Friday, October 10, 2014
Seven people you always want to tip
1. Your gardener: there's no doubting that it's back breaking work trying to get your hedges in tip top shape so why not show a little more gratitude for a job well done.
2. Your mechanic: Though you may have developed a good relationship over the years it's always good to keep your car guy happy, you never know when you'll be stranded on the road after midnight.
3. Your babysitter: Let's be honest kids are a handful, whether its a toddler or a teenager the struggle to keep up and keep in line are very real. Let your sitter know he/she is truly appreciated. You might just need them in a pinch when you have a hot date.
4. Your waiter/waitress: If you're a regular at your favourite eatery there's nothing wrong with letting your favorite server know that you appreciate the service they render. You never know when you'll need to skip the long lines at dinner/lunch or when they'll score you an extra side or two on the house.
5. Your barber/hairdresser: Let's admit it we all like to look, smell and feel good and there's nothing that boosts your confidence like a fresh cut or a new do. Walking out the barbershop/hairdresser felling like a million bucks is tantamount to winning the lottery so show the love where its due.
6. Your tailor: unless you have a typical body frame you'll need some help to get that dress/jeans/suit to fit like a glove. These people can work wonders with a scissors and a sewing kit so don't be afraid to make these material magicians feel appreciated.
7. Your tire repair guy: if you live on an island like I do getting a flat on your way to work is just as easy as getting one on your way home from work. Either way it's the last thing you want to deal with at the time. Hopefully you have a spare and can make it to the tire repair shop. Luckily with the increase of imported cars in Antigua the tire repair industry here in Antigua is booming. If there's a regular spot that you patronize no harm in slipping him an extra five to show your appreciation.
At the end of the day good service is good service and when you come across someone who embraces that mantra feel free to show your appreciation.
Written by Shawn N. Maile
Tuesday, September 30, 2014
Before I'm 30
Life seemed so much easier during childhood. I saw my parents coming and going to and from work with what I thought was little effort on their part.I paid no attention to the gravity of the situation that was my life as at the time ignorance was most definitely bliss. I had no inclination as to what it took to survive in the real world as my duties were eat,sleep, school repeat.
Now my childhood is gone and I realize that the mother and father I once idolized were mere mortals. Born with a flaw that my childish eyes could never have detected. But alas I have come to know life for what it is, "the sum of my choices". I thank them for some they've made and wonder about those they didn't.
At 28 I find myself on a constant soul searching mission, desperately trying to figure it all out. Some days the answer seems all to clear:get an education, get a job and get married THE END. Other days it's just not that simple. On the days I seem to have it all figured out, all is at peace but on the days when nothing goes according to plan all hell breaketh loose. If I'm honest though I've made some mistakes along the way. Some laughable some not. Some that will take a life time to repay, others that will be forgotten in a day.
Now at 28 my journey into adulthood continues. The choices I've made and failed to make have brought me to this junction. There is no clear path forward but before I turn 30 I sure would like to figure some of it out.
Now my childhood is gone and I realize that the mother and father I once idolized were mere mortals. Born with a flaw that my childish eyes could never have detected. But alas I have come to know life for what it is, "the sum of my choices". I thank them for some they've made and wonder about those they didn't.
At 28 I find myself on a constant soul searching mission, desperately trying to figure it all out. Some days the answer seems all to clear:get an education, get a job and get married THE END. Other days it's just not that simple. On the days I seem to have it all figured out, all is at peace but on the days when nothing goes according to plan all hell breaketh loose. If I'm honest though I've made some mistakes along the way. Some laughable some not. Some that will take a life time to repay, others that will be forgotten in a day.
Now at 28 my journey into adulthood continues. The choices I've made and failed to make have brought me to this junction. There is no clear path forward but before I turn 30 I sure would like to figure some of it out.
Sunday, March 9, 2014
OFF THE GRID
Every now and then we all need some time alone. Some time with just you and your thoughts. No cell phone, no tablet, no internet, just you and nature. Anyone who works in the social services sector knows that in any given day your day can go from 0-160 and stay there till the end of the day. All that being said, I had to unplug from the matrix. So I packed my hiking bag (Western Pack) laced up my Puma’s and took off on my off the grid adventure.
Instead of taking the usual path to the top of Monks Hill I decided to take a path we used to take as children growing up in Falmouth. What I didn’t know was that this area was now over grown and literally a jungle to get through, but determined as I was I pressed forward. I left home at 5:05 and by 5:15 I had scaled a fence and pushed through more stinny nectle^ than I ever had in my life. By 5:25 I had climbed a huge boulder and made my way through the rest of the bushes. As I started my climb up the hill I realized that my chest was heaving and hoeing like I was running from the police. Looking back and seeing the sun setting off to the west caused me to take a moment to take in the sights and snap a few pics. I picked up the trail to the plateau but again decided to go in a direction that I hadn’t taken in a long time. I ducked under a few fallen trees and was making progress. A turtle dove caught my eye off to the right of the path and I paused for a few to enjoy nature at its best. I’ve never really been one for bird watching but just standing there watching this creature in its element was calming.
I made a path up the side of a cliff and stumbled upon a few tombstones. I figured this must have been the burial ground I had heard so much about as a child but couldn’t recall if I had seen it before or not. I snapped a few pictures of these soldiers as they slept and kept on moving. It was a bit ironic coming across some “jumby”* beads after passing through a graveyard not moments earlier.
Ten minutes later and I had arrived at my destination. Monks Hill. From this spot I could see all of Falmouth, Cobbs Cross, and parts of English Harbour and Picadilly. Falmouth Harbor lay before me with its entire splendor. A few boats were docked in the harbor while some sailed around no doubt to the enjoyment of those aboard.
My sunlight was fading so I struck my tent. It took me all of five minutes. I laid out the contents of my bag; sleeping bag, two bottles water, two cups yogurt, a cheese sandwich, sweat pants, hoodie, video camera, pen, paper and David and Goliath by Malcolm Gladwell.
Now that I had “unpacked”, I proceeded to watch the sunset. As I sat there thinking of nothing and everything at the same time, two thoughts came to mind; this is probably how the scene from the Bible looked when Jesus was tempted by the devil having him look down on the city below him and offering it to him. My next thought was “I must be out my mind”. I sat enjoying the ambiance until the sun was way behind the hills. I brought no flashlight so had to resort to my camera light as my reading light.
I dozed in and out of sleep for the next four hours, waking up every four to eight minutes to check the time. Guess your body needs time to adjust when you’re sleeping in the middle of nowhere. By 1 am I was up and about. Took a bathroom break and stayed outside for a bit enjoying the midnight breeze and embracing my solitude. I lay with my head outside the tent staring up at the moon hiding behind the cloud filled skies. Wondering how the universe was conspiring for and against me in its grand scheme of things. After a bit of light reading to set me back to sleep, I began to feel like I was right where I should be.
I was surprised that the sun wasn’t out in its entire splendor by 5:00AM. If the sun wasn’t up then why should I be? After all it was Sunday on an island, so I took another forty winks until 6:30. I sat on the cliff facing east and watched a herd of goats making their way down the hillside. I was so caught up in their movements that I didn’t realize the sun was rising. I caught it as it left the horizon in all its golden yellow majesty. The warmth I felt on the outside did not compare to that on the inside. I had been thinking of this adventure for quite a while now. It was good to finally have it as something I did rather than something I wanted to do.
^stinny nectle is the island equivalent to poison iv.
*jumby is the island equivalent of zombies.
Instead of taking the usual path to the top of Monks Hill I decided to take a path we used to take as children growing up in Falmouth. What I didn’t know was that this area was now over grown and literally a jungle to get through, but determined as I was I pressed forward. I left home at 5:05 and by 5:15 I had scaled a fence and pushed through more stinny nectle^ than I ever had in my life. By 5:25 I had climbed a huge boulder and made my way through the rest of the bushes. As I started my climb up the hill I realized that my chest was heaving and hoeing like I was running from the police. Looking back and seeing the sun setting off to the west caused me to take a moment to take in the sights and snap a few pics. I picked up the trail to the plateau but again decided to go in a direction that I hadn’t taken in a long time. I ducked under a few fallen trees and was making progress. A turtle dove caught my eye off to the right of the path and I paused for a few to enjoy nature at its best. I’ve never really been one for bird watching but just standing there watching this creature in its element was calming.
I made a path up the side of a cliff and stumbled upon a few tombstones. I figured this must have been the burial ground I had heard so much about as a child but couldn’t recall if I had seen it before or not. I snapped a few pictures of these soldiers as they slept and kept on moving. It was a bit ironic coming across some “jumby”* beads after passing through a graveyard not moments earlier.
Ten minutes later and I had arrived at my destination. Monks Hill. From this spot I could see all of Falmouth, Cobbs Cross, and parts of English Harbour and Picadilly. Falmouth Harbor lay before me with its entire splendor. A few boats were docked in the harbor while some sailed around no doubt to the enjoyment of those aboard.
My sunlight was fading so I struck my tent. It took me all of five minutes. I laid out the contents of my bag; sleeping bag, two bottles water, two cups yogurt, a cheese sandwich, sweat pants, hoodie, video camera, pen, paper and David and Goliath by Malcolm Gladwell.
Now that I had “unpacked”, I proceeded to watch the sunset. As I sat there thinking of nothing and everything at the same time, two thoughts came to mind; this is probably how the scene from the Bible looked when Jesus was tempted by the devil having him look down on the city below him and offering it to him. My next thought was “I must be out my mind”. I sat enjoying the ambiance until the sun was way behind the hills. I brought no flashlight so had to resort to my camera light as my reading light.
I dozed in and out of sleep for the next four hours, waking up every four to eight minutes to check the time. Guess your body needs time to adjust when you’re sleeping in the middle of nowhere. By 1 am I was up and about. Took a bathroom break and stayed outside for a bit enjoying the midnight breeze and embracing my solitude. I lay with my head outside the tent staring up at the moon hiding behind the cloud filled skies. Wondering how the universe was conspiring for and against me in its grand scheme of things. After a bit of light reading to set me back to sleep, I began to feel like I was right where I should be.
I was surprised that the sun wasn’t out in its entire splendor by 5:00AM. If the sun wasn’t up then why should I be? After all it was Sunday on an island, so I took another forty winks until 6:30. I sat on the cliff facing east and watched a herd of goats making their way down the hillside. I was so caught up in their movements that I didn’t realize the sun was rising. I caught it as it left the horizon in all its golden yellow majesty. The warmth I felt on the outside did not compare to that on the inside. I had been thinking of this adventure for quite a while now. It was good to finally have it as something I did rather than something I wanted to do.
^stinny nectle is the island equivalent to poison iv.
*jumby is the island equivalent of zombies.
Saturday, September 21, 2013
Change A Millennial Perspective
The one thing that excites me about being a millennial is the same thing that scares me. That is…change. The concept in itself is not a new one but has been around from creation or evolution depending on your outlook on life (I believe in the former) but the speed at which it occurs or seems to be occurring is both frightening and exciting. Though still a child while my parents were coming to age (obviously) the world seemed to have taken a slower pace in the way things were orchestrated. Presently though before you can construct a proper tweet or instagram upload, the stoplight is changing (#firstworldtechnology problems). It all appears to be happening so quickly that before you have grasped the concept of the tipping point Malcolm Gladwell is coming up with something new …Elite Institution Cognitive Disorder…..) At the same time before you can finish your coffee in the morning Dr. Oz is telling you why coffee is bad for you and why the pants you’re wearing will reduce your chance of having children, or why ginger is the new super fruit but two weeks ago it was garlic and the week before that kale… all before walking out your front door.
What intrigues me though is how all this ties into our jobs and how we make a living. As fast as you land a job after graduating (fast here being relative as for some persons 9 months may be pretty quick while 9 days seems like eternity for others), you see the headlines flashing “10 ways to increase your productivity at work”. Before you have a name plate or have established your place in the proverbial food chain, you’re already being bombarded with ways to improve before having even set a standard. For those (self included) who have started the journey and making the “almighty dollar” (could be mightier if you ask me) you begin asking yourself; what am I doing? How can I do it better? Should I do it better? How long before I’m promoted? And most importantly why do we do things the same way just because that’s the way we met them being done and no one ever asked the question why?
For my generation, being stuck between a younger generation that is changing at the speed of light and behind a generation just waiting to retire is by all means intellectual and motivational purgatory. I speak not of the developing world as I imagine their plight to be much different than ours in the Caribbean. I do speak of being raised in an era where pen and pencil were the way of life and human interaction took place without middlemen (i.e. laptops, tablets, smart phones etc.). Here I had the distinct impression that this was going to be the way of life until the end of life. But all this changed so suddenly it’s as if you woke up using ios6 not realizing ios7 has been launched and already running for 24 hrs while you took a 1 hr nap. Now you’re plugged into the matrix trying to learn the basics. But we do what we must cause ours is a generation of thrust. We will and must go forward at any cost. Though we have come to enjoy the peace and tranquility of our forefather’s way of life, the current demand for change keeps us motivated. As your boss will accept nothing short of blood for not seeing that BBM was vastly becoming antiquated, so will they accept nothing less than constant innovation. Whether it’s in the way algebra is taught or mosquitoes are caught (those handheld zappers pack a mean punch) what they thrive on is what we must provide, and today that thing is change.
Hopefully by then pigs will actually be able to fly and we will have a chance to say like generations before us, we did it! Not for us, but for you.
What intrigues me though is how all this ties into our jobs and how we make a living. As fast as you land a job after graduating (fast here being relative as for some persons 9 months may be pretty quick while 9 days seems like eternity for others), you see the headlines flashing “10 ways to increase your productivity at work”. Before you have a name plate or have established your place in the proverbial food chain, you’re already being bombarded with ways to improve before having even set a standard. For those (self included) who have started the journey and making the “almighty dollar” (could be mightier if you ask me) you begin asking yourself; what am I doing? How can I do it better? Should I do it better? How long before I’m promoted? And most importantly why do we do things the same way just because that’s the way we met them being done and no one ever asked the question why?
For my generation, being stuck between a younger generation that is changing at the speed of light and behind a generation just waiting to retire is by all means intellectual and motivational purgatory. I speak not of the developing world as I imagine their plight to be much different than ours in the Caribbean. I do speak of being raised in an era where pen and pencil were the way of life and human interaction took place without middlemen (i.e. laptops, tablets, smart phones etc.). Here I had the distinct impression that this was going to be the way of life until the end of life. But all this changed so suddenly it’s as if you woke up using ios6 not realizing ios7 has been launched and already running for 24 hrs while you took a 1 hr nap. Now you’re plugged into the matrix trying to learn the basics. But we do what we must cause ours is a generation of thrust. We will and must go forward at any cost. Though we have come to enjoy the peace and tranquility of our forefather’s way of life, the current demand for change keeps us motivated. As your boss will accept nothing short of blood for not seeing that BBM was vastly becoming antiquated, so will they accept nothing less than constant innovation. Whether it’s in the way algebra is taught or mosquitoes are caught (those handheld zappers pack a mean punch) what they thrive on is what we must provide, and today that thing is change.
Hopefully by then pigs will actually be able to fly and we will have a chance to say like generations before us, we did it! Not for us, but for you.
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
T Dot
Though I’m not the jet setting backpacking hitchhiking traveler I wake up wishing I was on the weekends, I have been to a few places on the map…(stress the few). One such place was Toronto last spring, though it wasn’t quite spring as the temperature barely nudged over the double figures and was even down to the minus figures during the evenings. Most people dubbed her as the ex girlfriend who refused to leave. Despite such I had a chance to see firsthand what this amazing city had to offer.
Weather
Being born and raised on an island means that “I an I rasta no kustom to dem kinda tepatres same way so I man haffu bungle up and kep warm” translation: whereas persons from the great white north are accustomed to their climate, I on the other hand was very much clad in scarf, jacket, hat and gloves where as my counterparts were chilling in sweat pants and a hoodies. For no other reason than Mother Nature being her usual by her own book self, the picnic weather never materialized as I had hoped. When it did warm up though, it was nice to be outdoors taking in the sights.
Tourist Stuff
Being that I was a “tourist” I did what most persons do when they visit Canada/Toronto, go to Niagara Falls. At this time of the year though I would not advise it as the Niagara area was even colder than Toronto and though many persons were getting away for the holiday weekend, not many were posing for pictures around the falls as it was semi-frozen and extremely cold. The change of scenery was definitely welcomed and embraced. Despite the Maid of the Mist and the behind the falls attractions being closed the Niagara area has numerous activities to enjoy. A dinosaur park for the kids, Dave & Busters, Nightmares Fare Factory and a host of other arcades, haunted houses and novelty shops to say the least.
If you are visiting Toronto though and you have the time to spare I would also recommend taking a trip to Montreal. The four (4) train ride via VIARAIL gives you a chance to view the wide open planes of the countryside. Montreal though is quite different to Toronto. You can almost distinctly pick out the tourists (I) from the locals. I would want to believe that 99% of the population is bilingual with French being their more preferred language. Store attendants and other service personnel greet you in both forms and respond based on your response. Me making the mistake of merely saying hello in French lead to the attendant rattling on as if I had any clue as to what she was saying. A lesson learn I told myself.
Old Montreal also has a quainter, old fashion British feel to it with brick buildings and a town square as well as alley ways with small restaurants and souvenir shops. It’s as if I were in a museum or walking back in time to the 18th century. If you’ve got the time there are horse drawn carriage rides where you get a brief history lesson from your driver. It was as the French would say “magnifique”.
Food & Shopping
For those looking to “shop it up” as my girlfriend describes it, you will have more than your share of stores and brand names to choose from. Between The Bay and Eaton Center in downtown Toronto you can find just about everything for your closet and beyond. Yorkdale and Vaughn Mills malls are also pretty extensive in their store front offerings. Smaller malls like Woodbine and Albion also offer good bargain opportunities as well. Major names like Sears and Wal-Mart are well represented though Target is just opening up shop so to speak. So if you have a passion for fashion and shopping you’ll have your fill once you can pay the bill.
Being a recovering fat kid (honorary member of fat kids anonymous) I’m always on the lookout for good food. A few items stick out on my list from the places my fellow connoisseur and I dined at. Most notably was the macaroni pie at the Gabardine restaurant in the financial district (http://www.thegabardine.com/). We Caribbean people have a thing for macaroni pie in case you might not have known. No wedding, funeral, birthday party, christening, church lunch, Christmas dinner, New Year’s dinner, BBQ, or beach picnic is complete without it. As such the chef at the Gabardine would make himself a small fortune if he were to move to the islands.
Grazzie’s Italian restaurant is also worthy of notable mention as their pasta dishes are delightful. I recommend getting there a few minutes before you’re actually hungry as there always seems to be a waiting line ( a sign of good food no doubt). Reuben’s and Schwartz’s in Montreal were also quite pleasing to my palate. The smoked meat Schwartz’s is apparently quite legendary as there were emails on their walls from persons requesting their product from as far as Australia.
The Kensington Market area off Queen Street is a unique a village I have witnessed in a city setting. Eclectic would be too easy of an adjective to use to describe this area.The "homey" feel that it has to it may be because many of the homes are now stores that offer a wide variety of items, trinkets, fiddles and diddles etc. If you like to go off the unbeaten path, then this is definitely your neck of the woods. Be sure to get some Kimchi fries from Banh Mi Boys, they are ah-wait for it - mazing.
All in all my first adventure was indeed a great one and I am definitely looking forward to the second and third etc…
Sunday, February 24, 2013
THE RUNNER
Eyes open. Mind awakened. Dreams of yesterday become goals of today. Greatness empowered by strength, determination and a resolve that knows no bounds. As with the day before he laces up not merely shoes but conduits to the future he dreams of. Determined to out run his dreaded past and leap sole first into the future.
He races towards the rising sun determined to reach the ocean before the sun breaks the morning sky. Heart pounding, feet drilling into the pavement. Inch by inch he nears his destiny. Racing against time, chance and the unmotivated self that befalls all manner of men. Sweat burns his eyes as he digs deep to his core to spark the fire that burns within. The open road is his sanctuary, darkness his canvas and silences his fortitude. The morning air is cold and thick. Glimpses of the sun rising beyond the horizon push him forward. With each stride muscles awaken as cells die and are reborn. The machine that is his body comes alive like a vessel in flight. His mind is focused, his body seamless as the deep blue sea. His thoughts focused on the day at hand. Mountains to conquer. Battles to win as the war wages on. Every step forward is a moment closer to the reality where he breaks free from the mundane and embraces the exceptional idealism. In his eyes he is a work in progress that strives each day to be better and better until the dream is realized. Some call him driven but to others he is the runner.
By: Shawn Maile
He races towards the rising sun determined to reach the ocean before the sun breaks the morning sky. Heart pounding, feet drilling into the pavement. Inch by inch he nears his destiny. Racing against time, chance and the unmotivated self that befalls all manner of men. Sweat burns his eyes as he digs deep to his core to spark the fire that burns within. The open road is his sanctuary, darkness his canvas and silences his fortitude. The morning air is cold and thick. Glimpses of the sun rising beyond the horizon push him forward. With each stride muscles awaken as cells die and are reborn. The machine that is his body comes alive like a vessel in flight. His mind is focused, his body seamless as the deep blue sea. His thoughts focused on the day at hand. Mountains to conquer. Battles to win as the war wages on. Every step forward is a moment closer to the reality where he breaks free from the mundane and embraces the exceptional idealism. In his eyes he is a work in progress that strives each day to be better and better until the dream is realized. Some call him driven but to others he is the runner.
By: Shawn Maile
Friday, February 15, 2013
Manners Maketh A Man
My first blog post for the year comes two months in. Hopefully everyone made it through January (longest month ever after getting paid in December) safely and have now settled into February quite nicely. For those who have resolved to make changes in their lives, hats off to you. For those who have not, hats off to you too.
This post was inspired last Saturday afternoon while I was picking up my cousins classmate for them to go hang out. While he was getting in I heard his mom says “John” (not his real name)”yes mom”, “ do you have everything you need in life?’. At this time I looked over at my aunt who looked back at this 11 year old kid with the same blank expression I had. His mother then said without missing a beat “manners and clean underwear”.
Well this made my day as we all couldn’t help but laugh. Strangely enough though his mother was more stern than amused. It got me thinking that not many parents in today’s society enforce the value of good manners on their children. Though light hearted the moment may have been, the seriousness of it was definitely loud and clear. In my day and age I could not go a day in school without hearing one of my teachers repeat the adage “Manners maketh a man”. Of course at per-teenage years such sayings meant little or nothing. It was only until entering the world of work I realized how far your repertoire of pleasantries and “manners” can carry you. Whereas skill, knowledge and networking might get you in the door, other factors like agreeableness, personality and positive work ethic might keep you there and help you to excel.
So for 2013, when heading out to the wonderful world of work, be sure not to forget your manners or more so your clean underwear.
This post was inspired last Saturday afternoon while I was picking up my cousins classmate for them to go hang out. While he was getting in I heard his mom says “John” (not his real name)”yes mom”, “ do you have everything you need in life?’. At this time I looked over at my aunt who looked back at this 11 year old kid with the same blank expression I had. His mother then said without missing a beat “manners and clean underwear”.
Well this made my day as we all couldn’t help but laugh. Strangely enough though his mother was more stern than amused. It got me thinking that not many parents in today’s society enforce the value of good manners on their children. Though light hearted the moment may have been, the seriousness of it was definitely loud and clear. In my day and age I could not go a day in school without hearing one of my teachers repeat the adage “Manners maketh a man”. Of course at per-teenage years such sayings meant little or nothing. It was only until entering the world of work I realized how far your repertoire of pleasantries and “manners” can carry you. Whereas skill, knowledge and networking might get you in the door, other factors like agreeableness, personality and positive work ethic might keep you there and help you to excel.
So for 2013, when heading out to the wonderful world of work, be sure not to forget your manners or more so your clean underwear.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)