Writer's block. Roadblock. Blocked pipes. Blocked arteries. Just writing those words make me feel closed in and smothered.

The idea of everything being blocked makes me feel caged and want to be released from some place dark and dank.

Whenever we use that word block, some negative thought comes to mind. And in most cases, when the word is used, it usually denotes something negative...

In a few days millions of people, Christians and non-believers alike, will gather with family and friends to exchange gifts and good cheer. But how many people are giving for the joy of giving and not just out of a sense of obligation?

Some families have gotten to the point where they select names to purchase a gift for one person, rather than feeling stressed and financially burdened to purchase gifts for ten or more people in the family. What is the intention here? Are we buying gifts to represent how we feel about some one special person?

It makes one wonder if Christmas is the only time of the year when we can verbally and physically express our gratitude and love for what others have done for us the whole year through...

Am I expecting too much to walk into a business place and expect the employee to take the sugarcane she is sucking out of her mouth long enough to talk to me? Am I expecting too much to have the employee look me in the eye and at least pretend to want to help me?

Perhaps I am being too demanding to expect to have my order ready for pick up on the day you told me it would be ready. Perhaps I am being unreasonable to think that you would forego leaving the building for lunch so you could complete your tasks in the time frame promised...

Recently, while sharing a meal with three wonderful women, our discussion turned to schools and why individuals might prefer one school over the next.   Then the word “elite” came up in the conversation and then pursued a most lively debate.

Later when I reflected on this particular evening, I began thinking about that word “elite” and why it seems to have negative connotations at times.   No one seems to take objection to descriptions of “elite athletes” or even “elite clubs,” but for some reason when we begin to talk about elite institutions of learning, people begin to take exception.

Recently, Prime Minister Ingraham spoke to the nation about the economic situation in this country. He spoke about the loss of jobs at the second largest employer in this country, but I wonder if perhaps now the Government may actually begin to spend some money on developing industries other than tourism.

With so many people in the tourism industry losing their jobs one would think that the government might actually put some money into developing the agriculture industry, straw industry, or fishing industry instead of just talking about it...

The editor of a local daily wrote a beautiful piece last week, sharing his thoughts on the outcome of this election and the significance it will have in terms of opening up honest and necessary dialogue on racism in both the USA and The Bahamas.   And, while racism and the creation of a “new black man” were also on my mind, I was more strongly drawn to the lyrics of Bob Marley’s song “War.”

Bob Marley used the words of an address that Haile Selassie made at the United Nations in October 1963 as inspiration for this song.   The lyrics of this song speak to me on so many levels, but it also now holds great significance with this new wave of change flowing throughout the world.

There is no denying however that much of the media is very Obama “friendly.” Does this mean that they have been printing or airing information that is false? Or course not, but the power of suggestion is not be underestimated. And there are many members of the RNP who share the view that the media and Hollywood celebrities are trying to influence the general public to vote for Barack Obama.

The question that arises then is whether or not the media is simply reporting news, or if they are creating news in an attempt to sway voters to vote for a particular candidate. This becomes a legitimate question when one sees comedian D. L. Hughley hosting a talk show on CNN. Would we have seen such a programme on this particular network a year ago? I doubt it.

A “worse week ever” for me would be those individuals who call you over to their window or approach you while they are speaking on a cellular phone. A “worse week ever” is having a person maneuver a piece of gum around her tongue while speaking to you. And a definite “worse week ever” is having a person talk to you and continue a conversation with a co-worker at the same time.

These sort of incidences happen far too often, so when I do receive good service I am pleasantly surprised. In fact, when I receive good service I will go back to that establishment over and over. I reward good service with loyalty. And this is what any good business would want...

“What’s in a name?   That which we call a rose, by any other name would smell as sweet; so Romeo would, were he not Romeo call’d, retain that dear perfection which he owes without that title…”

I know a man who carries the last name of a man who is not his father.   This man grew up and got married and his wife took the last name of this man who is no blood relation to her husband.   This couple went on to have children and subsequently their children carry the last name of this man who is no blood relation to their father...

Because that generation who joined the work pool over 40 years ago are now being asked to move on to make space for younger, and in many instances, less expensive labour, they are disgruntled and want to know why they need to leave if they can still do their jobs.

The problem is that there are not enough jobs for every employable person, so there must be a revolving door of sorts to allow the old the leave and the new to enter. While these “baby boomers” do not wish to be considered “old,” the cycle of life or the continuum of life must proceed...

Sidney Collie was fired because of the debacle that occurred with the Local Government elections.   Will the Minister of Education be fired or reprimanded in anyway for this calamity?   Someone needs to be held accountable for this because for too long students and teachers in the Family Islands have been neglected and treated as second-class citizens.

In most of Shakespeare’s plays one would find a Jester in the royal Court.   And this Jester, though he played the fool, would speak out against injustices or wrongs that the Kings or Queens would have committed against their subjects.   In the modern world, it is the media on whom the public relies to voice their grievances.   So, it was towards the media whom the teachers in Bimini recently turned to have their voices heard...

Here in The Bahamas, teenagers who are deemed unruly are usually sentenced by the courts and incarcerated for a period of time at either the male or female facility in the capital.   And, like the USA, the majority of parents are not meted out any punishment for any part they may have played in their child’s behaviour.

What I find baffling is how could a parent effectively raise her child for the first 10 or 12 years, then in year 15 decide that she has had enough and doesn’t want to be bothered with this child anymore...  

Last Thursday the United States of America , along with the entire world, witnessed a most historic event at the Democratic National Convention in Denver , Colorado .   At approximately 9:15 pm EDT , US Senator Barack Obama, a half black man, accepted the nomination as the Democratic candidate for President of the United States of America .

Never in the history of this country has a man of colour been nominated for this office.    However, it was not for this reason alone that millions paused and  allowed themselves to be a part of history.   The followers and critics alike all agree on one thing, never before has a candidate run a campaign like Mr. Obama...

Many times we go looking for something or someone, but get very confused as to where to go, or where to turn. In fact, we may have to take some left turns or perhaps some wrong turns in order to find the correct place, that is, to arrive at where we are supposed to be.

I was chatting with a group of young and not so young women the other day and the question of “Mr. Right” came up. The question was whether or not there was a “Mr. Right” for every woman. The youngest woman in the group protested and asked why there even has to be a “Mr. Right...”

Yes there are sometimes dire situations, unforeseen circumstances that arise and a parent calls on an older sibling to help supervise, but this is not what we are talking about.   No.   We are talking about the women who have child after child, usually with different men, and then turn around and demand that their older children take care of these new children.   We are also talking about the women who may only have two children, and still expect the older child to care for the younger child when she is not at home.   It’s no wonder we have a society filled with angry children!

Very often people talk about it taking a village to raise a child, but who’s raising the child who has been made to be a parent at the tender age of ten or eleven?

We are still in a psychological bondage that has stunted our emotional development and hindered our ability to think beyond skin colour. The field slave (dark-skinned) and house slave (light skinned) mentality is alive and kicking in this country and based on how we speak to and about each other, I don’t think it will change anytime soon.

It is highly unlikely that these psychological shackles will be broken anytime soon. The environments in which we live are breeding grounds for self-doubt, self-loathing, and low self-esteem. In order for self-actualization to take place much more soul searching needs to begin on an individual bases...

Trying to find a parking space at Port Lucaya has always had its challenges, but lately it seems virtually impossible, begging the question whether or not merchants, owners and/or developers actually want to make money.

This lack of parking at Port Lucaya makes me wonder if residents are even welcomed to patronize the various businesses. For as much as people are talking about the slow economy, one would think that more would be done to make Port Lucaya more assessable...

For the first time ever in the 232 year history of the United States of America, a black man has been nominated to run as leader of its country. And, I suppose because of the proximity of The Bahamas to the USA, we have always kept a keen eye on the politics of that nation.

But never before have I seen such an enthusiastic interest in a presidential race as this one. Almost anywhere you go these days you will hear some form of discussion about Barack Obama, Hillary Rodham Clinton, Bill Clinton and John McCain...

After the Ministry of Education revealed their findings from a study they conducted, it was concluded that the average grade obtain by students leaving high school in The Bahamas, averaged a D grade. This news once again sparked another great debate among educators, potential employers and parents.