Tonight I witnessed along with Millions of others History be made.

The foremost leader in the world has a Black Man running for President to LEAD the world.

I am proud. I am humbled. I am excited. I am in AWE.

Barack Obama is a role model for all of us.

Barack Obama s why I am how I am in a way.

He challenged the status quo. He stood against odds most thought he would fold under. He reached out to those who were looking and those who weren't looking and opened the eyes of a country and a world.

He put in the work to change the face of politics... whats my excuse? 

He showed what a will stronger than that of those who would shout you down. A Heart that pumps stronger than those with hearts similar hearts in term of size and some smaller than the rest can change how the body moves and operates.

Barack Obama is what we should aspire to be in our world, in our life in our daily routine.

Proud

Humble

Unafraid and willingly to challenge anyone even those in power.

Strong

Exciting 

Open

Real

LEADERS

I am so energized. 

I'm a 27 year old black man and I have never been more proud and inspired.

If Obama can do this and can be in the running why can't I chase the dream and hopes I have?

Simply I can and I will.

And you should too.

 ...This is our time. Our time to turn the page on the policies of the past. Our time to bring new energy and new ideas to the challenges we face.... 

Be inspired. Be Real. Be NOW. This is OUR Time. Take IT. LIVE IT. EMBRACE IT. Share IT. YOU ARE IT.

Fight FOR IT.

Over take fear and be STRENGTH!

I close with a poem from Marianne Williamson

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us.

And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be?

You are a child of God.

Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure about you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to manifest the glory of God that is within us.

 

It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone.

 

 

Because You Tube limits the size of individual emails, the remaining parts are collected here.

presenting my creations "in awe", "gniy." and "the works of nature and nurture"... hope u like them =)

Years ago a well-intentioned soul introduced me to Julia Cameron's The Artist's Way. "You're creative" they said as they pressed the book into my hand. "You'll love her."

Sadly I never did have a wild and passionate affair with her book, but I did read it, and even attempted the two activities she recommended - Morning Pages (three pages, written in longhand, first thing every morning), and the Artist's Date (a weekly block of two hours spent observing, experiencing, and sensing).

The Morning Pages part of the experiment didn't last long; my finely honed night owl tendencies (thank you higher education!) were simply too entrenched. Morning Pages soon became Afternoon Pages, then regressed to just-before-bed-while-the-cat-tries-to steal-the-pen-and-pouts-pages.

Apparently Morning Pages were not my thing.

The Artist's Date was something else altogether. Taking time out each week to do something that would feed my creativity was something I could really get into, and did. In the past decade I've visited the usual art galleries, museums, gardens, and heritage buildings, but also taken spontaneous meanders in neighbourhoods I didn't know and talked to people I might not have otherwise met. All different, all interesting, all cherished.

For the past couple of years I've been spending a quiet hour or two at the Vancouver Art Gallery whenever possible. With only the occasional quiet murmur of another patron and my own footsteps to keep me company, I've had the chance to see art work that sometimes leaves me puzzled, sometimes dazed, but always like I've been in the presence of something more.

My current favourite is the TruthBeauty exhibit, which has taken me ages to work through. I'm blaming it on Oscar Reyjlander (an example of his work, "Homeless" dated 1860, is posted above) and Frederick H. Evans (a British photographer with an amazing ability to make the mundane ethereal). I know little about both and have only recently started researching their contribution to the art, so I won't even try to give a summary of who they are here. If you are interested in learning more, you can go here, here, here or there.

Sadly TruthBeauty - Pictorialism and the Photograph as Art, 1845-1945 closes April 17th, and once it's gone, the chance of seeing these small wonders first hand and up close is gone too.

Scott Heim's long-awaited third novel is about to be released. Speaking as someone who was blown away by In Awe and Mysterious Skin long before the latter was filmed, I really can't wait. This man has been my favourite writer for over a decade now, and I had the delight of meeting him three years ago. This is unlikely to disappoint - hopefully there'll be a UK publication date announced soon.

Naturally i adore the tv programme 'Miami Ink' and of course my fave in the show is Ami....aaaarrrggghhhh....feels like flying to miami just to touch his tattoos...and bald head....

Of course there are other tattooed guys who make me swoon when i look at the imprints of their lives on hard male bodies (actually soft male bodies are still ok)....Have a look at that wacko Johnny Depp...even he has tattoos....and those tattoos heighten my sense of awe when it comes to him...

Another example is Chris Cornell from Audioslave...isnt he amazing? So, ok maybe i'm bias but who could be better than a great looking guy with tattoo and who can sing? You tell me....

(can't find photos of his tattoo)

Sure there's also another favourite tattooed guy i adore...Billy Bob Thornton...SO SEXY! (you might think i'm crazy but i find him oh so damn sexy!)

Now...who's got tattoos i can caress?

 

Last night I went for ‘buka puasa’ at the home of one of the most prominent name in the political turmoil hitting the country lately. The moment I reached there, I was awed by the size of the bungalow. It is seriously huge! Maybe not as big as the prime minister’s official home but big enough for someone of no stature like me. There are so many rooms, I lost count. 

However my host was gracious and friendly. The VIP man himself was not around, most probably out for some important function…as important people are apt to do. I was there with my girl and her friends, a nutty bunch I have to say. We had a simple feast to break our fast before we hit the host’s restaurant for proper food. But even the small feast consisted of a variety of dishes. Many thanks to the host and family who made us welcome in their spacious house. 

We finally removed our collective butts to go to the restaurant, all of us followed the host’s car since we were not sure of the location. Of course, there will always be someone who thinks he knows better than the host. Actually he was trying out the “GPS” system. Unfortunately while he and his wife were trying to figure out how to use the damn GPS, they lost us and we saw them went past us at high speed. We had to stop halfway as they called up the host and asked him to wait since they got lost. Hehehe… never trust the GPS. It’ll always take you to your destination using the most complicated routes. 

The house however left me wondering at the cost of building it. For something humongous like that…it must’ve cost a few million quid. To waste that much money for a family to live in? So okay, they have 2 maids and god knows who else working to maintain the house, but a family in a castle-like home? Personally I think it’s ridiculous to build such a house for a small family. I would rather live in a cottage surrounded by flower gardens and patches of vegetable yard. Peaceful and close knitted. You don’t have to shout to your other half when you want to talk to each other. Then again…it might be nice to live in a big house so long as I am not left alone (hehehe…I am a coward)….