Aria Lightfoot

It’s My Birthday Bitchezzzzzzzzzzzzzzz! My Favourite Gift So Far by Fayemarie Anderson Carter

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Life Is Divine

 

When Aria posted her “ramblings” I was like nahuh….I’m not doin’ daaaaat! But birthdays have a funny way of making you reflect and so here we are.

I couldn’t have anticipated much of what has occurred in my life…it vaguely resembles what I had planned, more like a Monet or a van Gogh…you know they are flowers but you nevah saw no flowers that looked like that! LOL

As I moved through life, from child to teen, to young adult and now what I consider my “conquering the world” adult years, the way I tell my story has changed. As a child, my life was points on a line: first this, then this, then that. And in relaying it to others, there was a sort of unspoken competition as to who had the worst, or most interesting thing happen to them. So, it was about being born in one place, moving a bunch of times, catholic school, getting stitches, ruined birthdays, Santa Claus, caye trips, death, car accidents, visits to family in faraway places, mean teachers and strict parents. I knew that much of my experience was traumatic and as such had an impact on my attitudes, beliefs and decisions I made. I was aware of that much at least. So, I acted from a place of “I’m not going to do anything that will get me into trouble and make my life more complicated”.

That sounded like a good plan but it didn’t work. Emphatic FAIL. I became an over achiever, a perfectionist, succeeding pretty much at every challenge I undertook which sounds awesome but I was an anxious worry wort, always waiting for the next bad thing to happen. And while it is prudent and wise to be cautious, it is crippling to the soul to be in the grips of fear. That was what I truly was, in the grips of fear. I told myself that I was being smart, being prepared, avoiding mistakes with dire consequences. But the truth was, I was hiding from life. I had to come to believe, not all by myself, of course, in a devastating untruth. You know the one: if you work hard, great will be your reward? And so I did. I avoided the pitfalls such as experimenting with drugs, breaking the law, getting pregnant, failing out of school. But along with that was a great avoidance of many other things and before you know it, I had backed myself into a dark little corner. So afraid was I of being vulnerable and failing that I rejected new adventures, developing my talents, even friendships and I demanded utmost integrity and loyalty from those I did let in.

This behaviour created great dissonance. See, that is not me. Inherently, I am a dare devil. I am a fighter at heart and this role I was trying to embody was too safe, too perfect and absolutely unattainable, at least, by me. I was trying to be  Brie Van de Camp and while I have some similar qualities, there is so much to me that is in direct opposition to Brie. And thank god cause seriously, she is one messed up chick 🙂 and uhm she lives on tv. LOL  To get beyond this self imposed prison of Briedom, there was something I had to do first. I had to accept I was not Brie. Ok, now what? ARGHHHHHH! Ruuuuuuuuun! My real self is tooooooo much! She is loud! She is foul mouthed! She loves Kathy Griffin! She doesn’t care about being thin! (WTH?) She likes pizza! And sex! And wild children! And gay people! And COLOURS: Burnt orange and teal!  O yeah, and she doesn’t believe in god…hmmmm. And she just might be a democrat… o gosh!

It took years and years of lots of painful reflection, stop-starts,  denial- confrontation,  to get here. It was not easy at all and there were moments when I wondered if all this was really worth it. I mean, couldn’t I just go on with life, prescribed and just put one foot in front of the other, miserable but knowing where I was going? But, my inner fighter demanded more. She knew I could do better and I knew that if I listened and tried again and again, I just might be happy for the first time in my life. Besides, having two girls made it impossible to give up because I wanted better for them and the only way I could do that was if I started being/doing better myself.

See…acceptance is way bigger than what we think it is. Sure, we know what it means. It means to surrender, acknowledging a reality and not attempting to change it. Hmmmmmmm….I have said many, many, many, many, many (you get my point) times that I accept something but then found out I really hadn’t. I would find myself rehashing things in my mind, thinking of what I could do different or how I could get the other person to “see” my point, hoping against hopes of hopes that magically everything would be ok and these people would say sorry and spend the rest of their lives making it up to me… LMAO…buwhahahaha….I can laugh boisterously now but for so long, it was definitely NOT funny.

Part of it was just lack of experience…I was just not old enough to know that some things just are and they stay that way. Some of it was a need to have everyone I love, love me back. And then there was the impossible standard I set for myself that I could get anyone to at least respect my views, feelings etc even if they didn’t agree. I never really took into account that others are not like me, that they have different values and gifts and levels of understanding, compassion etc….I “knew” it intellectually but I didn’t ACCEPT it. And as such, I set up myself for a lot of repeated scenes in the same act of the same play, never really moving to the next phase…Today, I think I am there.

This is truly the best gift I could have ever given myself: the gift of self acceptance. It takes a lot to accept. It is rejecting ideas passed on to you; societal expectations; familial pressures; history. It is admitting that those, who taught you the rules of life, were wrong. It is saying goodbye to old things that no longer apply, those things that can not be relevant if one is to embrace the future and the promise of things being different. You can’t hold on to the pain of the past, if you want to truly feel the pleasure of the present. You can’t fret about the mishaps and mistakes of the past if you hope to achieve true fulfillment in the future.

It felt risky. It was very scary for me to let go of all that I knew and to go searching for that which was unknown to me. There was no guide, no older, wiser leader showing me the way. I had to stumble and fall, stumble and fall some more till I thought I would just lay there and give up. I broke down all that  had made me feel like me before, brick by brick, till there was nothing left and then brick by brick I rebuilt, not a wall around me, but a giant stage for me to stand on 🙂

I have come a long way and I know there are still more things to find out and accept and it will be difficult at times. As a matter of fact, I was challenged just a few days ago and I was knocked sprawling to the ground. I slipped into old patterns of responding by internalizing and acting angry and hateful, playing the nasty words over and over in my head till they became my words. Then I gave myself a stern talking to and reminded myself that that was not me anymore. And I had to accept yet something else, that I still will not always be prepared and I will do the wrong thing; but, now I’m not so scared and I am not worried about laughing at myself when I take things too seriously and end up failing spectacularly. I accept and forgive and accept and forgive myself some more. And the more I do it, the freer I become and happier I feel. I am not going to be a famous doctor or actress or whatever the hell else society considers success and I accept it. I have a different definition and I accept it. I am good enough, today. And I accept that.

Just How Nutz Is This Nut???? Who is John McAfee? by Fayemarie Anderson Carter

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I am not ever going to excuse or condone use of excessive force EVEN if it is in the process of protecting our nation.

That said….there are several disturbing things going on with  John McAfee. Let’s look at an article written almost exactly 2 years ago to the day, by an American journalist, Jeff Wise.http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/145/fantasy-island.html.

The original purpose was to interview John McAfee about his research on quorum sensing http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quorum_sensing. Quorum sensing refers a process by which receptor bacteria receives signals from inducer bacteria or the signalling bacteria and as such function in gene expression. In other words, they decide what genes are reproduced in a particular environment. The following is an excerpt from the article:

“I’m working on a medical research project that has enormous potential,’ he told me. “I hired a young researcher, Dr. Adonizio, who is the leading researcher on a new branch of antibiotic development, using medicinal-type plants.”

McAfee explained that infectious bacteria become dangerous only when they multiply to a certain concentration, at which point, thanks to a process called “quorum sensing,” they collectively shift to a pathogenic mode. The signal that modulates this response is a certain chemical pheromone — if a drug can block its action, the bacteria will never become dangerous. And because no bacteria are killed, the accelerated evolution that results in antibiotic resistance never occurs. “

Whew! Got that? Good. The journalist was perturbed however by the “leading researcher” Dr. Allison Adonizio, about whom several things McAfee had said about her turned out to be untrue.  Wise says that they “began their work together — not, as McAfee had told me, two years earlier, but just seven months before. She had identified, she says, not six promising herbs, but two. Nor, it later emerges, was she “the leading researcher” in quorum sensing, as McAfee had described her; several eminent scholars in the field told me they’d “never heard of that person.”who he says “nobody has heard of”.  Also it would seem  that the research facility appears hodgepodge since Wise describes the one room back building at Galen University as having just been “knocked together” two days before his arrival. The next thing is that they aren’t really focusing on quorum sensing research but rather an herbal compound to enhance the female libido. Wise says that McAfee plans to use the money he makes from this to then further his research on quorum sensing…HUH?????

Wise also talks about how McAfee says he has bribed his way into gaining cooperation of the locals (that’s us) in the following excerpt:

By now it seems pretty clear that McAfee isn’t as impoverished as he’s let on. The double lot he lives on — one of “several properties” he’s purchased, according to a local realtor — is worth about $1.5 million for the land alone. Then there is the $1 million patrol boat he donated to the Belizean coast guard. (In a letter to The New York Times, he described it as an act of philanthropy; later, he tells me he had to bribe members of the coast guard to prevent them from hassling his ferry business: “This is a third-world country. I had to bribe a whole bunch of folks.”) Throw in a $400,000 set of greenhouses, a handful of other businesses, the rent on a half-million-dollar boat, 35 to 40 local employees, lab buildings and equipment, and the fact that people keep asking him for $1,000 here, $5,000 there, and it all starts to, well, add up.

Which brings me to my original thought when I read the comments both McAfee and his supporters made after he was detained on May 2, 2012. The prevailing sentiment was that the Belize Government is harassing someone who has been such a benefactor to Belize and its people, even the very police who came to execute the warrant. Uhm…so? Just because you throw some money around, you should be beyond the law? And then I read this here article and he in his own damning words admits that he is basically bribing his way so he is left alone. I wasn’t the only one with this impression. Read what the journalist himself observed:

One night, over dinner in Belize, the conversation turned to the subject of a seawall McAfee had built on his property. Seawalls are regulated on Ambergris Caye, as in many places, because though they may retard beach erosion in one place, they tend to accelerate it elsewhere. And so a pair of police officers came to visit him. “We are sorry that we have to tell you to stop building that wall,” they said. “I am sorry that I have to tell you that I am going to build it anyway,” he told them, and they left.

To McAfee, this exchange was proof of the evolved level of discourse in Belize, where a person is largely left to do as he pleases. Yet surely there is a point to laws and regulations, I protested. How would he feel if a neighbor built a wall that caused his beach to erode? “That would be fine.” What if his neighbor built a 20-story high-rise that loomed over his villa? “I’d let him.” Really? “Who am I to say whether a skyscraper is a good thing or not?” he countered. “Just look at the skyline of Manhattan, how beautiful it is.”

At the time, I thought that he was simply being argumentative. But McAfee seems to want freedom without limitation.

So this guy Wise goes home and starts digging around to find out that McAfee is being sued because of his disregard again for rules. He, in his misguided enthusiasm, decided to open a flight school to teach aerotrekking, something McAfee basically made up. He had hired his nephew, Joel Gordon Bitow, as a flight instructor even though it is ILLEGAL to give instructions when all you have is a SPORT PILOT CERTIFICATE, much easier to get than a PILOT’s LICENSE. Bitow went to one of the most dangerous parts of the canyon in Arizona where he crashed and killed his student, Robert Gilson. Frank Flemming on behalf of Gilson has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against McAfee:

The Superior Court of Maricopa County, Arizona, will decide whether McAfee should be held responsible. Was Bitow acting under McAfee’s instruction, or on his own? To Fleming, unsurprisingly, the case is clear. It was McAfee who conceived of the sport of aerotrekking and who promoted it in the national media. And it was McAfee who gave Bitow the trike to fly and put him in charge of the flight school. “Pushing his nephew, Joel Gordon Bitow, into a situation where he’s giving dual instruction in an illegal operation, to innocent people off the street, and encouraging people to perform low-altitude, high-speed flight over unforgiving terrain with no margin of error — that to me is no different than being a drunk driver or a reckless speeder in a school zone,” Fleming says. His civil complaint seeks $5 million in damages. Punitive damages could run much higher.

SOooooo…..Wise says that McAfee became a permanent resident of Belize because:

“A judgment in the States is not valid down here,” McAfee tells me. “And lawsuits in process in the United States have a difficult time in the collection stage.”

Oh and did we mention he is sleeping with a 17 year old minor???? How long has this been going on? Was she of  the age of consent when the affair started? Even so…it could be an indication of just how much disregard he has for social mores. Or is it pointing at the fact that he likes to do what he wants when he wants and let’s face it, how powerful is a 17 against such an older man? He probably figures he would just pay her off too.

My point for doing all of this digging around although thanks to Jeff Wise, a lot of it came in a neat little package, so that I only had to verify what Wise said for the most part, IS: do we know who this man is? AND WHY AGAIN?????? ARE WE DEFENDING SOMEONE WHO IS OBVIOUSLY USING THE WHOLE DAMN COUNTRY TO ESCAPE HIS MORAL AND LEGAL OBLIGATIONS? Even if that Gilson lawsuit is lost, the way McAfee is handling it shows his disrespect for life through his blatant reckless and irresponsible actions behind his flight school and now his running away and hiding all his assets in our country. The way he talks about us is we just need some money, the little peasants and they will do what I want…even in his own interview with Channel 5, he shared his indignation that the Minister of National Security did not bother to call him back: http://edition.channel5belize.com/archives/69954

“I attempted to reach Mister Saldivar, the Minister of National Security on six different occasions. He did not return a single phone call, neither did his secretary—which as a last resort, I tried to reach him through his secretary. I sent him a text saying Mister Saldivar it is urgent that I speak to you. He did not respond. He is a member of the same party that was slighted by my refusal to donate. So this is astonishing too; the Minister of National Security. And I was going by to meet with him anyways—I would with any new minister just out of courtesy. I am a foreign citizen in this country; I want to meet the minister to let them know I am here if I can help in any way, hello, goodbye, whatever. It’s just politeness. He refused to respond to my phone calls, to give me an appointment to meet him or in any way to talk to him. And this was three weeks prior to this event that I was trying to reach Mister Saldivar. So Mister Saldivar, please would you call me now?”

I mean this is laughable really…to expect that you get to text a minister and demand his attention. Ever heard of a letter? for the matter of record??? What is he doing with the man’s private cell number anyway? For all we know? Dude  is making this shit up…no proof…lesson learned Mr. McAfee.
So about the raid…McAfee went on and on about how uncomfortable it was to be in jail and how he lost sleep and how he didn’t get anything to eat. I am sorry that he wasn’t treated to basic human accommodations but what is the usual experience in a Belize jail…does anybody know? Fill us in in the comments below K? Anyhow, beyond that question, how comfortable is jail supposed to be? And let’s be fair, the man had armed guards and 13 dogs (I bet that number is significant). This is an excerpt from the report in Channel 5 News: http://edition.channel5belize.com/archives/69891
During the search ten firearms—seven, twelve gauge pump action shotguns; one, twelve gauge single action shotgun; one Taurus nine millimetre pistol and one, nine millimetre CZ pistol were found. Five air rifles with scopes resembling sniper rifles that use six point two six millimetre slugs were also found and two hundred and seventy twelve gauge cartridges.  Additionally, thirty nine millimetre rounds and twenty point thirty-eight rounds were also taken. 
Is the GSU supposed to knock politely on his door so he can send them away like he did the policemen in San Pedro? Mister “No mattah wot u say Mistah ASSifah, I’m gonna do what I want anyway” McAfee? Quote from Wise’s article: “Success for me is, Can you wake up in the morning and feel like a 12-year-old?”  How much more plain can McAfee make it for all of us? He wants to act like an adolescent…no responsibilities…want his cake and yours too!
It would seem that the GSU did have just cause and even the killing of the dog was justified. The major news houses keep mentioning a press release from the GSU but I haven’t seen the actual release just bits and pieces of what is supposed to be in there BUT it would seem that there was an illegal lab in there, unlicensed arms, and bodyguards without licenses? Again, an  excerpt from the report in Channel 5 News: http://edition.channel5belize.com/archives/69891

Analysts at the Forensic Laboratory, and personnel from the Ministry of Health were taken to inspect the facility and samples of an alleged antibiotic apparently being manufactured at the Laboratory were also taken for analysis. The Ministry of Health has already confirmed that no licence has been granted to McAfee or any of his agents to manufacture antibiotics in Belize.  Doing so without a licence is an offence under the Antibiotics Act.

Further investigation led into a query regarding the employment of the security guards. This revealed that only two of the four guards on the premises were licensed to act as security guards.

And in regards to the fatally wounded man’s best friend, the GSU says that three of the eleven dogs on the premises attacked and bit one of the officers on his right thigh. The same dog then attacked a B.D.F. soldier who responded by fatally wounded the dog.

At the end of the search, three of the security guards were arrested and charged for “Providing Security Services without a License”. While McAfee, who was initially detained and charged for the offences of Kept Unlicensed Firearm and Ammunition, was later released.  This aspect is still under investigation as no such licence has yet been found in the records at Police Headquarters.

We need to be careful here. Just because this man has money and is supposedly being generous which could easily be construed as bribery, he is not NOT above the law. At the same time, if what he claims is true, we need to clean that mess up and expose that politician for what he is, a goddamned crooked extortionist engaging in political victimization. And as for the GSU, please behave according to protocol and severely deal with any in your unit who abuses his/her power. We can’t fight crime by acting like criminals. You must be beyond reproach or don’t bother at all because the cases will get thrown out; you will create bad press,impacting our financial outlook both in tourism and investment dollars;  impair any sort of goodwill efforts; and worst of all, fail the very public YOU ARE working for.

And as for those damn henz crying about poor Mr. McAfee: Know who the hell and what the hell you fighting for?! How uno could get soh blinded by soh lee money whe hi throw wi way…we nuh soh cheap man…cian’t!

Daily Dingleberry 05-02-12 Snake in Our Garden

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Yesterday, I was the recipient of some pretty hateful speech and I want to share it with you because at first, it may seem personal but trust me it is very political and relevant.

My husband posted what seemed an innocuous status on his Facebook page about it being time to find out what I wanted to do for my birthday week…(he has decided to give me a whole week this year cuz I’m awesome)…

His friend responded with “your money“…I was immediately taken aback and insulted but decided to give him the benefit of the doubt and took it as an example of just a joke gone awry…as my husband answered, it became clear he was not joking as he then went on to insult my intelligence.

So I said…in Creole, “sorry fi you” which you know in real Creole would be way less English than that…to which he then responded with wth does it mean and I explained “Sorry for you” making me wonder about his intelligence ‘cuz really, how hard was that to decipher?

He then attacked my immigrant status saying he is sorry if I can’t speak the language of the country in which I live…I put it in proper grammatical form so you can read it…anyway I knew what he was saying so I said less than eloquently: “Anyway, f*ck you” because by this time it was obvious he was not joking, he really was going there and he was going to just go on…

He then went on to explore his point even further by asking about what kind of money I bring in and even if I bring in any it’s so little that I don’t pay taxes…blah, blah blah…I removed my previous three comments, hoping he would notice that I no longer wished to communicate and discuss my marriage, employment etc. But he didn’t notice or didn’t care so he went on to say that my husband could do much better and that bc of my social work background, I was holding him back and that all I wanted him was for his money and proof is that I, as an immigrant, couldn’t possibly bring my own food to the table and that democrats like me would miss him when he died because he pays for everything I have…hmmmmmmmm.

SO MANY MESSAGES HERE

So what do I take away from this…besides the jealousy displayed towards my husband, our marriage, me and my beauty (he compared me to Marilyn Monroe and Jim as the Kennedys LOL)? He hates Obama, immigrants, social programs,women, democrats, and goodness knows what else….

He is an example of the worst kind of Republican…believing that everyone is out to get him and that anything with a hint of social interest is someone trying to get something for nothing: zero sum mentality…immigrants want free ish from the government; poor people are poor because they choose to be and don’t work hard enough, women get married so they can use men for their money; Obama is ruining the economy and this country and what it stands for….OMG

So what does this have to do with Belize? Plenty….we look to America for precedents in law, social policies, education…you name it. We want American investors to come to Belize and develop industry. We want Americans to come as tourists and explore our beauty whilst giving us a living. We look to America to send volunteers to help us set up clinics, school programmes, sports scholarships etc.

Is what he thinks what they all  think of people like us? Unfortunately, some of them do and from the fury of the Republicans and the nuts in the Tea Party, this sort of hatred seems to be escalating.  We need to make sure who we let into our country, giving them concessions and leases to our land…selling them everything down to we ass and wi chambah. We better be careful that soon nuff we don’t become second class citizens in our own country because we chasing the almighty dollah.

Not only am I asking us as Belizeans to be careful of who we invite into our garden, I also want us to use my story as a cautionary tale. We must NOT act like this. We have our own immigration issues. We treat them badly. We give them the worst jobs and don’t care how they live. We complain about our tax dollars paying for school for “them”, and medical for “them” and worry about how they sell their votes to get their papers fixed. How ugly is hatred. Let’s try to remember that behind every “issue” are real people. He is someone’s father,brother,son. She is someone’s mother, sister,daughter. While we treat them like dirt, they are someone’s heroes.

So what I am saying is: if someone can think I am a piece of dirt and treat me as such…I, who have never committed a crime; I, who paid my way through school with scholarships and grants by working hard; I, who raise two special needs children with virtually no help; I, who dedicated almost 8 years to social service, first as an intern, then as a therapist; I,who volunteer, make donations to charities, work to raise awareness for cancer, injustice, human rights, you name it….how do you expect someone with no education, no voice, no hope to be treated and more importantly, respond? Do we want to make others feel defeated? desperate? unworthy?

Don’t be a part of that. Raise the bar. Don’t allow anyone to treat you as less than human because they say you are, or think you are so desperate and need their money, or think you are so ignorant that you know no better. And as such don’t treat anyone like that either.

“The true measure of a man is how he treats someone who can do him absolutely no good.”

-Unknown

05-01-12 MAY DAY! MAY DAY! Mayday?

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May Day has its origins thousands of years back to the days when it was celebrated as the Festival of Flora or the Roman goddess of flowers. Bonfires were lit to signify the end of winter and the coming of summer. As Christianity spread, many pagan celebrations such as this morphed into other religious holidays such as Easter, Christmas etc. May became known as the Month of Mary and all over the world, statues of Mary are adorned with crowns of flowers, offerings of fruits are made. More secular celebrations involved crowning the Queen of the May and Maypole dancing.

In Belize, it is Labour Day and is usually incorporated into a long weekend of “Agric” where all produce that is grown and animals that are reared are featured as part education/part celebration. There are 80 countries around the world engaging in similar celebrations on this day borne out of tragedy. In the late 19th Century, tensions rose between workers and capitalists resulting in the May Riots of 1894. In response, socialist organisations all over the world formed labour unions in an effort to create better working conditions for workers. May 1st became a day for many to continue to bring attention the conditions of the labour force and as such has become known as Internation Worker’s Day. Many countries decided to make it a public holiday in recognition of importance of workers.

In the US, despite failed attempts to make today its official labour day, it is still observed as a day to protest and send a message to corporate America. This year the Occupy Wall Street, OWS, is staging a general day of protest asking people all across the nation to just do nothing for one whole day in an effort to highlight the impact of the labour force on the economy:  No Work – No School – No Housework – No Shopping

So, what began as a pagan ritual celebrating the end of winter, has now morphed into a day of protest and dissent, a day to send out a “mayday” to anyone who will listen to the cries of distress  of the labour force. http://occupywallst.org/

How will you celebrate today? May Day or sending out a mayday?

 

The Rambling Reflections of the Birthday Girl by: Aria Lightfoot

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This is my birthday week (And Faye’s is next week) and every year I use this time to reflect on my accomplishments, failures, friendships, aspirations and most importantly my family. I am a complex person who have been through many trials and tribulations from a very early age. I have never used it as an excuse but rather a driving force in my life. I treasure my roots and I think I was very blessed to have had such great parents (even though growing up, many days I didn’t think so). Parents who spent the time to show me core values and the appreciation for integrity and love of Belize. I was a well traveled child and was very culturally exposed. My mother and father struggled many days and sacrificed a lot to give us the things they did not have. My parents are responsible for me being the confident, intelligent woman I am today.

This year I will be 38 years old and I decided to do a full health check up before my birthday. At this age my favorite aunt was battling breast cancer, a battle she eventually lost. This year I decided to follow the advice of my husband, my doctors and one of my aunt’s best friends (who is also a doctor), urging me to get my mammogram because of my strong family history with the disease. It has been a test I dreaded all my life and pretty much ignored for many years because of the fear of the results. However, after seeing the struggles of our first lady, who is also battling cancer,and who in many ways remind me of my aunt- young, beautiful, ambitious and smart, and knowing I am reaching that critical age, I decided to take the step and do the mammogram and ultra sound of my breasts.

After my mammogram, my doctor called me to tell me that they saw something suspicious and would require more testing and a biopsy. I did not know how to react or if I should react. As a person who tend not to panic, my first thought was my children and how such a diagnosis would affect my family. I try to envision who I would want in my children’s life and even gave my hubby the list with the type of women I would approve of when I met my fate. My husband was not amused. In fact, he seemed more distraught than I was. I said a silent prayer and went to the specialist and did the biopsy. During the process I met a nurse who was a ten year survivor of breast cancer. She was very supportive and made me feel extremely comfortable during the process. The diagnosis. No cancer. It was relieving to hear the news, but I realize with my family history, it is a diagnosis that is only good for a year. However, it allowed me to take one of the scariest steps in my life. I urge people to find out your status when it comes to any disease that could save your life with early detection. Face your fears and overcome them.

On a different note, it has been four months since Faye and I have been writing our blog. We have had people who encourage us to continue expressing our opinions and highlighting the issues. Conversely, we have also encountered those who want us to shut up. They have been insulting and rude. I am sometimes taken aback at the personal and mean nature of the criticism, but I guess we should expect it when we put our writing in the public arena.

I am a confident person. I don’t write my blog to make friends or enemies, but rather to spark discussions about Belize that need to be said or heard. Someone sent me a private message to share that some people in one forum really don’t like me…I really don’t care. People fail to realize that we should be in a forum to have discussions about issues and ideas, not personalities. I don’t care that some political proponent or someone who plays absolutely no role in my life, thinks about me. They are entitled to their opinions even when riddled with hate and immaturity. My life decisions and accomplishments have nothing to do with the opinions of such people.

As I complete my 38th year of life, I realize there is so much I want to do and contribute. I will continue to advocate for change and advocate for a better Belize. We must realize that no one in life is all good or all bad. We have differing opinions in life and we all come from different backgrounds. That is what makes democracy rich and Belize culture so beautiful and diverse. . It is important as a country that we continue to advance the ideas of all those who are willing to contribute. We should discourage pettiness, hate and jealously that infect our souls. As strong as my opinions are on an issue, I will never hate or disrespect someone because of it. I am vigorous in defending my position. If people cannot engage in healthy debate and need to shut out differing opinions, maybe they are part of the problem why we cant move our country forward. In everything we do in life, Respect!

This blog has been very enriching and I am happy that I decided to write with my friend Faye. I also want to thank those who continue to support us. Please continue reading and commenting. Your input is very important. We all want the same things in life, regardless of age, sex, sexual orientation, religious affiliation, race, ethnicty or political persuasion. We all want the freedom of personal choices, success of our families, peace of mind, a safe, free and enriching life.

Daily Dingleberry 04-30-12 Frog Sitting Like A Human

/ Twocanview LLC

It’s the last day of April and let’s just smile and give thanks that we made it!!!

 

The fact that this frog is evolving gives us humans hope…or does it mean as frogs get more like us, we’ll get more like them??? hmmmmmmmmm

Daily Dingleberry 04-27-12 Misery LOVES Company

/ Twocanview LLC / 3 Comments

Hey! YOU! Yes, YOU!

Lookya! O^O

Belize has been getting a lot of negative press and for good reason. What is ironic is that many Belizeans quick fuh hallah dat govament nuh di duh dey job! Tymes haaaaaad! People tieeeeeef! Police corrrrrrupt! And then when they get put in the limelight by international agencies, instead of rising up and hollering “yes! Da tru! Da tru!” uno run inna uno hole and play victim.

My point? Why do we obsess about bad press? Why do we create hysteria and give this horrible impression that everybody is starving and dying and basically living in squalor?

Check out the Facebook updates: smiling people at the bar, the beach, Cancun???? Fancy ride, pretty house, lush gardens? And how did you upload those pictures? On your iPhone….not cheap people so…methinks you do complain too damn much.

SO! I will re feature a lovely story from Channel 7 about someone who beat the odds and has quite the frank discussion about his childhood, the ramifications and how he overcame his “demons” as he calls them: Dr. Leroy Almendarez

http://vimeo.com/41125956