Be strong,

The waves vibrate

And message delivered.

Fear abandoned,

The source is I.

There is a saying that you can never really ever go home once you’ve left. This may or may not be true. When you consider that home is a tropical paradise of which people in tiny, cold, cubicles day dream, how can you think you can never go back? I left my home 8 years ago at the age of 23 with a wife and young daughter in tow, off to make something of myself in the land of opportunity. By most standards I’ve done pretty okay. By most standards, not my own. Being a foreigner in the big world is always a challenge. You constantly have to worry about visas and picking your family up and moving around. There comes a point where you get tired of jumping through hoops just so you can have a home. What is worse is trying to stake your claim on anything in your profession. It is very difficult when you are not a native national to a country, you don’t talk the same way, you have different views and you are almost always seen as an outsider stealing the job of a local. Many would not like to admit it but it is a sad fact. I have many friends who, after leaving Trinidad and Tobago, went to school and served in various roles abroad echoing the sentiments that they are tired and frustrated and just want to go home.

And so, one of my best friends is on his journey back to the land of the Steel Band, Limbo, Calypso and Soca. Today, you can keep in contact with people using all of the tools on the web. Video chats, emails, Twitter, blogs, Facebook which keeps you in contact but there is something about sitting in a pub, chatting over a pint that the Internet will never be able to replicate (well at least not in the next couple of years). The intimacy of a friend expressing his love for someone, or his frustration at work or the simple pleasure of having a laugh. I have no doubt we will still be in contact and still remain the best of friends but I will miss the times when he comes over to sample some of my wife’s curry or after visiting another friend we found ourselves at 5AM wandering around town trying to find something to eat.

His journey is one of discovery and a fresh start and even though I wish him the best and hope that everything he is about to experience is great, I will miss my friend.

Airing your deepest thoughts on the Internet has never been particularly appealing to me. I like the concept of blogging, a journal that embraces technology and allows you to write. There are many people who can communicate much better by writing than by trying to express emotional issues verbally. The anonymity of being able to say something is no longer there though, but should one be ashamed of their own feelings? Maybe saying what you feel may encourage someone to assist you if you have an issue or it may uplift someone if it is motivational. Being a professional, with your life increasingly scrutinized before you actually meet a prospective employer it may not be the best thing to put your life in digital bytes for the world to see (and remember!). Will we be seen as weak if we speak out on our frustrations? Or will we be seen as open and willing to share. It depends on the content I suppose.

I’ve lived my life always chasing the cheese. A life of reactionary decision making rather than having the luxury of using the blueprint that has been shelved for such a long time. I can honestly say, I have been blessed. Firstly, with parents who have done just about anything and everything to provide me with the best life anyone could have. Yes, there were tough times but I can never forget, repay or give enough thanks for the sacrifices they have made for me. Next, my wife, who has stuck by me now for 17 years (10 years married). We were both very young when we met and in the years we have become very good friends. Yes, being married is frustrating at times but would I rather be single and lonely? The grass is always greener on the other side and sometimes the temptation of crossing the fence enters your mind but I believe tending to your own garden can give you much greener fields in the long run. My daughter has been so much of a star in my life that I cannot even begin to express. I am not the model dad that I see around me. Being a young father I have never felt prepared but I try to steer her on the right track. I am a tough father, like my father before me but I hope I can raise my daughter half as well as my father raised me. There are also many people and extended family members who have passed through my life. I say this because I’ve met so many amazing people, in person and via the web and have had to say goodbye too many times.

With all of the things I’ve faced, the highlights and the lowlights, I still feel a bit frustrated. I believe I am an ambitious person, I have been gifted with the ability to adapt quickly. I can learn anything very quickly, even if just the basic concepts. I have, however, been stuck in first gear for a long time. The clutch is down but I can’t seem to shift. We all have killer ideas, but what differentiates the really successful among us is the ability to execute. My brain wanders way too much. I’ve had great  (okay so maybe not great but promising at the very least) ideas and just let all of them sit next to the blueprint, get covered by dust and get executed by others. I’ve seen people I’ve confided in, take my ideas and run with it, complete it, execute it. Good for them. I then look at my shelf and see the pile of ideas on paper and feel depressed. Can anyone blame them for executing? No.

Will I continue to chase the cheese? Or will I start milking the cow to make my own cheese? I will tell you one thing though, I’ve had enough of chasing.

So it’s that time again, the point where we say goodbye to the old and promise that this year we will stick to the resolutions we’ve set forward. Even though today is just another day, it serves as a significant milestone in our life time. Let’s take it one day at time, live life today like there was no yesterday or tomorrow. Do the things that will make you and others happy and make the most of the day.

Happy New Year to all!

I know this is a bit off topic but I felt I had to write about my trip to Paris, France. I’m not the most travelled person in the world but I have to say that Paris has to be my favourite city so far. Sure it was for vacation and maybe if I lived and worked there I may not feel that way but you just get the feeling that there is something special about that city. It truly is a very beautiful place.

I had the opportunity to stay in the best hotel in the world! Hotel Jules on Rue LaFayette is a design hotel in Paris and one of the world’s most exquisite locations. What does it mean by design hotel? Well just look at the photos on the site and you will see. The very slick interior design is very pleasing and very chic. The staff is temendous and the hotel itself is superb. It really was one of the highlights of the trip. It is located about 10 minutes from Gare du Nord train station. If you would like a really nice place to stay, I strongly recommend this hotel.

Paris is a city for walking. From the hotel it was a straight trek down to the Arc de Triomphe which was our first stop. After visiting that monument we hopped on the metro over to the Eiffel Tower. The lines were daunting but you can’t come to Paris without going up the tower. We decided not to go up to the third floor because that was an additional 60 minutes to get up there and after having spent an hour to get tickets we really weren’t going to do that. Here’s a tip, get tickets in advance when you want to go. The view was awesome. we could see all of Paris from the second floor. We even caught a glimpse of the Statue of Liberty (yes, there really is one in Paris as well). It is much smaller than the one in the US but it really is a bit strange when you see it there the first time. Next we did a cruise on the Seine. I would recommend taking this trip at night as well as the day. The history of this city is truly amazing. After a  long day out we had dinner in a superb little cafe, Au Petit Riche. The service was wonderful and the food excellent and the prices were not that bad. Paris is expensive. Eating out can cost you so be aware of this when you are budgeting.

The second day had miserable weather. It drizzled all day long. We, however, went indoors and visited the Louvre. This was the highlight of the trip for my wife, who is a huge Da Vinci Code fan. There wasn’t much of a croud and getting in was quite quick. I like the ticket machines, this makes things very efficient. The most crouded part of the museum was the Italian Painters section and of course the painting of the Mona Lisa. We had to slither through to get a picture. But in the end my wife was happy to see it up close (well as close as they would let you get to it, which is about 10 feet away).

One thing to note for people with young children (under 12) most attractions are free, which I think is a huge plus because the cost of taking the kids is basically the cost of transportation and lodging.

Visiting Paris is one of those things you must do once before you die. I intend to return for a longer time next time, time to start saving!