Tower Of Babel

Indeed, nutten much a gwaan. We had another shower of early AM rain today, though right now it is not falling but the place is grey and the sun is trying to peek through the clouds. So, another Friday is here. Glad fe dat…even though me deh pon duty ’till 8 inna de morning…whatever.

Heard on news yesterday that gas price went up by Ja. $4 per litre yesterday. I suspect by where my gas needle was yesterday that I will need to buy today or tomorrow. So, we are now paying the equivalent of approximately $4 US a gallon! Don’t know if any of you peeps used to tek een dem sci. fi. movies depicting what would happen when the world was nearing its end and water and gas became precious commodities…so much so that people woulda kill fe dem. Are we approaching them times? Gone are the days when man jus jump inna cyar without thinking about it. We really have to try to conserve and cut down on unnecessary driving…plan out your route. As fe dem SUV man…a bredrin of mine is putting een 4G fe gas every time him go station….and dat is two to three time a week! I never been a SUV lover…..their gas consumption was one o de reasons why I don’t like them….not at all suited to my pocket.

Anyhow, let me end this ramble and wish you all a good Friday and weekend. Cheers!

Well, I stole, looted borrowed this photo of the present weather situation here In Jamaica from the Gleaner this morning. Yes, the rains continue. Yesterday evening we had what seemed to be a lull, and I thought we may be approaching the end of it. Came and sat here in front of compi to try to modify a talk I am doing at our upcoming meeting which will be held in Kami’s country next month. But, peeps, I man did tiyad…found myself braindead…couldn’t think logically. So, hear what? Lock dung dis rass, buss a Red Stripe and go tek een some very light TV yaw. That is precisely what I did at about 9 and before I knew it, sleep hold me. Woke up at about 11 to lock up the house and return to sleep.

Now I noticed between Tuesday and yesterday, that there is some heated discussion tekking place in the foreign news regarding homes damaged as a result of Katrina and Rita. Of course, is the insurance companies dat in my opinion a gwaan wid friggery! You own you place, you dig deep into your pockets to have it insured, including hurricane coverage. Katrina comes, nuff breeze, nuff water. You mean you going tell me that the hurricane insurance does not cover your place unless it can be proven that the damage was done strictly on account of wind? You aint covered against the flood waters that in some cases were higher than the rahtid roof submerging the whole yard to rass!? Den answer me one question….the hurricane….a freak of nature…or Act of God….is not that wind? And, is it not the rain that the wind brings that contributed to the flooding as well? Or, is that some minor technicality in the fine print on the policy that nobody reads?? Well, I tell you, I suspect there are going to be some very irate policyholders…who have no yard to return to, who, if they don’t receive some sort of reasonable settlement, I would advise all staff at these insurance companies to take out some serious life insurance, as it is likely that onoo going get duss out by some shottas!

If this is really the way y’all operate, maybe is better we doh bodda wid insuring our homes. Then again, is few people have the financial backative to avoid insuring their premises……who has enough money stashed away in an account that you don’t touch, that in the event shyte gwaan, you can repair and rebuild? Not many I think. Anyhow, I don’t know what you all feel, but it seems like major effries to me.

Anyway, last night into this morning, the rain started again…lasted a few hours well, and made for blissful sleep. So, I feeling well rested this morning. Hoping that you all have a good day….wind, rain….or whatever!

Well, happy Wednesday to you. It has been raining here since yesterday afternoon. Some front or trough over the country. Major downpour we had in the afternoon, caught me on the road on the way from lunch…streets were like rivers. No problem to me, as long as it nuh name hurric….

Nutten great to share today. Two news items caught my eye in today’s Gleaner. First one is about weight of baggage when you flying with our national carrier Air Jamaica. Effective early next month, there will be stricter baggage weight regulations imposed on passengers. So, no longer will you be able to carry the whole house weh Auntie inna foreign waan send back to yard. I think I mentioned once on a return trip from Ft. Lauderdale, the lady in front of me at check in had three massive suitcases…bursting at the seams. They were so under pressure that they were being held together by duct tape wrapped all around them. Guy at check in asks her how many pieces she is checking in…two…both of which were well overweight. He then asked her about the third bag which she quite calmly informed the yute was her carry on. Yute asks her to lift it on the scale. “Oh, I will need a porter to lift it for me!” (Eehm…nuh hand luggage you seh it name!? ) Eventually, after struggling for a while, she gets it on the scale…it only weighs 96 pounds! Roight! Lady paid suppem like $400 US for overweight charges in total.

Another time, I was seated in the plane on my way to visit mi sister inna Maryland. On comes a man with his carry on….he is trying to lift it to get it into one of the overhead compartments. Man haffi a tek deep breath and ting before him lift de bag. Then, he reaches shoulder height with it, and like a weightlifter who is trying to clean and jerk weights, him haffi stop for a few seconds before him get the bag above him head. The rude bwoy who is in the seat next to me says, “Rahtid, if dat drop and lick you inna you head, you fart!”

Still, I not bashing folks on southbound caribbean flights from North America and the UK. When you peeps up so sending tings fe you, is just their way of trying to share a bit of improved living with you, particularly when they have family in ‘country’ who lef back a yard, nuh true? That is simply one of the good things about Caribbean folks..we tend to look after our people. Agreed? Anyway, careful when you a pack de suitcase still….you doh waan shame tek you when you reach the check een counter, zimi?

The other bit of news hails from the world of local sport…football (soccer) to be exact. Now that I mention, Mad Bull my yute, me miss dem days when we used to go stadium and tek een the Reggae Boyz while we sip some Red Stripe and ting! Anyway….Yeah, the football match I’m referring to was played by my alma mater…the Blue and Whiters of North Sreet! Can you imagine…. 8:0 in our favour? For a moment I was wondering if is a basketball score dat!? Congrats to the yutes and keep the STGC flag flying high…. ‘oer Kingston’s fairest meadow….’neath the tall cathedrals shadow….Lo, St. George’s oer her children, watches day and night! You’ll have to pardon me, that was just a few lines from the ‘College Song’ that we sing at graduation, and I rather like it. Just came into my head all of a sudden. Memba it Scratchie and MB?

That’s about it for now. Let me go head to the shower on this rather wet and grey morning…as always, there is work to be done. Respec to all crew.

Bwoy, is jus day two, and I feel like I have done a week worth of work already. Were it not for the fact that we are shortstaffed, and that I am on call, I think I would hold a day today..but alas…a nuh so it go inna my world.

Ask me why the elderly female that I admitted a bit over a week ago to manage her Crusted Scabies, decided to do her thingy on my ward…and develop what seems like gallstones with an empyema (pus inna she gall bladder to rahtid!)….according to the Ultrasound. So, me had fe act swiftly and rope een the Surgical bredrins. Eventually, I made it home. And, at about 11:30 last night I shut this damn thing down, by that time I am sure that my eyes were rectangular in shape. Doing work…and a likkle bit o blogging of course.

Anyway, mek me drag mi tiyad self al quarto de bano and see what can gwaan before I hit the road. That’s my bit o crap today. More time.

Weeeel…..Friday night wasn’t bad, in fact it was good. The usual imbibing took place, and I decided to drink to the fact that I am now published in the medical literature. I actually made it home pretty late Saturday AM…suppem after three, so I woke later than usual…10:30 AM.

Unfortunately, the plan to hit Lime Cay on Saturday was washed away. From I woke, the weather was a look British, and by about noon, the drops started to fall. By about 1:30 PM, it was a rain out rass wid lightening and thunder, so I spent the day quietly. Hunger got the better of me and I decided that the weather called for soup. So, I did a pot of fish and shrimp soup. Sorry, Shotta M is jus dis morning me read seh de man nuh nyam prawns still! Anyhow, some carrot, cho cho, yam, potato, coco, pumpkin, okra, escallion, thyme, onion and a packet of Grace Fish Tea, some pimento seed and man gone clear. One ting…I had a rahtid scotch bonnett pepper a boil inna de mix, de suppem nuh buss inna de pot! So, it was what dem people inna foreign would refer to as ’spicy!’ Nevertheless, it did turn out wikid, and likkle bit leave. I have a feeling it going get nyam for lunch today.

Yesterday…well, spent a fair amount of time here on the compi, reading blogs, chatting with Mad Bull on IM. My yute, I doh know why all of a sudden inna de middle of our rappin, MSN suddenly became ‘unavailable’……anyway, a nuh nutten. Then typed a number of documents. More rain yesterday afternoon with lightening, and more rain last night. That never stop me from checking Legal Aid tho, and Jamdown Canadian joined us also. Got up to chatting about all sorta things over a few rums with coconut H20. Made it home by 10:30…after all, today is Monday. But lets not labour the fact that I am on call all week…until Saturday morning at 8 AM. Fret not, I man will survive….long as dem nuh rag me out too much. Anyway, nuff to do today….so let me finish the breakfast and head in the direction of the boy’s room. Anything worthy of mention in your weekend? Later.

Well, yes, I am going to say it…TGIF. I am really looking forward to tonight and the weekend. Seems to me this week has dragged on and had its fair share of work. In addition, the people in payroll should (I hope) have salvaged my current account by now.

Anyway, what is with the title? No, is nutten you will read about in your local newspaper and you won’t see it on CNN. On Wednesday evening, dragging my weary self along one of the many corridors at the hospital on my way to the car, I was greeted by one of my Anaesthetic colleagues who stopped me to have a chat. She started off by saying, “Congratulations!” Of course, quite confused, I didn’t know what she was referring to…..(I wonder if she heard that I am coming into some money!?)

She went on to tell me that the case was quite interesting reading. Case?? She said, “Yes, the case you folks in skin published in the West Indian Medical Journal with that child with the multiple ulcers….Pyoderma gangrenosum.” Suddenly it clicked……”Oh, that one. I never knew that it was published.”

I told her thanks and she said she wanted to see more from us as she always finds skin so interesting. Well, those of you who been lurking in these parts for a while may recollect that I had mentioned the case of this little girl last year. Real trying. Trus me, nuff blood, sweat and tears went into the mangement of that liitle child. I am happy to report also, that she has been fine for more than six months now…on no medication! Happy for her, her parents and I must say a big up to all our hardworking nursing staff. If it wasn’t for these dedicated women, I don’t know what our service would be like.

So, Dr. D and some of the crew are now in the literature….yep, it can be a bit trying at times, but academic medicine does have its moments. BTW, the bleaching article has been submitted to said journal and we are waiting to hear if they will accept it…somehow I think we gone clear.

So, despite what may be taking place in the news with this beast of a hurricane, I have good reason to lick some juice later. And, you are all free to join in celebrating with me…wherever you are. Have a good one peeps.

Hail up. Not much to say from me personally. When I tell you I did tiyad yesterday. Got home at ’bout 6 and had dinner. Linked a few blogs and ting. Then I was a chat wid Jamdown Canadian a bit later. He asked if I wasn’t watching the plane? I was clueless, so he filled me in. After that I tuned in to Fox News and watched for about twenty minutes until the pilot of the Jet Blue airliner managed to get the plane whose landing gear was apparently stuck, safely on the ground in an emergency landing at LAX. Big up to him…..I suppose him bonus safe!

Weatherwise, the Gulf prepares for another big blow. This time, it seems as if is Texas, in particular Galveston that going get ruff up. Bwoy, I think plenty people are just dying to see the end of the hurricane season.

Last of all, I not sure if any of mi blooging bredrin dem drive Bimmers. But, it seems that when you are behind the wheels of dem, woman a lust after onoo to rahtid! I guess I will say, happy driving…but whatever you do, always remember to drive safely…..with your ‘tyres’ on of course!

Anyway, tis the day before TGIF, may it pass quickly and without any major mishap. Tek care.

Yesterday after I had eaten my lunch, I found myself with about fifteen minutes to spare before our Tuesday skin clinic was to start. I decided, feeling a bit weary that I was going to find somewhere quiet up at the hospital to park the wheels and chill for a moment to pass the time. Now, about two years back, because of the tremendous pressue on parking space up at the hospital, admin. built some new parking areas for staff, in front of the medical library. Initially, I did not park there because, the spaces had no shade, so when you entered your vehicle in the evening, inside o de cyar would hot nuh rass! (I will do almost anything to find a shady parking space!)

Eventually, they decided to plant poinciana trees which would grow and provide shade for cars. Well, I tell you, as much as there are times when I have to question some of the effries that the people in admin. do, I must big them up. Said poinciana trees have quickly grown, and now provide some irie places for man to park dem wheels.

I parked in a well shaded spot beneath one of the poincianas, put the windows of the car down, shut off the engine, reclined the seat, spread mi legs, put my hands behind my head and watched the breeze blowing the green fronds of the tree in the humid Jamaican afternoon. It was beautiful, quiet, and I admit…man did fall into a blissful sleep for about ten minutes. I can easily say that those few minutes were some of the nicest I spent yesterday. When I awoke, with a smile on mi face, I had to think….God is truly wonderful!

It is true, life does has some wonderful moments, and if we are not careful, the way the world is nowadays, we may feel that in order for us to have enjoyment, we have to spend money. Not so, there is much around that is beautiful. What I think is that we allow the shyte that we get involved with on a daily basis to cloud our vision. Our lives have become too complex. Open your eyes to the simple beautiful things around you….there are plenty.

The photo above is one of a poinciana tree in bloom that I took on the university campus a few years ago. They usually bloom in June to August. Enjoy. Hope you can allow yourself to experience something pleasant today. If I find myself with some time to spare before this afternoon’s clinic, I may well park in the same spot and chill for a while. In fact, I jus now getting an idea…..mark said parking space as “RESERVED FOR DR. D. TO RA$$!” Enuff of me.

…..no long argument today….nutten to say apart from I tiyad and wish I didn’t have to go to work….me still a do too effing much…anyway…I going try have a reasonable day…you do the same. Link the other bloggers, they might jus gie suppem more to hold on to today. Later.

Well, in case you haven’t realized, the weekend done, and another week at the grind is here. For me the weekend just gone wasn’t all that great. Had much to do on call etc. and hence I had likkle time to jus chill. I thus decided last night that this coming weekend, I man heading to Lime Cay to inhale some sea breeze, tek een some scenery etc. It has been a while since I headed out there.

Not a lot to share with y’all today. I have decided to link a little article about wedding night getting down to business. I read the article and it said that for many couples, the wedding night is not filled with passionate lovemaking at all…many couples jus too tiayd after the ceremony, drink up, dancing and ting. I can understand that still. Anyway, see it here. For those of you who drop by today, and happen to be married, if you feel in the mood to drop a few words about your wedding night, gwaan chru. If however, you would prefer not to share the details, I man will respec dat. Perhaps, in dat case, just drop a smiley and leave all who read to think up details for themselves. After all, fantasy if a rass of ting eeh!? Anyhow, hope you have good week. If I not mistaken, I think the bank account suppose to get blessed by the end of this week. Trus me, it well needed.