#I’m blaming the place. and not myself (although I am 110% to blame)

[waugh-bao]

[xxmisty]

Coming Out (yes, again :P)

I don’t really know how to put this into words tbh. The last thing I ever expected was to have to come out again at this point in my life. The thing is, in the time i’ve been away (and a bit before if i’m honest) something has happened that totally threw me. 

Back in January this year I was finally able to get back on T for the first time since early 2017 and boy, it’s made the most MASSIVE impact in my life, like you wouldn’t believe. Everything feels SO RIGHT, I can’t actually put it into words. I could go on for hours about it but I won’t bore you to tears with that, the main thing is that i’ve literally never felt better about myself or felt more self-assured in who I am.

Bit there’s been a strange side effect that I had never, EVER thought would happen to me. I just didn’t think it was possible. All my life I’d been exclusively attracted to woman - although for years and years I attempted to force/persuade myself to find men attractive, lied to myself about crushes I didn’t have, lied to other people about crushes I didn’t have, urghhhhh all those years when I tried everything I could to force myself into at least fancying men a little bit, all for nought because my sexual attraction was to women only and always had been.

And then testosterone laughed in my face and over the course of the last 9 months my sexuality has SHIFTED ffs 

And boy, am I mad about this!!! Like you have no idea!!! The ridiculousness of turning 40 and admitting that my sexuality had shifted within the space of the same week was... strange and crazy. It’s not like it happened overnight, it was a process over the space of a good few months that started in a way I find EQUALLY TRAUMATIC and I blame lucy for 110%!!! She made me watch A Show >:( Though somehow that’s an even harder admission to talk about than saying ‘‘hey, some men are actually quite hot now? And also nb people are like wow?” So I think that's a whole other confession for a whole other time (but also WOW I finally regained the ability to be truly hyper fixated on a show for the first time since 1999 and that’s like getting a whole piece of myself back!!)

I’ve done the closet thing way too many times in my life and I don’t want to do it again. It’s taken me a bit of time to come to terms with this sudden and pretty huge shift but I really want to get back to posting on here and this has always been the place I’ve felt like I could be myself.   

I honestly don’t know what to call myself, the shift in my sexuality has elements of both bi and pan without really feeling like either? I’m more in a position of ‘wow, there really are a lot of hot people aren’t there?’ (And oh my god, I am so hyper horny all the fucking time, thanks testosterone)

Lucy has been way way beyond incredible and has helped me more than I can ever put into words.  I love how this has brought our sexuality very much in line with each other. And our taste seems to line up almost exactly across the board which is sbfkhbskjfbjdabfhvfhjvsajdhv

I’ve already rambled much longer than I meant to so I shall depart for now and hide my head in Lucy’s bosom, weeping about how much I hate testosterone until she reminds me ‘no you don’t’ :P 

God I feel weird posting this........

I love this place and I love you guys :)

[gaijinschoollibrarian]

Manga and Women: Buying Manga for School Libraries in the #MeToo Era

When I talk to other school librarians about manga and anime, many of them voice a similar concern: the manga they see has horrible treatment of women. These are not invalid concerns, especially as school librarians are working to make their collections more inclusive and affirming. And when students are requesting series that depict sexual harassment and assault as comedic occurrences (I'm looking at you, Seven Deadly Sins), or at the very least, series which treat women solely as sexual or romantic beings, I can't blame my colleagues for their hesitation.

That said, there's a lot to unpack with this debate. There are elements of Japanese society that are inherently different from American society. Many school librarians also know nothing of the distinctions between genres of manga, or have only heard of what's most popular among their patrons. Manga is often seen as the way to get boys reading, and so masculine titles tend to be extremely popular for purchasing. What I'm going to do is try to unpack these things, piece by piece, to try and provide some context- and maybe show my peers that the stereotypes of shōnen manga are not all there is out there to purchase.

Societal Differences in the Perception of Gender

If we all work from the supposition that gender is a social construct, then perhaps it might be easier to understand that Japan's constructs are similar and different to Western constructs. Japanese media can come across as being both freer and stricter with gender roles. Here are a few things you need to understand about Japan in relation to women:

Japan is ranked 110 out of 144 countries on the World Economic Forum's annual report on gender equality.

There is only one female member of the Japanese Cabinet.

As of 2017, only 3.4% of executives in Japan were women.

The ratio of female-to-male physicians in Japan is 21%.

Japan has been trying to improve the standing of women in society, but it's been difficult.

Japan has a long history of having a traditional gender balance of labor wherein women are expected to raise children and take care of housekeeping, while men are expected to work. Japanese society generally has a very heavy line down the center in this division, much more so than there currently is in the West. Since 1986, the Equal Employment Opportunity Law has been in place to try and provide more gender equity in the workplace in Japan, but it's been a struggle. Part of the problem is that there was no penalty for employers who did not adhere to the changes.

Japan, also, has a serious problem with the way it handles and reports sexual harassment and assault. Certain occurrences which Western women consider assault are not necessarily seen as such by Japanese women. In her article, "Shifting attitudes toward sexual violence in Japan", Masami Ito describes her experiences:

When I was in junior high school, a young man who lived in the same apartment building flashed me in an elevator, blocking the entrance as he did so.

When I was in college, a middle-aged man cornered me in the box seat on a train and masturbated in front of me.

When I was in my mid-20s, a man pressed himself against me in the aisle of a convenience store and then followed me home. I had to call my father for help that time.

And, of course, I have been groped on trains many, many times.

Until recently, I never considered these incidents to be sexual assaults, nor did I ever view myself as a victim. I told myself that such things happened all the time and I was never physically hurt. I compared my experiences to those of other women and I considered myself lucky.

In Japan, there's even a word for men who grope women on crowded trains: chikan. Tokyo's Metropolitan Police Department reported 1,750 cases of groping on the trains. (I attempted to find figures on this particular crime in NYC from the same year, but was unable to find any exact report of figures.) It's such a common occurrence, it's often a plot point in manga. In My Love Story!! the protagonist meets his future girlfriend by stopping a man from groping her.

I want to be clear, and maybe the panels of My Love Story!! do something to show this, that the problems of sexual harassment in Japan are seen as problems by people in the country. There are Japanese feminists and citizens who want things to change. Last year, the BBC released a documentary titled Japan's Secret Shame, which went into the experiences of three different women who were raped in Japan. It's not available at the moment, but if you can find a way to see it, it may give insight into the issue if you want to know more.

Shōnen, Shōjo, and So Much More

The complaints I hear the most are in relation to what is known as shōnen manga. Shōnen is geared toward boys between ages 12 and 18. There's a reason this stuff flies off the shelf with our male-identifying patrons: it's literally made for them. The longest running series in Japan are shōnen manga, and are household names here in the West (you've probably heard of Dragonball Z, I presume). Typically, these are high-action, hyper-masculine stories. And while there are exceptions, such as My Hero Academia, there's a large history of "fan service" in shōnen. There's also some pretty big issues with some of the creators of shōnen titles.

For example, the author of Rurouni Kenshin was found with an enormous backlog of child pornography DVDs. Not only did he have this material, he admitted his attraction to young girls. His manga is currently still in publication, after he paid a fine of only ¥200,000 (about $1,800 USD). No, I am not joking.

I don't want you to come away from this thinking shōnen manga is evil, by the way. What I want is for fellow school librarians to know that what they're seeing is just a fraction of what manga has to offer. Some shōnen has female protagonists (Yotsuba&! features a mostly female cast with little to no fan service, as its main character is a child). And a lot of women and girls read shōnen.

Shōjo manga is the counterpart to shōnen: manga written for girls between the ages of 12 and 18. Honestly, shōjo can have its own issues. Some titles feature girls whose identities revolve solely around romance or a desire to get married and make babies. Kidnapping and threats of sexual assault can be normal (the idea being that these girls need to be saved by their boyfriends, who frequently are much older than them). There's a whole slew of manga revolving around schoolgirls having romantic relationships with their teachers. So, I also don't want you to think that being labeled shōjo makes the content automatically appropriate for students.

I recently reread a manga I loved as a teen, Ayashi no Ceres. It featured multiple rather explicit sex scenes and the main character dropping out of school to have a baby. It was an easy decision to select other series over that one, although I still consider it a classic. I leave it to students to select series with those sort of themes at their own pace through alternate pathways such as the public library, bookstores, or manga apps.

However, I do want to point out that shōjo manga is a category in which feminine fantasy and identity is often at the forefront. And while this is the case, there are many shōjo manga which widely appeal to boys. Titles which spring to mind are Escaflowne and Magic Knight Rayearth.

There are other categories as well: seinan (for adult men), josei (for adult women), kodomo (for children), and gekiga (for adults, with a more "artistic" and "literary" reputation). The differentiation between adults and teens has more to do with the difficulty of the Japanese than the content or target demographic. Gekiga is probably the most "different", because it strives to be taken more seriously. (I have a plan to talk more in-depth about each category in their own posts).

Look For Women

When purchasing, if you are looking to move away from the pure moe that is popular among certain titles, I'd suggest looking for women who are mangaka. The likelihood that problematic behavior will be present is lower, and honestly, women creators can always use the boost. Series that are beloved by boys are written by women: Fullmetal Alchemist, Inu-Yasha, and Ranma 1/2 are examples (admittedly, the latter two were both written by Takahashi Rumiko).

Note: I kept this fairly pared down, so if you'd like to know more or have any questions, please don't hesitate to comment. If you would like me to go more in depth on any topic, please let me know, and I will do an expansion in a future blog. I have some deeper dives planned, but if I know of a direction people specifically want me to go, I’ll tackle it.

[davincichode]

Hey! 1,10,20,30 and so on till the end for the questions.

Hey! Thank you! I’m not sure when you sent this, but thank you regardless!

This could be fun (or depressing)

1: Name

Michael!

10: How tall am I

6′2″

20: First thing I notice in new person

Their smile and/or their laugh. Next up is their hairlines.

30: How I feel right now

Full, mostly. I took full advantage of Fat Tuesday

31: Someone I love

@watermelonnoises

32: My current relationship status

dating

33: My relationship with my parents

Really good actually! Our phone conversations are very sarcastic these days but there’s lots of love.

34: Favourite holiday

Christmas, then Halloween

35: Tattoos and piercing I have

None so far

36: Tattoos and piercings I want

Tattoos: Something very minimalist and hipster. I had an idea that whenever I visit an ocean for the first time I’d get its name tattooed on me in like typewriter font. And I’d get them done in the languages of the countries where I visited them for the first time.

Piercings: I kind of wanted a trendy ear piercing but I’m not sure what would look good on me

37: The reason I joined Tumblr

Lord knows, but some friend probably told me to sign up

38: Do I and my last ex hate each other?

I mean I hope not?? We’re not on speaking terms but I don’t hate him or anything

39: Do I ever get “good morning” or “good night ” texts?

I had a conversation with my friend Jazz a few months back about how I wasn’t doing so well, and ever since she’s sent me good morning and goodnight texts with sweet/inspirational messages. I adore her for obvious reasons.

40: Have I ever kissed the last person you texted?

I’ve done far worse to the last person I texted

41: When did I last hold hands?

Probably when I last saw @watermelonnoises

42: How long does it take me to get ready in the morning?

Twenty minutes? This depends on how conscious I am

43: Have You shaved your legs in the past three days?

Afraid not

44: Where am I right now?

In my living room next to the window, watching the storms.

45: If I were drunk & can’t stand, who’s taking care of me?

Looking at you @watermelonnoises (though I’m not sure how she’d carry me)

46: Do I like my music loud or at a reasonable level?

Loud if I’m in a mood

47: Do I live with my Mom and Dad?

I live at my university and stay with them during breaks

48: Am I excited for anything?

I’m going to California with one of my best friends in a few weeks!

49: Do I have someone of the opposite sex I can tell everything to?

This is getting embarrassing @watermelonnoises

50: How often do I wear a fake smile?

(:

But in all seriousness, I’ve been working on correcting this lately

51: When was the last time I hugged someone?

@watermelonnoises!!!

52: What if the last person I kissed was kissing someone else right in front of me?

53: Is there anyone I trust even though I should not?

Nah, I’m pretty good about that

54: What is something I disliked about today?

My Portuguese professor kind of went on a rant during our review today and things got personal. I think she misses her country and who can blame her tbh

55: If I could meet anyone on this earth, who would it be?

Oh God, so many people. Malala Yousafzai, Gillian Anderson, Florence Welch, Bette Midler...

56: What do I think about most?

Sex and food

57: What’s my strangest talent?

I can bullshit papers like nobody’s business. I’ve never actually tried on a written assignment in my life.

58: Do I have any strange phobias?

Fish when I was younger I guess? But not so much anymore

59: Do I prefer to be behind the camera or in front of it?

I love photography, but it’s been a goal of mine to get into more film acting soon!

60: What was the last lie I told?

“Yeah, I studied!” Not original, but I’m honest

61: Do I prefer talking on the phone or video chatting online?

If you call me I don’t have to make my face less ugly

62: Do I believe in ghosts? How about aliens?

YES and Yes

63: Do I believe in magic?

Hell yeah

64: Do I believe in luck?

Both kinds

65: What’s the weather like right now?

Stormy and blustery. Lightning in February, and not for the first time this month. Imagine.

66: What was the last book I’ve read?

Wicked! Excellent read

67: Do I like the smell of gasoline?

Not anymore

68: Do I have any nicknames?

Nothing consistent

69: What was the worst injury I’ve ever had?

I once got a fishhook stuck in my nose

70: Do I spend money or save it?

I’m good at saving, but when I spend money I go all fuckin out

71: Can I touch my nose with a tounge?

Nope! I’m tongue tied

72: Is there anything pink in 10 feet from me?

Dennis, my cactus. He’s blooming beautifully right now.

73: Favourite animal?

I love dolphins

74: What was I doing last night at 12 AM?

Watching a scary movie! It was called From the Dark

75: What do I think is Satan’s last name is?

Trump

76: What’s a song that always makes me happy when I hear it?

Donatella by Lady Gaga

77: How can you win my heart?

Persistence! Good food! A warm heart! Make me laugh! Travel with me! Let me steal your body heat when I’m cold! This was really hard to think about! 

78: What would I want to be written on my tombstone?

“Here Lies a Poor Role Model”

79: What is my favorite word?

Saudades

80: My top 5 blogs on tumblr

I don’t really pay attention to who I reblog from unless they’re mutuals, in which case I couldn’t choose

81: If the whole world were listening to me right now, what would I say?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NfRtkCGE40A

82: Do I have any relatives in jail?

No but I have some that probably should be bless their hearts

83: I accidentally eat some radioactive vegetables. They were good, and what’s even cooler is that they endow me with the super-power of my choice! What is that power?

Mastery of all languages!

84: What would be a question I’d be afraid to tell the truth on?

“What do you want to do with your life?” I make up bullshit answers for this one all the time

85: What is my current desktop picture?

I’m changing it soon because the resolution is poor but 

86: Had sex?

87: Bought condoms?

All my condoms have been gifted

88: Gotten pregnant?

Not yet but here’s hoping!

89: Failed a class?

No which is proof that God exists and performs miracles in this day and age

90: Kissed a boy?

Yes

91: Kissed a girl?

Yes

92: Have I ever kissed somebody in the rain?

No and I feel like that’s really over hyped

93: Had job?

I currently work in a library and a theatre

94: Left the house without my wallet?

I carry my cards in my phone case so no

95: Bullied someone on the internet?

I’m not THAT big an asshole

96: Had sex in public?

I’m 90% certain that most of my sexual encounters have been in public

97: Played on a sports team?

I played tee ball when I was like 7

98: Smoked weed?

Nope. Asthma.

99: Did drugs?

Technically no

100: Smoked cigarettes?

Asthma.

101: Drank alcohol?

Not frequently

102: Am I a vegetarian/vegan?

I Need Meat

103: Been overweight?

I was a chunk in middle school

104: Been underweight?

I pretty much stopped eating last semester lol that was fun

105: Been to a wedding?

When I was 3. I insisted that I wear my Zorro cape over my tuxedo. My parents love this story and the accompanying photo.

106: Been on the computer for 5 hours straight?

lol

107: Watched TV for 5 hours straight?

LOL

108: Been outside my home country?

I toured Europe in high school

109: Gotten my heart broken?

I suppooooose

110: Been to a professional sports game?

No actually

111: Broken a bone?

Nope

112: Cut myself?

Nope

113: Been to prom?

I went my sophomore year with the same friend I’m going to California with!

114: Been in airplane?

I LOVE flying

115: Fly by helicopter?

A rich family friend owned a few helicopters and took my cousins and I up when I was little

116: What concerts have I been to?

Just a few Christian ones with my dad and some smaller ones in my hometown

117: Had a crush on someone of the same sex?

I do right now

118: Learned another language?

I’m always learning a new language. My strongest is Portuguese but I’ve also studied Spanish, French, Swedish, Welsh, Russian, Hebrew, Esperanto, Toki Pona, Italian... I feel like I’m missing a few. If you ever want to send asks in these languages I’ll try my best!

119: Wore make up?

Both on and off stage

120: Lost my virginity before I was 18?

I only sucked dick when I was a minor

121: Had oral sex?

^^^

122: Dyed my hair?

Purple when I was in high school and blue this past summer

123: Voted in a presidential election?

This past one

124: Rode in an ambulance?

Nope

125: Had a surgery?

A few in my mouth

126: Met someone famous?

Not that I know of

127: Stalked someone on a social network?

Oh gosh yes

128: Peed outside?

I grew up on 500 acres of woods, I peed outside more than in

129: Been fishing?

Yes

130: Helped with charity?

I used to volunteer a lot

131: Been rejected by a crush?

I guess but it apparently didn’t affect me much

132: Broken a mirror?

nope

133: What do I want for birthday?

Plane tickets!

134: How many kids do I want and what will be their names?

I can barely take care of myself man

135: Was I named after anyone?

Nope! Although my uncle’s middle name is Michael

136: Do I like my handwriting?

I write in cursive and it’s nice because nobody can copy off my work

137: What was my favourite toy as a child?

My stuffed Elmo!

138: Favourite Tv Show?

The X Files af

139: Where do I want to live when older?

Europe. I’m still deciding on Ireland or Portugal or somewhere else entirely

140: Play any musical instrument?

I played recorder for a few months in fourth grade

141: One of my scars, how did I get it?

My brother bit me in identical places on both my arms

142: Favourite pizza toping?

Pepperoni bitch

143: Am I afraid of the dark?

Only of what’s in it

144: Am I afraid of heights?

Not really, I love high places

145: Have I ever got caught sneaking out or doing anything bad?

Surprisingly not (more proof God is real because I snuck out a LOT)

146: Have I ever tried my hardest and then gotten disappointed in the end

Haven’t we all?

147: What I’m really bad at

Anything musical

148: What my greatest achievments are

Errrrm. I’m already published. I’m alive, which is always nice. 

149: The meanest thing somebody has ever said to me

I can’t think of much besides like generic middle school small town bullying

150: What I’d do if I won in a lottery

Pack my bags and fly my ass off to every country in the world

151: What do I like about myself

I’m pretty independent 

152: My closest Tumblr friend

I don’t think I have any friends who I strictly talk to on here

153: Something I fantasise about

No college debt

154: Any thoughts on the paranormal?

Yes. Ghosts are real. Aliens are around. I’m a slut for cryptids. And I’m always ready to talk about this shit.

Thank you for reading!!

[sofiasmusings]

15 Things I’ve Learned in 2017

In honor of the approaching new year, I thought it would be appropriate to sum up my year in the lessons that I’ve learned: 

1. Sometimes you just gotta live for yourself.

But this is different from being selfish. It’s about knowing when you should slow down and do things for yourself. It’s a good trait to be able to put others before yourself, such as staying up till 3 am to talk to a distressed friend or bringing food to your friend because they haven’t eaten in 10 hours. But sometimes it gets to the point where you start basing your decisions on someone else, and worrying about how what you do will affect your relationship with that person. It’s those moments when you consistently ignore your own needs to fulfill the needs of others–and it’s worse when the other person can reciprocate but doesn’t. You inevitably burn out. Start learning how to live for yourself sometimes. Slow down and do something for yourself. Whether that’s blocking out some part of your day just to relax and take a nap, or go to that one cafe you’ve been wanting to visit or watching a movie by yourself.

2. People come and go.

But do not worry. And do not blame yourself if they leave. There will be moments where people leave because of something you did, but do not dwell and choose to learn from it. Some friendships will last until death, and some will fade as the years go by. Sometimes people try extremely hard to preserve friendships that don’t necessarily have the same connection as before. There’s a romanticized view of friendships and relationships lasting forever, but the truth is that sometimes they don’t. Things don’t always have to end on a bad note–it’s a natural process. Each of these people influenced your life in some way or another. Sometimes it’s a positive influence and sometimes it’s a negative influence. You’ll get hurt, but it’s okay. Every relationship had a purpose, and it gave you a chance to grow and mature and learn. Hold tight to your friendships, but don’t be distraught if they’re not as strong as they used to be. There are many more people you have yet to meet.

3. Sometimes things just don’t work out.

But that’s okay. I’ve had a lot of trouble with this as someone that is meticulous and plan oriented. Literally everything goes on my calendar or planner, or stored somewhere in the back of my mind. I used to get frustrated when plans didn’t work out…or really when anything didn’t work out. I was distraught when relationships ended because why didn’t they work out no matter how much I wanted them to? Most of the reasons that things don’t work out are out of your control and you just have to accept that it’s just the way it is.

4. Do that thing now instead of putting it off.

This can apply to rather simple things or bigger decisions. I have developed this habit of just leaving clothes that I try on and decide not to wear on my bedroom floor. I also leave bags that I’m done using on the floor, and sometimes I just don’t clean up my desk area when I’m done. It really hit me towards the end of last semester when I came back to my apartment and I could barely see the floor. It felt pretty bad since I am someone who lives for organization. I still do it now and then, where I just leave something out of place or leave the dirty dishes in the sink, but now I make an effort to just backtrack and fold my clothes or wash the dishes. It saves future me a lot of trouble and doesn’t let things pile up. This also goes for slightly more complex tasks like goals or things I plan to do, such as calling doctors to make appointments or calling business to ask questions. This goes for things I plan to do like update my resume or figure out what grad schools/careers I want to go into. And finally this goes for addressing problems in any relationship, such as having a talk with a friend or a significant other. Obviously there won’t always be enough time–sometimes you’ll leave the house at 8 am and come home at 12 am exhausted and held together by the last bit of willpower in your body, but sometimes you will have time. It’s just a matter of using it well.

5. Don’t surround yourself with people who make you feel bad.

Easier said than done, because the fact is that people and relationships are complex. We go back and forth between deciding whether or not we should cut ties with someone because at one point the friendship was good. Yet sometimes the friendship just stops growing. You lose respect for each other, or something happens that you two can’t resolve. Obviously each situation is different but if your mental or physical health is suffering because of someone else, and you can’t resolve it, it’s time to drop them. It may hurt when you drop them which seems counter intuitive at first, but believe me, it’ll help in the long run.

6. Don’t let past experiences/relationships with people ruin future relationships.

I guess this relates more in the romantic aspect. I’ve had my fair share of heartbreaks, many of which my family and friends could predict before I ever let myself acknowledge the red flags. However, after my last relationship I fell into this way of thinking that every future partner would treat me the way my last partner did. That things would start out great and turn out terribly. That my future partner will react to things the same way that my last partner did. That it’s useless pursuing a future relationship because what’s the point. And who knows, my next relationship may end in terrible heartbreak again, but a big mistake is going into a new relationship and basing your decisions off of your last relationship. This is not to say that you shouldn’t adjust your actions based off of what you learned from your last relationships, but this is saying that your future partner is not your past partner. Learn from the past, but assess each new situation in its new context.

7. Buy a budget book, or find some way to keep track of your money.

With great power comes great responsibility, and money = power. But sometimes it’s easy to let that power get out of hand, or forget just about how much you’re spending. Each trip to your favorite restaurant or online shopping spree definitely adds up. Keeping a budget book has allowed me to see the numbers laid out and keep track of my spending habits (I go to Espresso Royale way more than I think I do) as well as my income. I was excited this past month because I made bank from my two jobs, but I also had to pay some doctors bills that basically drained all my money as well. Keeping these in mind, I was able to adjust my spending habits (stop going to Espresso Royale so much dangit).

8. Appreciate your parents.

This should be a given, although everyone is at a different place in their relationships with their parents. I think my view of my parents have definitely changed over the years. They went from the two people in my life who knew everything, to people that I felt disagreed with me on everything. Now I understand that they’re also growing and learning like me. They’re allowed to make mistakes but ultimately they’ll love you more than you can ever imagine.

9. You always have room to grow.

You’re never done growing. This isn’t only in terms of mastering a skill, but also in general. Sometimes even after you think you’ve seen and experienced it more, life has more in store for you.

10. A good night’s sleep, good meal, and being active goes a long way.

11. Sometimes it’s okay to do the minimum.

I think there’s so much emphasis now on having to put 110% effort into everything that you do, and that if you don’t try the most you can or hard enough, you’re not good enough. While I think it’s great to work hard at what you do, sometime’s it’s okay to do just what you need to do to get by.

12. Be nice.

Be nice because you want to be nice. You shouldn’t do it to be rewarded or gain other peoples favor. Be nice. It’ll go a long way.

13. There will be a factor of luck, but you will also have to work for it.

Sometimes great things will happen or work out because of your hard work. And sometimes they will happen because of luck. And sometimes you won’t be able to tell exactly why something happened. Good things will come in life, but you can’t expect all good things to happen on their own. Work hard, take care of yourself.

14. Don’t be afraid to step outside the box.

This is basically the most cliche piece of evidence but it’s so true. Whether that’s pitching a new idea to your boss or dyeing your hair purple (which turned out pretty okay for me actually), it’s always a good experience to do something out of the ordinary.

15. Acknowledge what you are feeling and try to figure out why you feel that way.

This has helped me a lot recently. Tell yourself it’s okay to feel what you’re feeling, and try to figure out why you’re feeling that certain way. It teaches you a lot about how you react to situations and it gives you something concrete to work with so that you can move on.

[stephaniefchase]

Bajan Newscap 3/14/2017

Good Morning #realdreamchasers! Here is your daily news cap for Tuesday 14th March 2017. Remember you can read full articles via Barbados Today (BT) or by purchasing a Daily Nation Newspaper (DN).

MIA: GOVERNMENT A FAILURE – Yesterday’s more than five-hour Estimates presentation by Minister of Finance Chris Sinckler was nothing more than an admission of absolute failure, charged Opposition Leader Mia Mottley (below). And she has accepted an invitation from Sinckler to give recommendations on how to salvage the island’s economy from its dire state, although she said she had offered solutions in the past.  In her presentation in the House of Assembly which lasted just under an hour, Mottley blasted Government for its handling of the economy that left the country with just under ten weeks of foreign reserves. She said the minister had long denied that Barbados was in deep financial problems and that there would be no layoffs and increase in fees, yet that occurred. (DN)

INNISS TAKES ON STUART ON DOWNGRADES - The criticism of Prime Minister Freundel Stuart by one of his own Cabinet ministers is getting sharper, with Minister of International Business Donville Inniss today suggesting Stuart’s position on the recent downgrades of Barbados was disingenuous. In a media interview this morning on the sidelines of the Global Value Chain Analysis workshop at Accra Beach Hotel, Inniss left no doubt where he stood on the matter, and his position was completely at odds with that of the Prime Minister. Last Thursday Moody’s downgraded Government bond and issuer ratings to Caa3, placing Barbados on the same level as Greece, the Ukraine and Venezuela, and all but stating that the home-grown austerity programme had failed. It came six days after Standard & Poor’s reduced the country to ‘CCC+/C’ on account of its limited financing alternatives and low international reserves. Speaking at the Democratic Labour Party’s (DLP) mid-term conference at Queen’s College a day after the S&P downgrade, Stuart had said that “rating agencies can only downgrade Barbados’ credit worthiness, its ability to borrow. They cannot downgrade Barbados itself”. The Prime Minister had also contended that the downgrades would be impactful only if Government had intentions of borrowing on the international market. “The most they can do is to say to us that if you want to go and borrow, because we’ve downgraded you, persons who might be inclined to lend you will make the money they want to lend you more expensive,” Stuart told party DLP faithful. However, Inniss today argued it was politically disingenuous to ignore the reputed rating agencies. “Anytime that there is a rating agency, recognized and respected worldwide, that gives a rating on Barbados, you need to pay very close attention to it [whether] it is a good rating or a bad rating. I cannot comment positively if it is a good rating and then have nothing [good] to say when the rating is not so good. Now I am not focused on the messenger [rather] I am focused on the message,” he said. While agreeing with the Prime Minister that Barbados had no intention of borrowing on the international market, the minister said the effects of the downgrades were more far reaching than Stuart sought to protray, as they could be telling on investor confidence in the country. “On one hand we may not be going to the international market looking for financing and therefore in that respect the rating may not be overly significant. But I am also mindful that investors do pay attention to ratings in order to make informed decisions about where to invest and the quantity of invest that they make.  I also know that those who are domestically located and may seek usually to invest in bonds may also have to look at these ratings.”  The Member of Parliament for St James South sought to impress upon his Cabinet colleagues that they ought to be seeking to improve upon the rating instead of criticizing the rating agencies. “My issue is not to spend time criticizing the rating agencies or beat ourselves up on the rating to try to find ways to get a better rating. How can we move from the rating that has been issued by the rating agencies to a higher level? I think that is the conversation the country has to have. So I for one am not dismissing the reports of the rating agencies as a matter of fact they would spur me on to do better as a Government minister,” he stressed. (BT)

TAKING NOTE – Outspoken Government Minister Donville Inniss is “taking note” of last Saturday’s Step Up If Yuh Fed Up march by the Opposition Barbados Labour Party (BLP) and the recent downgrades by two different international rating agencies. Inniss was off the island for the march and the exchanges on the downgrades, but said he would not be dismissing either of them. “Anytime you have a sizeable amount of people taking to the streets, albeit in a very civilised manner, they are sending a message and the Government must take note. “I, certainly as a minister and an MP [Member of Parliament], have taken very copious notes of the messages being sent, not necessarily by the Barbados Labour Party alone. . .   (DN)

I’M NO FOOL – Outspoken minister Donville Inniss is suggesting he would be a fool to disregard “the strong message” sent by Barbadians who took to the streets of the capital on Saturday in a March of Disgust against the ruling Democratic Labour Party (DLP). His comment appeared to be a slight against DLP General Secretary George Pilgrim, who yesterday dismissed the estimated 10,000 people who protested against Government’s handling of the economy as a rent a crowd, paid by the Opposition Barbados Labour Party (BLP) to show up and feign disgust. However, concerned that the protest could very well be the DLP’s ‘Ides of March’, Inniss this morning told the media in a candid interview following his feature address to launch the Global Value Chain Analysis workshop at Accra Beach Hotel, those who ignored the march was doing so at their own peril. “I certainly paid great attention to the march. I think anytime you have a sizeable portion of the population taking to the streets, albeit in a very civilized manner, they are sending a message and the Government must take note. “I, certainly as a minister, have taken very copious note of the message being sent and not necessarily by the Barbados Labour Party alone, but there may be other individuals who are not aligned to the BLP who have a sense of annoyance with the Government. I will be a fool to sit here and believe all is well,” Inniss said. The Minister of Industry, International Business, Commerce and Small Business Development has a history of publicly criticizing his own administration, often adopting positions that are contrary to those espoused by the DLP or the administration, although he has never voted against Government in Parliament. This latest position is sure to provide even more ammunition to those who see him as one who has recognized the DLP’s falling popularity and is prepared to throw his own administration under the proverbial bus in order to save his skin. Inniss today all but confirmed this impression of him when he made it clear he was not the least bit worried of being accused of not towing the party line, and he had no qualms about breaking ranks with the Freundel Stuart administration in the interest of political self-preservation. In fact, the Member of Parliament for St James South, one of the so-called Eager 11, who in 2011 sought to replace Stuart before “cold feet” by some caused the plot  to fail, appeared to take a jab at the Prime Minister by making reference to “those who say nothing”- a general criticism of Stuart. Despite the message which Inniss said Barbadians had sent to the administration through the march, he was optimistic that the public’s confidence in the DLP administration would rise in the coming months as Government makes the necessary fiscal adjustments to lower the deficit and increase the dwindling foreign reserves. “This is a work in progress. As a Government we have made some mistakes along the way. I don’t think we have been as effective in our communication. I ask myself everyday if I have made mistakes and if I have, I am prepared to learn from them. Barbados continues to have challenges and we are committed to finding the solutions,” he said. (BT)

MINISTER PREPARED TO TAKE SOME BLAME – Minister of Finance Chris Sinckler says he is prepared to accept some of the blame for where Barbados’ debt situation stands today. With the debt to GDP ratio now hovering at 110 per cent, the Minister of Finance reminded the House of Assembly yesterday during the Appropriation Bill 2017 debate that the former administration had borrowed more than $1 billion on the international capital market over a five-year period in the lead-up to 2008, when the country was supposed to have been booming. Admitting that the current administration had also borrowed a similar amount but over a nine-year period, the St Michael North West MP, who became Minister of Finance in 2010, told the House: “I accept the legitimate criticism for the decline in the reserves since 2013. I also take responsibility for accepting the advice of my team of senior advisers that that particular policy of going to the market every year and borrowing large amounts of money was not only unsustainable, it was a dangerous set of policies.” (DN)

SINCKLER CALLS ON PRIVATE SECTOR TO PULL ITS WEIGHT – Minister of Finance Chris Sinckler is accusing private sector companies that earn foreign exchange of keeping a lot of their earnings offshore. He pointed the accusing finger at business operators while stating that if they were bringing in more foreign exchange into the country Government would not be forced to borrow as much as it did currently. “Bring some more money on board. Let us see some more of the foreign exchange coming in so that we don’t have to borrow as much and we can have a more consistent supply. The truth is some people may say that has to do with confidence, maybe it does, but I still think that on the basis of what we are seeing, people can pull their weight a little bit more than they have been doing in that particular regard,” he said as he led off debate in Parliament this morning on the 2017 Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure. Recently Acting President of the Barbados Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) Edward Clarke expressed “grave concern” about the country’s high deficit and falling foreign reserves. “We were quite shocked yesterday to see the Central Bank’s report that our foreign reserves were at an extremely low level – $681 million or approximately 10.3 weeks cover . . . our foreign reserves are of grave concern to us all as Barbadians and as businesses in Barbados. We cannot allow this slide to continue,” Clarke had told the first BCCI’s luncheon for the year at the Hilton Barbados Resort on January 26. Last month the Barbados Private Sector Association also said it was “deeply concerned” about the current state of the economy and it called for urgent short-term solutions to be implemented at the level of the Social Partnership. However, candidly addressing the issue this morning, Sinckler recommended that the island’s two largest private sector groupings stop expressing concern and bring “tangible, demonstrable” solutions to the table. “I am sending out that call to head of the [Barbados] Private Sector Association and the head of the Chamber of Commerce. Don’t only tell us about how concerned you are about how low the reserves are, tell us about how concerned you are that not enough foreign exchange earned by Barbadian companies are being brought into the island.” Though not providing evidence to substantiate the claim, Sinckler said he simply did not believe “the bulk” of the foreign exchange being earned by private sector companies was making its way into the system. However, he made it clear that “there is some foreign exchange we don’t want because we don’t want any from money laundering or any nefarious activities. “We don’t want any Nigerian money either. What we want is good, clean foreign exchange that is earned legitimately. We don’t want any hanky-panky stuff around here. “If there are vast amounts being held outside of Barbados, bring a little bit more and help the country out,” he stressed.  (BT)

CENTRAL BANK TO PROVIDE BACKSTOP LOAN – It has recently come under harsh criticism for its heavy financing of Government. But this has not stopped the Central Bank of Barbados, under its new leadership, from coming to the rescue of the Freundel Stuart administration. In leading off debate on the 2017 Appropriations Bill in Parliament Monday morning, Minister of Finance Chris Sinckler downplayed the recent concern raised by ratings agency Moody’s that Government was at high risk of defaulting on its international loan obligations. However, he sought to assure that the island’s foreign reserves, which fell to a low of 10.3 weeks at the end of December 2016, should soon be on the road to recovery. In this regard, Sinckler said he had advised the Central Bank – which is now under the command of Acting Governor Cleviston Haynes who replaced the sacked Dr DeLisle Worrell at the height of disagreement with Government on the need for tighter monetary controls – to provide “a backstop” loan facility, which would be used only if necessary, to shore up the reserves. Sinckler, whose Government had previously been reluctant to go the route of privatization, also revealed that another prized state entity could soon be up for sale. He said provision for the sale was made in the Estimates, and “we will be announcing very shortly what that particular asset is”. As for the pending sale of the Barbados National Terminal Company Ltd for US$100 million, which is awaiting Fair Trading Commission approval, Sinckler said: “There seems to be an effort or an attempt . . . to scuttle and block that particular transaction”. However, “we will wait and see how it goes,” he added. In the meantime, the Minister of Finance, who has been under immense pressure in recent times for his handling of the economy, reported that a number of the expected inflows were already coming in. Chief among them, he said, were a US$25 million bridging loan from First Citizens Bank for the Development Bank of Latin America (CAF)-sponsored upgrade to the Barbados Revenue Authority and Customs and a financial disbursement for the Sam Lord’s Castle hotel project. Sinckler also informed Parliament that the Caribbean Development Bank’s $14 million loan to the Student Revolving Loan Fund should be deposited shortly. He also said the island’s foreign exchange reserves were in for a further boost as a result of recent changes to the tax concession rules for investors and developers seeking waivers for projects here. (BT)

CUTS EASIER SAID THAN DONE – It was government’s Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure debate, but Minister of Finance Chris Sinckler sought to turn the tables on the Opposition by calling on it to outline where it planned to make the deep cuts it wanted Government to carry out to align the struggling economy. After the Opposition-led “March of Disgust” on the streets of Bridgetown on the weekend, the real fireworks shifted to the House of Assembly yesterday in the middle of The City for the start of a week of heated debate in what could be the last Estimates before the next general election. Sinckler spent nearly three hours in the morning session meticulously outlining just how constricted the Freundel Stuart administration’s hands were when it came to cutting public expenditure, because of the impact it would have on thousands of public officers and the services offered to average Barbadians. (DN)

NUPW TO BEGIN INDUSTRIAL ACTION OVER PAY DEMAND – With Minister of Finance Chris Sinckler admitting today that Government had not taken a position on whether or not civil servants would get a pay rise this financial year, the country’s largest public sector union is saying enough is enough. The National Union of Public Workers (NUPW) General Council this afternoon voted to begin industrial action in a bid to force the Freundel Stuart administration back to the negotiating table. Sinckler did not make provisions for salary increases for Government workers in the 2017-2018 Estimates of Expenditure and Revenue, and in leading off debate on the new financial package in Parliament today, he scoffed at suggestions that the NUPW was prepared to mount industrial action to pressure Government to give in to its demands for a 23 per cent wage hike. The Barbados Workers Union has demanded a 15 per cent increase. However, the Minister of Finance insisted that while no agreement had been reached on a pay rise, public servants would indeed take home larger pay cheques because of $58 million to be paid in increments. This is unlikely to placate the NUPW, which has complained that while its members had not received a pay rise in nearly a decade, Government legislators all but gave themselves a ten per cent increase recently when they restored the monies cut from the salaries in 2014 at the height of austerity. Speaking to Barbados TODAY following the meeting at the union’s headquarters in Dalkeith Road, St Michael, NUPW President Akanni McDowall said his members’ patience had run out and “Government’s disrespect for the workers and the union would no longer be tolerated”. However the NUPW boss was tight-lipped on the form on action the union would take, or when protest action would begin, although he said it would be “as soon as possible”. The union boss contended that even though it was not the NUPW’s intention to disrupt a country in economic turmoil, Government must show a willingness to reach an understanding with civil servants, who have not had a pay increase since 2008. While the NUPW president was confident that the planned industrial action would force Government to the negotiating table, he did not rule out an all-out strike. “Very seldom would we take industrial action and don’t get a response because we know what we are doing. But if it comes to that then we do whatever is necessary to make sure that they come to the table,” he stressed. (BT)

FIX THE JOBLESS RATE – The Caribbean has a labour market problem that needs fixing. Research from the Caribbean Centre For Money & Finance (CCMF) concluded that the average unemployment rate has been above ten per cent for the past eight years. CCMF research assistant Bjorn Warde, commenting on the issue in a recent edition of the organisation’s newsletter said “a greater focus on labour market issues and growth is required to transform the labour markets in the Caribbean to make them more robust and flexible”. “ . . . There is need for greater emphasis by governments on building resilience through economic diversification and other structural reforms to increase the growth potential of these economies,” Warde said. “Other strategies such as promoting gainsharing/performance based payment schemes to link wage and salary increases to increases in productivity, and updating labour regulations to reflect modern production systems, while enhancing workers’ welfare and bringing efficiency to the industrial relations process are all ways in which Caribbean countries can, and have already started, to address the problem of unemployment.” Warde said a high level of unemployment “is a problem confronting many Caribbean economies”. The researcher referred to the International Labour Organisation’s World Employment and Social Outlook – Trends January 2017 report which said unemployment challenges were particularly acute in the Caribbean because the region was still coping with economic problems caused by a relatively difficult international economic environment. “The expected growth in the number of individuals attaining working age this year will have an important negative impact on the unemployment rate in 2017,” Warde said. “The growth of the labour force in the Caribbean, with no real growth in employment opportunities, is an important factor contributing to the higher unemployment rates in the Caribbean in recent times.” The analysis observed that “the commodity-based economies in the Caribbean have generally had lower average rates of unemployment but since 2015/2016 they have reported increases in their levels of unemployment”. “The global decline in commodity prices has significantly influenced the levels of economic activity in Trinidad and Tobago, Suriname and Guyana and this has resulted in a number of labour market issues in 2016/2017 such as job losses and strike action.” Services-based economies like Barbados “have experienced higher levels of unemployment over time when compared to the commodity-based economies”. (DN)

CRIES ANSWERED – The cries for help from an elderly couple living in deplorable conditions have been answered, and Wilson and Louise Yearwood can expect to be in a pristine, new home by Friday March 17, thanks to the charitable efforts of the concerned locals and students and staff of the Codrington International School. In an article published on March 2, Barbados TODAY exposed the squalid state in which the the 66-year-old Wilson and his 75-year-old wife Louise were living in Clifton Hall, St John. Their one bedroom, wooden house barely stood at the edge of the Clifton Hall slope, overlooking the breath-taking crystal blue waters of Martins Bay, St John; the roof of the Government-owned structure was littered with gaping holes and was in desperate need of repair, with rusting galvanize and terrible leaks; and in the kitchen, Wilson has constructed a makeshift tap on top of a self-made wooden countertop, and next to it was a rusting unusable stove. The dirty floors had also revealed evidence of rodents, and buckets had been placed throughout the home in a desperate attempt to catch water leaking through the roof that was supposed to help keep the family dry. Barely able to afford their necessities on his medically unfit cheques and his wife’s pension, the 66-year-old had pleaded for assistance, and the couple’s plight did not go unnoticed as Principal of Codrington International School Darryl Brown paid them a visit and promptly set the wheels in motion to rebuild the crumbling house. When Barbados TODAY paid a second visit to the retired couple today, they were all smiles with high expectations as labourers were painting their new roof and rebuilding their living room. The grime, dirt and moss algae which had blackened their bathroom walls was now gone following an industrially cleaning. Overseeing the reconstruction, foreman Randal Medford indicated that the roof had been replaced, and so had the sides of the wooden structure, while the entire bathroom was rebuilt. Recounting his initial reaction when he first saw the Yearwood residence, Medford said, “It was in a deplorable state, it would have scrawled your skin to touch it”. From March 6, Medford and his team commenced construction of the dilapidated house, beginning by throwing away the debris and aging items into a skip. At present, there is a lot left to be done as, as the pensioners will need new furniture and household items when the renovations have been completed. Speaking from his daughter’s residence, where he is staying while the repairs are ongoing, Wilson said he was overwhelmed at the charitable contributions made by concerned citizens. “I feel more than a million dollars to know that when I move in there I know I can’t get wet, I will know that everything will be safe and good; even getting new doors, because it will lock – the door before it didn’t lock – and so I am glad and thankful,” he told Barbados TODAY. “I want to thank all the people who helped, who assisted and who is about to assist. I want to thank them very much,” he stressed. (BT)

ELDERLY MAN IN DIRE NEED OF HOUSING HELP - While 74-year-old Lionel Inniss continues to live and sleep in the ruins of what used to be his house, his concerned neighbours are calling for some assistance getting him removed and provided medical care. Two female neighbours told the DAILY NATION yesterday was a full week that the house, which was in a dilapidated condition, had crumbled. Luckily, Inniss, who is sick, was at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital at that time. They said upon his release from the hospital, he had to return to the piles of rotted board, galvanised sheets and a torn tarpaulin in Fustic Village, St Lucy. Inniss, who worked as a gardener all his life, said when assistance was offered before, he was hoping to get a home of his own. He is now ready to go to the Geriatric Hospital and wanted Government to place him in care. (DN)

DRE’S HEROIC ACT – Dre Browne is a real life hero. While playing in the sand with his Barbados Youth Service (BYS) friends after a long day of community service on Saturday, the 17-year-old Clapham, St Michael resident came to the rescue of a female tourist who had nearly drowned at Browne’s Beach. The aspiring fireman was on his way home when he saw a panicked husband by the side of his unconscious wife who had swallowed a large amount of water while diving. Having been trained in water safety by the Barbados Coast Guard and the BYS, Browne’s instincts quickly kicked in, moving immediately to perform CPR on the woman. “I just saw her and the instinct just kicked in to help . . . I did what I knew, so I asked him [the husband] if she was okay and ‘can I assist you’, and he said, ‘yes you can’, so I proceeded [to perform] CPR. “After that . . . one of my friends called the ambulance so I stood by her side until the ambulance came,” the BYS recruit recounted, adding that all the while he was trying to keep the woman calm. The former Princess Margaret Secondary School student received a hero’s welcome from his neighbours and his mother, Serena Browne, who said she was proud of her son for his unselfish and courageous act, especially as he used the skills he had been taught at the BYS. “When he came in last night with the look on his face alone, I saw that he was excited and he was proud of the act he had done yesterday . . . “I just thought he just did a random act of kindness which we all should do at some time,” the beaming mother said. BYS Community Project Officer Cecilia Nebblet-Murray was present to congratulate the dutiful recruit. She praised the teenager for his act of bravery saying, “It is really good when a student can actually practice what we teach them in school every day and it is really good that students were there to actually him see do a good deed.” (BT)

MILLIONS MORE UNINSURED UNDER REPUBLICANS’ MEDICAL PLAN - Fourteen million Americans would lose medical insurance by next year under a Republican plan to dismantle Obamacare that would also reduce the budget deficit, a nonpartisan congressional research office said on Monday, throwing President Donald Trump and Republicans on the defensive as they press forward with replacement legislation. The U.S. Congressional Budget Office (CBO) forecast that 24 million more people would be uninsured in 2026 if the plan being considered by the House of Representatives to replace the 2010 Affordable Care Act were adopted. Obamacare, as President Barack Obama's signature piece of domestic policy is commonly called, expanded insurance to about 20 million Americans. Hours after the CBO report was released, the House Budget Committee postponed its consideration of the Republican bill to Thursday from Wednesday. Prior to the report, Republicans had been planning to vote soon on the bill in the House, where it is likely to pass, and send it to the Senate, where its outlook is uncertain. The CBO projected that 52 million people would be uninsured by 2026 if the bill became law, compared with 28 million who would not have coverage that year if the law remained unchanged. Two House of Representatives committees have approved the legislation to dismantle Obamacare that was unveiled by Republican leaders a week ago, but it faces opposition from not only Democrats but also medical providers including doctors and hospitals and many conservatives. The CBO report's findings could make the Republican plan a harder sell for lawmakers, particularly in the U.S. Senate. The CBO, however, said federal deficits would fall by $337 billion between 2017 and 2026 under the Republican bill. Some health policy experts and Wall Street analysts said the report was more draconian than expected, with the uninsured rate declining more quickly than foreseen. Doctors groups and patient advocates said the bill must be abandoned. The AARP, a nonprofit advocacy group for aging Americans, said Monday that the CBO analysis showed the financial burden of the Republican plan would fall “disproportionately” on Americans 50 to 64 years old. In a five-page letter to House members last week, the AARP has also criticised a tax cut it said would threaten the solvency of Medicare, the government health insurance program for the elderly and disabled, cuts to Medicaid and said the bill does nothing to lower drug costs. (DN)

COP RUNS OUT OF CHANCES – A few days after being released on bail on a domestic violence charge, Special Constable Andrew Jonathan Maynard took a seat on the prison bus headed for Her Majesty’s Prisons Dodds yesterday.The 30-year-old, of Lynches Tenantry, St Philip, was remanded by Magistrate Douglas Frederick until April 10 after he denied assaulting police officers Allan Bailey and Michael Ifill on Sunday. He also pleaded not guilty to behaving in a threatening manner when he entered Shevron John’s house, and resisting Bailey in the execution of his duties on the same day. When Maynard appeared before the District “A” Magistrates’ Court on March 9, he denied stealing a cellphone worth $1 120 from John and assaulting her on March 7. (DN)

BEST CHARGED FOR RAPING BRITISH CITIZENS - Police have arrested and charged a 34-year-old man in connection with the rape of a 46-year-old British visitor. David Omar Best of Orange Hill, St James appeared before Magistrate Wanda Blair in the Holetown Magistrates’ Court today and was remanded to prison to reappear in court on April 10. The alleged rape occurred on Sunday, March 5 at the Holetown Beach in St James. (BT)

JAMAICAN FINED $8000 FOR TRAFFICKING DRUGS - A Jamaican national was today ordered to pay $8000 forthwith or spend 12 months in prison. Octavia Nickoda Lucimia Taylor, 25, landed at the Grantley Adams International Airport on Saturday, March 11 and  one kg of cannabis was found in a haversack she was carrying. She was arrested and charged with possession of cannabis, possession with intent to supply, and trafficking. In court today, Taylor pleaded guilty to all of the charges and was fined in connection with the offence of trafficking. She was convicted, reprimanded and discharged for the other offences. (BT)

HOPE ADMITS TO DRUG CHARGES - Magistrate Douglas Fredrick has ordered a pre-sentencing report into the life of a 41-year-old mason who admitted Monday to several drug offences. Basco McArthur Hope, of Skeete’s Road, Jackman’s, St Michael, pleaded guilty to possession, possession with intent to supply, cultivation and having a trafficable quantity of cannabis on March 11. According to the prosecutor Station Sergeant Martin Rock, the illicit substance was found when lawmen executed a search warrant at Hope’s residence around 8:55 a.m. on the mentioned date. Rock said police knocked on the house and identified themselves. No one opened the door but movement could be heard on the inside. The officers then entered the yard through a wooden gate and they discovered several cannabis plants in various containers. When they entered the house, Hope was in one of the bedrooms. He was shown the warrant and asked to account for the cannabis plants being in the yard. “Them is my plants. I responsible for them,” Hope told the police at the time. A quantity of the drug was also found on him when police searched him. Hope had also directed lawmen to a bushy area in the back of his house where more plants were found. “Them is mine too. That’s all I know bout,” he said. In seeking leniency for her client, attorney Carol Ann Best urged the court to take into consideration his early guilty plea, that he cooperated with police, and that he had pointed them to the other plants. She also argued for Hope, a first time offender, to be granted community service. The magistrate then ordered the report and released Hope on $5,000 bail with one surety. He makes his second appearance in the District ‘A’ Magistrates’ No. 1 Court on June 14. (BT)

SILVER HILL HIT BY BULLETS – Residents of Silver Hill, Christ Church, have been breathing a sigh of relief because of an absence of gun violence for a number of years. However, a volley of shots from a late Sunday night shooting, at a liming spot called Skunk Park, left a number of people smelling gunpowder, injured and diving for cover. It was around 10:50 p.m. when bullets rang out at Block 3D. When the smoke cleared, Adrian Cox, 38, Randy Went, 32, and Devon Rowe, 21, were left nursing gunshot wounds. According to police reports, the three were on the block liming with other men when a number of loud explosions were heard. When they ran, they realised they had been hit. (DN)

TWO GET BAIL FOR SEX CHARGES - Two men – one a teenager – are out on bail after appearing in a Bridgetown court charged with separate sex offences. Shawn Jermaine Sobers, of Round Rock, Silver Sands, Christ Church, was not required to plead to the indictable charge that he had sexual intercourse with a 14-year-old girl with her consent. That offence allegedly occurred in the District ‘B’ Oistins jurisdiction sometime between January 1 and 31. The 17-year-old maintenance man is also accused of committing the same offence with the same minor on March 10, this time, in the District ‘A’ jurisdiction. With no objections from the prosecutor, he was released on $3,000 bail with one surety to return to the District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court on June 14. He will make his first appearance in the District ‘B’ Magistrates’ Court on March 17. In the other case, Richard Dacosta Greenidge of Work Hall, St Philip was granted $10,000 bail when he appeared before Magistrate Douglas Frederick recently. The 46-year-old painter is accused of having sexual intercourse with a woman without her consent and removing the same woman from Enterprise Road, Christ Church without her consent, on February 21. He was not required to plead to the indictable charges. Taking into consideration that Greenidge is not previously known to the court, the magistrate granted him bail, which he secured with one surety. He was, however, warned to stay away from the complainant. On the rape charge, he returns to the District ‘A’ Court on June 19 and he will go to the District ‘C’ Magistrates’ Court on March 14 on the kidnapping charge. (BT)

BEST TAKE TWO TITLES - Meagan Best has once again emerged as the undisputed queen of the Barbados Squash Association’s Sagicor Junior National Squash Championships. In what can only be described as an outstanding achievement at the Barbados Squash Club in Marine Gardens, Christ Church, last Sunday, Best proved why she currently holds the titles of both Caribbean and Canadian Open Junior Champion by earning the Under-15 Mixed and Under-19 Girls’ titles, and the was also highest placed girl in the round robin. She dominated in both games against her arch-rival, Caribbean Under-17 champion and badminton player Amanda Haywood, and Jodi Smith-Padmore. Despite Haywood’s initial fight in the first game of the match, and locking scores 12-12, she handed Best the game after Best was given a stroke to win 14-12. She later conceded defeat 14-12, 11-6, 11-4. (DN)

BDFSP, WALES FIGHT TO 1-1 DRAW - It is “as you were” at the top of the Digicel Premier League, after the Barbados Defence Force Sports Programme and Weymouth Wales played out to a 1-1 draw in their top-of-the-table clash at the Wildey AstroTurf on Sunday. A Rashad Jules strike right on the stroke of half-time fired BDFSP into the lead following a high octane first half that flew by. Wales responded in the second half, however, with Romario Harewood getting the all-important equaliser from the penalty spot in the 70th minute. In other games, Rendezvous overcame lowly Waterford Compton 2-0, thanks to a 27th minute Keon Atkins penalty and a Jomo Brathwaite strike in the 40th. (DN)

PINELANDS HOLD OFF CAVS – The finals rematch certainly lived up to its billing. Even if nothing has changed from last season to this one. Orange 3 Pinelands are still on top, having survived Jeremy Gill fouling out and a miraculous rally before holding off Station Hill Cavaliers in Sunday’s wild 78-76 Co-operators General Insurance Basketball Premier League victory. The last-second result at the Barbados Community College all but confirmed the champs’ royal status, with the Pine running the gamut by beating the other three 2016 play-off teams to start this season. (DN)

GG TO STEP DOWN IN JUNE – Governor General Sir Elliott Belgrave today confirmed that he will demit office at the end of June 2017, five years after he was appointed to the country’s highest office. Sir Elliott had announced last December during his annual Christmas visit to the Psychiatric Hospital in Black Rock, St Michael that he intended to step down this year, although he gave no date at the time. In announcing the date this afternoon during a visit to the island’s latest centenarian, Lena Carter, in Haggatt Hall, St Michael, the 85-year-old representative of the British monarch said he was “old and tired” and was looking forward to retirement and cruising the world. Responding to a comment by Carter’s daughter that he still “looked good”, Sir Elliott gave a hearty chuckle and said: “My knees don’t look so good though. I am quite happy in my mind, body and soul, but I want to demit office so that someone else would have a chance, trying to carry on what is necessary.” The former High Court judge, who first acted in the post from November 1, 2011 before his formal appointment on June 1 of the following year, said it was with “great reluctance” that he was leaving, while stressing that he was stepping down of his own free will. At the same time, he said he would miss visiting the elderly and children. “I love people, I like to see people happy, and to make people happy. But the job is very challenging, it’s very stressful and to do it properly you have to pay close attention to it. I take great delight in visiting the centenarians . . . . I think my paying attention to the centenarians and to the children is one of the principle reasons I was appointed to this office which I regard as a great honour,” he stressed. Regarded as “the Governor General of the people”, Sir Elliott has shown himself to be a Head of State with a difference. While others in the past might have been accused of not visiting the trenches, but sticking slavishly to their constitutional roles, he was credited for breaking that mould. Whether it be the crime situation in the country, industrial disharmony, disquiet in the education system, or simple inter-personal relationships, Sir Elliott has not been averse to speaking his mind, offering advice and demonstrating leadership. (BT)

That’s all for today folks. There are 292 days left in the year Shalom! #thechasefiles #dailynewscaps Follow us on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram for your daily news. #bajannewscaps #newscapsbystephaniefchase

[seriphthefox-blog]

Knox (Original story)

I decided to make a gay fic with my actual fursona, Seriph, and what I believe a love interest for him would be, Knox. This is one that I’m going to actually finish hopefully (considering I’ve written part of three different ones in the past that I never finished). If you enjoy it please let me know and I will be very grateful. Sorry for any misspelling.

(Chapter 1)

I was sound asleep at sometime in the morning I think. Maybe. I don’t know. I say ‘was’ because the sound of knocking on my bedroom door woke me up.

“What?!”

“Get up!”

“Leave me alone Destin!”

I rolled over and pulled the pillow onto my face in an attempt to down out the noise. That didn’t help as his persistence got to me.

“Alright! Just stop!”

I jumped out of bed not bothering to put on a shirt and swung the door open.

“What do you want? And what time is it?”

“C'mon. Get yourself ready.”

“For?”

“Were going out somewhere. And you are gonna get, or at least try to get, somebody.”

“Excuse me?”

“You live in the apartment all alone, not counting me, and you almost never leave the damn building. Not the greatest way to live.”

“I don’t tell you how to live your life, do I?”

“True. But you still should get out of the house. Or apartment rather.”

“God. You sound like my dad.”

“Don’t insult me like that.”

That statement earned a chuckle from me.

“Either way, my girlfriend is coming with us since she’s free for today.”

“Oh great. Now you want to make me depressed.”

“Oh shut up. You’ll find somebody. If you don’t I’ll wear the frilliest dress possible in public.”

“Now that I’d love to see.”

A series of knocks on the door drew his attention away from our banter.

“That must be her.”

He went over and opened the door for her.

“Hey Destin!”

“Alis.”

They shared a hug before she noticed me standing behind him.

“You trying to swoon me now Seriph? You know I’m taken.”, she asked taking in the fact I had no shirt on.

“Are you for real?”

“I’m kidding. Come here you.”

This was Destin’s girlfriend, Alis, if you didn’t already know. She’s one of the nicest people I’ve ever met.

I shared a quick hug with her as well before I grabbed a shirt from my room.

“So where is it were going anyway?”, I ask as I slip into a deep red t-shirt.

“We’re going to a bar downtown. It opened up only a week or so ago and we wanted to check it out.”

“Sounds nice. I’m in.”

“C'mon you’ve gotta…what?”

“What do you mean what Destin? I said I’m good with it.”

“It’s just that-”

“I usually bitch and moan and then don’t go. I know. Is it really so odd for me to say yes for once?”

“Kinda. But either way I’m glad you’re agreeing for once. Let’s go.”

“Okay. Nobody gave me the time yet.”

“It’s about 7:35 pm.”

“That’s late as hell. And I assume we’re going in your girl’s car?”

“Yep. Unless you want to drive your car.”

“Nah. I’d rather not unless I need to.”

“That makes sense.”

“Are you ladies gonna keep talking or are we gonna go drink?”

“Aren’t you the one who’s supposed to talk too much Alis?”

She playfully swung at me and not surprisingly I moved out of the way.

“Better luck next time sweetheart.”

“I’m gonna get you at some point. Let’s go.” —– We all huddled into her car with me sitting in the back seat which was good so I could at least try and keep my thoughts to myself as Alis drove us to the bar.

“What’s the name of this place anyway?”

“Bibentes I believe. It’s Latin for 'Drinking’ if memory serves from school.”

“That’s a little on the nose don’t you think?”

“Don’t blame her. Blame the people that opened the place.”

“I know. I’m just saying.” —– It took only about 20 minutes to get down to the place. Mainly because we went at a time pretty much everyone was getting off work.

She pulled into the lot and we all entered the venue, quickly being hit with some popular music.

The inside was a lot bigger than I’d expect a bar to be but not the size of a nightclub. Although it did have a dance floor and a dj. So I guess it’s a mini club? I don’t know.

“Nice place.”

“Good. Me and Alis are gonna dance. You can do what you want.”

“Go have fun.”

They buggered off while I sat at the far end of the bar. No sooner had I sat down did a glass plop down front of me.

“Welcome. What can I get you?”

“Something good.”

“I guess that it’s my choice then.”

“I guess so.”

He grabbed one bottle and tossed it in the air before grabbing a drink mixer. He grabbed the bottle by the neck over the mixer filled it a third of the way.

He grabbed two more and juggled them around before pouring a little of each into the mixer.

He covered it and tossed it in the air, spinning around and grabbing a different glass before catching the mixer again. Then he just shook it and poured the concoction into the high ball glass.

“And there you go.”

“Thanks. Nice show too.”

“You’re welcome.”

I through a 20 on the table along with a few singles to pay for my drink. He went off to another customer and I got up from my seat. The thing is that as soon as I turn around I ended up walking into somebody, spilling my drink in the process and falling to the ground.

“Okay. That hurt.”

“I’m sorry. You okay?”

I looked up to see a grey wolf standing over me. He was wearing blue jeans and a light grey, almost white, jacket.

“I’m fine.”

He pulled me up to my feet and I could now see his baby blue eyes a little better.

I quickly noticed the fairly sized stain on his jacket.

“Looks like I ruined your clothes.”

I pointed to the large stain on his chest. I felt kind of guilty about it even though it was an accident.

“It’s nothing. The jacket is only like $10. Besides, I can wash it out.”

“I still feel guilty though.”

“Like I said, it’s okay.”

“Didn’t take you long did it? You jerk.”

I would’ve thought it was Destin if the voice didn’t sound angry and slightly higher pitched. I turned around and what I saw was a white deer, skinny, a year or two younger than me, and dressed in shorts that only girls should probably wear and a purple shirt missing the sleeves.

“What do you care? We broke up remember?”

“Only three days ago you asshole!”

“For your information Lyle I bumped into the guy, ok? Secondly, why would you care? You’re the one who agreed to end the relationship. I didn’t force you to.”

“That doesn’t mean you get to do something like this.”

This isn’t something that needed to happen so I tried to say something.

“Calm down okay. I didn’t know anything about this.”

“Fuck you.”

He took his glass and tried to throw his drink in my face. I ducked and it made a puddle in the ground behind me instead.

“Really? Try harder.”

He threw a punch and I just caught his fist and redirected it causing him to fall.

“Let’s go you.”

I dragged him outside by the collar of his shirt and let him go on the side walk.

“Now get the fuck out of here. And don’t ever try to punch me again.”

I went back inside and the bartender gave me a thankful nod.

I turned my attention back to the wolf.

“And old flame?”

“Yeah.”

“He’s a real piece of work.”

“I know. But when you have someone as cute as him you learn to deal with it. I’m Knox by the way.” He held out his hand.

“Seriph.”

I shook his hand which kind of hurt because of his pretty strong grip.

“So what brings you here Seriph?”

“A friend of mine. Along with his girlfriend.”

“Not a socialist huh?”

“Not really. Or rather not completely. I’ll get out of my apartment by choice when the mood strikes me. Which isn’t too often.”

“I used to be like that when I was wasn’t much younger than I am now. Wasn’t too good for me. But then I met Lyle and we’d been together for a little over three years as of a few days ago.”

“Speaking of which what was that about?”

“We broke up two or three days ago. The love in the relationship kinda fizzled out for me but apparently it hadn’t for him yet. He didn’t take my request to well because he smashed a hole in my wall with tv remote.”

“That’s a thing.”

“Yeah. I fixed it before I came down here tonight so I just have to paint over it now after it drys.”

“Well you can forget about him now. He’s not a problem anymore.”

“Yeah. Thanks for getting him out of here.”

“No problem.”

“So…”

“So what?”

“Were both just standing here. Tell me a little about yourself.”

“There’s not much to tell. I usually sit at home watching tv and doing whatever to make time go by. I’m not really an interesting person. I mean I went to a concert a few weeks ago but that’s about it. How about you?”

“I work here sometimes actually. Today I’m off but I decided to come down here and have a drink. Try to take my mind of Lyle.”

“I guess as security? You’re a sizable person.”

“Yeah. I usually throw out the hooligans that’ll start a problem, like Lyle.”

“He sure was a handful.”

“I know. He’s roughly 110 so he isn’t exactly a lightweight for most people.”

“I get where you’re going with that but all I did was just drag him across the floor. Not exactly that hard.”

“True but anyway to get someone outside works.”

“I guess.”

“Thanks again for helping with Lyle. I usually would deal with him myself but I’m glad you helped.”

“You sound like a broken record.”

“So be it. Anyway here.” He reached into his pocket and produced a pen and piece of paper. After scribbling something down on it he handed it to me. “You’ll know what to do with that. See you around kid.”

“I’m 22 dude.”

“Well you look a little younger. See ya.”

“Bye.”

I stared down at the slip of paper which had a string of numbers on it along with his name in script under it.

My facial expression became confused because what was written on it was his cellphone number. I don’t really understand why he’s give it to me but I can’t dwell on it now. I shoved the paper into my pocket jut before someone called for my attention.

“Hey Seriph.”

“Yo Destin. Are you guys really gonna leave now?”

“I mean we’ve been here for a little over an hour already. Besides there isn’t too much we can do here anyway.”

“Did you guys drink at all?”

“I had one and Destin had a couple.”

“Yoink.” I snagged the keys from her hand, spinning them around my finger. “Then neither of you are driving.”

“Give me my keys.”

“Uh uh. I’m the only one that didn’t drink so I’m driving. And Alis, you’re not driving home either. You’re staying over for the night. Now come on.”

I got into her car and started it before they hopped in as well. —–

We were almost back to my apartment when Alis spoke up for the first time on the way back.

“Hey Seriph?”

“S'up.”

“Did you meet anyone there?”

“No. Why?”

“Because I saw you talking to some guy before we left.”

I slammed in the brakes at the comment. Thankfully there wasn’t any traffic around. Since we were just a block from the building I parked on the side of the road before I gave an answer.

“I’m not allowed to talk to people or something?”

“You can. It’s just that I also saw you throw someone out and they seemed to have a problem with him. What was that?”

“An old friend of his. He explained what happened, he tried to swing at me and I was having none of it. So I dragged his ass out the door. End of story.”

“Okay. I thought something else was going on in that conversation. Like the taller guy was hitting on you or something.”

“Alis, I’m not the best looking fox around. Besides, I’m sure he’d have a better taste in men if I had to take a guess.”

“Maybe. Then again I’m not a guy.”

“Yeah. Now go to sleep the two of you.”

They went to Destin’s room while I dropped onto the couch.

I pulled the slip of paper out and just stared at it.

“I don’t get why he gave me his number. Either way, it’ll be nice to make a friend.”

I put it back in my pocket before I fell asleep.