Tuesday, January 25, 2011

All times when good, are old...


A season of warmth and togetherness.-

I have been away from this here blog for a few weeks, more like 2 (two) months or so, due to holiday cheers, and all that stuff. Those of you who know me, know that, the holiday epoch to MOI, is synonymous to le bien manger, le bien boire, et le bon sexe (good food, good wine & good sex), and December 2010, was pure debauchery, the bacchanalia kicked into high gear, with a 75th birthday bash in my honour (13 December), everything did go as planned, better yet, everything went just like wifey, and the kids planned, because Ole G did not have a clue, of course, I did notice the comings, and goings, but I figured, that it was "holiday season traffic". I was genuinely surprised, thank God, no one jumped out from behind a door, or a sofa, and yelled: SURPRISE, at my advanced age, the old ticker, (my old heart), cannot handle any sudden movement or loud, screeching noises. During this festive interval, I have also discerned that good wine, give us courage, and make us more apt to passion.

Wine, and champagne are bottled poetry.-

13 December, 2010, was a mirthful day, full of laughter, hugs, and kisses, no last minute disasters, chaotic moments, food fights, (tho I tried to start one), squabbling, and then it was over, just like a raindrop's brief journey from the skies above. All that planning, a big splash, and then nothing left, but dirty wine & champagne glasses, I do not recall much, if anything about the party, but according to the attendees and the bartenders, I lived up to my reputation of being a charming host, and a carouser. In Afrika, I am so happy, that I have met people with whom I just instantly relax. It is rare to find, and I appreciate it to the fullest, and truly.

For the New Year's Eve celebration, an unplanned four (4) days trip to a safari at Ngorongoro Crater/Lake Manyara (TZ), popped up, to restore my sanity, and my faith on pushing through, on getting old. Whilst in the forest, I meditated about old age, and realise that I have been lucky, and blessed (so far), there are only two (2) options in life, one either gets old, or one croaks, I will settle for option # 1, any day, or time of the week.

Le repos du guerrier.- The warrior's rest.-

I have been pondering about my next post, sometimes it can be difficult to come up with something, apparently, I have settled quite comfortably into old age with style, the joys of growing old disgracefully, I have faced with the prospect of life, simply not turning out quite how I imagined, no longer a jamais dodo (nite rider), by 9:00 pm, I am half-asleep on the family room sofa, while trying vainly to watch a La Liga football game, preferably Barcelona (Barça), by half-time I am comatose on the chaise longue, Yes, I do feel older, I do have more wrinkles around my eyes, my bones do crack in the morning, my few remaining teeth (6 out of 32) are rattling more than ever, my back aches when I travel, sit, or drive for more than twenty (20) minutes, and contrarily to the myth, the eyesight, and the memory, are NOT the first things to go (wink wink), but there are also so many great things about getting older: I have family & friends in many places of the world that still fill my life with joy; one particular vivacious, and bubbly young lady, a future Forbes magazine, business woman of the Year, brought me a certain felicity, when she scribed down the undermentioned words: Ole G, you're old & ugly, but you're kool, and she further added: Don't be so humble, you are not that great, I am telling you, with friends like these, who needs enemies?. I have followed my heart, and it has brought me to many different places, and I have met a colorful, and amazing bunch of people. For now, there is no gate, and no wall in my way at all, I have chosen, to enjoy all the fun, crazy, scary, wonderful, weird, overwhelming, and very, very different impressions, that life has brought me in Afrika, Mungu ibariki Afrika (God bless Afrika).

Notate bene.- Do not stop reading, It cannot get any worse than the diatribe above.

Annus Horribilis, 2010.-

2011 will be better, I just know it, too confident? more of just being positive. You cannot go through a year without the downs, but I know, that they will help in pulling you up for further ups. I believe that everything is a blessing, as long as we have the patience to see the good things that all events bring, especially those which we consider "negative". A certain event may be negative now, but after some time, something better comes which would have never happened if it wasn't for "the bad" past.

So basically, I just know that 2011 will be annus mirabilis, no matter what happens because good things will always happen, and better things always come after not-so-good events as a result of new learning,  and proper timing.

Annus horribilis:(Latin) Year of horrors, horrible year.

Annus mirabilis:(Latin) Year of miracle, year of wonders.

Demo-crazy in Ayiti.-

We all know that sometimes, election results are whack. Maybe, in the past, you have lost faith in the whole processus, because the gentleman or lady, and the political party, that you voted for, did not "get in"; probably, the predicted results, from pundits or pollsters, were way off; or may be a member of your family, running for the senate, or the presidency, only received a grand total of twenty-three (23) votes, cast between wives, husbands, concubines, old time not so-secret lovers, zonzons, and numerous manman, papa pitit, and fanm deyò, but what is going on, in Ayiti these days, is the weirdest, wrongest, and stupidest election results in history. It seems like everyone, is whoring for the Ayitian presidency. It used to be that politicians, were not just interested in fame, just for fame’s sake, but were concerned about how they would be remembered by historians, (you know, the whole “legacy” thing, pour l'histoire). These days, they seem to just want to be remembered or better yet, never be forgotten. What other culture could have produced specimen like: Jean-Claude Duvalier, Jean-Bertrand Aristide, René Préval, and Jude Célestin, and NOT get the joke nor the irony, and the buffoonery.

Addendum.- Is it grammatically correct to say/write: "wrongest"?.

It has gotten so bad, that presidency-whores, who would not otherwise be interested in public service are slithering into politics to get their fifteen (15) minutes of fame, some aspire to more fame, and glory (Michel Martelly & Wyclef Jean); some start out as political activists; others are/were past gwo zotobre (big shots) in past dictatorial governments; some are the so-called black intelligentsia; a couple of mulatto businessmen have joined, and jumped into the frey; and then some are..., well, some just are...one thing for certain, most, if not all, of Ayitian politicians, just refuse to get off the soap box, and one has to wonder why?. In our history, we have lynched, assassinated 2 (two) presidents: Jean-Jacques Dessalines & Vilbrun Guillaume Sam; 1 (one) committed suicide: Henry Christophe; more than 2 dozens were hounded, violently deposed, and exiled: Elie Lescot, Dumarsais Estimé, Paul E. Magloire, Daniel Fignolé, Jean-Claude Duvalier, Jean-Bertrand Aristide to name just a few; and when all else fails, we hold costly, flawed, deadly, and ersatz elections. With a quizzically raised left eyebrow, I have often asked: why does anyone in his/her right state of mind, would want to be the President of Ayiti? one cherished childhood friend, a true giant of a man, answered my dimwitted, and ludicrous question by advising me to:Just follow the Benjamins, and C-notes. (Ref:2 & Ref:3)

Ref 1.- The acronyms: In the Ayitian psyche, all the country ills are caused & therefore must/should be blamed on the: US, IMF, UN, CIA, OAS, INTERPOL, CARICOM, NGOs ect...

Ref 2.- The Benjamins: Benjamin Franklin: US diplomat, and inventor, featured on the $100 USD (one hundred-dollar bill).

Ref 3.- C notes: From Roman numerals; C = 100 (one hundred).

No one is FREE, even the birds are chained to the sky.-

It is candid, and equitable to say, that René Préval, is/was NOT a popular President. Future scholars, will marvel at the fact, that the only words officially recorded from Mr. Préval, in the past five (5) years, were uttered in the town of Leyogàn (Léogâne), acclaimed for its distilleries; Internationally mocked for his drunkenness, Mr. Préval, also has the singular honour of serving two (2) full terms, as the democratically elected president of Ayiti, (sans coup d'état), with all this going for him, or against him, he has somehow managed to turn, the 2010/2011 election into a kanaval, a circus, there are reports, that Ti René, is usually so drunk, that he was often spotted, at official state dinners, trying to butter a watermelon. Consequently, the latest elections organised by P-2, were viewed, by many with distrust, due to years of inebriety, insobriety, crapulence, and arrogance, after all this is a government that has failed to recognise the needs of its people, even post J-12.

P-2: Pertains to René Préval's, second term as President of Ayiti (2006-2011).

J-12: 12 January, 2010, the day of a catastrophic earthquake (7.0 magnitude Mw) in Ayiti, an estimated 300 000 kretyen vivan (human beings) perished & over half a million (500 000) were injured.

In a country, where the official political status has been for centuries: Koupe tèt, boule kay, coup d'etats, anarchy, fallacious elections, dechoukaj, etcetera, any election result is virtually meaningless. Since 1986, the country has been in a state of constant upheaval; with a multitude of political parties, all uselessly running on the vague platform of: We are just going to kill, torture, or exile, the other guys/gals, from the other political parties, to be honest, we had not really thought much past that, and the next time a nincompoop like MOI, tell you all that primary school Instruction morale et civique crapology, about voting in any Ayitian elections, do keep in mind, that Adolf Hitler was elected in a full, free democratic election.

Et j'en ai ras-le-bol, le revenant.- The ghost.-

So much has been written about le revenant (JCD), that it would be awkward, and arduous to add anything new to the dialogue, but if the fact, and occurrence, that Jean-Claude Duvalier's return to Ayiti, seems remotely normal to you, or sounds like a sensible move, I feel obliged to opine, that you have gargled, swallowed, or digested some petrol (ou bwè gaz), or somebody must have hit you over the head with a jackhammer, and if none of the aforesaid have occurred, you are in great need of a few refreshing Ayitian history classes; AH 101: Ayitian History 101.

Note.- JCD: Jean-Claude Duvalier

Albert Einstein, you know the theory of relativity guy, (E = mc2), mass & energy, time dilation formulae, and all that konpa, once said: Only 2 things are infinite: The universe, and human stupidity.

2 comments:

  1. Life in Afrika suits you...don't come back to a polarizing country like America. I have no intention of ever returning to the USA. Ayiti on the other hand is a lost cause, the country is going down to the abyss..oops, it's already there so the only way to go is up. This may sound arrogant but the future of the country lies with the Haitian diaspora.

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  2. That was really nice! enjoy youself!

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