As much as I hate it when an outsider takes something traditionally Jamaican and does it better than us, I have to give props to this Jewish artist for his reggae tune "King Without A Crown". In my opinion, musical-wise this song is a work of art. He has managed to take traditional reggae, throw in some dancehall AND some rock (rock guitar solo) and mix it all together into one easy-listening, head-bopping tune. Granted, you cant understand a word he says due to his heavy jewish accent, but still a nice song to listen to.
I cant talk about Matisyahu in this manner without mentioning another reggae artist, German-born Tilmann Otto a.k.a Gentleman. He has even managed to learn and include our Jamaican patois competently. His song "Intoxication" is probably my favourite of the many on the drop leaf.
Our local artists better watch themselves, we've got int'l competition for our local product.
Through ironically colourful colourblind eyes....
Matisyahu
Random quote
While doing some random idle browsing through hi5, I happened upon this is written in someone's journal. It appealed to me so much I borrowed it and am sharing it with you all:
"It's amazing how crippling the power of fear can be...for in hiding yourself you hide not only your weaknesses but your strentgths...talents and those things unique to you which have been placed in you to give to those in need. It should never be underestimated what the presence of "you" may have on the lives of those around you."
"It's amazing how crippling the power of fear can be...for in hiding yourself you hide not only your weaknesses but your strentgths...talents and those things unique to you which have been placed in you to give to those in need. It should never be underestimated what the presence of "you" may have on the lives of those around you."
Blogs
Blogging has really come a long way. So long, in fact, that ordinary people are now being recognized for their blogs. Baghdad Burning is a blog from an Iraqi citizen that was started round about the time of the war, and gives an account of Iraqi life from an ordinary citizen's point of view. Her blog has been nominated for the Samuel Johnson prize - a prestigious British award for non-fiction. Imagine that, youre going about your normal day, blogging as you normally would for no other reason than for the sake of blogging, and youre up for an award. Jamaica's own Jamaica Girl's and Mad Bull's blogs both got favourable reviews as well in SkyWriting, Air Jamaica's inflight magazine.
Its a good thing to see people out there being recognized for their writings, and who write not for money, nor for fame, but for simply keeping it real.
Its a good thing to see people out there being recognized for their writings, and who write not for money, nor for fame, but for simply keeping it real.
Oh My God! They killed Kenny!
Who knew that South Park could be one of the most educational tv shows out there? Yeah, thats right, I said it! I put South Park and educational together in one sentence. And what??
On the real though, even though South Park is crass and crosses the line many times, the show does tend to focus on current issues and will, for 1 minute or 2, get serious and explain some particular issue happening in the real world. For example, an episode I saw recently explained stem cell research and the whole controversy around it. Previous to that I hadnt nary a clue as to what stem cell research was about. Its an interesting concept though. All cells in our body, before they become heart cells, liver cells, etc., are just simply cells, what we call stem cells. These stem cells, if positioned around any damaged organ, can become cells for that organ and hence that organ will have 'new growth'. The problem is the source of these stem cells....from aborted fetuses. You see the moral dilemma now.
Yeah, so who needs BBC or CNN? South Park!!
On the real though, even though South Park is crass and crosses the line many times, the show does tend to focus on current issues and will, for 1 minute or 2, get serious and explain some particular issue happening in the real world. For example, an episode I saw recently explained stem cell research and the whole controversy around it. Previous to that I hadnt nary a clue as to what stem cell research was about. Its an interesting concept though. All cells in our body, before they become heart cells, liver cells, etc., are just simply cells, what we call stem cells. These stem cells, if positioned around any damaged organ, can become cells for that organ and hence that organ will have 'new growth'. The problem is the source of these stem cells....from aborted fetuses. You see the moral dilemma now.
Yeah, so who needs BBC or CNN? South Park!!
Winter...
"Busy schedules, work demands, and survival instincts distract men from inner needs. But eventually, his motions slow to a pace where his emotional, personal and relational needs surface." - TD Jakes, He-Motions.
How true it is.
The last 2 1/2 years have been one long busy stressful ride. It started right around the time where I was put on call at work in May 2003 I think it was. Panoridim was just starting concert preparations around that time as well. After concert in August I started an MBA in October, but after some mix up had to stop in mid-November and pick it back up January 2004. So school and full time work went until mid-April 2005. The following month saw starting preparations for Panoridim concert, which was another stressful time all over again. Mid-August saw the concert performance, and mid-September saw the resumption of school, which ended for me February 2006.
Whew!
All that activity with no time to breathe. Though I have accomplished much and learned many lessons during this period, there is much that I have missed. I am a person where anything I do that is important to me, I try to focus all my mental energies to the task at hand. Slight OCD if you want to call it that. Work is important, school is important, pan is important, and anybody special I may have had in my life during that period was important. This resulted in what psychologists term "emotional burnout". At the same time other aspects in my life did not get the deserved attention. I dont multitask well. Now that school is done and I have free time to think and reflect, to 'go back to normal',b 2 1/2 years of experiences have been catching up with me. And how! Missed opportunities, mis-construed situations, lessons unrealized...basically it feels like I have been living in a thick fog, and that fog has just lifted, leaving me seeing my surroundings with a clarity like never before. Unfortunately, most of these realizations leave me with feelings of regret and remorse. Doors that were once open to me are now shut, due to mistakes on my part that I didnt realize until now. Right now im wondering how many of those doors might be re-opened, but im not getting my hopes up...
Anyway, right now my life is just slavery - I mean work, and pan. I intend to keep it that way for a while, and try not to let either take over my life significantly. Wishful thinking, I know, but Im still going to try. Cause jah know, I need the break.
Its winter...time to rest, relax, refresh.
How true it is.
The last 2 1/2 years have been one long busy stressful ride. It started right around the time where I was put on call at work in May 2003 I think it was. Panoridim was just starting concert preparations around that time as well. After concert in August I started an MBA in October, but after some mix up had to stop in mid-November and pick it back up January 2004. So school and full time work went until mid-April 2005. The following month saw starting preparations for Panoridim concert, which was another stressful time all over again. Mid-August saw the concert performance, and mid-September saw the resumption of school, which ended for me February 2006.
Whew!
All that activity with no time to breathe. Though I have accomplished much and learned many lessons during this period, there is much that I have missed. I am a person where anything I do that is important to me, I try to focus all my mental energies to the task at hand. Slight OCD if you want to call it that. Work is important, school is important, pan is important, and anybody special I may have had in my life during that period was important. This resulted in what psychologists term "emotional burnout". At the same time other aspects in my life did not get the deserved attention. I dont multitask well. Now that school is done and I have free time to think and reflect, to 'go back to normal',b 2 1/2 years of experiences have been catching up with me. And how! Missed opportunities, mis-construed situations, lessons unrealized...basically it feels like I have been living in a thick fog, and that fog has just lifted, leaving me seeing my surroundings with a clarity like never before. Unfortunately, most of these realizations leave me with feelings of regret and remorse. Doors that were once open to me are now shut, due to mistakes on my part that I didnt realize until now. Right now im wondering how many of those doors might be re-opened, but im not getting my hopes up...
Anyway, right now my life is just slavery - I mean work, and pan. I intend to keep it that way for a while, and try not to let either take over my life significantly. Wishful thinking, I know, but Im still going to try. Cause jah know, I need the break.
Its winter...time to rest, relax, refresh.
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