NOT EVERYTHING THAT 'TWITTERS' IS GOLD!

So before I joined www.twitter.com, I was highly skeptical about the continuous Facebook status update. But after joining I would soon learn that this was no Facebook. This was purely its own monster!

From the actual website is the following:

WHAT?

Twitter is a service for friends, family, and co–workers to communicate and stay connected through the exchange of quick, frequent answers to one simple question: What are you doing?

WHY?

Because even basic updates are meaningful to family members, friends, or colleagues—especially when they’re timely.

• Eating soup? Research shows that moms want to know.
• Running late to a meeting? Your co–workers might find that useful.
• Partying? Your friends may want to join you.

HOW?

With Twitter, you can stay hyper–connected to your friends and always know what they’re doing. Or, you can stop following them any time. You can even set quiet times on Twitter so you’re not interrupted.

Twitter puts you in control and becomes a modern antidote to information overload.

So twitter allows you 140 characters to let people know what you are doing. Again at first you think "absolute foolishness!", because if I have more to say I can just send an email, or a Facebook message even, since Facebook seems to have replaced email anyway.

But forget only friends and family, when i can follow John Mayer, Tony Matterhorn, and famous producers, actors/actresses, models, and don't forget news networks. So twitter can be an educational experience, knowing what is going on in the world as it happens, to giving you extreme insight into the personalities and thought processes of the ones you adore and admire. You actually become their FOLLOWER...interesting.

Turns out Twitter is an excellent promotional tool, and is a great idea for anyone in any form of business that needs to reach a large audience, especially when reminding them of upcoming events etc.

This blog touches on the fact that not everything that 'twitters' is gold, and some of this is based on the experiences of many in twitterland (Sources shall remain unnamed).

The dull side of twitter includes:

1. TRY TALKING TO YOUR FAVE CELEB: You can follow the entertainers that you idolize, but like in the real world, you don't know them, so they never talk to you when you speak to them. This technically is ok, because on a regular day i guess you don't talk to people you don't know, but when you feel connected to them, especially as their FOLLOWER, you would hope that maybe once they would respond.

2. CELEB CROSS TALK: This is further amplified by the fact that the entertainers talk amongst themselves, and actually cross talk around you. Now this can sometimes be very annoying. You can't even slip a word in. Again you don't know them, so why should you care to get involved. Thing is normally when you are talking to someone else, you don't have 1500 people FOLLOWING the juicy INSIDE conversation. It tickles me in the weirdest way, and I think it is almost equivalent to WHISPERING IN PUBLIC...it's just rude! So maybe the tweet guidelines should say "Only tweet about things people can figure out".

3. OVER-TWEETING: The aim of a 140 character tweet is to say something concise, succinct...ahhm to the point maybe...ahhm "scratching my butt", "taking a pee" BUT oh no, some insist in sending 5 to 6 sequential tweets. So maybe you need to revisit Facebook, hotmail, gmail etc, because this really wasn't the intention of Twitter. A few tweets throughout the day is cool, but a page of tweets within 5 minutes is totally uncool. Control yourselves.

4. LOSING FANS: So you think twitter is sooo cool some of you celebs, but what you don't realize is that some of you are compulsive and have zero control, so you don't even know when to shut your big mouths and just keep it to a minimum. Suddenly the cool star you were to me is no longer, as you really aren't that cool in twitterland. Some of you need to consult your managers before you tweet dammit...that is if it isn't your manager that is tweeting for you, then you need to check them, cause they may be ruining your career.

5. IT HAS IT'S OWN LANGUAGE: So a when you send someone a message you send a TWEET not a TWIT. The past tense of TWEET is TWITTERED not TWITTED. The list goes on. Maybe this is funny to me cuz I pay attention to small details, but if you're gonna be a twit-whore then learn the language and be fluent in it.

6. HAVEN'T WE TWITTERED BEFORE? So if i know you and I sent you a direct tweet that you haven't responded to, don't be sending 50 million regular tweets, cuz clearly you are ignoring me cuz I know you are online. Arrrrrrrrrrrgh. That really annoys me. It's like saying you're at home on your pc tho that last message was sent from your mobile phone. It is deceptive. If you have time to be sending your page of tweets than respond to my damn message dammit.

I could go on even more. With all this said I must say I love twitter as a promotional tool, and I would encourage persons with any current business sense to definitely get a twitter account, but this note is really here to warn you about how you use all the fun things available to you on the net, like twitter, Facebook notes : ) and blogs.

NONE OF THE ABOVE MATERIAL WAS DIRECTED AT ANY ONE IN PARTICULAR BUT AGAIN ARE THE EXPERIENCES OF MANY I KNOW. THE BLOG IS WRITTEN IN PURE FUN AND JOY OF SELF-EXPRESSION. KEEP ON TWITTING I MEAN TWEETING!

THE CONTOURS OF LIFE

Life is a funny lickle ting. It always surprised me sometimes that the most stable-appearing of persons are just the ones that commit suicide. Don't worry, this is no suicide note. It is just a reflection on the contours of life. The happy days versus the sad days, and why they happen. Truth is I don't know why they happen, I only presume it is to make us stronger individuals, but what if you're just not strong enough.

I just witnessed this on Making Da Band 4. May seem lame that I watch that show, but it is really entertaining for me, probably because of my involvement in entertainment. The group almost self-destructed because of one member who at the time wasn't strong enough. he was at a point in his journey where he couldn't justify things anymore. He had no grounding. No support. Well he felt he had no support. That was probably the most important point at the end of the day, was that he perceived that there was no one listening, and that no one understood or really even cared.

I'm really in one of those slumps right now. I am probably one of the happiest persons around according to many, but right now I'm in physical pain, emotional pain, and maybe even other types of pain. Definitely nothing I would want to share with an online audience because there are lines we don't cross online. The only difference is that I think I am strong enough. Right now not as strong as I usually am, but I have faith. And when everything else around you breaks down, God never fails. I've never been uber-religious, but I do believe in a higher power, and I allow it to guide me. In Making Da band when they resolved their differences, they prayed, and then I remembered where to seek my refuge. I also remembered that there are millions worse off than me.

Right now, my physical pain seems to be resolving, but my emotions are healing again. I think I'm just tired of an unfamiliar environment. I'm tired of being misunderstood. And it's hard to be misunderstood and not have a voice to defend or explain yourself. I don' t even think I need to explain anything to anyone quite frankly, which makes this journey that much more difficult.

I'm sorry I took so much of your time on this pointless rant. But blogging for me is therapeutic. It gives insight that sometimes you can't even put into words. All I know is that I am really yearning to be with those that provide the right type of stability for me, and I need them ASAP.

Blessed love, and I will try and be strong until next time!

PSYCHOLOGICAL WARFARE

4.1.09

I just saw one of the best live shows I've seen in a while, and it was well worth my money.  As a performer it showed me where I need to be and just how much work I need to do to get there.  So many elements that need to be fulfilled - image, vocal precision and ability, crowd interaction, band interaction, a natural humility but an inbuilt confidence.  It was truly inspiring!

So you figure I would be on cloud nine with all this inspiration pouring down on me, but I couldn't help but feel insecure and somewhat inadequate at the same time.  You know seh if yu waan tun performer yu skin haffi thick thick, but I never grew up with thick skin to be honest with you.  My skin became thick with the experiences and the judgement of life, and also with getting older, so sometimes I still have my moments of hypersensitivity, when everything means more than it needs to...or does it actually mean what it is?

To preface my psychological warfare, I have to give you my background.  Growing up I wouldn't say I had a life that was hard, but it was by no means as candy coated as people imagine based on how my life appears now.  To cut a long story really short, I was fortunate to be exposed to many more things than people perceive, including teasing and ridicule.  In my opinion that has put a lot of colours in my personality.  What that translates to in real life is "OMG did Mario just say that?!" or "Is Mario dat?" or "Mario didn't start behaving like that until he started hanging out with X" or "Why would Mario go tek up himself an do dat?!".  A life plagued by judgement based on complexion, perceived social background and upbringing, and of course profession, amongst other things.  What can I say...I guess it is what it is, but I can't help but feel that I am often unfairly judged.  At times it's ok, and I can brush it off, but at other times it's just downright annoying.  If i do a dance, for some it is means for chuckling, as if I would 1. be unaware of such a move, or 2. look so odd doing it that it is amusing.  I am just tired of people projecting their insecurities onto me and then making me feel uncomfortable.  Don't feel you need to baby me because YOU think I'm an uptown yute who cyaan climb or cyaan dance or cyaan be a musician or cyaan talk patois, or neva tek a bus or wouldn't know roots reggae.  These are none of my issues, as I know I've don't all of these things, and maybe more than you would imagine.  What really bugs me is dat I allow YOU people to cause me to second guess myself sometimes, when I am fully aware of my level of exposure.

So now as I talk to myself openly I will say...STAY FOCUSED BECAUSE ONLY I KNOW WHAT I AM CAPABLE OF AND CAN ACHIEVE.  I really don't need people making me feel inadequate or insufficient or lesser than anything.  Less Jamaican, less black, less authentic, less connected.  Dear friends i ask you to try your best to embrace people for who they are and not what you want them to be.  Deal with your demons and don't project them unto others.  I've had enough years of the crap being thrown at me.  I'm really tired of doing you and me.  I just really need to do me.  I don't care how you feel about my hair or anything else you feel so strongly that I shouldn't do.  I know exactly why i'm doing what i'm doing and I have no problems with it...maybe you should try to not have a problem too.

In conclusion, I will be better in the morning.  I'm just a little annoyed with the world right now.  Stay focused and don't ever let anyone lead you off of your path!!! Bless.

WHY HE GIVES AND TAKES

With 2 more final exams and 2 more days to go before I go home, I have been more than anxious to get out of this place.  A wealth of knowledge to gain in this one night to even fathom passing these 2 exams, that have kept me from the one main thing on my mind...home.

I also had a couple other things on my mine, like why we as humans always feel inclined to know the answers?  I am strangely not one of those kind of persons.  I am extremely intrigued by life and all its dynamics, but I am very comfortable with God making the decisions as to WHY HE GIVES AND TAKES.  Not to say I am not curious, but I really try not to let it consume me, but heah, I've always been an easy going cat, so I don't let many things consume me.

I preface this blog with my exams, because I should be studying right now, but whenever these weird acts of God occur, I have to blog.  

So while walking down the street and actually pondering why God gives and takes, I was stopped by a white couple, an older man maybe in his late 50s and a slightly younger woman.  They said "Excuse me", and I turned wondering if it was me they were talking to.  Well it was me, so I approached them.  He launched immediately into his story about coming to the hospital in Boston from their home in Rhode Island.  They travelled to Boston on disability for his wife to have kidney surgery, and for some reason his wife couldn't be admitted because she was having an infection and needed to take a course of antibiotics.  Fact of the matter was they were broke and couldn't stay at the hospital because she wasn't an inpatient, and they didn't fulfill the poverty requirements to stay in a shelter.  They really just didn't have enough fare to go back to Rhode Island on the commuter rail, and were for some reason unable to travel back there on disability.  Me being the Jamaican I am, I normally can sniff out bullshit scammers a mile out.  

For some reason this seemed legit.  They had their bags and pillows and she looked quite sick and actually was very passive in this process.  They looked clean and just like regular folk who had a long day.  As to why they didn't prepare for this unfortunate event before traveling all the way to Boston, i didn't really feel was my place to ask.  

My initial instinct was to do what i normally do to people who beg me...I tell them I have no money, which is often true, but most times is a white lie (aka I have a little, but I really am not gonna give it to you right now, then I'll be like you tomorrow).  But there was something all just weird about the karma of me thinking about WHY GOD GIVES AND TAKES, and then these people interrupted this very thought by sharing their story.  Ironically I'm a black man with an non-American accent, and they ask me for help, so let's throw race and stereotypes out the door.  This man said he stopped me because i just had a nice aura (keep in mind i am always smiling, but this moment I was very serious and walking at moderate pace just deep in thought;  he coulda been charming me, who knows).  I also have medical knowledge which they knew nothing of, and the medical story was actually legit (tho most scammers usually have very legit stories).

He showed me the fare they needed and he told me they needed about 6 or 9 dollars.  I looked in my wallet to see what woulda been there.  I saw a $1 and a $5, and without thinking too long I decided to give him the $5.  They were both extremely grateful and he introduced himself and then asked me my name.  This occurrance was extremely well aligned with everything going on in my mind and I couldn't say not o these people.  Deep down I hope they are not a couple on drugs and my $5 goes to some cocaine, but for some reason I believed them, and I still do.  I felt sorry for them.  She looked sick and tired, and they had nowhere to stay, and the system had no where to put them.  Unbelievable that in such a developed country there could actually be no place to house them.  

I seek no extra praise for my actions.  It just felt like it was the right thing to do, and I always tell people Karma is a Bitch, and it will come back to you.  Today I got a cheese-covered potato from one of the ladies in the cafeteria.  They were actually all finished, but the one on display looked so scrumptious, i just said kinda matter a fact that "That potato looks nice".  After i go sit to eat I see one of the staff members approaching me, and I think she is going to sit with me and eat.  She brings a cheese covered potato and gives to me.  The lady had one prepared for me.  An trus mi dis is a self-serve cafeteria.  These kinda nice deeds hardly happen to me...and when they do they feel so special.  So maybe I was paying forward my cheese potato just now by giving that $5.

I end in prayerful gratitute, again thanking the Lord for all he has given me.  It has been an interesting journey thus far, and everyday I grow more and more and learn more and more.  My condolences to some of the families I know that have lost loved ones recently.  God gives and takes for reasons beyond our human understanding.  We must grief and they find ways to continue in our mortal world, until that realm shall become clear to us.  Until next time...lawd pay it forward to me dat mi flight nuh cancel because of snow.  By di hook ar di crook mi a get to Jamdown Satiday.  Nobady nah stap mi, all if a walk mi a walk gu dung deh!!

December 15, 2008 

THE TRUTH IS THAT...

I had come to a point in my life where i personally became fed up with the human need to be SAFE.  Many of us dwell on safety, and therefore remain safe for the rest of our lives.  This then led me to wonder why some people tend to safety while others don't.  These blanket thoughts then came to mind, though I knew wouldn't encompass everyone's life story.

The 2 things in life that go against safety are DESPERATION and OPPORTUNITY, and strangely they both have something in common.  

A desperate man has NOTHING TO LOSE AND EVERYTHING TO GAIN.  He has nothing, so he will lose nothing, and anything positive is an opportunity to be in a better place than he currently is.  These people will hop on any opportunity that is presented to them, with no fear of failure nor with insecurities of what others may think.

The man with opportunity appears to have everything, but has NOTHING TO LOSE because he has a safety blanket and EVERYTHING TO GAIN, because he has so many opportunities to do things that so many dream of doing.  The opportunity to learn more than the average person would.  Travel more.  Meet more people.  Simply explore life comfortably.

How can persons of 2 vastly different worlds have something so powerful in common.  These persons are the ones that I believe step outside of the box, and make use of what is available to them to create more opportunities.  It really is a simple concept, which I am sure has many flaws and counter-arguments, but I think maybe a desperate man with opportunity is one that i should strive to be.  Desperate to grow.  Passionate to learn.  Desperate to step out into the unknown.

For once in your life, be desperate, and create opportunity for yourself.  Take a step into an unpredictable world that you know nothing of, but you dream so much of...you never know what hopefully pleasant opportunity may arise!

EVA GRATEFUL!!

Without disrespecting anyone who gets pleasure from working in a cafeteria or washing cars, or being a bank teller.  I am just so glad I don't do something everyday that appears to be mundane.  Again i'm sure someone gets a buzz out of counting cash really fast or dishing food into a plate, but I can't say I do.  And if for any reason something happens to me, I hope someone had read my blogs to see that I was forever and repeatedly grateful for everything God has given me.

So I already have a degree then get to go get another one, and I excelled in the 1st and am now excelling in the 2nd.  There is only one thing you can do when that happens, and it's give thanks.  Thanks to whoever you want to...Jesus, Jah, The creator.  Whoever he, she or it is...Jus give tanks!!

Something must be going on with me this month, because I've written 4 blogs in one month after not writing any for over 3 months, or maybe even longer.  I must be getting older or just more grateful.  

So whenever you are happy in your job and you have 1 bad day, just remember someone is doing a mundane job everyday and wishes they could jump off a really high building, because it may be more fun than making sandwiches.  Not everyone gets the opportunity to follow a passions, if you get it, chase it like it's running faster than Usain Bolt, and if you want something, it doesn't hurt to make a try at it.  One less regret in life!  Do what you gotta do and be grateful.  Bless!!

iPhone Crazy

So this blog was of course inspired by the iPhone.  Anyone who knows me knows I like cool stuff, and i really do like cutting edge technology.  The problem is where do you draw the line.  It's like  that one thing you want really bad but know you shouldn't get it BUT you know if you get it you'll be so much happier.  Maybe for ladies a pair of shoes...I'm sure when you buy it you say "What the hell did I just do", but when you're wearing it, and someone says "Nice shoes", you feel like it was worth it.

Well here is my iPhone dilemma.  It kinda is almost within my means, but just ALMOST.  The problem is that I just can't stop fantasizing about it.  I want to get it out of my head, but then that glimmering Boylston Street store sucks me in and i go in and play with it.  Advertising is a bitch, because it's really screwing with my mind.  The worse part is that everyone who buys one is like a walking add, and then they make me want it more.  Maybe I should only talk to people who don't own iPhones.  That may be a start.  Then we can find a way to get rid of the Apple store (I was gonna say the B word but I may have American persons who read this and report me to the CIA.  In my home country we can say the B word without men the size of quarterbacks running out of nowhere to sack you to the floor).  The B thing is just a joke i swear.  The point is I need i-Therapy, and unfortunately this will only come in the form of buying an iPhone, or removing it from my mind's eye.

I mean this clearly is now an obsession since it has reached blog phase.  I only blog when something is on my mind.  Damn i just saw someone else playing with one. Arrrrrrrrrrrggggggggggh.  Am i being drawn into this materialistic world...nah.  I woulda wanted an iPhone wherever the hell I was.  So i guess it's time to look into doing some extra hours at work to find a way to pay that extra money on ma phone bill.  We'll see.  I'll keep you posted on the iPhone situation.  This is way too funny.  I shoulda created that "Contribute $2 to Mario's iPhone Group" before my birthday.  Now I may have to wait till Xmas.  But dats just so damn ghetto, but clearly i'm desperate right.  Peace.

Saturday Night

A born socialite some people would say I am, but sometimes I see myself as a 'social loner'.  What a contradiction to believe that people really are necessary for your existence, but at the same time really enjoy being by yourself.

I grow extremely introspective after nights out in this weird little college city.  Just really  makes me miss home more than anything.  To get along with people and to feel like you truly belong somewhere are 2 vastly different things.  Looking on the world up to 10 years ahead of a lot of the people in the same room as you also puts a crap load of perspective on things.  You realise you have no answer to questions like "Why aren't you dancing?", or "I'm surprised a Christian guy like you would be seen at a shindig like this".  If only these kids knew I've danced against that wall already, and gotten tipsy and danced till i felt stupid, and danced with all the girls in the room.  

I guess for some that routine never gets tired.  And for some it's their first time, they're new to this.  For me i've been there and done it longer than I think i needed.  Now i only need it occasionally.  Plus when it's done here it's not like home and not ever really close to as good as at home.  I always had trouble putting my heart into things I didn't believe in.  If i can't feel it genuinely then i can't really put any genuine emotion into it.

Maybe this blog contradicts that I'm a loner as I choose to publicly ramble early in the morning about myself.  At the core of this I just miss what is familiar to me, and when that is missing from your daily routine for a while, you find that you are never really sure about what is real anymore.  I know home is real and those people in that life are real.  In this life here I'm not really sure what's real.  

All just kinda weird to me.  Is it just me feeling this way?  Then everything starts to annoy me...especially the carelessly drunk people.  The people making out on the dancefloor annoy me.  The people who always think i'm nice 100% of the time...you annoy me too.  

I again yearn for hot weather, familiar accents and food, and people I know I can trust and depend on all the time.  I already know there is no life on this land for me, because my love for another is way too strong for me to exist here.  And yet still people don't know where I'm from, but the truth is I don't really care anymore if they know.  What's more important is that I'm fully aware of who I am and that's all that matters.

This is my blog so I don't even care to apologize for my unfocused writing, but I may regret opening such a large window into my personality, or maybe I won't.  Yo just have a good night.  Like clockwork I should be fine by morning.