Extension

For a variety of reasons I decided to re-contract for one more year on the JET Programme. A Programme which initially was supposed to be for just one year, maximum 3. But here I am, 3 years later embarking on that fourth and final revolution and I can't help but think: Am I really supposed to do this? Am I really supposed to stay here?

Most if not all of my friends have already left or are leaving this year and I feel myself drifting further away from my friends and family back home. And all for what? Another humid summer and frigid winter? Do the +ves truly outweigh the -ves?

I suppose this is a crucial crossroad for me. As I clear the 25 years of life hump. A final year to reach full maturity. I hope.

Jaaa well, what else can I do but ride out this wave. One more year.

iNi

am extending my self.

NadYa Dee

The Monkey Commandments

In ascordance with my previous post. I present to you:

The Monkey Commandments.

I. Thou shalt build, anything, anywhere at any time.

II. Real Bad Men shalt not moggle in shorts. merely straight jeans and cut off foot pants.

III. Thine toothbrush is for thine Clarks first, teeth second.

IV. Thou shalt use bleach on thine face and body but ne'er on thine teeth.

V. Cake soap maketh thine face cool. Wash in it often.

VI. Thou shalt not wear Nautica for these art for sailors as Polo art for Tiger for he art the golfer.

VII. A bag of sneakers shalt leadeth thou to cheesy foot.

VIII. Through all of this, maketh sure thou doth not boweth for thine Clarks.

IX. Rocketh thine shades to the limit, thine rosary chain - the purest and thine G-Shock watch -timeless -- as it is done in Portmore so shall it be done in Uptown.

X. Above all else, I say unto you, honour the Gaza til the end of thine days.

Monkey Say, Monkey Do

It's funny how we allow pop culture to influence our choices and actions in this day and age; how we unconsciously buy into the fallacies that are being fed through our airwaves and television screens via media.

When did we become a people who surrendered our individuality to others and why?

Is it that strenuous to make decisions on your own?

I wonder.

This is never more evident than with the monkey of the year.... Vybz Kartel.

Recently Mr. Kartel began advocating a popular brand of shoes called Clarks. Suddenly, everyone owned a pair or desired to own a pair. One monkey said. The other monkeys did.

Of course I am not referring to the people who were already patronising the brand before Kartel. But you cannot tell me that a sense of validation didn't rise inside of you upon realising that the head Monkey and yourself were on the "same wavelength" fashion-wise.

Don't remind me of when the Chief Monkey aka Daddy or Dawdy said build and all of a sudden everyone was obsessed with carpentering.

Alas, the desert clarks and bank robbers craze is still the "in thing" this summer. However, in addition to the shoes we are now commanded by Head Monkey that straight jeans and fitted Tees are the appropriate mode of apparel.

Yes, yes, I know. People have always worn white Tees and fitted Jeans. So how do I know that this is as a direct result of the Monkey Commandments? Well just implore me...

Since this monkey video with Dawdy Palmer wearing a rosary around his terribly bleached neck I have seen an influx of men wearing rosaries. Yes I said it. Rosaries. Like Hail Mary full of Grace Rosaries. O__oh! Jesus just turn over in his.... yeah well... you know what I mean.

I am distraught. Is this some new form of subliminal brain washing? or are we just too lazy to think for ourselves? And why in heavens name do I feel like going out and buying cake soap and a G-Shock watch???

iNi

absolutely hates monkeys!

NadYa Dee

Udjat || Wedjet || Wadjet

Tattoo # 7 -- the Eye of Horus aka the 'Whole One'. It represents the Moon, protection from evil, intuition, wisdom, health, prosperity and light. Others have taken it to mean the Illuminati... =/

For me, the Eye of Horus symbolises where I am in my life now. 1/4 of a century after roaming aimlessly on this earth I think I've finally found my path. And while I am still not absolutely certain what the future holds I am aware enough to accept the unknown, knowing that what is meant to be is and always will be.

It is also no coincidence that as I embrace my clairvoyance I come to learn that the Wadjet is divided in to fractions of 64 and the fraction for 1/4 represents the eye in the wadjet symbol, not to mention my obsession with the moon and my recent preoccupation with the chakras (more specifically the 6th chakra, Ajna i.e. the Third Eye Chakra).

In my journey through this life I gather these tattoos as testaments to my growth, my experiences and my evolution. Call it an obsession, an addiction, an abomination whatever. To me they are artistic expressions of my individuality, what I have seen, where I have been and what I have learnt along the way. So as I continue to evolve and become more aware of myself I'll use these tattoos to help me document that journey.

iNi

thinks before she inks

NadYa Dee

The Art of Passive-Aggressiveness

After living and working in Japan for almost 3 years there's one key skill that I have learnt and continue to master. And no I'm not talking about bowing or eating with chopsticks. I am talking about the Art of Passive-Aggressive-ism or Passive-Aggressiveness.

Before I came to Japan I was an argumentative and confrontational human being. I would say any and everything to any and everyone. I didn't care. I called it being blunt, being real. In actuality I was a flaming bitch. And to some extent I still am. But with this new-found skill I have learnt how to still be a bitch without getting a tump in the face or burnt up with acid.

In the weeks leading up to my departure to Japan I was required to do additional training to help me to "adjust" to life in Japan. I was told that my outspokenness and "aggressive" attitude might be misconstrued as negative in the land of the rising sun. I took it all in with a grain of salt. I wasn't about to compromise my integrity just to appease a bunch of unnecessary people. I'd be polite to those in power but aside from that it was either love me or leave me be.

Then I got to Japan and settled into my job and life in the countryside (to some extent). I had still not yet encountered this over-sensitivity I was told to be wary of. Until one day I get to work (less than 5 minutes) late and the Japanese English teacher at my school informs me that I need to take an hour out of my vacation if I'm going to be late for school. I, of course, proceed to ask her questions like:

• How would I know that I was going to be less than 5 minutes late until I was less than 5 minutes away from work and realised that it was already 8:30 since I do have to drive for almost 45 minutes to get to school. Which means that when I left my house I wasn't late but due to unforseen circumstances I ended up getting to school after the bell rang.

• And fine let's say I am driving and realise that 'oh shit I'm gunna be late!' wouldn't it make me even later if I was to pull over and call my office to inform them that I might be 2 minutes late for school?
• Not to mention when I asked her if I'd be able to leave school 55 minutes early since I'd still have 55 minutes left of my hour vacation left as I was only 5 minutes late.

Of course she was completely clueless. As far as she was concerned it was simple. If you're late, no matter how many minutes, you take an hour vacation leave and sit at your desk and do work. I, of course, thought this woman was out of her damn mind and at that early stage tried to infuse logic into her ridiculous suggestion....to no avail. Needless to say, my blood pressure went up and I still didn't take the vacation leave. It was stressful to say the least.

However, as I began to observe their behaviour and mannerisms I quickly learnt "the Japanese way". That is, tell them and show them what they want to see and hear. Then do whatever the fuck you want.

For example when I had to endure excruciating days at the office doing absolutely nothing. And then on top of that they wouldn't allow us to go home, or read books, or watch movies. So I killed time by doing puzzles and playing games while pretending to study Japanese and plan lessons. It worked wonders. They left me alone because I portrayed an illusion of being busy and I got to do whatever the fuck I wanted to (except for go home :-S)

So that now, 3 years deep in "the Japanese way" I can almost automatically switch to passive-aggressive mode. If a teacher/person pisses me off I find some way, unknown to them at the time, to get back at them. Confrontations are futile. These people are immune to reason.

Lately I've taken to bringing gifts for everyone except for the person who pissed me off, eating all the snacks in the office and other simple things that I know will get to them without being traced directly back to me.

It keeps my blood pressure down and gives me something to snicker about when I sit in the office by myself. Oh the joys of living and teaching in Japan!

iNi

am a passive-aggressive NINJA!

NadYa Dee

Clairvoyance

So I have psychic powers. Yeah yeah yeah... I know some of you may not believe in psychics or sixth senses but I've always had this eerie ability to just know things. Before everyone else did. Intuition you know. Gut feeling. Plus I've also had more coincidences and deja vus than the average person I'm sure.

But it didn't become apparent to me until I began balancing my chakras. And even more so as I focused on opening my sixth chakra aka my third eye. I'm actually getting a tattoo related to this for my 25th birthday (which is in 10 days btw).

I've always thought that I was perhaps a shaman or priestess in another life/dimension/reality. Something about an attraction to maths, chemistry, psychology and the spiritual world. Recently I've also been thinking more about herbs you know, harnessing the healing powers of different plants. As well as stones and crystals and their powers.

Then there are the dreams. On more than one occasion I have dreamt... the future...I think. I mean I have seen, no, sensed something that was either happening at the same time elsewhere or something that was to happen...

Like take this week. I've been slacking on the chakra meditation lately, however, earlier in the week I had a rather peculiar dream. Then today I learn from a friend that earlier this week the exact same thing took place, half way around the world. Something that was a surprise to even them. So how could I have know. How could I have dreamt that??? I have long since abandoned the possibility of mere coincidences. Because I believe that every single thing happens for a reason.

Which brings me to clairvoyance which refers to the ability to gain information about an object, person, location or physical event through means other than known human senses. I.e. ESP (not the sports channel).

And more specifically Dream Clairvoyance: Let's say you were to dream about something that is not known by anyone else so that it could not be received from another person's mind by telepathy. Visiting a location in a dream and spotting something unusual that later proves to be true is an example of clairvoyance.

Wow. This is just...surreal. I'm not sure I even believe it myself. But there's one thing I do know and that is this is no coincidence.... this is all happening for a reason. I just need to figure out what that reason is.

iNi

can see clearly... when I sleep

NadYa Dee

Decoct

A kettle on a stove

g

n...

i......

s.......

i..........

steam r............

and just as the whistle is about to blow

there is no

sound

just steam

just

g

n..

i.....

pressure climb.......

the water is hot but it's not

boiling

it's hot enough

to burn the skin

but the pressure within

[within]

cannot escape

stuck in a space

trapped in a place

where heat and steam

fight for release

trapped beneath

the urge to explode

to break free of this curse

but what's worse

the fire doesn't subside

no

it rides

the steam

the pressure

percolating

building

bubbling

seeping through the cracks

sweating

wet

smoke screens

steeped in steam

I scream

then simmer

still

no sound

just hot

water