The Obsession Continues

The voting obsession that is. Now I'm obsessed with the ink. I posted a picture here of what our fingers looked like immediately after we voted. The evening after voting day that pinkish stain changed to a dark brown. The funny thing about the change is that it happened to the both of us at the same time! Now, four days later this is what it looks like:


It's soooo gross and skin-peely. Now I get why people go through such lengths to get the ink off as soon as possible (my aunt took a small bottle of bleach to work). At the time I couldn't be bothered so I kinda just let it dry. Learned my lesson.

Update: I just did a little research on the ink. Apparently it can't be removed and only comes off with the generation of new skin.

A Better Way to Use that Deposit Slip

Today at the bank I saw a little girl doing her little girl drawings on a deposit slip at the bank. When she finished each one, she put it into a little envelope sealed it and gave it to her dad. Adorable. She reminded me of myself at her age, my mumz would always use those slips to keep me occupied while I waited for her at the bank. I wonder how many people do that? Why don't banks include a little stack of colouring pads for the kids?

I'd like to say that I've outgrown this little pastime but that would be a lie. I still draw little flowers on mine whenever I'm in line at the bank. If they started making colouring pads I'd totally use it. No shame or hesitation whatsoever.

A Beverage Post

In a recent post I mentioned that Trinidadians tend to put more sugar in their beverages than other countries. But I've also noticed that while Trinidadians prepare their drinks differently, pre-packaged beverages like Gatorade and Coca Cola also differ in taste when compared to versions sold is the US and the UK. During a high school field trip a worker at one of our local factories explained that these companies often change their recipes to suit the taste buds of their foreign markets. I did a little research and found this article from the San Diego Tribune on Mexican Coca Cola vs. American coca Cola. Although it doesn't state that differences in the flavor of Coca Cola are influenced by local taste preferences it does state that they can come as a result of the use of local ingredients, specifically cane sugar in lieu of high fructose corn syrup, to cut production costs. The article discusses some of the complications that arise when you have different versions of the same product and the fear of having these versions come into competition with each other.

After reading the article these are some of the questions that I'd like to ask: Are Americans aware that Coca Cola is sweetened with cane sugar for other markets? If the answer is no, why isn't this more of a scandal? If the answer is yes, why don't they care? Why aren't they putting more pressure on Coca Cola to produce a higher quality beverage for its home market? I mean who knows, maybe it doesn't matter because Coca Cola rots your insides anyway? Maybe Americans don't like the taste of Coca Cola sweetened with cane sugar? The article made it seem like drinking the cane sugar version is akin to drinking the tears of God but personally I hate it. I constantly thank the beverage gods that Coke Zero (my favorite of the Coca Cola offerings) tastes the same wherever I go. For now anyway.

Voting Day

You know those days when you just don't feel like doing anything? Yeah that was yesterday. Yesterday I didn't do shiet. But not today, today I was super productive. I voted! Here's a pick of our fingers stained with voters ink.


So... about the voting. I was a complete fool. I giggled the entire time, I followed the red line when I was supposed to follow the green one and I simply couldn't process the instructions on how to accurately fold my ballot. By the time I got to the final table the official must have been so convinced that I was a special needs voter that she gave me a little round of applause for not failing at dipping my right index finger into the tiny tub of voters ink. I don't blame her, I think my brain was on vacation that day. Throughout it all my sister pretended not to know me. Oh the shame.

Fun Times at the Supermarket

It must have been tea time at the supermarket today. The sample stations offered Lipton tea, toast with Flora unsalted butter and some kind of coffee. I skipped the toast but went for the coffee and tea. Both were delicious, the Lipton Chai tasted a lot like a popular Trinidadian tea that we make from the leaves of the Bay Laurel tree. The only downside is that I forgot how much sugar Trinidadians tend to put into their beverages. I'm bouncing of the walls a little bit which is fun for me but sucks for my my mom and sis. Anywhoooo the real find was the set of stickers that I found in the disposable diaper aisle. I think I'll use them in my room to add some kitsch those cringeworthy red walls.

Gen Art Closes After Sixteen Years

Today I found out that Gen Art has closed it doors. I'm a little late, they closed on May 5th, I didn't notice because I was in the midst of moving drama. I'm crushed by the news because I loved Gen Art and the goals that they represented. Gen Art was a nonprofit geared towards exposing young talent in the fashion, art, and film worlds. It had a bit of a bad reputation as a party charity but I have interned for a young designer whose career was launched by the Gen Art team. I've also had conversations with some of the Gen Art staff and they have always impressed me with their genuine passion for the arts and for giving young artistic talent a much needed lift. It's a shame that they've closed, but I do not doubt the rumours of mismanagement. I witnessed their lack of organisation first hand when I briefly volunteered there.

Some bloggers have tried to make light of Gen Art's closure, Gawker for example asked, "Why not give your 'Charity' money to, ya know, UNICEF?" I'm not surprised by that, a lot of people tend to assume that interests in the arts and humanitarian issues are incompatible. The former being pointless and the latter relevant. I think this is a misguided approach, both are important and both are necessary. A person who devotes their life to creating art is no less than a person who does the same for humanitarian work. This is coming from a person who has been engaged in non profit work for almost ten years while nurturing a love of art for a short lifetime.

The demise of Gen Art is not an indictment on the art charity but on the mismanagement and lack of organisation that is common to many nonprofits regardless of their mission. Hopefully when the economy recovers we'll see a revival of our nonprofits too. We need them!

World War III: The Squirrel Edition

SQUIRREL WANTED ON 8 COUNTS OF LARCENY.
SUSPECT AT LARGE. LAST SEEN
WITH 2 MANGOES CONCEALED IN HIS CHEEKS

My mother is currently waging a battle against a 2 pound squirrel that has recently decided to make our backyard his home. At first relations between the two were fairly cordial but things started to fall apart after our squirrel friend began taking huge bites of our barely ripe mangoes forcing our mumz to pick the fruit well before it was ripe. To protect it from the squirrel. Of course.

Now that the mango season has been ruined by the squirrel war, said squirrel has recently been spotted on the cherry tree. This was a surprise attack, we didn't know that squirrels like cherries. But then again why wouldn't they? Cherries are delicious. My mother has retreated for the moment to re-assess her plan of attack. Never has the world known such a conflict.

My guess is there will be a war and it will be bloody. Squirrels bite don't they?