Facebook, Colombia, Life

Finally, my facebook account has been reactivated after a little over a week of being disabled. I was really irritated by the whole experience because I thought the developers/admin staff wasn't addressing the issue with any urgency. Thinking of it now, they actually did. Because when you look at the volume of facebook users worldwide and what it takes to monitor millions of accounts, one week was good. 

What have I learned? That I can actually spend more time doing other things each day rather than "browsing" facebook for 2 or 3 hours.

The wife is back from her trip, she came on Sunday. Seems like she had a fun time which is good, we all need some "fun time" every now and then. Even if it's without your loved ones or spouse.

The year started out with me being all miserable until I spoke with a friend, then I decided to try and cheer up. I've been trying to "hold" the cheer....hopefully I will for the next 350 something days that's left for 2011. Which reminds me...Y'all can download my desktop calendar HERE

I'm tired, not enough rest. I do the early morning thing with the kids so I'm up from 5:30am preparing breakfast for everyone, lunch for the little one then I'm off with them to school by 7am. I'm usually back home by 8, the latest...then I do whatever I have to do, try to get my work-out on or whatever. ...Get through the day and for whatever reason I'm never in bed before 11pm..falling asleep maybe 30 to 40 minutes after that. Then I do it all over again the following day.

The wife usually helps the 7 year old (Myles) to get ready...but since she's back she hasn't been able to wake up early...So he get's himself ready. Next week she'll be back on it though. So we can leave the house  even earlier.

Yesterday was our 9th Anniversary...wow, nine years already. Cool.....Ashamed to say I didn't get her any gifts this year but I took her to a Japanese restaurant (her first time) and we had sushi then we went to Christopher's and listened to some live music, had a drink chat with some colleagues of mine and then we came home and had the most amazing sex ever................LMAO...HAHAHAHAHA..nah, I'm just playing...we were both tired and worn out.....After being up from 5:30am, going through the day, on the road...then getting home at midnight, knowing that I'd have to be up that early again....no.......Not that I haven't done it before....But put it this way.....I don't have to be up early tomorrow...IT'S SATURDAY      ;-)

Oh...and I leave for Colombia tomorrow night with Shaggy.  We were there last June but I vaguely remember anything about that trip.....Only that we performed in a club, it was Des' (my wife) birthday and she was mad at me for something I said...Basically she wasn't having a good day and I didn't make it any better...but it was resolved eventually.  Can you imagine your spouse being angry with you and you're all the way in a foreign country on her birthday, not close enough to do the simple things to cheer her up?.... it      can        suck         sometimes           ........

Anyhow, it's a new year and there are always opportunities and possibilities. I'm ready to start  the beginning of the best years of my life.

Peace, Love & Happiness TO ALL

Dubz

Home Bound

OK again I wrote this on Dec 29th but the mail server timed out and didn't post it...Posting now though..Nuff Love

Though not flawless, the trip to Nigeria has been much 

better than I had anticipated. No internet and no data 

service on my phone was the least of my concerns but it 

turned out I didn't have much to be concerned about. I 

was actually the only one in the group without internet 

access in my room but I didn't care to change it. I was 

content with going to the lobby and checking my email via 

the wifi on my mobile phone. My experience this trip seemed 

less intense, maybe its because of my expectations and past 

experience with this country.  The audience at the concert 

seemed sedated, quite the opposite of my first performance

here. The hotel, though a far comparison from a Hilton, 

it was much cleaner than the one we stayed some 8 years ago.  
 
Maybe they are learning to adapt and practice more international 

standards ....I donno...maybe the current government is trying to 

improve the country on a whole. A lot can happen in 8 years I 

guess. This still doesn't make me like it any more, its just that

this time the experience was pleasant. ...not great, but pleasant.   
 
So we've boarded and will be on our way soon, another isle seat and 

the guy beside me hoging the armrest. 

What am I up to today? Going home. 
 
Love you 

Not Quite Merry

How many other people not feeling quite merry this year? I'm at home with my sons, the wife's away and I'm pretty sure the holidays would have been much more fun for them if they were too. No gifts for anyone this year....from me at least.  The boys seem fine though, just a regular day for them. I guess they've spent the past two or three Christmases abroad so they've accepted the fact that being home would be different.

I told someone a few weeks ago that I'll be Mr. Scrooge this year but I got it wrong, Scrooge was wealthy.

I have to try and reassure myself all the time that I do have a lot to be thankful for - I have a place to live, there is food in the house, we're healthy, I have a car to go wherever....I have a loving wife, children, extended family and friends.....a job and career (if I may say so).. And I've been able to maintain a decent quality/standard of living. So I do have a lot to be grateful for, and I am. Sometimes the smallest things just get to me.
And you know, I guess one of the things that's picking at me is the fact that I'm leaving Jamaica tomorrow to go to Nigeria with Shaggy. That's my least favorite place in the world to be and it irritates me that this time around I'm compelled to go.  After my first trip to Nigeria I told them I'd never go back and they've actually had shows over there which I declined....They've also been to other African countries which I opted not to go as well. And each time they return everyone says the trip was good. Now given my situation I'm going, trying to be open-minded and optimistic that I will have a good time. I am eager for the day to come when the decision of where and when to travel is mine to make and money won't be the deciding factor.

What else is bugging me? I won't get into it...lets just say the usual stuff that I've blogged about previously.

So what am I up to today?
Continued to work on a song from yesterday (added a bass line), made breakfast for the boys and myself, straightened up the kitchen, now I'm online.  When I'm done with this blog I'm going to put some guitars on the track I mentioned, get my workout on and then we'll start getting ready to head up to my uncle's house for Christmas dinner with the rest of the family - my dad, uncles, bro and their families etc.

Thanks for your time
Blessings To You

Singing

Yesterday I was at the studio - decided to do some backing vocals for two songs I'm working on. Yeah, me...singing right...It's something I decided to take on recently. I still don't fancy my voice much, actually listening to the demos I did yesterday brought me back to when I was a teenager and had a band with my bro and some friends. We did some recordings and we all sang. My voice hasn't changed much since. The one thing is that I now have better knowledge about certain techniques and my hearing is better so at least I can try or do things with a better understanding of how it will turn out.

So yeah, eventually theses songs will be on an album. I've got the title already too. I'm just taking it one song at a time though...gonna get out two singles between Spring and Summer 2011.

Singing I believe is a total surrender, you have to let go of all inhibitions, everything and let the song flow through you. I've always had a problem expressing myself and showing emotion.  I can do it on the guitar, but maybe now it's time for a new form of expression. A new me in a sense....for all the things I've never expressed verbally, I will express through song...weather or not my voice is the greatest.

I must say, I do admire singers, especially the great ones. But I've learned that although vocal ability is a great plus, that's not what makes a great song. It's the connection, the emotion and the message which the singer conveys that people can relate to.  There are many great singers, many great songwriters, many great artist and I tip my hat to them all.

Will I be among the greats some day? Only time will tell. But I won't ever have the chance unless I try, starting now.

Love U

Just one of them days

I'm so frustrated and miserable right now....had to let it out...i just wanna scream FUUUUUUCCCCCCCKKKKKKKK!!!!!!!!!SHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIITTTTTTTT!!!!!AAAHHHHHH FUUUCK!!!!! But I can't, cuz that's not my personality. :-) Twisted aren't I?

So yesterday evening I was on my way out, car wouldn't start. Figured it was the battery, it was. Called my dad's wife for her to help jump start my car this morning, she did.  I went on the road, to check it out. Dude fixed the corrosion issue happening on the battery terminals and said the battery was fine - no charge. I left there and went to sort out another issue I felt on the car - it was kinda wobbling at the back. Turns out I needed tires....fine. Didn't have to buy a battery (so I thought), but I still have to spend some money to buy tires. Cool...went to my usual tire place, got a pair of tires - only the back ones were worn. Based on my budget now, I went to get a few things at the supermarket. Now bare in mind the tires cost 30% more than what I would have spent on a battery.

Ok, that's done, car running good all day since I got the jump this morning and the guy said the battery is good. Been home since about 2pm so the car has just been sitting there. Had plans to go clubbing, actually my main reason was to link up with a DJ and drop off two CDs.  Went down stairs to the car for something and behold..the fucking thing was acting up (alarm)..so I know the battery is out. And to confirm, I tried starting it up...NOTHING!!!

Now it's looking like I actually have to go buy that battery tomorrow...can I say fuck again? FUUUUUUUCCCCK!!!!

Ok I think that's enough swearing for one blog....maybe enough for a couple. *sigh*
Everything happens for a reason, this too shall pass. This too shall pass...this too shall pass.

Thanks for your time.
Love U

Wrote this on Satruday, wasn't delivered via email.

Subject: Church........really? 

Ok so I'm here waiting to play and its off to a late start already. 

I invited my mom with the hopes of having her change churches...

I really don't like the activities I hear about that takes place 

in the one she goes to. But now I see my intentions are futile. 
 
She invited  one of her church sisters and as she arrived....hmmmm..... 

to make a long story short, they don't like this church.  Now seriously,

what is the whole foundation of church? Isn't it to give praise and 

thanks to our Creator? When did personal opinion, thoughts or views 

come into play? What happened to "love thy neighbour"? 

This is why I'm never interested in coming to church.  And the thing is,

when you're a selfish, self-centered, egotistical, control freak type 

of an asshole that's one thing. But imagine someone who is a  selfish,

self-centered, egotistical, control freak and an asshole who has 

strong religious or spiritual beliefs, or even superstitious 

beliefs.... - OMG!  
 
Now I'm not saying that I know such a person....hmm, on 

the other hand maybe I do. 
 
So, I'm never interested in church here because its never only about 

giving praise or thanks. Its about the gossip, the voodoo, who's doing 

what to who and the list of negatives goes on and on. Yet everyone pretends 

to be here for the right reasons. Oh, and not to mention all the 

ones who are at church only to pray or beg "the lord" for all the 

worldly  things they desire instead of giving thanks for all that HE has

already given them. 
 
Now I know that there are a few true Christians here and I must 

say blessings to them. But I'd rather take my chances giving 

thanks, praises and acknowledging my own blessings in my own

quiet space and time. 
 
Thank You

Thoughts - Moments In Time

Have you ever had a moment that you wish would last forever, a moment that for moments afterwards you try and keep it at the center of your thoughts in hopes of reliving that moment over and over again? Perhaps its a first kiss with your now life long partner, maybe your first orgsam, the feeling of seeing your first child come into this world. Maybe its the joy of graduating with honors - the way you felt when your name was called, hearing your song on the radio for the first time or remembering a simple kind gesture from a stranger.

Whatever it is, we all have moments in our lives that we try and hold on to. Some are great, others not quite worth remembering but we choose to hold on to them anyway. But the truth is, what's done is done, past moments are but memories. Its quite a cliché to say "live in the moment", or "live each moment as if its your last". That is truly impossible, I think. Instead, seize each moment of opportunity when it presents itself. Then there will be special moments to remember.

So what am I up to today? Reflecting on past moments and experiences, thinking about present circumstances and hoping for a greater future.

Here's a message I received on my BB today:
"Remember, life is short, break the rules, forgive quickly , kiss lips slowly, love truly, laugh a lot, and never regret anything that made you smile"

Thank You
Peace, Love and Happiness.
Sent from my BlackBerry® device from Digicel