Thoughts of a minibus traveller

As first quarter 2018 comes to an end and I think about the things  I wished I could write about but haven't been able to as I keep writing about other things.. 1. I wish I could write about being able to find ways of converting the grass which grows from the cracks in the concrete and which provides a soft contrast to the grey hardness around into some kind of garden. I wish I could write about growing flowers instead of weeds which do not flower. 2. I wish I could write about how I have managed to reverse the rising sugar level trends by eating healthily and exercising regularly. I wish I could write about how much easier it is to succumb to eating badly and postponing the exercise. 3. I wish I could write about letting go and loving at the same time , instead of writing the same emails to the loved one who has resumed shunning and who does not want to see me but might have wanted to just talk to me on the phone every now and then.  I wish I could write that I could...

Image modified from  Guyana Marriott Woman who sends a possible work offer at Marriott asks "Why do you boycott the Marriott" and I have to explain because she has probably forgotten about the protests at the opening of the Marriot t, and the protests before from APNU and others about the PPP shadiness and corruption. Another work offer would have had to be refused when I realised the venue is the Marriott. I stupidly write in quotations to people that I will not work at the Marriott Guyana. I have no idea what the cost will be in the long term. I did not go to the protests at the opening. There only about 25 protestors and the police presence was heavy it seems and there was a lot of opposition. The Government changed in May 2015 and some of the protestors stopped protesting the Marriott and started attending and participating and enjoying the benefits of the monument to corruption. The first big event was the 2015 USA Independence Celebrations .. the Americans sa...

"I did always want pursue lil higher studies, but time yuh know.. life.. " the taxi driver, a woman, said as she took me into the University compound. "Dis place always looks busy.. ".   I ask her if she has access to the Internet and what phone she uses. I tell her about MOOCs and coursera and edx. "Write dem down hey fuh meh nuh".. she takes a paper from the door . The car is not too tidy. I wanted to ask her if she wanted to come into the lecture.. but time is money and as I pay her and jump out , I did not say.. come in come in if you got some time. I disconnected her from the theme of the lecture in that very easy to do way in which people - women, men , others are often ignored. The lecture was about gender and health. Near the door of the lecture theatre, a woman is standing. She is a cleaner. I tell her come in if she finish working. She looks at me and smiles. She says no. I say come man, tek a seat. She laughs and says 'another tim...

".. she does always cause problem.. is wheh de red nurse deh?" one woman shouted in annoyance.. another person said "yes, we doan get no problem wid de red nurse.. we wid a dun already".. dis one hey always got mix up with the cards now  we aint going in no order.. de red nurse mussee deh pun leaven nuh..".. peopled "is not me.. de red nurse would have had the same problem , is de filing clerk come late .i cyan find yall chart . please tell me who come in order, .. yall aint want tell me who come in order.. arite.. i gun just call name an put yall fuh sit down in order" "de red nurse does always get thing organised.. stupes.. "i gun complain about you".. a small man with a cap and a thin face which easily broke into smiles said.. i gun report you.. he said holding the a cage with a small brown bird which was silent. On the other side, people who are looking for hearing aid serviecs.. some are signing rapidly, some are shouti...

Written in 2018 Navratra and I am thinking of the Hindu men I know, some of them are pandits, who will be celebrating with me. Thinking of messages I have heard and read from pandits, some young and some old, and thinking of the messages I would have liked to give them in return. Thinking of how Navratra is an important time for Hindu men to assert their faith by understanding equality. 1. Don't be like Rishi Kapoor. Rishi Kapoor grabs a woman by her hair in Kabhi Kabhi and sings one of my favourite songs. Other men have held women by their hair in the same way and abused them, knocked their heads on floors and walls , or cut off the hair.     In Chandini, Rishi Kapoor turns off the light and grabs the young Sridevi. His grip on her results in marks on her skin. He reminds her of his violence by showing her the broken bangles he kept.  (Euphemism for how some men 'keep she panty' as a trophy ?) Rishi Kappor then terrorises her on a motorbike as she asks him ...

Left : Banner from Red Thread, right, banner from UG Institute of Gender Studies The march chanted "We want Justice'  and the response was 'now' . Saturday afternoon two days after a woman faced injustice in one of  the Courts when the police 'lost' her medical showing the injuries inflicted a man so the case was thrown out by the magistrate. The chant is familiar. There are lots of young people. I am glad to see them though feeling sad as i was younger when I had started walking and chanting the same thing. The march was organised by Student Society Against Human Rights Violation s.  The name reminded me of the early days of SASOD - Students Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination in 2003. Also stepping out of the University and in the community.  The theme if the march I think is Justice for  Women and Girls .  There is a focus on those who hold power and abuse their power. A cynical woman had said.. why only women , doesn't everybody need j...

I shout aye aye to de bus hoping dat my voice would travel more fast and loud dan my legs.. de bus had 3 people in it and i didn't hear any music so I think I deh good. Conductor look small built but he didn't see me. Driver saw me and stop and kind of reverse lil bit on the side of the road in a way like he wasn't sure if he had to reverse. I jump in the front seat and say morning and driver reach the traffic light. He turn to me and seh.. 'Is I h ad to see you.. the conductor aint hear you.. ' in a nice kind of voice not angry... 'he does bun high grade'.. I notice driver fiddling with knob on the tape and I want to cuss.. is a new thing like dem bus driver does turn down volume to pick up ol people and turn up volume to pick up school chirren. I jump and started I seh ' Wuh.. wid loud music and if he high.. he aint gun hear nutting man an high grade gun kill yuh brain cells'.. I kind of turn me mouth back in the direction. Nuttin...