be food for thought,
How much more do we love ourselves?
To ensure our survival in the face of Mother Nature’s love
She showers her love upon us each and every day
Raging sun, freezing storms, devastating winds and thirsty deserts
Volcanoes erupting, earthquakes rocking and waves surging
We feel and see her love for Humanity each and every day
Why does she love us so much?
Just think about it,
We destroy her virgin forests to expand our cities
We spill millions of barrels of oil into her oceans and seas
We kill indiscriminately the whales, the deer, the elephants, the lions, the tigers, the bears
And the list goes on and on,
In fact no creature of the animal kingdom is safe from us
Isn’t it a wonder that Mother Nature loves us???
She’s grateful to us for destroying the protective covering
That shields us from the sun’s rays
She giggles every time we dig deep mines into her face
Searching for gold, diamonds and every other mineral under the sun
She is happiest when we create landfill after landfill to contain all our waste and litter
Yes, I’m sure she loves us for all the fun things we do
In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if her love consumes us
Drowning our islands, flattening our cities
Burning our homes and killing every single human in existence
What greater expression of love could we ever expect from our Mother?
This could be food for thought,
How much more do we love ourselves?
To ensure our survival in the face of Mother Nature’s love
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Pain
We’ve all
Felt it
Touched it
Seen it
Known it
In one way or another
It could be
As sharp as a knife
As blunt as a round ball
Lasts
As long as a second
And as short as eternity
It comes in many forms
In many ways
In different times
And in different styles
It drives us to shout out loud
Or weep in silence
It enables us to confront our problems
Or move along in quiet apathy
For as long as humanity lives
It is something we will never be free of
But with our ability to adapt
It is something we can learn to live with
Felt it
Touched it
Seen it
Known it
In one way or another
It could be
As sharp as a knife
As blunt as a round ball
Lasts
As long as a second
And as short as eternity
It comes in many forms
In many ways
In different times
And in different styles
It drives us to shout out loud
Or weep in silence
It enables us to confront our problems
Or move along in quiet apathy
For as long as humanity lives
It is something we will never be free of
But with our ability to adapt
It is something we can learn to live with
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
The Art of Giving
There’s something to be said
About our capacity to give
The ability to look past our selfish pride
And offer help to someone else
Maybe it’s God given or maybe not
But I believe that it is something
Deeply inherent in all human beings
The power to release a portion of our wealth
Be it time
Be it money
Be it material worth
Or even a listening ear
The gift of giving is never lost
The best form of giving expects nothing in return
The most apt gift is that from the heart
The most powerful person in the world is the giver
Tis truly said that it’s better to give than to receive
Our acts of giving open up channels of love
Our willingness to give can change a person’s life
Imagine how much better our world would be
If everyone gave, without conditions
If everyone shared without regret
But most of all if everyone was thankful for the things they had
And still had the chance to give once more
Blessed are the givers I say
For theirs is the gift of love
About our capacity to give
The ability to look past our selfish pride
And offer help to someone else
Maybe it’s God given or maybe not
But I believe that it is something
Deeply inherent in all human beings
The power to release a portion of our wealth
Be it time
Be it money
Be it material worth
Or even a listening ear
The gift of giving is never lost
The best form of giving expects nothing in return
The most apt gift is that from the heart
The most powerful person in the world is the giver
Tis truly said that it’s better to give than to receive
Our acts of giving open up channels of love
Our willingness to give can change a person’s life
Imagine how much better our world would be
If everyone gave, without conditions
If everyone shared without regret
But most of all if everyone was thankful for the things they had
And still had the chance to give once more
Blessed are the givers I say
For theirs is the gift of love
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Trial and Error
I’ve spent the last three weeks baking and trialing various recipes. One morning, I tried my hand at making waffles and it came out nicely (and I made maple syrup to go with it). That same day, I baked a chocolate cake but I burnt the bottom (too long in oven) and I almost broke my right arm whisking the butter and icing sugar for the cake. The icing turned out very nice.
The next week, I found a flapjack recipe in a magazine and offered to make a batch for breakie again. It was delicious!!
That following afternoon, mum asked me to make some more flapjacks for tea and I came up with a hitch and bungled the pancakes.
Just Thursday gone by, I taught the ladies in church how to make chocolate coconut balls (ChoCo Balls) that was a favourite recipe of mine from a long time ago. It turned out perfect (as usual) and the children loved it (as well as their mother’s).
Last night (by the way, this is one of my home made posts that were uploaded the next day), I made chocolate fudge and believe me when I say that it was a LONG TIME since I had last made that particular delicacy. I was hooked and wanted to try it again but I came up short and bungled the caramel mix (SHIT).
I don’t know how many more recipe’s I’m gonna try my hand at but it looks very promising for me. Mum says I have the makings of a good desert chef at home… LOL
I hope I can prove her right…
The next week, I found a flapjack recipe in a magazine and offered to make a batch for breakie again. It was delicious!!
That following afternoon, mum asked me to make some more flapjacks for tea and I came up with a hitch and bungled the pancakes.
Just Thursday gone by, I taught the ladies in church how to make chocolate coconut balls (ChoCo Balls) that was a favourite recipe of mine from a long time ago. It turned out perfect (as usual) and the children loved it (as well as their mother’s).
Last night (by the way, this is one of my home made posts that were uploaded the next day), I made chocolate fudge and believe me when I say that it was a LONG TIME since I had last made that particular delicacy. I was hooked and wanted to try it again but I came up short and bungled the caramel mix (SHIT).
I don’t know how many more recipe’s I’m gonna try my hand at but it looks very promising for me. Mum says I have the makings of a good desert chef at home… LOL
I hope I can prove her right…
Thursday, June 10, 2010
The One Thing I Hate
This is a post i forgot to put up way back after the Cyclone:
If there is one thing I utterly detest in this world when concerning the relationships that people share with each other is the act of a Man beating a Woman into a semblance of submission and fear. It is one thing I will not tolerate.
This is what is happening to me at this point in time. There’s a young couple in church who – during the hurricane, had an argument and the wife was beaten severely by her husband. When I saw the extent of her injuries, I was appalled and disgusted that this could happen to one so young. When I say that they are young, I mean, they are my age. The thing that has me in a twist is that the boy has a position in the church that is very important and requires tact in managing. When I saw his wife, I was all in for him being stood down from his position and being replaced by someone who was more balanced in his family life. Of course I didn’t actually voice that opinion to mum and dad because it wouldn’t be fair for me to do so.
Right now they’re having music team rehearsals and I’m sick just looking at his ugly mug. I mean it, this boy is a no looker for good reason – he’s just plain ugly. I’m not being biased in saying that, it’s true. I’m not beating around the bush when I say that he is one ugly “fothermucker”. Gawd, I really detest him right now. From the moment I first met him, I just knew that there would be something about him I would come to hate and that premonition just came true. I detest this boy for the mere fact that he beat his wife after an argument. Argh!
Gets my blood boiling. In fact when I do post this, it’s not going in as a perspective, no I’m making it a full rant.
The funny thing is that since I’m so good at wearing masks, I can be cool around him but deep inside I’m boiling with resentment for him and what he’s done. People might tell me that it’s nothing to do with me, but what happens if he does it again and she dies??? Do we then step in at that minute??? Prevention is better than cure in my opinion and it applies very much into this instance. If I have to threaten him, I will. I will not accept someone who will stoop that low as to beating someone unable to defend herself. If it was a woman beating a man, I’d be ok with that; but vice versa??? HELL TO THE FCUKING NO!!!
The sad thing about this is that I can never again look at him with the respect I once had for him. Now, all I see is a wife beater and it’d take a miracle to change my mind about him. I’m hoping to let mum know this so that at least she’ll understand how I will be acting to this particular boy (I call him boy because he’s not worth me naming him a man… fcuk that shit)
That’s about it for me, now. I might come up with another rant soon if I’m not done getting angry with the bloody bastard.
If there is one thing I utterly detest in this world when concerning the relationships that people share with each other is the act of a Man beating a Woman into a semblance of submission and fear. It is one thing I will not tolerate.
This is what is happening to me at this point in time. There’s a young couple in church who – during the hurricane, had an argument and the wife was beaten severely by her husband. When I saw the extent of her injuries, I was appalled and disgusted that this could happen to one so young. When I say that they are young, I mean, they are my age. The thing that has me in a twist is that the boy has a position in the church that is very important and requires tact in managing. When I saw his wife, I was all in for him being stood down from his position and being replaced by someone who was more balanced in his family life. Of course I didn’t actually voice that opinion to mum and dad because it wouldn’t be fair for me to do so.
Right now they’re having music team rehearsals and I’m sick just looking at his ugly mug. I mean it, this boy is a no looker for good reason – he’s just plain ugly. I’m not being biased in saying that, it’s true. I’m not beating around the bush when I say that he is one ugly “fothermucker”. Gawd, I really detest him right now. From the moment I first met him, I just knew that there would be something about him I would come to hate and that premonition just came true. I detest this boy for the mere fact that he beat his wife after an argument. Argh!
Gets my blood boiling. In fact when I do post this, it’s not going in as a perspective, no I’m making it a full rant.
The funny thing is that since I’m so good at wearing masks, I can be cool around him but deep inside I’m boiling with resentment for him and what he’s done. People might tell me that it’s nothing to do with me, but what happens if he does it again and she dies??? Do we then step in at that minute??? Prevention is better than cure in my opinion and it applies very much into this instance. If I have to threaten him, I will. I will not accept someone who will stoop that low as to beating someone unable to defend herself. If it was a woman beating a man, I’d be ok with that; but vice versa??? HELL TO THE FCUKING NO!!!
The sad thing about this is that I can never again look at him with the respect I once had for him. Now, all I see is a wife beater and it’d take a miracle to change my mind about him. I’m hoping to let mum know this so that at least she’ll understand how I will be acting to this particular boy (I call him boy because he’s not worth me naming him a man… fcuk that shit)
That’s about it for me, now. I might come up with another rant soon if I’m not done getting angry with the bloody bastard.
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
I read this interesting book about making wishes and the history of wish making. It concerns the experience of Noelle Oxenhandler and how she took a year to make 3 wishes and experience how they came to pass. There are several things I learnt from that book:
A wish gives one the chance to release energy into the universe.
A wish must be made without doubt or fear or any negative thought/emotion that could deter the energy released in the wish from drawing what you need to you.
To make a wish requires one to take the extra mile and ensure that one does everything to bring oneself in alignment to the wish’s fulfillment.
A wish is best kept secret; only to be shared with those who can encourage you in keeping the wish alive.
One needs to be specific at times as to what you are wishing e.g. I wish for $299 to buy the new Alcatel on sale at Courts Homecentre.
One’s wish can be materialistic as well as psychological, spiritual or moral.
I’ve learnt all that and even more. To that end, I’ve taken it on myself to drawing up a wishlist and sending out all my conscious thought towards the power of the wish. I won’t detail it here because I want to keep it personal but you can know that it’s mostly material wishing.
Wish me luck!
A wish gives one the chance to release energy into the universe.
A wish must be made without doubt or fear or any negative thought/emotion that could deter the energy released in the wish from drawing what you need to you.
To make a wish requires one to take the extra mile and ensure that one does everything to bring oneself in alignment to the wish’s fulfillment.
A wish is best kept secret; only to be shared with those who can encourage you in keeping the wish alive.
One needs to be specific at times as to what you are wishing e.g. I wish for $299 to buy the new Alcatel on sale at Courts Homecentre.
One’s wish can be materialistic as well as psychological, spiritual or moral.
I’ve learnt all that and even more. To that end, I’ve taken it on myself to drawing up a wishlist and sending out all my conscious thought towards the power of the wish. I won’t detail it here because I want to keep it personal but you can know that it’s mostly material wishing.
Wish me luck!
Saturday, June 5, 2010
You Drive me Crazy!!!
It’s that look in your eyes
You know
The one that swallows me whole
That look that sees through me
Making me feel like I’m there but again I’m not
It’s the way you hold my hand
Each stroke & caress
Hitting me with the force of a lightning bolt
That touch that says so much more
Than words could ever convey
It’s the way you say my name
Each inflection and consonant
Echoing in the halls of my heart
Sending shivers down my spine to my toes
Turning me to helpless clay
Your breathy whisper that leaves me wanting more
I’m sure
You know by now
That you drive me crazy
Your mere presence is enough
To make me swoon in ecstasy
And so I sit here
Writing this ode
Hoping to never lose this feeling
That only you could arouse in me
GAWD YOU DRIVE ME CRAZY!
You know
The one that swallows me whole
That look that sees through me
Making me feel like I’m there but again I’m not
It’s the way you hold my hand
Each stroke & caress
Hitting me with the force of a lightning bolt
That touch that says so much more
Than words could ever convey
It’s the way you say my name
Each inflection and consonant
Echoing in the halls of my heart
Sending shivers down my spine to my toes
Turning me to helpless clay
Your breathy whisper that leaves me wanting more
I’m sure
You know by now
That you drive me crazy
Your mere presence is enough
To make me swoon in ecstasy
And so I sit here
Writing this ode
Hoping to never lose this feeling
That only you could arouse in me
GAWD YOU DRIVE ME CRAZY!
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
I'm headed to India
Oh yeah.... this is something quick just to show y'all what i'll be up to in NOvember:
if you haven't guessed it's a program that'll see me in New Delhi... YAY!
oh and here's a little something to commemorate India:
if you haven't guessed it's a program that'll see me in New Delhi... YAY!
oh and here's a little something to commemorate India:
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Nostalgia
Every where I look
Every thing I do
Every time I’m alone
I can’t help but think of you
I long to hear your laugh again
I yearn for those times we shared
I wish that I could be by your side once more
But more often than not, it’s become wishful thinking
My heart aches so much
My tears almost spent
The longing within me so strong
My only release found in sleep’s embrace
But then my dreams find you
And I am glad once more
If only for the space of my dreamtime
Because it is there that we are together
Laughing together, singing together
Sharing together
And when the sun breaks in the horizon
The nostalgia will return to claim me
Till sleep draws me once more
To dream of you and me
Together
Every thing I do
Every time I’m alone
I can’t help but think of you
I long to hear your laugh again
I yearn for those times we shared
I wish that I could be by your side once more
But more often than not, it’s become wishful thinking
My heart aches so much
My tears almost spent
The longing within me so strong
My only release found in sleep’s embrace
But then my dreams find you
And I am glad once more
If only for the space of my dreamtime
Because it is there that we are together
Laughing together, singing together
Sharing together
And when the sun breaks in the horizon
The nostalgia will return to claim me
Till sleep draws me once more
To dream of you and me
Together
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Living in Transition
It’s been a while since I’ve had the chance to upload something on to this blog. Too long I say. So much has happened in the past month that I’ll try and sum it all up.
Since I’ve come back from the Disaster Assessment Tour of Cakaudrove following from Cyclone Tomas, and immediately began preparations for a trip to Suva.
This trip to Suva was for the “Together We Can” Project training. This project is Red Cross’s Peer Education component for their HIV/AIDS prevention and education. Frances, Ateca and I represented Savusavu and we met volunteers from every branch in Fiji e.g. Levuka, Taveuni, Sigatoka, Rakiraki, etc... It was absolutely fun and a pure teambuilding week for us volunteers. We all became so close that when it came for us to depart, everybody was in tears. Yes, that was a definite highlight for me.
Coming back to Savusavu, myself and the two girls busied ourselves with preparing for the work we needed to do and at the same time spent every passing day either in Naverea or Vuniyasawa. Yes, there was grog involved in copious amounts. What bliss!
I must note that ever since we’ve come back from Suva, our mobiles have become a sort of hotline for all Red Cross Peer Educators. Day and night!
Oh I forgot an important piece of news, the week I was preparing to leave for Suva; Mum had been to Suva and came back with Jessica.
The week after I came back, we went to Labasa for a Northern Division meet and I had fun there; got to meet up with Mei Mili and visited the Labasa Branch office.
Came back and began preparing to fly over to Suva for a MEN Fiji consultation meeting. That was a good weekend for me.
While I was in Suva for the consultation meet, a combined Band of Suva Central and Lomaivuna Brass came to Savusavu for a camp and tour. This was a great week for all. They led music workshops and we had a mini concert on their last night. I’ve been tasked with putting together a report for the War Cry which I’ve done, I’m just waiting for the photos to be emailed to me from Nancy and Leibling.
Besides all that excitement, we’ve exchanged Jessica for William to stay with us (he came with Pingy along with Hannah)…
It’s been good these past few weeks and I’m looking forward to better days ahead.
Since I’ve come back from the Disaster Assessment Tour of Cakaudrove following from Cyclone Tomas, and immediately began preparations for a trip to Suva.
This trip to Suva was for the “Together We Can” Project training. This project is Red Cross’s Peer Education component for their HIV/AIDS prevention and education. Frances, Ateca and I represented Savusavu and we met volunteers from every branch in Fiji e.g. Levuka, Taveuni, Sigatoka, Rakiraki, etc... It was absolutely fun and a pure teambuilding week for us volunteers. We all became so close that when it came for us to depart, everybody was in tears. Yes, that was a definite highlight for me.
Coming back to Savusavu, myself and the two girls busied ourselves with preparing for the work we needed to do and at the same time spent every passing day either in Naverea or Vuniyasawa. Yes, there was grog involved in copious amounts. What bliss!
I must note that ever since we’ve come back from Suva, our mobiles have become a sort of hotline for all Red Cross Peer Educators. Day and night!
Oh I forgot an important piece of news, the week I was preparing to leave for Suva; Mum had been to Suva and came back with Jessica.
The week after I came back, we went to Labasa for a Northern Division meet and I had fun there; got to meet up with Mei Mili and visited the Labasa Branch office.
Came back and began preparing to fly over to Suva for a MEN Fiji consultation meeting. That was a good weekend for me.
While I was in Suva for the consultation meet, a combined Band of Suva Central and Lomaivuna Brass came to Savusavu for a camp and tour. This was a great week for all. They led music workshops and we had a mini concert on their last night. I’ve been tasked with putting together a report for the War Cry which I’ve done, I’m just waiting for the photos to be emailed to me from Nancy and Leibling.
Besides all that excitement, we’ve exchanged Jessica for William to stay with us (he came with Pingy along with Hannah)…
It’s been good these past few weeks and I’m looking forward to better days ahead.
Thursday, May 20, 2010
The Gospel of Rugby
The Gospel of Rugby
Well known far and wide
Its doctrines and laws
Plays and sequences
Memorised, treasured and kept close to heart
More than any religious text or constitutional mandate
The gospel of rugby
Has a simple yet diverse grammar
With verb forms and nouns
Made up of whizzes and whooshes
Bangs, pops and other imagined sound effects
The whole game summed up with wild gestures
And a frenzied description
Likened to that of a fiery preacher
Speaking of hell fire and damnation
Remember that it’s considered rude to interrupt one when one is talking rugby
The messiah of the gospel of rugby
Is that one player who breaks through the line
Dashing down the field to score try after try after try
Rising up to touch his heart and point skyward
Affording that win to some higher power
All an effort to show some pretense of humility
When deep inside he’s really going: In your face bitches!
The Gospel of Rugby captures your attention
Its grip so tight that the roads miraculously clear
Shops close down and everyone is seated round the television
Eyes glued to every movement and play
Even the domesticated animals are silent with trepidation
And all of a sudden A TRY!
Screams and shouting all around
Pots banging, children dancing
The game is won and the world cup is coming home
Hours later the government declares a national holiday
All in the name of the gospel of rugby
Heaven’s forbid that the team should lose
For the gospel of rugby can be insidious
Wounded pride demanding the sacrifice of the coach
And the team and the support crew and the management
And anyone else that’s deemed liable for the atrocities of THAT world cup
That’s the gospel of rugby for you
A poor attempt I must admit but as close to the truth as I would see it
Well known far and wide
Its doctrines and laws
Plays and sequences
Memorised, treasured and kept close to heart
More than any religious text or constitutional mandate
The gospel of rugby
Has a simple yet diverse grammar
With verb forms and nouns
Made up of whizzes and whooshes
Bangs, pops and other imagined sound effects
The whole game summed up with wild gestures
And a frenzied description
Likened to that of a fiery preacher
Speaking of hell fire and damnation
Remember that it’s considered rude to interrupt one when one is talking rugby
The messiah of the gospel of rugby
Is that one player who breaks through the line
Dashing down the field to score try after try after try
Rising up to touch his heart and point skyward
Affording that win to some higher power
All an effort to show some pretense of humility
When deep inside he’s really going: In your face bitches!
The Gospel of Rugby captures your attention
Its grip so tight that the roads miraculously clear
Shops close down and everyone is seated round the television
Eyes glued to every movement and play
Even the domesticated animals are silent with trepidation
And all of a sudden A TRY!
Screams and shouting all around
Pots banging, children dancing
The game is won and the world cup is coming home
Hours later the government declares a national holiday
All in the name of the gospel of rugby
Heaven’s forbid that the team should lose
For the gospel of rugby can be insidious
Wounded pride demanding the sacrifice of the coach
And the team and the support crew and the management
And anyone else that’s deemed liable for the atrocities of THAT world cup
That’s the gospel of rugby for you
A poor attempt I must admit but as close to the truth as I would see it
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
I hate goodbyes
i have to farewell some really awesome people from suva
and i don't want to...
really sad right now
and i don't want to...
really sad right now
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
The Day Will Return
In a sea of eternal night
When all is lost & desperate
In a time of endless darkness
When the spirit is battered & torn
In a waste of black horizons
When all that is seen is hatred & death
I believe that the day will return
In the moments when hope disappears
In the hours of unending pain
In the instance when suffering abounds
When living no longer is gain
I believe that the day will return
In the desert of infinite thirst
And a wasteland of total desolation
In swampy mires of drowning depression
And arid mountains of rising trouble
I believe that the day will return
I believe
The day will return in all its glory
Bringing hope & change
Relieving all suffering & pain
The day will return & forever stay
With its light & warmth
Healing & rest
Everything good & kind
Like sugar & spice
I believe that this night will not last
And Day will come with the sun
Battling its way through the dark
Ushering in a new dawn, a new Day
For you
For me
For everyone
When all is lost & desperate
In a time of endless darkness
When the spirit is battered & torn
In a waste of black horizons
When all that is seen is hatred & death
I believe that the day will return
In the moments when hope disappears
In the hours of unending pain
In the instance when suffering abounds
When living no longer is gain
I believe that the day will return
In the desert of infinite thirst
And a wasteland of total desolation
In swampy mires of drowning depression
And arid mountains of rising trouble
I believe that the day will return
I believe
The day will return in all its glory
Bringing hope & change
Relieving all suffering & pain
The day will return & forever stay
With its light & warmth
Healing & rest
Everything good & kind
Like sugar & spice
I believe that this night will not last
And Day will come with the sun
Battling its way through the dark
Ushering in a new dawn, a new Day
For you
For me
For everyone
Monday, March 22, 2010
Percy Jackson & The Olypmians: The Lightning Thief
Based on the novel series by Rick Riordan “Percy Jackson and the Olympians – The Lightning Thief”
Synopsis:
The movie opens with Poseidon (Kevin McKidd), walking out of the sea and into NYC. After climbing to the top of the Empire State Building, Zeus (Sean Bean) shows up, and asks Poseidon what he sees. Poseidon says he sees thunderclouds, and Zeus replies that there's no lightning. Zeus then explains that it (Zeus' lightning bolt) has been stolen, and he believes that Poseidon sent his son, Percy, to steal it. Zeus gives an ultimatum. Either Percy returns the lightning bolt within 14 days, before the summer solstice, or else there will be war. Poseidon is furious that Zeus would threaten his son, but realizes he can't change the god's mind. Zeus rips open a doorway, and travels up to Mount Olympus.
We next see Percy Jackson (Logan Lerman) sitting underwater for quite some time. When he finally surfaces, his best friend Grover (Brandon T. Jackson) comments that he was under for 7 minutes. Percy responds that the only place he can think is underwater. (Percy suffers from both Dyslexia and ADHD)
We see Percy and Grover (Who uses crutches) walking through school to English class. They have a substitute teacher, Ms. Dodds (Maria Olsen), who asks Percy to explain a quote on the board. However his Dyslexia causes the letters to float around, making it impossible for him to read. Percy goes home and talks to his mom Sally Jackson (Catherine Keener) about how school is going terribly. His mom says that things will get better soon, and that one day he'll understand why everything is like this. Then, Gabe Ugliano (Joe Pantoliano), Percy's step-dad gets home. He's a smelly (as in lack of hygiene) jerk, who forces Sally to get him a beer from the fridge and treats her and Percy like crap. Percy gets fed up, but Gabe threatens him and he backs off.
The next day, Percy and Grover go on a field trip to a Greek Museum, which is led by Ms.Dodds and Mr. Brunner (Pierce Brosnan) a wheelchair bound Latin teacher. Mr. Brunner asks Percy a few questions about demigods (the children that are born when gods "hook up" with mortals), which Percy is able to answer thanks to his Dyslexia translating an ancient Greek tablet. Ms. Dodds then asks to speak to Percy. She leads him into a closed off exhibit, and teleports to the top of some scaffolding. She then hisses at Percy, asking where the lightning bolt is, before turning into Alecto, a Fury and one of Hades' servants. Percy is freaking out, has no idea what's going on, and is about to die before Mr. Brunner and Grover show up. Mr. Brunner threatens Alecto, and she flies away. Grover explains that he is Percy's protector, and that they have to go to camp.
Percy still has no idea what's going on, but goes with Grover. Mr. Brunner also gives Percy a pen, claiming that it's a powerful weapon. Grover and Percy get to Percy's apartment to get his mom, and Grover proves to be very adept with his crutches, knocking out Gabe when he tries to stop them from leaving. Percy, Sally, and Grover are driving to camp, and Percy still has no idea what's going on. His mom tells him that it has something to do with his father, but doesn't elaborate. However, the group is attacked by the Minotaur, and crashes the car. Grover reveals that he's a Satyr (Half man, half goat) and uses the crutches to help disguise his goat legs and feet. They try to escape the Minotaur by running under an arch that reads Camp Half-Blood, but Sally is unable to enter due to a magical barrier. The Minotaur catches her, and squeezes her into gold dust. Percy gets ticked, and the pen Mr. Brunner gives him turns into a Greek sword. He then battles the Minotaur, eventually ripping off one of its horns and stabbing it, finally killing it. Percy then passes out.
Three days later, Percy wakes up in the infirmary at Camp Half-Blood. After getting oriented, Grover shows him around camp, and points out Annabeth (Alexandra Daddario), a daughter of Athena. We also find out that Mr. Brunner is actually Chiron, a centaur and famous teacher of heroes. He reveals to Percy that he is a son of Poseidon, and that the god's are on the brink of war because of the theft of Zeus' lighting bolt. He wants to take Percy to Olympus to show the gods that he isn't the lightning thief. But first, Percy needs to train. Finally, he reveals that Percy's mom made many sacrifices for him, including marrying Gabe, whose pungent smell prevented monsters from realizing Percy is a demigod.
A game of capture-the-flag is going on, ancient Greek style. This includes swords, shields, spears, bows, arrows, daggers, and anything else you can think of. Percy is put on Luke's team. Luke (Jake Abel) is one of the oldest campers, and is a son of Hermes. He loans Percy a helmet, and sticks by him when things get intense. Eventually, Luke is holding 3 of Ares' (God of War) children at bay while Percy looks for the flag. He finds it, but also runs into Annabeth, who immediately starts dueling him. She easily defeats Percy, cutting several of his tendons and forcing him to the ground. But, Percy hears Poseidon's voice in his head, and crawls to a nearby creek. The water heals him, and boosts his strength and reflexes. He is able to disarm Annabeth, and wins the game.
That night at dinner, Annabeth talks to him about how their parents, Poseidon and Athena, hate each other, but that doesn't mean that Percy and Annabeth have to be enemies. However, things get broken up when Hades shows up as a twenty-foot flaming demon. He reveals that he has Percy's mother, from when the Minotaur "killed" her earlier. Hades is willing to trade Sally for Zeus' bolt, which he believes Percy has.
Although Chiron forbids him, Percy sneaks out of camp that night, desperate to save his mother. Grover and Annabeth catch him, and when they realize Percy can't be stopped, they go with him. First, they go to Luke to find out how to get to the Underworld. Luke tells them that all the gods are selfish and cruel, and is more than happy to help. He gives them a map that will lead them to four locations: The gates of the Underworld, and the location of three Pearls of Persephone. Persephone (Rosario Dawson) is Hades' reluctant wife, and often has affairs with other men. The Pearls allow the guys to quickly get out of the Underworld if Hades finds them. Luke also gives Percy a pair of winged shoes he stole from Hermes, and a shield.
The trio of heroes make their way to the first Pearl, which is located in Aunty Em's Garden Emporium, a place full of decorative statues. It appears to be deserted, so they split up to find the Pearl. Grover finds a statue that looks a lot like a relative of his, down to the location of mole. As it happened, that relative was killed by... Medusa! At the same time, Annabeth finds a woman screaming about how someone turned her husband to stone, and how they have to get out of there. Medusa finds them, however, and turns the woman to stone, and traps Annabeth. Percy and Grover try to figure out how to kill Medusa, with Percy using his iPhone as a mirror, since only looking into Medusa's eyes turns you to stone. Long story short: Grover and Annabeth distract Medusa, and Percy decapitates her. Annabeth decides to keep Medusa's head, as her stone gaze still works if you look at her eyes.
After finding the Pearl on Medusa's bracelet, Percy, Grover, and Annabeth hijack Medusa's truck to get to the next location: The replica Parthenon in Nashville. After they stop at a motel for the night, Percy and Annabeth start to grow closer, but this is interrupted when Grover, watching TV, finds a missing person report on Percy. Gabe is claiming that Percy kidnapped his mother and is now on the run. Since they can't do anything about it now, the trio just heads down to Nashville.
When they finally reach the Parthenon, they see the next Pearl on the statue of Athena, but can't reach it. They hide in the bathroom until closing, and then use sleeping darts to knock out the night janitors. Percy uses the winged shoes to get the pearl, but the janitors wake up and reveal that they're actually the Hydra. The Hydra attacks and nearly kills the heroes, but Percy discovers that he has hydrokinesis (He can control the movement of water), and is able to slow it down. However, Grover kills the Hydra by pulling out Medusa's head and turning it to stone.
Happy with their success, the group goes to the final pearl location: The Lotus Casino in Las Vegas. They make it to the casino, but they find that it is the lair of the Lotus-Eaters. Whenever you eat the Lotus plant, all you want to do is remain there, doing nothing else for all eternity. The group gets sucked into the Casino, but Percy hears Poseidon's voice again, and manages to wake up from his trance. He realizes what's going on when he meets a kid from 1971 playing pinball, and also manages to wake up Grover and Annabeth. They find the last Pearl (being used as a roulette ball), hijack another car, and escape.
Finally, they make their way to the gates of the Underworld. As it turns out, the depths of Hell are located beneath... Beverly Hills! Yeah, I wasn't really that surprised.
After traveling to Hades' palace, Percy, Annabeth, and Grover meet Persephone, who leads them to Hades (Steve Coogan). Hades says that he wants Zeus' bolt so that he can rule Olympus, as he's sick of living in the Underworld. Percy insists that he doesn't have the bolt, but Hades doesn't believe him, and threatens to destroy his mother, who suddenly appears. Percy throws aside his shield to see his mom, but it breaks open, revealing the lightning bolt inside. Yes, Luke stole the lightning bolt because he hated the gods for ignoring him, and wanted them to destroy themselves. He knew that the missing lightning bolt would cause a war, and that he could take over once the gods had wiped each other out.
Hades doesn't care about Luke though; he's just happy to have the bolt. Just as he's about to kill Percy, Persephone betrays her husband, and knocks him out with the lightning bolt. She knew that a war between the gods would cause her to lose any happiness she had left, leaving her only with Hades, who she hated. She gives the bolt back to Percy, but also points out that the group, with Sally now included, has only 3 Pearls for 4 people; someone will have to stay behind. Grover, as Percy's protector, volunteers, and the others use the Pearls to teleport to the Empire State Building to get to Mount Olympus.
However, Luke shows up with another pair of flying shoes and steals the lightning bolt again. Percy then uses his shoes to chase after Luke, which climaxes in Percy using the water from several water towers to pulverize Luke and throw him into the ocean. Percy and Annabeth then travel to Mount Olympus (Sally stays behind since she's mortal) and arrive with the lightning bolt a few seconds after the deadline. Zeus decides to let it slide, however, and peace reigns. Percy and Annabeth both get to talk to their parents, with Poseidon telling Percy that he regrets not being able to stay with him and Sally, but his godly responsibilities forced him to leave. Percy forgives his father, and the two shake hands.
The movie ends with Sally dropping Percy back off at Camp Half-Blood, saying that he belongs there. Percy finds Grover, who was released from the Underworld, and is ecstatic that after successfully "protecting" Percy, he is now a Senior Protector First Class (he also gets some very small horns). Chiron forgives Percy for running away, as heroes can train all they want, but in the end their instinct is what makes them a hero. Finally, Percy and Annabeth have another friendly duel, with Annabeth almost kissing Percy.
Shortly after the credits, we see Sally kicking Gabe out of her apartment. He wants to get a beer first, but sees the fridge is locked with a note on front: NOT TO BE OPENED UNDER ANY CONDITIONS! I MEAN IT! Percy. Gabe ignores the note, breaks the lock off, and opens the door to find the head of Medusa staring back at him.
Review:
If there is one thing I absolutely hate; it is movies that are adapted from books but don’t follow the plot of the book. This movie is a classic example of how Hollywood took a book and trashed its storyline and character plot for the sake of a few quick bucks. The only thing that stuck was the characters. Everything else was just downright bullshit.
You have to remember that this is my personal blog so all opinions expressed here are my own and do not reflect the views of others.
I would have loved to see the movie follow the plot of the book well, but it just disappointed from the very beginning. The book series has an amazing plot and sub-plots that weave a tapestry of myth and legend with modern day characters. The idea that a dread god of ancient times is seeking revenge on his children is exciting to say the least.
In the movie, the main culprit is Luke, son of Hermes. He only stole the lightning bolt just so he could get the gods to destroy themselves; this because they (the gods) were expressly forbidden by Zeus from seeing and interacting with their children.
In the book, the Big Three (Zeus, Poseidon, Hades) had children of their own each with their own problems. In the movie, the only child of a Big Three was Percy. There was no mention of Thalia or even the reason why the camp was called Half Blood Camp (in reference to Thalia’s sacrifice not to the half bloods residing in the camp). Then there’s the whole campsite picture, I would have loved to see Dionysus as camp director and the picture of a modern camp as portrayed in the book. In the bloody movie, it’s just a step into the past; grungy and cramped.
Now let’s get away from my distaste with the plot, and talk about something else for a change. Let’s begin with casting. I’d have to say that the cast for the movie was pretty good. When I saw on Wikipedia that the book was being adapted for film I wanted to find out who was playing what. Pierce Brosnan as the centaur Chiron was pretty good; Uma Thurman played Medusa and she rocked my socks. The casting for the Gods was pretty lame in my books. Poseidon and Zeus looked like middle aged men in the midst of a mid-life crisis. The descriptions in the book gave the impression that they were a little older than that. Now if Pierce Brosnan played Zeus or Poseidon that would have been even way better.
But I guess there’s no crying over spilt milk. As far as an adaptation goes, this movie is good for those who never read the book or even knew that there was a book because the movie just doesn’t give the book justice.
That’s the way I see it.
Synopsis:
The movie opens with Poseidon (Kevin McKidd), walking out of the sea and into NYC. After climbing to the top of the Empire State Building, Zeus (Sean Bean) shows up, and asks Poseidon what he sees. Poseidon says he sees thunderclouds, and Zeus replies that there's no lightning. Zeus then explains that it (Zeus' lightning bolt) has been stolen, and he believes that Poseidon sent his son, Percy, to steal it. Zeus gives an ultimatum. Either Percy returns the lightning bolt within 14 days, before the summer solstice, or else there will be war. Poseidon is furious that Zeus would threaten his son, but realizes he can't change the god's mind. Zeus rips open a doorway, and travels up to Mount Olympus.
We next see Percy Jackson (Logan Lerman) sitting underwater for quite some time. When he finally surfaces, his best friend Grover (Brandon T. Jackson) comments that he was under for 7 minutes. Percy responds that the only place he can think is underwater. (Percy suffers from both Dyslexia and ADHD)
We see Percy and Grover (Who uses crutches) walking through school to English class. They have a substitute teacher, Ms. Dodds (Maria Olsen), who asks Percy to explain a quote on the board. However his Dyslexia causes the letters to float around, making it impossible for him to read. Percy goes home and talks to his mom Sally Jackson (Catherine Keener) about how school is going terribly. His mom says that things will get better soon, and that one day he'll understand why everything is like this. Then, Gabe Ugliano (Joe Pantoliano), Percy's step-dad gets home. He's a smelly (as in lack of hygiene) jerk, who forces Sally to get him a beer from the fridge and treats her and Percy like crap. Percy gets fed up, but Gabe threatens him and he backs off.
The next day, Percy and Grover go on a field trip to a Greek Museum, which is led by Ms.Dodds and Mr. Brunner (Pierce Brosnan) a wheelchair bound Latin teacher. Mr. Brunner asks Percy a few questions about demigods (the children that are born when gods "hook up" with mortals), which Percy is able to answer thanks to his Dyslexia translating an ancient Greek tablet. Ms. Dodds then asks to speak to Percy. She leads him into a closed off exhibit, and teleports to the top of some scaffolding. She then hisses at Percy, asking where the lightning bolt is, before turning into Alecto, a Fury and one of Hades' servants. Percy is freaking out, has no idea what's going on, and is about to die before Mr. Brunner and Grover show up. Mr. Brunner threatens Alecto, and she flies away. Grover explains that he is Percy's protector, and that they have to go to camp.
Percy still has no idea what's going on, but goes with Grover. Mr. Brunner also gives Percy a pen, claiming that it's a powerful weapon. Grover and Percy get to Percy's apartment to get his mom, and Grover proves to be very adept with his crutches, knocking out Gabe when he tries to stop them from leaving. Percy, Sally, and Grover are driving to camp, and Percy still has no idea what's going on. His mom tells him that it has something to do with his father, but doesn't elaborate. However, the group is attacked by the Minotaur, and crashes the car. Grover reveals that he's a Satyr (Half man, half goat) and uses the crutches to help disguise his goat legs and feet. They try to escape the Minotaur by running under an arch that reads Camp Half-Blood, but Sally is unable to enter due to a magical barrier. The Minotaur catches her, and squeezes her into gold dust. Percy gets ticked, and the pen Mr. Brunner gives him turns into a Greek sword. He then battles the Minotaur, eventually ripping off one of its horns and stabbing it, finally killing it. Percy then passes out.
Three days later, Percy wakes up in the infirmary at Camp Half-Blood. After getting oriented, Grover shows him around camp, and points out Annabeth (Alexandra Daddario), a daughter of Athena. We also find out that Mr. Brunner is actually Chiron, a centaur and famous teacher of heroes. He reveals to Percy that he is a son of Poseidon, and that the god's are on the brink of war because of the theft of Zeus' lighting bolt. He wants to take Percy to Olympus to show the gods that he isn't the lightning thief. But first, Percy needs to train. Finally, he reveals that Percy's mom made many sacrifices for him, including marrying Gabe, whose pungent smell prevented monsters from realizing Percy is a demigod.
A game of capture-the-flag is going on, ancient Greek style. This includes swords, shields, spears, bows, arrows, daggers, and anything else you can think of. Percy is put on Luke's team. Luke (Jake Abel) is one of the oldest campers, and is a son of Hermes. He loans Percy a helmet, and sticks by him when things get intense. Eventually, Luke is holding 3 of Ares' (God of War) children at bay while Percy looks for the flag. He finds it, but also runs into Annabeth, who immediately starts dueling him. She easily defeats Percy, cutting several of his tendons and forcing him to the ground. But, Percy hears Poseidon's voice in his head, and crawls to a nearby creek. The water heals him, and boosts his strength and reflexes. He is able to disarm Annabeth, and wins the game.
That night at dinner, Annabeth talks to him about how their parents, Poseidon and Athena, hate each other, but that doesn't mean that Percy and Annabeth have to be enemies. However, things get broken up when Hades shows up as a twenty-foot flaming demon. He reveals that he has Percy's mother, from when the Minotaur "killed" her earlier. Hades is willing to trade Sally for Zeus' bolt, which he believes Percy has.
Although Chiron forbids him, Percy sneaks out of camp that night, desperate to save his mother. Grover and Annabeth catch him, and when they realize Percy can't be stopped, they go with him. First, they go to Luke to find out how to get to the Underworld. Luke tells them that all the gods are selfish and cruel, and is more than happy to help. He gives them a map that will lead them to four locations: The gates of the Underworld, and the location of three Pearls of Persephone. Persephone (Rosario Dawson) is Hades' reluctant wife, and often has affairs with other men. The Pearls allow the guys to quickly get out of the Underworld if Hades finds them. Luke also gives Percy a pair of winged shoes he stole from Hermes, and a shield.
The trio of heroes make their way to the first Pearl, which is located in Aunty Em's Garden Emporium, a place full of decorative statues. It appears to be deserted, so they split up to find the Pearl. Grover finds a statue that looks a lot like a relative of his, down to the location of mole. As it happened, that relative was killed by... Medusa! At the same time, Annabeth finds a woman screaming about how someone turned her husband to stone, and how they have to get out of there. Medusa finds them, however, and turns the woman to stone, and traps Annabeth. Percy and Grover try to figure out how to kill Medusa, with Percy using his iPhone as a mirror, since only looking into Medusa's eyes turns you to stone. Long story short: Grover and Annabeth distract Medusa, and Percy decapitates her. Annabeth decides to keep Medusa's head, as her stone gaze still works if you look at her eyes.
After finding the Pearl on Medusa's bracelet, Percy, Grover, and Annabeth hijack Medusa's truck to get to the next location: The replica Parthenon in Nashville. After they stop at a motel for the night, Percy and Annabeth start to grow closer, but this is interrupted when Grover, watching TV, finds a missing person report on Percy. Gabe is claiming that Percy kidnapped his mother and is now on the run. Since they can't do anything about it now, the trio just heads down to Nashville.
When they finally reach the Parthenon, they see the next Pearl on the statue of Athena, but can't reach it. They hide in the bathroom until closing, and then use sleeping darts to knock out the night janitors. Percy uses the winged shoes to get the pearl, but the janitors wake up and reveal that they're actually the Hydra. The Hydra attacks and nearly kills the heroes, but Percy discovers that he has hydrokinesis (He can control the movement of water), and is able to slow it down. However, Grover kills the Hydra by pulling out Medusa's head and turning it to stone.
Happy with their success, the group goes to the final pearl location: The Lotus Casino in Las Vegas. They make it to the casino, but they find that it is the lair of the Lotus-Eaters. Whenever you eat the Lotus plant, all you want to do is remain there, doing nothing else for all eternity. The group gets sucked into the Casino, but Percy hears Poseidon's voice again, and manages to wake up from his trance. He realizes what's going on when he meets a kid from 1971 playing pinball, and also manages to wake up Grover and Annabeth. They find the last Pearl (being used as a roulette ball), hijack another car, and escape.
Finally, they make their way to the gates of the Underworld. As it turns out, the depths of Hell are located beneath... Beverly Hills! Yeah, I wasn't really that surprised.
After traveling to Hades' palace, Percy, Annabeth, and Grover meet Persephone, who leads them to Hades (Steve Coogan). Hades says that he wants Zeus' bolt so that he can rule Olympus, as he's sick of living in the Underworld. Percy insists that he doesn't have the bolt, but Hades doesn't believe him, and threatens to destroy his mother, who suddenly appears. Percy throws aside his shield to see his mom, but it breaks open, revealing the lightning bolt inside. Yes, Luke stole the lightning bolt because he hated the gods for ignoring him, and wanted them to destroy themselves. He knew that the missing lightning bolt would cause a war, and that he could take over once the gods had wiped each other out.
Hades doesn't care about Luke though; he's just happy to have the bolt. Just as he's about to kill Percy, Persephone betrays her husband, and knocks him out with the lightning bolt. She knew that a war between the gods would cause her to lose any happiness she had left, leaving her only with Hades, who she hated. She gives the bolt back to Percy, but also points out that the group, with Sally now included, has only 3 Pearls for 4 people; someone will have to stay behind. Grover, as Percy's protector, volunteers, and the others use the Pearls to teleport to the Empire State Building to get to Mount Olympus.
However, Luke shows up with another pair of flying shoes and steals the lightning bolt again. Percy then uses his shoes to chase after Luke, which climaxes in Percy using the water from several water towers to pulverize Luke and throw him into the ocean. Percy and Annabeth then travel to Mount Olympus (Sally stays behind since she's mortal) and arrive with the lightning bolt a few seconds after the deadline. Zeus decides to let it slide, however, and peace reigns. Percy and Annabeth both get to talk to their parents, with Poseidon telling Percy that he regrets not being able to stay with him and Sally, but his godly responsibilities forced him to leave. Percy forgives his father, and the two shake hands.
The movie ends with Sally dropping Percy back off at Camp Half-Blood, saying that he belongs there. Percy finds Grover, who was released from the Underworld, and is ecstatic that after successfully "protecting" Percy, he is now a Senior Protector First Class (he also gets some very small horns). Chiron forgives Percy for running away, as heroes can train all they want, but in the end their instinct is what makes them a hero. Finally, Percy and Annabeth have another friendly duel, with Annabeth almost kissing Percy.
Shortly after the credits, we see Sally kicking Gabe out of her apartment. He wants to get a beer first, but sees the fridge is locked with a note on front: NOT TO BE OPENED UNDER ANY CONDITIONS! I MEAN IT! Percy. Gabe ignores the note, breaks the lock off, and opens the door to find the head of Medusa staring back at him.
Review:
If there is one thing I absolutely hate; it is movies that are adapted from books but don’t follow the plot of the book. This movie is a classic example of how Hollywood took a book and trashed its storyline and character plot for the sake of a few quick bucks. The only thing that stuck was the characters. Everything else was just downright bullshit.
You have to remember that this is my personal blog so all opinions expressed here are my own and do not reflect the views of others.
I would have loved to see the movie follow the plot of the book well, but it just disappointed from the very beginning. The book series has an amazing plot and sub-plots that weave a tapestry of myth and legend with modern day characters. The idea that a dread god of ancient times is seeking revenge on his children is exciting to say the least.
In the movie, the main culprit is Luke, son of Hermes. He only stole the lightning bolt just so he could get the gods to destroy themselves; this because they (the gods) were expressly forbidden by Zeus from seeing and interacting with their children.
In the book, the Big Three (Zeus, Poseidon, Hades) had children of their own each with their own problems. In the movie, the only child of a Big Three was Percy. There was no mention of Thalia or even the reason why the camp was called Half Blood Camp (in reference to Thalia’s sacrifice not to the half bloods residing in the camp). Then there’s the whole campsite picture, I would have loved to see Dionysus as camp director and the picture of a modern camp as portrayed in the book. In the bloody movie, it’s just a step into the past; grungy and cramped.
Now let’s get away from my distaste with the plot, and talk about something else for a change. Let’s begin with casting. I’d have to say that the cast for the movie was pretty good. When I saw on Wikipedia that the book was being adapted for film I wanted to find out who was playing what. Pierce Brosnan as the centaur Chiron was pretty good; Uma Thurman played Medusa and she rocked my socks. The casting for the Gods was pretty lame in my books. Poseidon and Zeus looked like middle aged men in the midst of a mid-life crisis. The descriptions in the book gave the impression that they were a little older than that. Now if Pierce Brosnan played Zeus or Poseidon that would have been even way better.
But I guess there’s no crying over spilt milk. As far as an adaptation goes, this movie is good for those who never read the book or even knew that there was a book because the movie just doesn’t give the book justice.
That’s the way I see it.
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Questions... about life... about death
Is it today little bird?
Has the time come?
Will today be the day when it all changes?
Am I ready, little bird?
Have I prepared enough?
Will I recognize the moment when it comes?
Time has flown by
Seconds passing into minutes
Then hours and days
Years overtake me
And here I stand
Waiting
With baited breathe
What will it be like, little bird?
What awaits me around this corner?
Will I remain strong or will I faint in its wake?
This endless waiting
For the inevitable
Tears at me
Leaving me hanging by the threads
Of what’s left to my sanity
Yet still I wait
And wait
And wait
And ask again
Is it today little bird?
Am I ready, little bird?
What will it be like, little bird?
Life… death… which is it little bird?
Has the time come?
Will today be the day when it all changes?
Am I ready, little bird?
Have I prepared enough?
Will I recognize the moment when it comes?
Time has flown by
Seconds passing into minutes
Then hours and days
Years overtake me
And here I stand
Waiting
With baited breathe
What will it be like, little bird?
What awaits me around this corner?
Will I remain strong or will I faint in its wake?
This endless waiting
For the inevitable
Tears at me
Leaving me hanging by the threads
Of what’s left to my sanity
Yet still I wait
And wait
And wait
And ask again
Is it today little bird?
Am I ready, little bird?
What will it be like, little bird?
Life… death… which is it little bird?
Friday, March 19, 2010
I lie in darkness... listening
I lie in darkness
Listening to the wind shaking the trees
I lie in darkness
Listening to the rain drum on tin roofs
I lie in darkness
Listening to the storm raging round me
I lie in darkness
And all I hear is nature’s fury
No cars running
No horns beeping
No TV’s blasting
Nothing human heard
Just the sounds of the wind and rain
Of lashing trees and creaking houses
Things breaking and crashing
Falling apart
I lie in darkness… listening
Listening to the wind shaking the trees
I lie in darkness
Listening to the rain drum on tin roofs
I lie in darkness
Listening to the storm raging round me
I lie in darkness
And all I hear is nature’s fury
No cars running
No horns beeping
No TV’s blasting
Nothing human heard
Just the sounds of the wind and rain
Of lashing trees and creaking houses
Things breaking and crashing
Falling apart
I lie in darkness… listening
Hurricane Watch
So there’s a hurricane in development as I’m typing this post. Probably by the time it’s posted, the whole natural disaster would have passed us over and the relief work would have begun. I’m also hoping that when this post is uploaded, I’ll expect to be in Suva for the Together We Can project training. However it’s dependant on whether the branch can handle the relief work without the peer educators who will be in Suva.
Right now, I’m on standby and awaiting the call from our branch president or from the Labasa Branch for the disaster response team to go out and assess the damage as well as begin the logistical preparations for relief and assistance. This is my first disaster where I will be a part of the disaster response team on the ground. I’ve signed up for administration and logistical support during disasters so that’s where I’ll hope to be of most use since I’m not physically able to help at disaster sites.
Right now, the weather is slowly changing and the wind is picking up speed. What we’re hearing on the radio is that there are two different tropical cyclones headed for Vanua Levu; one from the North East and another from the North West. The danger here is that they could combine into one freak hurricane. Already it’s being predicted that this hurricane would be worser than Hurricane Bebe that hit Fiji in the 1970’s. That hurricane was the worst to hit us so far and this new one could top Bebe in every way.
We’re just waiting and watching. I’m lucky right now that the electricity is still on and that I can spend time typing out posts when I’m bored and in need of stress relief. A bonus for me is that I managed to pen two new poems, one is entitled: Questions… about life… about death; and the other is The Day will return. They are both good poems and I’m seeing a change and development in my writing style. You can be the judge of that when I’ve uploaded them onto this blog. This is it for now in Hurricane Watch; see you on the other side of the storm.
Right now, I’m on standby and awaiting the call from our branch president or from the Labasa Branch for the disaster response team to go out and assess the damage as well as begin the logistical preparations for relief and assistance. This is my first disaster where I will be a part of the disaster response team on the ground. I’ve signed up for administration and logistical support during disasters so that’s where I’ll hope to be of most use since I’m not physically able to help at disaster sites.
Right now, the weather is slowly changing and the wind is picking up speed. What we’re hearing on the radio is that there are two different tropical cyclones headed for Vanua Levu; one from the North East and another from the North West. The danger here is that they could combine into one freak hurricane. Already it’s being predicted that this hurricane would be worser than Hurricane Bebe that hit Fiji in the 1970’s. That hurricane was the worst to hit us so far and this new one could top Bebe in every way.
We’re just waiting and watching. I’m lucky right now that the electricity is still on and that I can spend time typing out posts when I’m bored and in need of stress relief. A bonus for me is that I managed to pen two new poems, one is entitled: Questions… about life… about death; and the other is The Day will return. They are both good poems and I’m seeing a change and development in my writing style. You can be the judge of that when I’ve uploaded them onto this blog. This is it for now in Hurricane Watch; see you on the other side of the storm.
Jinxed
I seem to be jinxing my trip to Suva. The more and more I talk to people about the trip, the more it gets pushed back another week. I called Sevu this morning and he told me that the workshop had to be pushed back a week because the Director General (DG as we fondly call her) wants every branch to have their AGM’s before the volunteers head to Suva for training. And she wants to be present at the AGM’s for some reason… scary. I’ll just play it safe.
So we’ll have our branch AGM sometime next week-ish and I’m hoping to meet the other volunteers of the Savusavu branch. Apparently, most of the volunteers are firemen so it’ll be a crucial thing for me to meet and be introduced to them. I’m getting all flustered at the thought. LOL
I just hope I don’t jinx it, cause that’ll make me shitty for the week. A bonus for me this week is that I got to meet Pita (the other volunteer peer ed) and he is cute. He’s very friendly too. Very friendly. (can you sense my grin?)
But like the title says, I’d just as soon jinx it. I hope not. This Saturday we’ll be going to visit clients at Yaroi village and besides visitation we’ll be doing referrals as well. It’s going to be fun. Meanwhile, I was hoping to be in Suva for the Hope Concert but it doesn’t seem like that’ll happen at all since we have to leave on Monday after the Saturday concert. Gawd that sucks big time; the only thing I have to look forward to now is hearing Rhonda’s new song: “Vows go Unbroken” and seeing the choir members all together.
I’m also looking forward to attending at least one practice for the Suva Community Gospel Choir. That’s a good highlight for me; that and PV practice.
There’s so much to do but so little time to do it. I still have things to buy, at least with the money that Dad gave me; I was able to get the earrings I wanted, one pair of black crystal studs and another pair of black with pink stripes studs. Major plus to me. Hehehehe.
So we’ll have our branch AGM sometime next week-ish and I’m hoping to meet the other volunteers of the Savusavu branch. Apparently, most of the volunteers are firemen so it’ll be a crucial thing for me to meet and be introduced to them. I’m getting all flustered at the thought. LOL
I just hope I don’t jinx it, cause that’ll make me shitty for the week. A bonus for me this week is that I got to meet Pita (the other volunteer peer ed) and he is cute. He’s very friendly too. Very friendly. (can you sense my grin?)
But like the title says, I’d just as soon jinx it. I hope not. This Saturday we’ll be going to visit clients at Yaroi village and besides visitation we’ll be doing referrals as well. It’s going to be fun. Meanwhile, I was hoping to be in Suva for the Hope Concert but it doesn’t seem like that’ll happen at all since we have to leave on Monday after the Saturday concert. Gawd that sucks big time; the only thing I have to look forward to now is hearing Rhonda’s new song: “Vows go Unbroken” and seeing the choir members all together.
I’m also looking forward to attending at least one practice for the Suva Community Gospel Choir. That’s a good highlight for me; that and PV practice.
There’s so much to do but so little time to do it. I still have things to buy, at least with the money that Dad gave me; I was able to get the earrings I wanted, one pair of black crystal studs and another pair of black with pink stripes studs. Major plus to me. Hehehehe.
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Time winding down & i'm going into cruise control
Life seems to slow down for me this week. Since Sevu came and left, I’m so excited about going down to Suva but it seems like forever till I go; it’s TWO WHOLE weeks before we leave. I’ve already got my list of things to buy when I get to town, the first being a new book to read. Then I’m also thinking about getting one pack of Africa’s Best relaxer and asking Frances to help me relax my hair. That’s like the top two on my list. Then there’s black nail polish and polish remover. And finally, DVDs for my aching collection at home.
I’d have to budget my allowance properly so that I can also take Jessica & William some McD’s or Fish & Chips for lunch, depending on which is financially viable for me.
I’d have to budget for meals (bfast & dinner), I was thinking of getting like some Chow noodles, eggs & tinned meat (plus onions) and cooking at the motel room kitchenette. That would erase my need to go and constantly buy dinner. It’s gonna be a labour of love for me to save my money and not spend needlessly. I was thinking of taking like $20 and depositing it into my bank account for emergencies. Just something I could tap into in need. But if all goes well, I wouldn’t even have to touch that money; just leave it for when I come back into Savusavu.
But even before I leave, there’s some stuff I’d like to get; like a pair of black crystal studs and some DVD’s for Rhonda (Who will of course have to pay me back when I get there). So there’s much to do in preparation for that time.
But again, I can’t seem to stress how slow time seems to crawl by this past week. I’m just hoping that I don’t lose my sanity in this preparation for Suva. God knows how excited I am at the prospect of seeing everyone back home again. I’ve also given some thought into job searching in Suva and also house hunting. I wanna be able to find something to take me through and also keep me going. It’s not that I want to leave mum and dad behind, it’s just that I need to begin to take care of myself, in my own way and in my own space. Cause if I keep tagging along, I’ll just keep sacrificing my personal identity to placate them; and that’s not me. Not One Bit.
So this is me, winding down and going into cruise control.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious
You would not believe this but it’s an actual word. I mean it… I typed it on Word as the title for my next blog post and the spelling & grammar application told me that I had spelt it wrong and gave me the correct spelling. SHIT. I mean it’s bloody amazing. I’m still speechless. Seriously. Can’t you tell?
I found some really tight fonts and I’m hoping to grab some more pretty soon. Oh and I’ve found a really amazing quote by Catherine Booth I’ve made into a sticker-ish kinda thing, check it:
The mini sticker will go on all letters that I personally send, especially to stuff like my SWY application for this year and my YPF application. I’m sooo in love with it. Now all that’s left is for me to figure out how I am going to occupy my time here in Savusavu more effectively.
Big News. At the time this post goes on-net I’ll be in the new house. Once again, we’ll be living in transition, with boxes everywhere and life a living hell for me. I’m trying to get the message across to mum and dad that I’m not sharing any bedrooms with anyone. Not ever. My time sharing rooms are over. I want my personal space. Look, I’m not a teenager anymore; I’m not in high school. I will not share a room with anyone. Not now. Not ever. Hell to the No.
I’m excited about tomorrow (Sunday, 28 Feb)... Sevu comes into town and we’ll be meeting with the Branch volunteers at the Fire Station. I’m sooo excited. I wonder if the guys are cute… oops, too much information for this place… LOL
The humidity here is driving me insane. It’s hot and really sticky. I’m just thinking about getting in to the bathroom for a really long shower. Let me see, it’s five o’ clock now, I’ll be out of the shower by 9pm? Hahaha. Nah, I won’t take it that long. I want it just long enough to cool me down and leave me shivering.
Oh the afternoon breeze is amazing and the temperature is dropping but I still feel sticky and in need of another shower.
Looks like I’ll have to continue this post later, maybe tomorrow after the meeting. Fingers crossed we can have some grog. I’m also dying for a cigarette. It’s been yonks since my last roll. This incidentally was when mum and dad went to Suva and I took a stroll to the shop and smoked by the hot springs… LOL
Wonders upon wonders… it never ceases to amaze me how much can change in the space of a few hours. Since my last typing this post, I had a chat with mum and she said that I get my own space, no sharing. YES!!!! I wanna ask dad if he could find something that’ll work as a book shelf for my books. If there’s one thing I’m looking forward to in Suva is buying a new book (or two… three… four… hehehe). I’m so glad to have a room to myself, and it’s a huge room mum said, so there’ll be plenty of space. I wanna get a rug for my own, oh and I’m definitely saving up for my own laptop.
So many plans and yet no job to make them a reality. God will provide. I’m sure of it. I may be a sinner but I believe in a God who forgives and have faith in His ability to provide for me despite all I’ve done.
I know people doubt my faith and belief but its like I always say, it’s between me and God. What I believe in and how I exercise it is my own prerogative and no one else’s. People need to focus on their own walk with God and stop worrying about how I’m stumbling over mine.
So there you go, update number two on a Saturday night. LOL. This post will undergo more updates until it’s ready for posting on blogger on Monday (fingers crossed).
_
Once again something has taken place that’s changed situations, this time on a global scale in the space of time since my last post. An earthquake has struck the coastal state of Chile (8.8 on the Richter scale) and it has created a tsunami that at the time of this post will have reached Fiji, although I am not sure as to the extent of its damage to us. I pray for friends and family who live in the areas that can be affected by the tidal wave. I’m afraid that people will get complacent with how it will turn out. We’ve had previous warnings that never came to pass yet I fear that this is one that will hit and maybe with disastrous consequences (or not). I’m unsure as to how far the wave has traveled and also its speed, I am sure, however that the reefs around our islands will offer some protection, in the least.
God be with us all.
This is turning out to be a day of much apprehension and fear. I just got news that waves as high as four meters hit Tahiti this morning between 8-10am. Life has yet again dealt a blow to people all over the world. When the world is slowly helping Haiti pick up the pieces of its wreckage, Chile is rocked with an earthquake creating waves that could destroy the livelihoods of countless other people’s in other countries. Makes me feel like penning another poem... now that’s an idea!
Give me a sec and let me try and pen it…
-
The poem is still being penned and it seems to me that in between breaks for this post, things change over and over again.
When we moved into the new house, mum decided to move the office into the first bedroom and have only two bedrooms for us (meaning I’d have to share with someone… yuck). I didn’t kick up a fuss or anything; I just played it cool and bided my time. Meanwhile, Sevu’s flight was cancelled and so I spent yet another night in his hotel room. Somehow, between my stay overnight with Sevu and returning home in the morning, the living arrangements changed YET AGAIN!
This time with Capt Litiana pushing it through, the argument for privacy has won. I get to have my room to myself and the first bedroom can be the visitor’s room. I’m sooo bloody rejoicing right now. The only thing is for mum to start unpacking her stuff and move the boxes out of my room and put them in the back. I will not share my living space with her luggage. HELL NO. That’s the second argument I’ll have to fight and to the bitter end, I will.
So that’s it for this post of many changes. The word has lived up to its name: SUIPERCALIFRAGILISTICEXPIALIDOCIOUS.
I found some really tight fonts and I’m hoping to grab some more pretty soon. Oh and I’ve found a really amazing quote by Catherine Booth I’ve made into a sticker-ish kinda thing, check it:
The mini sticker will go on all letters that I personally send, especially to stuff like my SWY application for this year and my YPF application. I’m sooo in love with it. Now all that’s left is for me to figure out how I am going to occupy my time here in Savusavu more effectively.
Big News. At the time this post goes on-net I’ll be in the new house. Once again, we’ll be living in transition, with boxes everywhere and life a living hell for me. I’m trying to get the message across to mum and dad that I’m not sharing any bedrooms with anyone. Not ever. My time sharing rooms are over. I want my personal space. Look, I’m not a teenager anymore; I’m not in high school. I will not share a room with anyone. Not now. Not ever. Hell to the No.
I’m excited about tomorrow (Sunday, 28 Feb)... Sevu comes into town and we’ll be meeting with the Branch volunteers at the Fire Station. I’m sooo excited. I wonder if the guys are cute… oops, too much information for this place… LOL
The humidity here is driving me insane. It’s hot and really sticky. I’m just thinking about getting in to the bathroom for a really long shower. Let me see, it’s five o’ clock now, I’ll be out of the shower by 9pm? Hahaha. Nah, I won’t take it that long. I want it just long enough to cool me down and leave me shivering.
Oh the afternoon breeze is amazing and the temperature is dropping but I still feel sticky and in need of another shower.
Looks like I’ll have to continue this post later, maybe tomorrow after the meeting. Fingers crossed we can have some grog. I’m also dying for a cigarette. It’s been yonks since my last roll. This incidentally was when mum and dad went to Suva and I took a stroll to the shop and smoked by the hot springs… LOL
Wonders upon wonders… it never ceases to amaze me how much can change in the space of a few hours. Since my last typing this post, I had a chat with mum and she said that I get my own space, no sharing. YES!!!! I wanna ask dad if he could find something that’ll work as a book shelf for my books. If there’s one thing I’m looking forward to in Suva is buying a new book (or two… three… four… hehehe). I’m so glad to have a room to myself, and it’s a huge room mum said, so there’ll be plenty of space. I wanna get a rug for my own, oh and I’m definitely saving up for my own laptop.
So many plans and yet no job to make them a reality. God will provide. I’m sure of it. I may be a sinner but I believe in a God who forgives and have faith in His ability to provide for me despite all I’ve done.
I know people doubt my faith and belief but its like I always say, it’s between me and God. What I believe in and how I exercise it is my own prerogative and no one else’s. People need to focus on their own walk with God and stop worrying about how I’m stumbling over mine.
So there you go, update number two on a Saturday night. LOL. This post will undergo more updates until it’s ready for posting on blogger on Monday (fingers crossed).
_
Once again something has taken place that’s changed situations, this time on a global scale in the space of time since my last post. An earthquake has struck the coastal state of Chile (8.8 on the Richter scale) and it has created a tsunami that at the time of this post will have reached Fiji, although I am not sure as to the extent of its damage to us. I pray for friends and family who live in the areas that can be affected by the tidal wave. I’m afraid that people will get complacent with how it will turn out. We’ve had previous warnings that never came to pass yet I fear that this is one that will hit and maybe with disastrous consequences (or not). I’m unsure as to how far the wave has traveled and also its speed, I am sure, however that the reefs around our islands will offer some protection, in the least.
God be with us all.
This is turning out to be a day of much apprehension and fear. I just got news that waves as high as four meters hit Tahiti this morning between 8-10am. Life has yet again dealt a blow to people all over the world. When the world is slowly helping Haiti pick up the pieces of its wreckage, Chile is rocked with an earthquake creating waves that could destroy the livelihoods of countless other people’s in other countries. Makes me feel like penning another poem... now that’s an idea!
Give me a sec and let me try and pen it…
-
The poem is still being penned and it seems to me that in between breaks for this post, things change over and over again.
When we moved into the new house, mum decided to move the office into the first bedroom and have only two bedrooms for us (meaning I’d have to share with someone… yuck). I didn’t kick up a fuss or anything; I just played it cool and bided my time. Meanwhile, Sevu’s flight was cancelled and so I spent yet another night in his hotel room. Somehow, between my stay overnight with Sevu and returning home in the morning, the living arrangements changed YET AGAIN!
This time with Capt Litiana pushing it through, the argument for privacy has won. I get to have my room to myself and the first bedroom can be the visitor’s room. I’m sooo bloody rejoicing right now. The only thing is for mum to start unpacking her stuff and move the boxes out of my room and put them in the back. I will not share my living space with her luggage. HELL NO. That’s the second argument I’ll have to fight and to the bitter end, I will.
So that’s it for this post of many changes. The word has lived up to its name: SUIPERCALIFRAGILISTICEXPIALIDOCIOUS.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Another Week Passes By
Another week goes by and I’m slowly getting into the feel of things. I’ve finally met Francis (the health coordinator for the Savusavu Red Cross Branch) and I’m getting used to seeing new people around the house. I don’t know if I will ever get used to seeing frogs jump around the house, and it’s becoming a past time to count the numbers of moko (geckos) running around on the ceilings and walls of the house (15 at my last count). And as we slowly wind out our first and only month in this house, I can’t help but feel a wind of excitement draw me in as we finalise the documents and payments for the new house. We move in to the new house on the first of March (which is the week after next week).
There’s gonna be so much that I’ll be preparing for. One being the Peer Ed training for the FRCS Together We can Project. Sevu’s coming up sometime next week-ish to start recruiting Peer Eds from Taveuni and Savusavu for the training. The next thing I might have to look forward to is the upcoming peace camp. It’s being organized for April and George said that I could re-apply and see if I could get in. On the other hand I’m also gonna nominate Rhonda and whoever else might want to apply for the camp from the Choir.
So as you can see, my post is becoming more coherent and easier to understand. LOL. Meaning that I haven’t fallen bored and closed the document to continue it another day. However, this means that this post will be a short one as I’m slowly running out of things to put into this post. Internet here in Savusavu is annoying. There’s a computer place in town with good internet but the connection speed once you open a new tab just slows the whole pc down. Oh and I’m sure that it’s got a low RAM. Which reminds me, I have to get a new RAM chip (maybe just order it from the computer place and pay for the extra shipping charges. Also I have to ask how much it’ll cost to have the Sound Card changed. But I don’t want to give the pc for fixing only to wait a long time for it cause we need it for Corps Stuff. The shop does pc maintenance and they have a lot of old computers lying around, probably waiting to get fixed.
This promises to be a week full of different experiences, new ones and hopefully new places to be. There’s a funeral (my first one in Savusavu) and I think the Protex Clean Hands promotion comes to Savusavu this week and I’ll get to meet the other Red Cross volunteers here in Savusavu.
This is it for now. Catch up again in my next post.
There’s gonna be so much that I’ll be preparing for. One being the Peer Ed training for the FRCS Together We can Project. Sevu’s coming up sometime next week-ish to start recruiting Peer Eds from Taveuni and Savusavu for the training. The next thing I might have to look forward to is the upcoming peace camp. It’s being organized for April and George said that I could re-apply and see if I could get in. On the other hand I’m also gonna nominate Rhonda and whoever else might want to apply for the camp from the Choir.
So as you can see, my post is becoming more coherent and easier to understand. LOL. Meaning that I haven’t fallen bored and closed the document to continue it another day. However, this means that this post will be a short one as I’m slowly running out of things to put into this post. Internet here in Savusavu is annoying. There’s a computer place in town with good internet but the connection speed once you open a new tab just slows the whole pc down. Oh and I’m sure that it’s got a low RAM. Which reminds me, I have to get a new RAM chip (maybe just order it from the computer place and pay for the extra shipping charges. Also I have to ask how much it’ll cost to have the Sound Card changed. But I don’t want to give the pc for fixing only to wait a long time for it cause we need it for Corps Stuff. The shop does pc maintenance and they have a lot of old computers lying around, probably waiting to get fixed.
This promises to be a week full of different experiences, new ones and hopefully new places to be. There’s a funeral (my first one in Savusavu) and I think the Protex Clean Hands promotion comes to Savusavu this week and I’ll get to meet the other Red Cross volunteers here in Savusavu.
This is it for now. Catch up again in my next post.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Movie Review
Movie: Invictus
Director: Clint Eastwood
Starring: Morgan Freeman as Nelson Mandela, also featuring Matt Damon (…)
Genre: Drama
This is a really interesting movie. It has an interesting look at how inter-racial relations in South Africa fared when Nelson Mandela took up office for His first year as President in a post-apartheid country. Of course, the sentiments of apartheidism are still in a slow phasing out from the rainbow nation and we know that it was only possible because of the work of Nelson Mandela.
Anyway, back to the whole point of this post, a review of the movie.
The movie as I said earlier is based on the situation in South Africa at the time of the Rugby World Cup ’95. At that time, the Springboks were the accorded the title of being the worst rugby team and were representative of white S. Africa; along with the colours of their uniform – the Green and Gold. In fact they were so bad that they were going to be disbanded as a team and the Green & Gold revoked as team national colours of the country. Mandela stepped in and changed that outcome and gave South African Rugby a chance to become a part of his rainbow nation building exercise.
The President putting faith in the team gave them a boost of confidence that saw them through to winning the rugby world cup.
Clint Eastwood has done it again. I gotta say that out right from the start, Clint Eastwood has done it again. First it was Letters from Iwo Jima and this other one about the American flag raised on Iwo Jima. There’ve been several good movies that he’s come out with that have made a huge impact at global movie awards including Sundance, the Academies and the Golden Globe. I have no doubts that this movie will collect even more awards for the acclaimed Director.
Morgan Freeman’s acting as President Nelson Mandela is something completely different from what we’ve seen from this actor. It’s obvious that he’s had to take time to rehearse the part and practice. But I believe that he was the perfect person for the role. He was able to replicate Mandela’s poise and physical presence. Even the accent was a little stressed but I could distinguish it from his normal American accents.
Matt Damon portrayed Springboks captain Francois (surname). Yeah, he was cute and hunky dory. But he played the character so well and showed the leadership abilities that Francois used to change the team from one that was apartheid conscious to one that embraced change.
Can you get the drift of this review??? Change from old to new possibilities???
That’s what Invictus is all about. It shows the ability that people have to change their lives and their nation, and it was only because one man dared to bring the change in himself.
This movie is a must have (if you can’t get the original then I guess you’re stuck cause the government’s cracking down on all pirated copies)
LOL
Director: Clint Eastwood
Starring: Morgan Freeman as Nelson Mandela, also featuring Matt Damon (…)
Genre: Drama
This is a really interesting movie. It has an interesting look at how inter-racial relations in South Africa fared when Nelson Mandela took up office for His first year as President in a post-apartheid country. Of course, the sentiments of apartheidism are still in a slow phasing out from the rainbow nation and we know that it was only possible because of the work of Nelson Mandela.
Anyway, back to the whole point of this post, a review of the movie.
The movie as I said earlier is based on the situation in South Africa at the time of the Rugby World Cup ’95. At that time, the Springboks were the accorded the title of being the worst rugby team and were representative of white S. Africa; along with the colours of their uniform – the Green and Gold. In fact they were so bad that they were going to be disbanded as a team and the Green & Gold revoked as team national colours of the country. Mandela stepped in and changed that outcome and gave South African Rugby a chance to become a part of his rainbow nation building exercise.
The President putting faith in the team gave them a boost of confidence that saw them through to winning the rugby world cup.
Clint Eastwood has done it again. I gotta say that out right from the start, Clint Eastwood has done it again. First it was Letters from Iwo Jima and this other one about the American flag raised on Iwo Jima. There’ve been several good movies that he’s come out with that have made a huge impact at global movie awards including Sundance, the Academies and the Golden Globe. I have no doubts that this movie will collect even more awards for the acclaimed Director.
Morgan Freeman’s acting as President Nelson Mandela is something completely different from what we’ve seen from this actor. It’s obvious that he’s had to take time to rehearse the part and practice. But I believe that he was the perfect person for the role. He was able to replicate Mandela’s poise and physical presence. Even the accent was a little stressed but I could distinguish it from his normal American accents.
Matt Damon portrayed Springboks captain Francois (surname). Yeah, he was cute and hunky dory. But he played the character so well and showed the leadership abilities that Francois used to change the team from one that was apartheid conscious to one that embraced change.
Can you get the drift of this review??? Change from old to new possibilities???
That’s what Invictus is all about. It shows the ability that people have to change their lives and their nation, and it was only because one man dared to bring the change in himself.
This movie is a must have (if you can’t get the original then I guess you’re stuck cause the government’s cracking down on all pirated copies)
LOL
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Boredom Settling In
So here I am wondering about how this year would go for me. It seems like this slow, relaxed lifestyle isn’t so good. I miss the whole rushing around and going places that Suva affords me. Here, I just walk to town, check my emails at the internet shop and upload my updates on the blog. In Suva, I walk into town, I catch the bus to Vatuwaqa and wherever else I need to be and do so much in one day.
Even blogging from home is slightly a bore since I type it up one day and wait till I have money to go upload it. I wish I had internet at home so I could facebook, youtube and everything else from the comfort of my own home. It would make my life so much easier.
Right now, it’s my fingers crossed that I get into the Oxfam Youth Partnership program. I think we get allowances for communication costs and I’m hoping that I get it cause God knows my budget can’t handle the extra costs here in Savusavu. Thing sa already, I’m struggling to keep the bank account from closing by depositing ten bucks every month.
There’s a lot that I need to do but as each day passes, something else gets in the way of me accomplishing personal needs.
Check this out… this post right here is actually done over several days. I type something and then I get bored and close it for awhile. Open it again and continue a little more… it’s getting tiresome.
I just wish I could get internet at home so I could post regularly and also check email, facebook, bebo and youtube the rest of my life away. God only knows how much I’m dreaming of having a new laptop and internet.
LOL
This is sooo weirdly sporadic! Yet again I had to close the freaking post and then open and type in something new. Anyway, to the whole reason I’m adding on to this is: GLEE
OMG
I repeat
OMG
I just saw episode 12 and it totally rocked. I mean, it was so amazing. They did a scene with a deaf school choir who signed “Imagine” by John Lennon and were joined by the Glee Club choir singing and learning the signs along with them. It was sooo amazing. I actually cried. If only I could do the same with the PV’s or at least the Community Gospel Choir. That would be a truly amazing performance.
speaking of choir, they have auditions beginning today... gawd i miss them all.
hopefully i get to join them in singing someday this year.
sniff*sniff
Even blogging from home is slightly a bore since I type it up one day and wait till I have money to go upload it. I wish I had internet at home so I could facebook, youtube and everything else from the comfort of my own home. It would make my life so much easier.
Right now, it’s my fingers crossed that I get into the Oxfam Youth Partnership program. I think we get allowances for communication costs and I’m hoping that I get it cause God knows my budget can’t handle the extra costs here in Savusavu. Thing sa already, I’m struggling to keep the bank account from closing by depositing ten bucks every month.
There’s a lot that I need to do but as each day passes, something else gets in the way of me accomplishing personal needs.
Check this out… this post right here is actually done over several days. I type something and then I get bored and close it for awhile. Open it again and continue a little more… it’s getting tiresome.
I just wish I could get internet at home so I could post regularly and also check email, facebook, bebo and youtube the rest of my life away. God only knows how much I’m dreaming of having a new laptop and internet.
LOL
This is sooo weirdly sporadic! Yet again I had to close the freaking post and then open and type in something new. Anyway, to the whole reason I’m adding on to this is: GLEE
OMG
I repeat
OMG
I just saw episode 12 and it totally rocked. I mean, it was so amazing. They did a scene with a deaf school choir who signed “Imagine” by John Lennon and were joined by the Glee Club choir singing and learning the signs along with them. It was sooo amazing. I actually cried. If only I could do the same with the PV’s or at least the Community Gospel Choir. That would be a truly amazing performance.
speaking of choir, they have auditions beginning today... gawd i miss them all.
hopefully i get to join them in singing someday this year.
sniff*sniff
Monday, February 15, 2010
Trouble in MY paradise
Gawd, it just seems like nothing in my life will ever get any easier for me. This move to Savusavu has just made it even more important for me to move out and find my own life, by my self and without mum and dad hanging on my shoulders. Everything I am, what I choose, and wherever I go; it’s all scrutinized by them and they just have to have a say in everything. The older I get, the more sacrifices I’m expected to make. I’m almost 25 and mum wants me to share a bedroom with Navi. I’m sorry, I love my family and all my cousins but there is no way in hell that I will share my personal space with them. She of all people should know that. Well, she’ll see for herself just how stubborn I can be. Then there’s dad. Always has an excuse for everything.
The arrangements for a new house should have been made by now, but he’s busy playing host to every Tom, Dick and Harry that comes through here. I want us to get to a cleaner, healthier house; I want my own space; I want this bloody computer to be fixed up so I can watch my movies in the privacy of my bedroom. I want my own things.
I can’t keep expecting to sacrifice my life so that theirs is a little less hassled. Fuck that shit!
If I get into the Oxfam program, I’m gonna learn everything I can; get all the accreditation I can achieve from it and get a good job, with a good pay and flat out. I need to have this for myself or I will die bitter and unsatisfied.
I won’t put up with this anymore! If things don’t start moving faster, I’m not gonna help with any sermons, meeting plan prep, and singing – NOTHING! I will draw the line as to where I fit in this scheme of things. I will not be made a fool of in my own life.
So there.
The arrangements for a new house should have been made by now, but he’s busy playing host to every Tom, Dick and Harry that comes through here. I want us to get to a cleaner, healthier house; I want my own space; I want this bloody computer to be fixed up so I can watch my movies in the privacy of my bedroom. I want my own things.
I can’t keep expecting to sacrifice my life so that theirs is a little less hassled. Fuck that shit!
If I get into the Oxfam program, I’m gonna learn everything I can; get all the accreditation I can achieve from it and get a good job, with a good pay and flat out. I need to have this for myself or I will die bitter and unsatisfied.
I won’t put up with this anymore! If things don’t start moving faster, I’m not gonna help with any sermons, meeting plan prep, and singing – NOTHING! I will draw the line as to where I fit in this scheme of things. I will not be made a fool of in my own life.
So there.
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Savusavu – boat rides and broken houses (PART II)
Now that I’ve had a chance to talk about my boat ride over here to the beautiful bay of Savusavu, let me try and describe the scenery. Oh and don’t forget, this is part II of my update.
When we got here, it was a little after 5am and there was nothing to see. We got to our house (oooohhh, just you wait till I tell you about it) and as the sun rose, ohmigosh the view from our terrace is spectacular. Looking out into the bay, with the little island across from us. We had the Hot Springs Hotel as our neighbour and the hot springs the hotel was named after at the foot of our drive way. Nice don’t you think?
WELL THINK AGAIN!
Our house was an absolute dump! I thought to myself that my mother’s day could not get any worse. The furniture was ruined beyond all recognition, the house was dingy, and the toilets… oh don’t let me get started on the toilets!
Bloody hell, it was disgusting. I couldn’t go to the bathroom for 2 whole days. My body was in such shock over the state of the toilet, it couldn’t function as it should (meaning – I was so shocked I couldn’t shit). Kaila!
The bathroom was damp and mum used a whole bottle of bleach to try and clean the shower area. It was terrible.
The kitchen had very little in stock. By that I meant that we had one fork, one teaspoon, two table spoons and one teeny tiny cutting knife that disappeared the following day after a church lunch. There were no pots and pans to cook with and the water was not safe for us to drink at all! Mum and I resorted to boiling huge pots of drau-ni-moli (lemon leaves) tea and keeping it aside in the fridge as drinking water. It was refreshing!
The upside to our living here is the price of food at the fresh produce market. We bought rourou, tubua, passionfruit, bananas and two huge paw paws for cheap! My passionfruits were $1 for 7 (so I bought $2 worth). We went to the fish market after and bought some fish for dinner that night along with some coconuts.
Our first night here was nothing eventful; it was the living arrangements that made us wary of everything.
Savusavu is a beautiful place. I just can’t wait to see its beauty in the comfort of our new house and away from the horror that is our interim place.
So there you have it… part II of my first two days in Savusavu plus the prelude (the boat ride).
When we got here, it was a little after 5am and there was nothing to see. We got to our house (oooohhh, just you wait till I tell you about it) and as the sun rose, ohmigosh the view from our terrace is spectacular. Looking out into the bay, with the little island across from us. We had the Hot Springs Hotel as our neighbour and the hot springs the hotel was named after at the foot of our drive way. Nice don’t you think?
WELL THINK AGAIN!
Our house was an absolute dump! I thought to myself that my mother’s day could not get any worse. The furniture was ruined beyond all recognition, the house was dingy, and the toilets… oh don’t let me get started on the toilets!
Bloody hell, it was disgusting. I couldn’t go to the bathroom for 2 whole days. My body was in such shock over the state of the toilet, it couldn’t function as it should (meaning – I was so shocked I couldn’t shit). Kaila!
The bathroom was damp and mum used a whole bottle of bleach to try and clean the shower area. It was terrible.
The kitchen had very little in stock. By that I meant that we had one fork, one teaspoon, two table spoons and one teeny tiny cutting knife that disappeared the following day after a church lunch. There were no pots and pans to cook with and the water was not safe for us to drink at all! Mum and I resorted to boiling huge pots of drau-ni-moli (lemon leaves) tea and keeping it aside in the fridge as drinking water. It was refreshing!
The upside to our living here is the price of food at the fresh produce market. We bought rourou, tubua, passionfruit, bananas and two huge paw paws for cheap! My passionfruits were $1 for 7 (so I bought $2 worth). We went to the fish market after and bought some fish for dinner that night along with some coconuts.
Our first night here was nothing eventful; it was the living arrangements that made us wary of everything.
Savusavu is a beautiful place. I just can’t wait to see its beauty in the comfort of our new house and away from the horror that is our interim place.
So there you have it… part II of my first two days in Savusavu plus the prelude (the boat ride).
Friday, February 5, 2010
Still Breathing
I wrote this poem on the boat as we were leaving Suva...
Waves bobbing
To and fro
The horn sounds
The engines roar
Slowly the coastline fades from view
Slowly the distance grows between me and you
My heart grows pensive at the thought
How does one go on breathing –
When the heart is lost?
How does one keep moving forward –
When your legs are cut from underneath you?
It’s hard to imagine that the moon I see
In the night sky
Is the same moon that caresses your face
With its gentle light
The light over me seems lost; alone.
Just like me
The stars twinkling over you
Are to me cold and distant
But the thought
That we’ll meet again
Makes this seeming exile easier to bear
Keeps me hopeful for that day
Causing my heart to return
Bringing all into focus
Reminding me that I’m still breathing
And each breathe
Brings me closer to you
Waves bobbing
To and fro
The horn sounds
The engines roar
Slowly the coastline fades from view
Slowly the distance grows between me and you
My heart grows pensive at the thought
How does one go on breathing –
When the heart is lost?
How does one keep moving forward –
When your legs are cut from underneath you?
It’s hard to imagine that the moon I see
In the night sky
Is the same moon that caresses your face
With its gentle light
The light over me seems lost; alone.
Just like me
The stars twinkling over you
Are to me cold and distant
But the thought
That we’ll meet again
Makes this seeming exile easier to bear
Keeps me hopeful for that day
Causing my heart to return
Bringing all into focus
Reminding me that I’m still breathing
And each breathe
Brings me closer to you
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Savusavu – boat rides and broken houses (PART I)
I was going to start from how beautiful this town is or describing how quaint it is and I remembered something… THE BOAT RIDE OVER.
Let me start from the very beginning. The boat to which I am referring to is the SS Suilven, the best inter-island ferry we have in this country. I first went on this boat in 2007 when after the Savusavu Music Festival, the then Malaga Singers returned from Savusavu aboard the Suilven bound for the capital city. It was a fun boat ride; we were put in the first class lounge so it was pretty decent (we even had bunk-like sleepers). I could never forget that ride. Ever.
So when mum decides to tell me that we were traveling to Savusavu in the Suilven, I thought to myself (YES!) and began pushing for us to get either first class tickets or the pricier but much better cabin tickets. You may ask, what’s the difference? Well, let’s just say that even though you’re first class and all that, you still have to share bathrooms with the economy class passengers. Cabin passengers, have their own spacious cabins with a really, really nice bathroom (including shower with hot water) that looks like it came out of a hotel catalogue. Meals come with the cabin (YUMMY!) and they can also use the first class lounge, should they choose to go there.
Now, you may say that I’m a snobby bitch, but let me remind you that we all seek the better things in life, even if it means spending a few extra dollars to travel in relative comfort.
So there I was, tempting my mother and father to buy the pricier tickets, all to no avail. We all got economy tickets. And it all went downhill from there!
Picture this. We’re sitting in the economy lounge, packed like sardines, people all over the place, some even lying in the spaces where it could be found. There were people everywhere: inside and outside. Then it happened. The air conditioner broke down and stopped working altogether (economy class only mind you; the cabin ac’s were working in fine order). I was stuck in the lounge with no air circulation, no space to move around, no space to lie down and nothing to drink to replenish my internal water supply that was being sweated out in this 11 hour voyage. All I could do was periodically walk around the outside of the boat, navigating my way round sleeping bodies so I could get some fresh air and then return to my hot, humid and sweat smelling corner. I must say, the smell of human bodies cramped in one space with no ventilation is absolutely nauseating and disgusting to say the least. I have to be hones about that. I felt bad for the babies and children who had to coop up in that space.
Mum and dad? Well they spent the night on the benches outside.
I’ve had a fair amount of chances to berate them for not getting us better tickets on that ship. We’ve all agreed that if we are to travel back to Suva by boat, it’ll be in the cabins or we won’t travel at all. I’m gonna keep them to their word.
Looks like I’ll have to continue this later cause talking about our house is another long post with elaborate descriptions. Keep an eye out for Part II of this blog post.
Let me start from the very beginning. The boat to which I am referring to is the SS Suilven, the best inter-island ferry we have in this country. I first went on this boat in 2007 when after the Savusavu Music Festival, the then Malaga Singers returned from Savusavu aboard the Suilven bound for the capital city. It was a fun boat ride; we were put in the first class lounge so it was pretty decent (we even had bunk-like sleepers). I could never forget that ride. Ever.
So when mum decides to tell me that we were traveling to Savusavu in the Suilven, I thought to myself (YES!) and began pushing for us to get either first class tickets or the pricier but much better cabin tickets. You may ask, what’s the difference? Well, let’s just say that even though you’re first class and all that, you still have to share bathrooms with the economy class passengers. Cabin passengers, have their own spacious cabins with a really, really nice bathroom (including shower with hot water) that looks like it came out of a hotel catalogue. Meals come with the cabin (YUMMY!) and they can also use the first class lounge, should they choose to go there.
Now, you may say that I’m a snobby bitch, but let me remind you that we all seek the better things in life, even if it means spending a few extra dollars to travel in relative comfort.
So there I was, tempting my mother and father to buy the pricier tickets, all to no avail. We all got economy tickets. And it all went downhill from there!
Picture this. We’re sitting in the economy lounge, packed like sardines, people all over the place, some even lying in the spaces where it could be found. There were people everywhere: inside and outside. Then it happened. The air conditioner broke down and stopped working altogether (economy class only mind you; the cabin ac’s were working in fine order). I was stuck in the lounge with no air circulation, no space to move around, no space to lie down and nothing to drink to replenish my internal water supply that was being sweated out in this 11 hour voyage. All I could do was periodically walk around the outside of the boat, navigating my way round sleeping bodies so I could get some fresh air and then return to my hot, humid and sweat smelling corner. I must say, the smell of human bodies cramped in one space with no ventilation is absolutely nauseating and disgusting to say the least. I have to be hones about that. I felt bad for the babies and children who had to coop up in that space.
Mum and dad? Well they spent the night on the benches outside.
I’ve had a fair amount of chances to berate them for not getting us better tickets on that ship. We’ve all agreed that if we are to travel back to Suva by boat, it’ll be in the cabins or we won’t travel at all. I’m gonna keep them to their word.
Looks like I’ll have to continue this later cause talking about our house is another long post with elaborate descriptions. Keep an eye out for Part II of this blog post.
Monday, January 25, 2010
YC4MH HIghlights of 2009
Check out some snippets of our work during Hibiscus with Gary the reigning Hibiscus King:
Thursday, January 21, 2010
New Year Jitters
I wrote this poem at a New Years Eve church service. It took me the entire duration of the service (2 hours) to compose it. Pretty much deals with my jitters for this new year. Have a look:
What awaits me around the corner?
Which door will I walk through?
And which will lock me out?
Where will time’s ebb and flow draw me?
The future looms dark and unknown
It beckons me to reach out and touch it
Tempting me to dive headlong into uncertainty
Driving me to take the risk and not look back
But as I gaze backwards
And see where I’ve come from
See the winding pathways and shortcuts
The potholes and speed bumps along my life’s way
My heart is filled…
Filled with nostalgia
With yearning
Filled with regret
With every other feeling
Except satisfaction or peace
Is it just me?
Or does everyone feel the same way?
That we live year in and year out
Looking for satisfaction but never finding?
Each step we take forward
Uncertain and shaky
Constantly looking back
To see if we walked right
Is this the reason for my hesitancy?
The future looms with each passing second
Dark… Unknown… A true mystery
It beckons me to move closer
But I am hesitant
The door stands before me
But my hand shakes and fails to grasp its handle
The sea calls and draws me in
But my feet freeze at the shore
Our fear of the future
Is only natural
And even now it challenges me
My resolutions unmade and undecided
The clock chimes closer and closer
To the midnight hour
My resolutions seem a distant thing
What will I change?
What will I do?
What chances will I take?
Too tempted am I to judge its end
Too quick to guess its conclusion
So for now…
I resolve to walk on
Yes, my feet are shaking
But still I will move forward
Dive headfirst into this New Year
Embracing its possibilities
Releasing all my uncertainty and fears
Unashamed
Unrequited
And with hope
[Deep Breath]
Here I go... HAPPY NEW YEAR!
What awaits me around the corner?
Which door will I walk through?
And which will lock me out?
Where will time’s ebb and flow draw me?
The future looms dark and unknown
It beckons me to reach out and touch it
Tempting me to dive headlong into uncertainty
Driving me to take the risk and not look back
But as I gaze backwards
And see where I’ve come from
See the winding pathways and shortcuts
The potholes and speed bumps along my life’s way
My heart is filled…
Filled with nostalgia
With yearning
Filled with regret
With every other feeling
Except satisfaction or peace
Is it just me?
Or does everyone feel the same way?
That we live year in and year out
Looking for satisfaction but never finding?
Each step we take forward
Uncertain and shaky
Constantly looking back
To see if we walked right
Is this the reason for my hesitancy?
The future looms with each passing second
Dark… Unknown… A true mystery
It beckons me to move closer
But I am hesitant
The door stands before me
But my hand shakes and fails to grasp its handle
The sea calls and draws me in
But my feet freeze at the shore
Our fear of the future
Is only natural
And even now it challenges me
My resolutions unmade and undecided
The clock chimes closer and closer
To the midnight hour
My resolutions seem a distant thing
What will I change?
What will I do?
What chances will I take?
Too tempted am I to judge its end
Too quick to guess its conclusion
So for now…
I resolve to walk on
Yes, my feet are shaking
But still I will move forward
Dive headfirst into this New Year
Embracing its possibilities
Releasing all my uncertainty and fears
Unashamed
Unrequited
And with hope
[Deep Breath]
Here I go... HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
New Year, New Change
Yeah, so i had fun reading back to my old posts and i've realised that i am one vain bitch (if you dont' mind me being blunt). Life's changed so much from my earlier ranting and raving about how unfair life is and how despairing it's all become. so much's happened and i'm looking forward to making a real impact with it.
It's 2010 and i've decided to move forward with the times (note, keep an eye out for a poem i've penned on this new outlook) and since i couldn't grab a diary for this year, i'll have to make a concerted effort to post more on this blog that i've renamed into NESIAN PERSPECTIVE. I thought of so many names but i stuck with this one cause it means that i can talk about stuff related to me and my community and how the work i want to do or am doing can contribute to society's growth and developing the skills base of young people in Fiji.
I'm moving out of Suva to the northern town of Savusavu with my parents. A far off paradise and i'm excited to say the least. of course i'm pensive about what to expect but i'm glad to know that it's a new chapter of my life just waiting to unfold. who knows what Savusavu holds for me?
Packing up stuff at home just made me realise how much stuff i've learnt and accumulated in the past year alone. i'm grateful for the lessons i've learnt in 2009 and i'm hopeful for the great things i'm gonna do this year, whether i'm in Suva or Savusavu.
Ofa 'atu,
SY
It's 2010 and i've decided to move forward with the times (note, keep an eye out for a poem i've penned on this new outlook) and since i couldn't grab a diary for this year, i'll have to make a concerted effort to post more on this blog that i've renamed into NESIAN PERSPECTIVE. I thought of so many names but i stuck with this one cause it means that i can talk about stuff related to me and my community and how the work i want to do or am doing can contribute to society's growth and developing the skills base of young people in Fiji.
I'm moving out of Suva to the northern town of Savusavu with my parents. A far off paradise and i'm excited to say the least. of course i'm pensive about what to expect but i'm glad to know that it's a new chapter of my life just waiting to unfold. who knows what Savusavu holds for me?
Packing up stuff at home just made me realise how much stuff i've learnt and accumulated in the past year alone. i'm grateful for the lessons i've learnt in 2009 and i'm hopeful for the great things i'm gonna do this year, whether i'm in Suva or Savusavu.
Ofa 'atu,
SY
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