The Girl With The Tattoo

She clutches to this imagination, a belief that he is someone he is not;

that he's someone he doesn't want to be.

She clutched to the hope,

to the illusion,

to her false comforts

of Him existing.

Superimposing her wishes 

from her mind's projector unto his wall

her eyes are blinded

her mind clouded

her thoughts - dreams.

She wants to wake up and see the truth

but she knows not how to let go of her fantasy.

She knows not how to see reality and not her dreams.

Life has become so dull that she can't bare to live in it without

those false comforts,

those illusions

those desires.

Inspiration To Explore

Well I've surely been MIA recently. I've just been focusing on finishing my undergraduate degree and staying out of the limelight at Trent. My days for being a socialite at the school are long gone. I'm enjoying my retirement from it, although some people expect me to still be in it. Anyways, on to better things.

On December 1st I went to Rochester, New York to participate in a North American Indigenous Culture Exhibition. The exhibition was entitled Changing Hands: Art Without Reservation 3.  It was my first time in Rochester and I must say from what I saw the city is beautiful. It has a rich arts culture and not just an indoor one in terms of exhibitions at the museum or art galleries but street art is alive and visible.

The exhibition was amazing. Although I did not go through every single exhibit, the ones I did stop by were very interesting. It rekindled my desire to explore not only my own art form but others as well. I felt inspired to explore my own Saint Lucia culture a bit deeper as well. Although this may not be possible any time soon, it would be interesting to host or be a part of a team of persons who can make something similar happen. It would a great opportunity to work with current and upcoming artists to hone the skills of newer ones and with time create the exhibition. My vision for it would be one that is so renowned and amazing that it would even travel the Caribbean and possibly the world! I should get started on that. Start looking at who I could collaborate with to develop the idea and then present it to the necessary bodies in Saint Lucia that can further develop and expand on it. A look at not only traditional but contemporary Saint Lucian art.

What do you think about this idea? How could I make it happen? Feel free to share a comment down below! Thanks for reading

-Shani V.

Show Me Your Friends...

Surround yourself with people who will 

uplift you, 

encourage you 

and 

motivate you. 

It's so easy for us to get bogged down with comfortable people. I'm talking those people we've known for ages, or we've just grown accustom to having in our close proximity. 

Sometimes we need to take a step back and look critically at these people - are they still (or ever did) serve their purpose in our lives? Are we holding on to relationships that hinder our progress? 

Everyone comes into your life for a good reason. Not everyone deserves to stay in your life. Ultimately you make the choice as to who stays and who goes. It doesn't make sense for you to chase someone down and that person constantly hurts you. Let them go. It doesn't make sense for you to keep that person around yet still as soon as they're gone you're relieved and relaxed, able to be yourself and be happy. Get rid of them. It doesn't make sense to keep that person who you keep giving your all to but won't give you a thought. Leave them down. No space on your minivan of life for that!!

Instead find people who uplift, encourage and motivate you. I've come to learn that this does not mean surround yourself with people who enable you. Having friends that enable you are just as detrimental if not worse than those that are just dead, useless weight. Have friends that are critical, smart, and look out for your best interest. Friends who aren't afraid to tell you "hey you're forming the ass now" or "No...you're not doing that because it's a stupid idea and in the end you're gonna regret you did it." Surround yourself with people who have a great vision for themselves and want to surround themselves with equally or more greatness.

In the words of the great Tess M J. "...and with that I resign."

-V

Equity Exists

I am a bit disgruntled while typing this, nonetheless I believe that there are some valid points in this post.

Don't give more than you receive.

Could this be any truer? It is easy for some people to give their all in every situation. Some people see potential and believe they should help everyone develop their potential. But is this really the way to survive in this world??

I hate to tell you this but no. Don't waste your time. You seeing potential doesn't mean that the potential sees it in him/herself or in the situation. By giving your all because you see the potential only sets you up for great disappointment when the moment is not seized and milked for it's worth. And what's worse is when you try to pump more energy, more time, and more effort into making it work...let go. It's. Not. Going. To. Work.

Save yourself the headache, heartache and any other ache that may come along and be a little selfish every once in a while. Actually, a little more than once in a while. Understand that some times taking risks are great, but know that not every risk is worth taking.


-V

Let The Reading Continue!

After much wait, or at least what seemed like FOREVER!! I finally got my Kobo Mini (e-reader). I am thoroughly impressed and excited to have it. I have purchased a few e-books and have been reading once again on the bus and even in bed. I would recommend an e-reader whether it be a Nook, Kobo, Kindle, or whatever to someone who loves reading or wants to get into reading. They are slim enough to slip into almost any bag (depending on the size) and are easy to use. The only thing is the version I have doesn't have a back light and so I would need a separate light source if I were reading in the dark or on a late night bus from Toronto or something. But apart from that, I LOVE IT!!

I posted the following question on my Facebook wall - WANTED: Suggestions for books to read. I got a few replies, some of which I don't think are along the lines of the books I want to read, others definitely captured my interest. Here is a list of some of the books suggested (including those I probably won't read):

• The Skin I'm In by Sharon G. Flake
• The Happiness Hypothesis: Finding Modern Truth in Ancient Wisdom by Jonathan Haidt
• The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
• The Other Boleyn Girl
• The Hunger Games Series
• Earth's Children (a series of books) by Jean Auel
• Eva Luna
• A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry
• So Long A Letter by Mariama Ba
• The Lion and The Jewel by Wole Soyinka
• Girl With A Pearl Earring
• Five People You Meet In Heaven by Mitch Albom.

Have you read any of these books or have a suggestion for a book I should read? Let me know by leaving a comment below! Also feel free to look up and start reading any of these books yourself!

Happy Reading

-V

What's The Plan

This is something I have been struggling with for many years - what do you want to be when you grow up? True some would say I am already grown, but I don't feel like it.

I was reading Steve Harvey's book "Act Like A Lady - Think Like A Man" and in the book he says there are 5 questions a woman should ask a man to know if he's a keeper or if she should grab her purse and run. The first question is where do you see yourself in 5 years (i.e. what are your short term goals)? True I was reading the book to understand how to interact with males and get one to be mine - mwhahaha!! But the book made me question myself as well. I mean how terrible would it be for me to sit grilling a guy about where he wants to be in 5 or 10 years time and I have no idea where I want to be?! He'll get the red flag and head straight for the door.

Another minor event happened to encourage the thought process on what my short and long term goals are. My friend Bee and I were having a conversation about work and we discussed where I currently work and how much I make. I don't make minimum wage - and that is a blessing. Anything about $11 is wonderful in my mind, if you get enough hours. Anyway, in the conversation Bee says she can't wait to be making $30/hr or more. The gong went off in my mind. I had never thought about making so much money despite what job I thought I would be doing. Another part of Steve's book came to mind. I'm not going to quote what part, go read it for yourself and figure it out. But on a serious note, it was another part of the book that could have been applied to myself. What am I worth? How much do I think I should be making in my desired job? This I think helps to hone in on exactly what you want to do, how you want to do it and how much you want to get for your hard work.

So of course, I sat with my pen and paper (diary in this case) and thought long, deep and hard about what I want to do, where I see myself and how long it's going to take me. Two weeks ago, if you asked me what is my dream job I would tell you I want to be an Environmental Educator and that's it. Today I am able to sift through that fluff of a title and break it down further, pin pointing exactly what I want to do.

I want to be something similar to a curriculum officer but not on the Ministry of Education side. I want to work with businesses and organisations such as a water company, energy company, landfill, etc. in connection with schools, youth groups, churches, community organisations to develop programming/activities/curriculum for the businesses and organisations that I work with to get their environmentally friendly message out there and into the community. For example, let's say I work with a water company and the country, city, whatever (depending on where I am in the world) celebrates October as the month of Water, I would create a month long programme of activities that would help persons know more about the water in the community, how to use water efficiently, how the water gets from the source to the user. The same would apply if I worked for a recycling plant and the month of June was recycling month. A month long series of activities would be created not only for students (although focusing more on the youth) to get persons involved and aware of what really happens when we recycle, don't recycle properly, what to look for in materials before buying them, etc. The title I want is Community Environmental Outreach Manager.

So that is my long term goal. I'm still working on fine tuning the short term goals to help me get that direction. That will be another post possibly.

What are some of your short and long term goals? Feel free to share with me in the comments below!

Thanks for reading!
-V

What's I'm Reading Now

I have a lovely tab here that is for the book(s) I have read and am reading. Knowing all along that I did not read enough I challenged myself to read more. To add a bit of accountability I decided to add the tab on the blog so I (and others) can see my progress. I haven't gotten very far in expanding my list, but I'm honestly fine with that. I'm still reading though.

I started the challenge by reading on the bus to and from school. It's about a 10 minute bus ride and once I on the bus (and had a seat because goodness knows attempting to hold a book, read and keep my balance was not going to end well) I whipped out my book and read for the 10 minutes. If I traveled twice in the day then that was 20 minutes of reading. If I traveled more then that was more reading for me. I found that when I got to the interesting parts of the book I would read and walk or even read before bed. Now that I take the bus for 40 minutes twice a day I get a lot more reading done and I'm quite happy with that. It's become such a habit that I finished the last book I was reading and the next day I got another one to read. My hands felt very idle and I felt bored on the bus even with my cell phone and my mp3 player.

The book I am now reading I chose from my housemate simply because it had not cover. Just a black hardcover book sat in the pile. I read the side of the book to see the title and said hmmm okay let's do it. I'm now realising that not having a sleeve or cover keeps me reading this one because I have no clue as to what the book is about. I'm expecting a plot of murder and mystery and thus far it's not proving to be that. I have no idea which direction the book is going to go in. And as I've gotten so far without looking up the book I don't want to spoil it by searching for reviews of it. Next time I surely will choose one with a sleeve.

If you're able to stomach it I would recommend reading on the bus or in a vehicle while traveling especially if you travel daily. If you're not able to stomach it I would recommend 10 minutes before bed every night or during lunch or after dinner. Set aside just 10 minutes and you can use an timer to time yourself if you're that busy and just read. Indulge and become engrossed in a book of your choice. 

Lessen The Load

Are you like me with a million and one scarps of paper including newspapers or magazines with interesting articles? Are they taking up too much space in your room, apartment or house? Do you feel like if you continue on this path you may become a hoarder?

If you answered YES to any of these questions here's a little tip for you: try scanning. If you've read an article that you've decided to keep and think it can be useful in the future, instead of keeping the paper, scan the document and then recycle the paper. You will have a copy of it without requiring a significant amount of space.

I'm spending my Sunday scanning a number of documents including past assignments and career articles. Once I'm done I shall easily toss the paper into the recycling bin (orrrr if I were craftier I would use them to make something cool!! But who am I kidding...they will stay there for another 5 years before I do anything with them).

S. M. H.

Disclaimer: I support no party, no politician, nada! I've never voted, don't know what which party is saying in their manifesto, nothing. I just have a little bit of sense in my head.

A friend of mine shared with me a statement someone posted on Facebook. The quote basically said "Look at the Prime Minister wasting tax payers money to go to The Olympics."

Am I the only one who finds fault in this statement? How ridiculous can some people be?! Maybe I am too educated and too aware because I KNOW sportsmen and women for YEARS have been crying and begging for support from the various governments. Am I mistaken in thinking that the presence of the Prime Minister, who is the primary representative figure of the country is a good thing and shows that we, Saint Lucians, collectively are supporting our sportsmen and women?

I think the Prime Minister responds to statements like these very well...



Furthermore, I would like to touch on persons who have and will make comments such as "Look we gone and waste money going to The Olympics and we eh win anything," or "I eh know why they waste their time going when they know they not going to win anything anyways." Well surely with such amazing support from their fellow countrymen and women they can achieve it all, right?

I think it is high time Saint Lucians got real. We want to sit back at our homes and complain about these 4 people who have worked so hard to even be eligible to participate in the games because they didn't place. Maybe if we supported our athletes more at home they will feel the love and that love would propel them to those great heights. Too many of us are waiting for them to get there to praise and support them. And because they fall short of that gold medal, we bring them down. But if we continue to push them down how are they suppose to fly and reach great heights? I mean seriously think about it...would you want to represent a country that didn't support you win or lose? Would you want to represent a country that didn't understand yes you didn't make it to the finals, but you did achieve a personal best, and from that personal best you can continue working and pushing yourself until you get to that gold medal? We need to spend more time being positive members of society instead of being cynical about everything. Stop sitting back and complaining. Get off your butt and go support the athletes, go support the youth initiatives, go support the arts, the intellectuals wholeheartedly. Go support Saint Lucia. It's high time Saint Lucians stop being crabs in a barrel.


-V

Drift With The Melody

I simply adore Miguel's voice and his music. I am yet to see him perform live in the flesh; I have seen him perform live online and it was amazing. Took my breathe away. This song just touches my soul every single time.

Miguel. Girl With The Tattoo

From Scratch

As time passes in any relationship it is easy for things to be routine. Even in simple friendships do things become routine. With routines come the perpetuation of bad habits. Quite often the bad habits become the focus of the relationship for both parties involved. For many marriages this is the point where spouses call it quits. Be it after 1 year of 27 years, they just can't do it anymore and call it quits.

Now I'm not marriage counselor...heck I can't even get a boyfriend but given my interactions with friends and loved ones I think when things become routine and you find yourself dwelling on those negatives stop and think. Think back to what attracted you to the other. Find a way get back to that beginning stage of exploration. Some people are going to say "But I know all there is to know about my spouse (or friend)." I hate to break it to you but people change. If your memory is a lot better than mine ask old questions and see if the answer changes. Try new things together, try old things together. Try to bring that fire back.

If after all of that you realise that it's just not going to work out at least you know you gave it your all. If it does work out then you've gotten a new leaf on life.

My two cents.

-The Empress

Do You Know Justin Case?

It's not often that I circulate other posts from other blogs or websites but this one was a must.

Do You Know Justin Case? I'm sure you're probably wondering who is Justin Case...read and you will find out.

Excellent job by The YnP writer Ashni Ramsammy.


-The Empress

Forgiveness

Most of us have done things we're not proud of in our lives. Some of us have had a hard time dealing with our sins, but eventually we come to terms with our error and forgive ourselves. There will always be those people that try to hold things over your head. They never forget the time you did this, or said that. They never want to see you pick up the pieces of your life, lick your wounds and heal.

If you have found the strength to forgive yourself for your sins, why should you let the opinions of others determine whether you heal or not? God will judge me accordingly. I don't need your judgement as well. Keep it to yourself. Let me move on with my life and make myself a better person. I would want the same for you as well.

-The Empress

My Inspiration. My All

I have had this poem chilling for quite some time. I've felt like I never finished it and really wanted to, but I'm beginning to wonder if I ever will. I've decided to share it with you and let you know that I have no plans to complete it. It shall remain incomplete.

Silence; seated; awe.

Just listen to the majesty.
Who cares for the fountain of youth when
this fountain flows with truth
and hides not behind lies of tainted windows and politrix and common myths.
So brilliant and radiant are the droplets that escape its source
and blessed I am
I am considered blessed to touch,
not even taste,
this water so true.
How can you deny this fountain to be majestic and amazing?
This fountain spits fire and ice,
warmed water from it's core
trickles down like none other,
touches me sensually, metaphysically,
socially and emotionally
so much so that I want more.

Thanks for reading!

-Black Hippie 758

Strength. Courage. Wisdom

A fitting song for the morning. My reminder of the woman I want to be - one that is strong, courageous and wise - learning not only from my mistakes but from those of others. Today I have decided to be that woman that everyone sees in me. I have decided to open up my heart and be anything that I want to be. Nothing shall stop me. And despite the fact that in the future I may fall or falter, I shall not remain down or broken. I shall rise and rise shall I, to amazing heights.



Thank you to everyone who made my birthday a day of fun, simplicity and learning.

Words of Encouragement

Don't give up on a dream. If you want it bad enough it will scare you but you will need to be brave and press on. Obstacles will get in your way and the easiest thing may be to give up; but you are more than that. You have more strength within you to keep on fighting and keep on pushing to achieve that dream; to make it a reality. Whenever you feel unmotivated or restless or frustrated, remember the dream. Picture the joy of achieving it and thinking I finally did it!

The Coded Explanation

I put you on a pedestal
And some how it got away.
Elevated to such great heights
that I feel like
you are beyond my reach.

So instead of trying to rise to an insurmountable level
I sit at the knees of a mountain
and wait
for the day
when miraculously I fly
into the sky
and join you on that pedestal.

The Jovial Truth

Have ever looked at someone in the mid/late 20s, 30s, 40s, 50, even 60s and beyond and see a little spark of fire in their eye and a natural glow on their skin? Ever wonder what it is that gives them that desired aura? There may be other reasons for this but I am convinced being youthful in spirit is one of them.

When last did you have fun like a child? I mean coloured in a colouring book, dance around your living room like a complete idiot, wrote/told a story about superheroes and monsters or far away places? When last did you feed your imagination with something and let it rawr in excitement? Don't stifle yourself because "you're an adult now." Keep your mind active and have fun doing it. Write a story for your daughter/niece about a princess (or Empress) that was strong and courageous. Build a bed sheet fort in your living room with your son. And if you don't have children in your life play games with your friends, finger paint. Indulge in the (right) things of the youth.

Have fun!

-The Empress

A Beautiful Mind

There is a world beyond just physical attraction. A world when conversations stimulate brain cells and leave one thirsty for more knowledge. There is a world beyond hot, sweaty bodies moving rhythmically in the dead of the night (or in the middle of the day). A world where emotions are explored and personalities are discovered.

In such a highly sexual age and highly technological age, there's something to be said about people who desire physical interactions, those who book face time...and not the app kind. There is only so much you can say about yourself with words. And then there's so much more you say with your actions, reactions, emotions, body language, and etc. 

I happen to admire persons who still want to practice the art of reading and deciphering body language. I admire and appreciate people who want to spend time talking and getting to know each other. I admire people who can have mentally stimulating conversations. Clearly there's a lot about me you don't know. I suggest get to know me before you make your assumptions, because for sure they're only making an ASS out of U and not me.

An Empress Can Dream

My friend Ashni shared a song with me and I feel like it's changed my life! Okay not really but it's been on repeat for hours on end. My neighbours are probably sick of it.

The song is Adorn by Miguel. The words just touch me. They are the words that I want a man to sing to me. "Let my love adorn you."

If I could sing I would want this as my wedding song, where my husband and I sing the song to each other. But since I can't sing I'll take him singing to me :). If I couldn't wait til my wedding day I'd want him to never sing this song to me until he was proposing. I don't care where we were, he'd just start singing the song and then go down on one knee and ask me to marry him. He'd probably give a speech about how he knew from the first day he saw me that I was the one for him, or something more creative hahaha. But in any case. If an Empress could dream, she'd dream of being proposed that way.

"These lips can't wait to taste your skin. And these eyes can't wait to see your grin. Just let my love, let my love adorn you. You gotta know, you gotta know that I adore you. Baby these fits, will always protect you. And this mind will never neglect you..."

These lines are so beautiful. How can you not want someone ask to let their love adorn you?

Keep Your Eyes On The Prize

I lose focus easily. I will admit to it. I get distracted extremely easily. A number of times I begin something, full of vigour and excitement. A breeze passes with a different tune and I want to drop everything to follow that new tune. Clearly that's not going to get me very far in life. I'll be dancing around like a crazy person with no sense of direction.

There's quite a bit on my mind right now, much of which I can't just spill the beans about, but what I will say is I'm fighting to remain focused. My mind and heart have a way of tricking me into thinking the new breeze is where I want to be, but my gut is saying "You know what happens when you lose focus...eventually you get hurt and/or disappointed and come back to that original tune. So why stray in the first place?" Which is true. I'm trying to look at the big picture and not at any one tiny speck, for fear that I let that speck overpower the actual picture.

Remain focused on your prize. If you feel yourself slipping take a moment to rethink all the emotions involved. Is this the right thing for me to do? Should I continue on my current path or should I change? Answer honestly and take your time to answer. Once the decision is made, hop to it!

-The Empress

Who Inspires You Part 4

If you're a dancer you know what it does to you. It's a community like no other. People who play certain sports have a similar sense of community and vibe like dancers do. Although I love sports I've never truly experienced their community like I've experienced the dancing community. Through dance I have met some amazing people, people who have enriched my life, helped me grow and pushed me further.

There are a few of my dancer family members who inspire me, but there is one in particular I want to mention. She has been one of the greatest supports, fans, encourager, and non-blood sisters to me. She continually pushes me on to be my greatest. We get into a lil trouble here and there, but well behaved women rarely make history, right? She's a firecracker, sassy, classy, honest and funny. Her spunk and attitude will get her far and will continue to motivate and inspire many other people specifically women and girls to reach beyond the stars.

If you haven't figured it out yet, I'm talking about one of my two Canadian besties, Ms "I'm Gonna Be Famous You Know" Ashni Ramsammy! I have done a previous post on her but I felt the need to add her to this list of people who inspire me. Ashni (and her family) have always encouraged me to do what I really love to do - DANCE! She's been the one constantly reminding me that I should not settle for one when I can have it all. She is living proof to me that if you want something badly enough and believe that it should be yours it will.

So to my little radio superstar I raise a glass and say FIRE ONE!

Thanks for being so amazingly inspirational to me.

-The Empress

You Can Do It All

The times have changed. A career is not something stagnant. You can do it all with your life and it's quite alright.

I feel like I've been wired and trained to follow the teachings of the previous generation in that after you leave school, you get a job and have a career. You focus on one thing and that's it. Everything else is secondary. But deep down inside this does not resonate very well with me. I feel like I'm leaving something behind when I focus on one and not consider all.

I've received an amazing amount of support and encouragement from friends and their families about my skills and/or talent as a dancer. It's refreshing to have people tell you you should pursue that dream. I must admit if I were to, I'm not sure where to start and I'm scared. But what's a little fear? There's nothing wrong with fulfilling that dream of being on stage dancing my heart out. So I should go for it, right?

If you've read my previous post Dreams and Aspirations you're probably thinking she just wants to conquer the world! And that is exactly what it is!! I feel like I should be allowed to pursue all my passions, not just the more "academically inclined" ones.

It's a difficult decision to make, what to do and when to do it, but you can do it all if you truly want to. Prioritize and be realistic. That's the part I'm working on now.

Thanks for reading.

-The Empress

Dreams and Aspirations

Last night I posed a question to a few people: "What would you do if you knew you could not fail?" The best answer I got was everything! I chuckled because that makes the most sense realistically. I was asked the question and answered being a professional dancer. I went to sleep and assumed I'd never really think about that question again. I was wrong. I woke up this morning and for some reason it was still lurking on my mind. So I ask myself the question again

What would you do if you knew you could not fail?

The answer bubbling within my boyo (my nickname for gut) was different to what I answered last night. This is what I would do:

I would merge my interest and passion - the environment and education (respectively). A lot of what I do is centred around going back to Saint Lucia (eventually) and applying it there. I envision people asking me what I do, and I respond "I am Environmental Education Officer," or something along those lines. My position would be to create educational programming with various businesses and organisations to get children (and the wider community) involved and educated about environmental issues. The children are the future and if they do not possess the mindset necessary to make change we are destined to fail. I would create innovative and exciting activities for various age ranges, use existing environmental groups within the school system and have a nation wide event where students get to be creative and share their experiences while developing skills to help them excel.

I would have such a wide range of activities that a large cross section of children will be reached and a greater impact would be made. For the more academically inclined students a debating competition with environmental topics that are centred around our environmental issues - the effects of climate change on our small island developing state, coral reefs, deforestation and loss of biodiversity to name a few. These topics will not only be strictly environmentally based, but will encompass other areas relevant to our sustenance. Aspects of development, business and industry can and will also be incorporated into the discussions. For the more hands on learners they would be given the opportunity to create and/or design environmentally friendly products or services. Other activities would stem around responsibility, reciprocity, relationship and respect - The Four Rs of Indigenous Cultures. If we can instil these values in our youth then we can restore true national pride.

This is just the tip of the iceberg in regards to what I would do. I get so excited just thinking and talking about this. THIS is what I need to do with my life. I need to find out how I can do it.


Now I pose the question to you "What would you do if you knew you could not fail?" Let me know in the comments below!

Thanks for reading
-The Empress

Where do the fish go?

This was an assignment I had to write for my Environmental Communications course. I figured it would be good to share some of my work with you. Feedback would be greatly appreciated. I have no title for this piece.

Coral reefs are living environments and home to many fishes. According to a study published in the Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 67% of fishes moved to healthier coral when their coral home dies. This new coral home is usually close to their original home.

The study tested how long it takes the fishes to move to a healthier spot once the coral dies and how many of them will move.

Three scientists from Australia found that there are three factors that determine whether the fish move. They are the health of the original coral home, whether a new home is available and if that new home has other fishes they can breed with. Competition from other fishes is a big factor that causes the fish not to move.

Corals are very tiny, colourful marine animals. They live close together in colonies and have a hard skeleton made from the same material as seashells.

Fish love happy coral. Hurricanes, changes in the sea temperature and other things like pollution make the coral unhappy. Coral bleaching happens when the unhappy coral move away and leave behind the white skeleton. Coral bleaching does not happen all at once on the whole reef. It happens in patches. The coral never moves back if the conditions remain the same or get worse. When this happens the reef is said to be dead.

Disturbances to coral reefs can happen naturally. Human activities can also cause disturbances to coral reefs.

Human caused disturbances are adding to the effects of natural disturbances. This is threatening the lives of many animals and plants as well as how the environment is working.

The study found that coral bleaching did not affect the fish. They remained at the bleached reef.

Although the fish chose to stay at the bleached reefs, their dark or colourful bodies against the white reef make them easily seen.

A dead reef keeps its structure, but it still does not have everything fish need to live there. When the coral dies another tiny plant called algae moves unto the skeleton and starts growing. This new plant does not support the fish and makes it harder for the fish to find hiding spots from other fish that want to eat it. Once the reef died the fish moved to another reef.

Certain fish rely on certain types of coral colonies. If the fish is to move successfully and live, it needs its preferred coral colony to move along.

While some new fish came from the dead reef to a healthier one, some from the healthy reef left. The total number of fish did not change which means that no fish died because of the death of the reef.

Each school of fish has a hierarchal system. The new fish cause the fish at the bottom of the system to move out.

The presence of other fishes at healthy coral reefs stopped some fishes from moving to a new reef. It’s like a high school cafeteria. The new kid wants somewhere to sit and each his lunch. He tries to find a table which has other people so he doesn’t sit alone. Each table he approaches gives him the look of death so he goes back. It’s the same thing with the fishes.

Fish from the dead reef approach the new reef in the hopes of finding a new home. Fish from the healthy reef chase them away.

The fish from the healthy reef may feel threatened by the new fish, and because of this they chase them away. The new fish may be more aggressive or social dominating. If they are, food, space and mating partners may be affected.

When choosing a new reef fishes look for “good neighbours.” A good neighbour is one which the fish can breed with.

Fish preferred having other fish they could mate with over a healthy reef. Of the 64% of fish that were successful in finding a new reef, all except for 2 chose a reef with good neighbours. Some of the fish travelled far to find a new reef with good neighbours.

Fish choose reefs with good neighbour not only because they can mate with them but for additional protection against predators.

The scientists concluded that an important factor in regards to the movement of fish was the presence of other fish it could mate with. Conversely, competition for food, shelter and mating partners did not hinder the movement of fish. Fish also moved out from dead coral before the structure of it was gone. 

A Moment For Me

I thought I would be able to handle it, but as time creeps up I'm beginning to change my mind.

I thought I could handle seeing all my friends graduate in June and not have my time in the light that season, but as each one is done with assignments and exams it makes me sadder and sadder that I won't truly be able to share in their victory. I can't say to myself, one more exam and this is it! I'm done! No. Instead I have smile to say congratulations and hope that they don't hear the "Lucky *scoff*" under my breath.

It's not that I am resentful of their victory and success. It's not that I didn't put myself where I am. It's just that I don't get to do my victory dance just yet. I don't get my moment of glory where I hug my friends wearing my green gown, holding my flowers and chocolates and other congratulatory gifts.

And yes this is motivation to keep pushing because my time is almost here, just not yet. But it still would have felt great to say "Yes! WE are done" with my friends.

-The Empress.

Expectations

"Expectations lead to Disappointments"

How many times have you heard this saying or a variation of it? I know I've been saying it a lot lately to remind myself of an error I made and hopefully won't make again. I expected that something would be one way instead of going into the situation with an open mind and rolling with the breeze. My high expectations were quite different to what the situation had prepared. I was quite disappointed. And instead of letting go as soon as I found out I still trying to see if I could manipulate the situation to make it as close to what I wanted as possible. My manipulative efforts were in vain. And hence even more disappointment was created.

Don't get me wrong, there are some things that happen in life that we need to have an idea of how we want things to turn out - a job interview, moving to a new city, an exam, that kind of thing. There are others that we need to go with flow whether we're in charge or not. Enjoy the moment and be free. When we try to control everything we end up in trouble or disappointed.


Go forth and be free. Explore life and the joys within it.

-The Empress

Who Inspires You? Part Three

There are people that come into your life for a purpose. When their time is done, they leave. You remember the lessons they taught you and live a better life.

There are other people that are in your life for years. From the day you meet them til the day you die, they remain in your life and are a good source of inspiration among other things to you.

This next inspiration to me has been in and out of my life, due to distance, for some years now. I met her in my first year of high school and ever since we've been friends. Sometimes I really wonder how she deals with me, my mood swings, impulsive behaviour and randomness. A few weeks back I sat with her and a few other people and listened to her speak. When she spoke it was like deja vu. It was so eloquent it reminded me of the our "good ole days."

My friend Gemma Edwin inspires me to be educated, knowledgeable, well versed and open minded. It's amazing the way a conversation between the two of us unfolds. A simple topic such as grocery shopping turns into a three hour conversation on capitalism, organic food, ethics and globalization. It truly is wonderful to have a friend who encourages your own growth and curiosity.

So to Gemma I raise my green bottle and say FIRE ONE!

Thanks for being such an inspiration to me!

-The Empress

YOLO!

Drake came out with this song called The Motto and coined the phrase YOLO - You Only Live Once. Some people get it and some people don't. Those who don't use YOLO as an excuse to do stupid things, unsafe things, plain ol' dotish tings! I want to share my thoughts on YOLO and why and when you should be hollaring YOLO!

1. Exploring and experiencing - YOLO! You only live once so why not travel to that place you've wanted to travel to? Why not try that food you've wanted to, or try something you've always wanted to do? Something as simple as teaching yourself to bake red velvet cupcakes to more complex like doing a complete (or as complete as possible) Asia or Africa tour. You only live once so go for it.
2. Standing up for your rights and getting what you deserve - YOLO! You're in a bad relationship, you hate your job, you live in a bad neighbourhood, you have terrible friends...You only live once so why surround yourself with crap? Give yourself the things you deserve, the things you have the right to have - love, good health, security, comfort, joy, happiness, support. You only live once so take that step and get rid of those toxic friends that tie you down, get rid of that horrible partner that makes you feel like you're less than the roadkill, look for a job that is what you want to do. Don't be crazy and quit your job before you find something else you want to do...no no no. YOLO doesn't mean go about doing things blindly. Plan according and do what you dreamed of doing. The world is your oyster. Gather the pearls (does that even make sense? Anyway!!)

Don't use YOLO as an excuse to do dumb things. YOLO isn't an excuse to be promiscuous, nor is it an excuse to quit instead of fighting. It's not as simple as A B C. No. YOLO does not equal careless, but carefree. Live life to the fullest, enjoying the wonders of the world.

YOLO!

-The Empress

Who Inspires You? Part Two

I recently tweeted "I wish I could give awards to my friends because they are just so amazing."

I have been fortunate enough to surround myself with amazing people. Many of my friends are not just support through trying times, or shoulders for me to lean on. Many of my friends are motivators, inspiration, [good] competition, a source of great knowledge and even wisdom. My friends are people who uplift my spirit in one way or another.

Abdulai Mohamed inspires me. The truth is I have not had a significant number of deep conversations with him (although I am working on that), however, the few that I have had, have left me inspired and motivated to not only dream big and make those dreams a reality.

I love teaching and almost every conversation with Abdulai leaves me wishing I had stayed in the profession. I can't say that I will drop what I'm doing now and return to teaching, but I will say that I will make decisions that change lives for the better. Abdulai continues to remind me that there are good people in the world.

So I raise my glass to you Abdulai and say FIRE ONE! Thanks for being such an inspiration to me!

-The Empress

I've Got A Question!!

This may apply to other Caribbean Islands but I'm going to refer to my country of Saint Lucia for this.

I was having a discussion with a few ladies, one of Spanish heritage and the other from the Dominican Republic. The conversation started with me currently being single and having been single for some time. I said I don't know why no one at Trent, at least, has approached me, but then again I've been told I'm intimidating. Personally I find that hard to believe but hey, I know me. The two ladies then proceeded to say THEY AGREED! When they first met me they were intimidated by me. So of course I had to find out why. They both said I have such a strong and powerful personality and I carry myself well that it can be perceived as something to be intimidated by. We dropped off the first young lady and the conversation continued. Laura, who is in a relationship with a Saint Lucian man, said she had noticed that all the Saint Lucian women at Trent are that way. She also said that her boyfriend said that's how Saint Lucian women are. It had never crossed my mind until then that maybe that IS how Lucian Women are raised - to be strong willed, determined women. Of course there are all exceptions to every rule, but generally speaking, what is your view on the matter?

Do you think that Saint Lucian woman may come across as intimidating to some but are overall strong minded, have a powerful demeanor, and are a bit hardcore? Do share.

Thanks for reading
-The Empress

Who Inspires You? Part One

I should be studying/reading/writing my essay/lab/doing something productive is the general consensus. But nope, I will take maybe 5 minutes, if so long, to tell you who inspire me.

My friend Sarita Louis inspires me. Sometimes (not often, but not seldom, so dead in the middle sometimes) I surprise myself with the good that comes out of me. One person who inspires me to challenge myself and bring forth my best is Sarita. Always checking out my blogs and Tumblr and reading those crazy tweets of mine, Sarita never hesitates to let me and the world know when I did it right. She inspires me to produce quality and give my genuine perspective and opinion on things nobody asked me to comment on, but I still do.

So to Sarita I raise my glass and say FIRE ONE! Thanks for inspiring me!

Follow her on Twitter and be sure to follow her blog as well!!

Back to the books lovelies!
-The Empress

Female Insecurities

There's this girl, I'll call her Jennifer (to anyone reading this named Jennifer, I'm sorry I used your name). She's insecure about herself. She has a track record of searching for male attention in all the wrong ways. It is alleged that she may has an STI (could have/had multiple). Jennifer hates my friend Mindy (not her real name, and sorry to all the Mindys out there). She has said some things about Mindy that are false and fabricated. If Mindy were on fire Jennifer would pull out her cell phone and video take it. She wouldn't spit on her to out the flame. Mindy is a confident, strong young woman. She knows she doesn't need a man to validate herself.

What's wrong with this situation? Could it be that Jen is "hating" on Mindy because she sees what she wishes she could be in her. Could it be that because she doesn't have the self will and power to bring herself out of the dumps she is trying to bring Mindy down?

"Be the change you wish to see in the world"

So many women (and men) believe everyone's just hating on them and they hate on so many people. With so much energy being spent on negative thoughts and emotions it's no wonder one is surrounded by it. Be the change you wish to see in the world. Stop hating on anyone. You can acknowledge the fact that there are things about the person you don't like, but don't let that govern your ability to be civil with someone. Make the change. Instead of focusing on what you don't like or can't stand in a person, look at what is good about them. You don't have to be best friends with them. Just be civil. Focus on the positives. What you see that you like try to emulate it. If you started doing that I'm sure the energies around would change. You would be surrounded with more positivity and hence the people you associate with will also be positive. Don't settle. You deserve to be happy and to have confidence in yourself. You are beautiful and wonderfully created. Start today.

-The Empress

Wasteless Worry

In 2 years time I will be attending my 10 year High School Reunion. A Facebook group was created and everyone was saying which part of the world they're in and what not, and my good friend from high school and I were Facebook creeping a few people (yes I won't lie about that) and seeing the success of others really did raise some worry within me. Now let's be real here...if I didn't worry I would be worried haha. I do worry a lot but it usually never continually consumes me. Anyway, we began talking about how different we are from some of our colleagues - still in school, just finishing, no serious fancy job lined up, single, no children etc. And for a moment I cracked jokes about creating this exciting new life for myself within the next two years that I can display to my colleagues when it hit both of us - all we have to do is be ourselves. Whether there are ladies who will attend the reunion and feel like they have something to prove and will put on a front, I don't know. But what I do know is that I am happy with what I have done with my life. I am happy with the journey I have taken. I am happy that I am who I am and the way I am. If anyone else doesn't like it or I don't meet anyone else's judging criteria then boohoo for you, because I'm quite content being ME!

We worry quite often about what other people think of us. What should matter the most is what we think of ourselves; whether we have achieved the goals we have set for ourselves and whether we have a life we are happy to live. Everyone else's definition of success and happiness shouldn't matter to us if we meet our own criteria.

And....Release

I've been finding it difficult to get over a few events that have transpired last year. I will admit that my mind and the options presented to me by it are not always the best, especially when it's regarding myself. I can give great advice to friends but I often give crappy advice to myself. My plan was to just address the issue head on and speak to the persons that have caused the disturbance. Thankfully I discussed this idea with a friend of mine who suggested that bringing up the issue after so long isn't actually a good idea. It simply gives power to the person(s) involved because it means it's been on my mind. She suggested that I pull up a photo of the person(s) and pour my heart and soul or at least say what I have to say to this picture as if it were the person. After hearing this it made sense to me. Although I am yet to do it (I just haven't had the time to settle down and and focus my mind to get it all out and over it) I believe I will feel better once I have done that. I will no longer have anything on my chest that I haven't said.

Do you think it is a good idea? Have you done this before? Is this something you're willing to try? That being said, don't use this technique for every situation. If you can deal with something immediately, why not? Anyway, I'm off to focus my mind.

Thanks for reading!

-The Empress

Cheers To The Resolutions!

In case you actually don't know, I am a HUGE fan of Those Girls Are Wild! I believe I found out about them from one of my best friends here in Canada and ever since that first video I've been hooked. I follow their blog, subscribe to their YouTube channel and of course I follow them on Twitter as well. These two young women are such wonderful, positive role models for not just women younger than them but even older.

We know how every year people make resolutions saying this year I'll go to the gym, or I'll get in shape or I'll take care of my body and we know that by February more than half those people fall off the band wagon. Don't make large commitments that are difficult to keep. Or if you do, make sure you have it well planned out. Start small and work your way up. Shannon Boodram from Those Girls Are Wild has created a video to help you get in shape! It's simple. I can't say it's easy because then you probably wouldn't see results hahaha, but it's something you can do, everyday even twice a day if you so desire, to get a body that looks amazing. Watch the video, try it out and let me know how it goes.




Happy Exercising!

-The Empress

And the race has began

Classes resume on January 9th 2012 and let me tell you I already have homework for my classes. Readings to complete and things to prepare for class. Now here's where things get different to other years: in the past I might have ran away and said oh I have time to complete these readings and so forth, but this year, that's not how it's going down. As soon as I'm done this post I'm going to go do my readings and prepare my discussion points for the class. This year it's going to be different. I can feel it.

Closing remarks: Don't let the habits of procrastination keep you weighed down. You know what to do, get up and do it. Seize the moment as it arises. Don't let it go to waste.

Best wishes for the New Year

-The Empress