Mango Tongue...

Good Morning, World...

noreply@blogger.com (ebele) — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 06:42:00 +0000

There's this guy. I see him often.

Like clockwork, at around 10.30am most days, he'll walk past, empty the remnants of his beer can down his throat and chuck it in a wheelie bin.

Same routine. Same wheelie bin.

Today, he walks past...opening a fresh can...at 7.36am.

Meanwhile, minutes earlier, a prostitute pigeoned round the bus stop looking for cigarette stubs.

A car beeps her.

Minutes before that, a woman who's lost her mind doesn't get on the bus like she usually does. Or the one after.

She disappears behind a tree. Down a rabbit hole.

The Last Airbender...

noreply@blogger.com (ebele) — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 19:51:00 +0000

I don't go pictures that much. I think the last film I watched.... shoot, I can't remember. It's bugging me now.

Must remember. Must remember. Or else I won't sleep. FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE.

Anyway, there's this new fantasy film adaptation coming out called The Last Airbender (a child, Aang, who has the power to control the four elements).

Oh, little Aang, taking public transport means that sometimes I too wish I could control the wind.

You know what The Last Airbender reminds me a bit of? The 80s film, 'The Golden Child' (remember The Golden Child? With Eddie Murphy? He had to rescue a Tibetan child with special powers).

Having watched a clip, I also think it has a slight 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon' feel to it. Thought it might have been the same director, but it's not. It's directed by M Night Shyamalan. His films are a bit hit-and-miss with me really, but I loved 'The Sixth Sense' though, so we'll see how his latest production pans out.

Still can't remember the last film I watched :-(

Come. Come see.

noreply@blogger.com (ebele) — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 19:22:00 +0000

I watched a film documentary on Channel 4 a few weeks ago: about people who chose to end their lives by jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. Unfortunately, it's apparently a frequent occurrence. In 2004, 24 people fell to their deaths. As I read through the names of the 24 in the end credits, I noticed that most were men.

Of the film, one person sticks in my mind: a man in a leather jacket, his long dark hair blowing in the wind, smoking a cigarette, walking up and down the bridge. If I'd been on that bridge same time as him, what would I have said to him? How would I have sold life to him?

I was at the Royal London hospital a short while back and there was this man who started talking to me. He was drunk. Within 5 minutes, he'd told me his life story: his ex wife, where they got married, his 2 beautiful daughters whom he hadn't seen in years, their names, their ages, his sexuality, his boyfriend. He'd even been a martial arts practitioner for 20 years. His eyes were so sad. Deeply. He'd tried committing suicide before by jumping off a bridge. He said he needed help which was why he’d come to the hospital.

I can't remember what I said to him. I didn't say much. I listened.

Who knows if he was telling the truth; he could have been a pathological liar or schizophrenic. But what I saw in his eyes was no lie.

The doctor called out his name.

I happened to be in the cubicle next to him. The doctor asked him how he was: his reply was he planned on committing suicide by Xmas and that he felt like killing himself and everyone around him.

I hope the doctor listened. Really listened.

On the Channel 4 docufilm, a shot of the Golden Gate Bridge was shown from afar and it looked really beautiful. It must be quite high 'cos I could see a rainbow beneath it. I also saw the glow of the sunlight and greenery on the landscape. I remember seeing the bridge from that angle and wishing I could tell the guy with the long dark hair: come, come see.

3.09 am...

noreply@blogger.com (ebele) — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 05:00:00 +0000

img credit

The prostitutes walk the streets like zombies looking for their next feed. I feel a mixture of anger, curiosity, amazement, sadness, irritation and pity for them. I can't begin to tell you the things I've seen over the past year and I'm just a bystander – just seeing glimpses of what they do. The whole picture must be much darker than that.

I had a dream the other night. For some reason, I dismantled my front door. I couldn't put it back together no matter how much I tried. I then looked out onto a roof which seemed to be on the same floor. It was like one of those roofs you see in New York. Suddenly, I noticed movement and three prostitutes came out from makeshift camps they'd set up. They'd been sleeping there. Weeks before that, I had a dream they were living in my block's basement – a basement that I didn't know existed. There were loads of rooms – as if someone had built a hideout for them.

I've been looking into the history of where I live as I want to find out why prostitution, drug and alcohol abuse are rife in this area. There must be an historical energy about this place that’s feeding the now.

If you're an early sleeper, a heavy sleeper or sleep with your windows shut, then you won't notice a thing. I know this because one of my neighbours didn't have a clue what was going on on her doorstep. During the day, the air flows freely and people generally go about their business. But at night, it shifts. It's still possible not to notice, but once you see one thing, you notice the rest.

Sometimes, the nights spill into the days and some prostitutes stand out there from 6.45pm 'til 7am and approach people going to work. Now that winter's here, it's likely they'll make the most of the extra dark hours it brings. A friend of mine who I recently bumped into and who lives in the same area as me told me that weeks ago he was propositioned by a prostitute at 10 in the morning.

In some ways, believe it or not, things have improved. The police appear to be stepping up, catching and charging some kerb crawlers, patrolling the area, etc. But it's kinda on and off. They don't seem to patrol late enough or frequently enough. Like rats, when the police disappear, the prostitutes and their watchers come out.

The area might get a total breather in the time leading up to the Olympics as there's apparently talk of money being pumped in to do a clean-up. I'm not sure how true that is, but if so, it would seem someone's got their priorities slightly wrong. It shouldn't take the Olympics to do a thorough job of something they should be doing anyway.

I was thinking of moving but I love my flat and in spite of what's been going on, there are good people living here. I hear the cutest little girl every couple of days. And there's a boy with a mop of red hair who sometimes rides his little scooter down the road, secure in the knowledge that his mummy's right behind him. I don't like dogs but I see two beautiful ones walked by their owners every evening. I see a fox every now and then. People still stop and say hello to each other. There's an old woman I say hello to – she reminds me of my mum. The other day, I complimented an old Eastern European woman on her hat and she reached out and held my hand as she pushed her trolley. Her hand was plump and soft. She let go and we walked and talked 'til I got to my flat. There's a nutty woman who seems to have a fondness for me - I find her enthusiasm really overwhelming at times, but her heart's in the right place. I love my shopkeeper. And though we all tend to keep to ourselves, most of my neighbours are quite friendly.

I like where I live. But I don't like what's happening to it.

Sometimes the sun deliberately sets where I can get a good look at it from my back window. The clouds don't need to join in either, but they do.

From Bad to Worse…

noreply@blogger.com (ebele) — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 08:59:00 +0000

img credit: dcJohn

The prostitution in my area has actually gotten much much worse. It's reached the point where one of my neighbours is moving out.

I can't go into much detail for now as I'm pissed off and a bit upset. What I do know is that it's reached a whole new level. I feel disempowered because I feel enough isn't being done about it even though I and some of my neighbours have constantly complained about it to the police, the neighbourhood ward and our housing association. It's one thing for the prostitution, the pimping and the drug dealing associated with it to happen - it's another to watch it fester because the people who can do something about it don't appear to be putting 100% into it.

After a while, I knew that it would take someone getting physically hurt for the police to step in and that's, unfortunately, what happened at 7.30 this morning.

I love my flat, but today's the first time I've actually thought about moving. But then, why should I be the one to move?

Made myself a cup of herbal. Need to shake off the morning I woke up to.

Just Seen a Prostitute Giving Someone Head...

noreply@blogger.com (ebele) — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 02:08:00 +0000

Unfortunately, we have quite a few prostitutes in my area (and most of them are drug dependent, I suspect, 'cos a lot of them don't look well AT ALL). The level of activity wasn't that noticeable to start with, but over the past few years, especially this year, it's gotten particularly bad.

They usually use our communal car park. You hear a car parking around 1, 2, 3, 4am. Then they look for a couple of blind spots to do their business.

Tonight, they weren't really hiding. If anyone else had looked out the window (like I had), they would have seen A LOT. It's one thing to use the space, a space that you have no right to use - it's quite another to not care if anyone sees you while you're at it.

Tonight, I couldn't take it. I opened my window and told them they ain't doing that in my backyard, to which they scuttled off.

Then, when I closed my window, I heard voices IN THE BUILDING. I opened the door and a couple of prostitutes were sitting on the steps smoking. I said "excuse me, could you leave please?" to which they did. I don't know why I sounded so damn polite but that's what literally came out.

I remember the look on one of their faces. She looked so young. Nothing like the rest of them. Healthy. Like she was new to it.

I closed the communal door after them - making sure it was really shut (which is part of the problem, you see, because the door closes sometimes but doesn't shut and I think they've cottoned onto that).

As I went back up, I saw a piece of tissue on the floor. It was a bit bloody.

Great.

That's what I get for being a night owl.

I spoke to the police about the problem some time ago. They said they had wardens who patrol the area 'til 2am or so. WELL, THAT'S NOT BLOODY GONNA HELP, IS IT - not if the real activity happens around that time and continues through the night.

I KNOW the police see them on the streets because I've seen them drive past without so much as slowing down.

I don't think the solution is to clear the prostitutes off - as much as I'd rather not have them in my area, they'll just reappear in another part of town if they're moved on - and the inherent problems won't really have been dealt with.

But something has to be done.

What the Night Sky and I Saw...

noreply@blogger.com (ebele) — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 23:09:00 +0000

img credit: Solar ikon

I'm a real late sleeper.

Late last night, around 2am, I heard some voices behind my building. I looked out and saw 2 men holding a man down. I initially thought it might be plain-clothes policemen but it didn't take long for me to ascertain that it wasn't. The 2 men looked like they were trying to take something off him and he was really trying to stop them from doing that.

I called 999.

They were hitting him in the face.

I was trying to explain to the operator what was going on. And I don’t think I was doing a good job of it.

Eventually, one man left.

The other followed.

And the man on the floor stayed there for a while.

He was conscious.

I could see that he was.

A woman approached him – she was on the phone – and said something to him. I imagined – or hoped - that she was asking him if he was ok.

She walked away.

He stayed. On the floor.

The operator asked me if he looked like he needed an ambulance.

I didn't know. Couldn’t tell.

I opened the window and asked him.

He said no, got up and walked away.

The operator asked me what the men looked like. To describe them.

I said one was black …one was white. And the other, I couldn't remember.

I felt stupid.

I closed my eyes and tried to remember more. "He had on a black jacket" "I think" "His hair was short"

"How short?", the operator asked me.

"Short", I said.

"What did the woman look like?"

I told her what I could remember. Which was little.

She thanked me for the call.

I could see two wet patches on the ground where the fracas had taken place. Wasn't sure if it was blood but I suspect it was.

Later on, during the day, I looked out my window. And sure enough, it was.

As I walked down the road, on a white boarded-up area close to where I live, I noticed 5 thick lines of bloody prints that his fingers had left.

I could see small drops of blood on the pavement – trailing along every now and then like bread crumbs.

A week ago, someone sprayed 'Free Palestine' in blue on the other side of the same white board and the following day, it had been removed as quickly as it had appeared.

I wonder how long the bloody prints will stay there.

The Little People Down the Drainpipe...

noreply@blogger.com (ebele) — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 18:47:00 +0000

img credit: aeruginosa

Sometimes, when I'm doing the washing up, I imagine there's a family of teeny-tiny people that live at the end of the drain pipe...

...a community even...

...and that whatever escapes down the sink will feed them, sustain them.

So when I'm washing the rice and some of the grains go down the hole, I'm there thinking 'yes, I'm doing my bit for charity'.

Bits of sweetcorn, bits of fresh meat from when I'm giving the chicken a good rinse, water drained from the can of kidney beans and tuna, the coffee/tea I didn't quite finish.

When I run the tap, I imagine said little people have some kind of medieval but highly-efficient mechanism that separates the hot from the cold water and preserves it at said temperature.

I apologise to said little people for my washing machine. For every time I turn it on, it smells out the place when it reaches a particular point in its wash cycle. It can't be that pleasant for them at their end.

I'd try pouring some bleach down the drain to stop what I now call 'washing-machine farts', but I fear for the safety of my little friends. I don't think they could cope. And even if they could, what if they crawled their little butts up the drain in anger and tried to kill me in a Gulliver's Travels stylee?

Not good.

Drama...untelevised....

noreply@blogger.com (ebele) — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 04:07:00 +0000

I got woken up unceremoniously around 4.15am by a woman screaming in the car park, so I'm up. Her defiance was in complete contrast to the couple I wrote about previously where the man was effing and swearing at her and she said nothing, did nothing, except smile.

This woman – now this woman made sure she woke up the whole neighbourhood. The police arrived 5 minutes later and she kept on saying to them, 'keep him the fuck away from me'. The guy got arrested and was put in a van. She must have been hurt 'cos the ambulance soon arrived.

The block of flats where I live seems to be the epicentre of things that happen in and around the locality. The building itself becomes an observer but remains unharmed, almost invisible. We often have prostitutes and their pimps calling out to each other on the street at 2 in the morning like it's high noon. Once, a woman pulled her pants down in front of the block and was acting all weird, crouched to the ground like her p*ssy was burning up. I had to call the police.

So, I'm up – can't sleep - pigeons cooing occasionally in my balcony. It's quiet now, as if none of the drama happened less than an hour ago.

I made myself a mint tea – two bags – the strength of it is waking up my chest – thinking of what the rest of the day will bring and what part I plan to play in it to make it a fruitful one.

ebele.

Which Came First?: the McChicken or Egg McMuffin?

noreply@blogger.com (ebele) — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 21:13:00 +0000

Please send your answers in
to the white-faced wollygog
with the Revlon-red lipstick
and manic-depressive smile

who's probably a closet vegan

and a loving father
of two beautiful

pet poodles.

So, if ya think you know the answer

'cos you've got a 2:1 degree,

or you can spell 'brie',

or you've been playing the piano
since you were 3 months,

please send a postcard to:

Old McDonald Didn't Have A Farm
P.O. Box 666
Tox-In-The-City
E492 99p

(p.s. I've come to the conclusion that James Blunt sounds like he's being asphyxiated more times than I can bear. From now on, I think I'll just stick to reading his lyrics. Sorry, James - you seem nice & all but...)

Outside my window...

noreply@blogger.com (ebele) — Sun, 18 May 2008 15:37:00 +0000

img by: orangeacid

I live on a main road - the windows are triple-glazed so once it's closed, you can't hear much.

I was taking a bath the other day (as I do every other day!, well, erm, most of the time) and the window was slightly open (no exhibitionism, my friend, just letting the steam out).

I heard a guy swearing at who I assumed is/was his girlfriend. He called her a 'fucking Christian cunt', kept on calling her a bitch, pulling her bra strap, pushing/touching her face but not quite slapping it.

I could tell he was hurting, but the anger, the abuse. There was no excuse (for it).

And she just stood there smiling.

I obviously didn't know these young individuals, their history, etc., but I wanted to say something to stop what was going on. What was the point of just observing, especially as they were right outside my window. I could hear everything.

But then I thought: if I said something, if I interfered, would that aggravate him even more?, would that get her into more trouble?

I wanted to say that what he was doing and saying was not on, that it's not ok, but what would happen if they moved the confrontation to a private place? Was it better they were having it in public where it was (potentially) safer?

I closed my window, hoping to God they'd both be ok.

Queen Bee...

noreply@blogger.com (ebele) — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 18:56:00 +0000

img by: Little Li

The mechanical queen bee
Her beauty is striking
Her aura shimmers – cold, silvery blue

She makes her honey
from my complacency,
my fears,
my doubts,
my procrastination
Then she uses her sting,
harvested from my negativity
to test her potency on me

Her sting is red hot
a pain
too deep
for my body to understand

but

as I writhe
in a kaleidoscope of pain
I know that,
one day,
I will transcend
Be immune to her sting
and instead,
I will be the one
to use her honey
to sweeten my tea

I know that,
one day,
I will transcend
and move
from a circle of despair
to a perfect triangle
of mind, body and spirit

©ebele

(I wrote this yrs ago when I was in a job I didn't like - the only way I could escape it at the time was thru poetry)

Only in England...

noreply@blogger.com (ebele) — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 11:51:00 +0000

I can't believe it's snowing.

Shouldn't it be 'April showers'? - something England is known for?

Can't believe it.

Global warming ain't playing. AT.ALL.

That Weight Watchers Ad...

noreply@blogger.com (ebele) — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 18:42:00 +0000

Is it just me or am I the only one that thinks the Weight Watchers ad(vert) is a bit of a piss take?

THE AD...

So there's this woman who's lost weight. They don't actually show her, but they show people who know her.

Cue the people who know her:

The beauty therapist says: Now that she's lost the weight, it takes half the time. (she means exfoliation)

Then a man with his wife says: As a man, I've noticed. Sorry. (he says to his wife)

The woman's husband says: The woman that I married is back. (his face happens to be built like a good idea gone really bad)

I'm not sure what message this is sending out. The ad wouldn't make me wanna join AT.ALL. If my beauty therapist said what that woman said, I wouldn't go back to her salon. And if my man said as a man, I've noticed, I'd grab a pick axe and say: notice this. I mean, how is the wife meant to feel about her hubby saying that? 'Sorry' doesn't cut it. A pick axe does.

And then finally, Weightloss Woman's husband's comment:

The woman that I married is back.

At least she can lose weight. What's your excuse for being ugly?

The message I was getting from that ad was:

- lose weight and people will treat you better
- lose weight and there's a chance your friend's husband will find you so attractive, he'll say it in front of his wife
- lose weight and hear what your beauty therapist REALLY thought about you when you were fat
- lose weight and your husband (who is still the ugly mug you married) will notice you. (because when you put on all that weight, your personality was abducted by aliens)

Thank you, Weight Watchers. Can't wait for your next ad. Oh goody.

Woman-child...

noreply@blogger.com (ebele) — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 04:59:00 +0000

img by: Hamed Saber

I saw a young girl y'day - white - pretty - big butt - pushing a pram. And it really saddened me. She looked SO young. Her face hadn't completely matured yet (her body obviously had). She still looked cute like you could just squeeze her cheeks, like you just wanted to wrap her up in a protective hug. She had that kind of face.

I mention her butt 'cos, yes, I noticed it...

...and it made me wonder if things would have been different:

- if she knew how to handle (the changes in) her body
- if she knew how to handle the attention she got
- if her self-esteem was up to scratch

It might not be true for her, but all I could see was a girl - a very young girl - who responded to a guy because he was paying her attention.

For all I know, she could be in a steady & loving relationship, and the baby could be born from that union, and if that's the case, I'm happy for her ...but what are the chances? The UK has the highest teen pregnancy rate and I think Newham (where I live) is somewhere towards the top (must check).

If we (women) tell young girls how beautiful their bodies are, then maybe they won't seek approval elsewhere (often with life-changing consequences). If we teach them how powerful their bodies actually are, then maybe they won't give that power so readily to others. But the thing is, if you don't know the coin in your pocket is worth a million bucks, you'll treat it like the penny you think it is.

I wish I had a magic wand. I wish I had a bigger hug to give. I wish I was balanced enough emotionally and spiritually with less drama in my life, less work to do on myself, so that I had more of myself to give.

What ever Happened to Heavy D?

noreply@blogger.com (ebele) — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 15:08:00 +0000

pic by: aymlis

Remember him? He was this big cuddly rapper - came out in the early **90s (or was it the 80s?), light-skinned, always wore dark glasses, knew how to mooove.

I don't know why but I just thought of him - one of his songs (the one he did with Al B Sure) was playing in my head:

I want somebody to love me for me

Can't remember the rest of the song. I think it starts:

I search low and I search high
trying to find me a cutie pie

Well...something like that.

Oh, I just remembered another bit:

They say when you wait, one never finds
they also say that love is blind
It ain't that blind that I can't see
somebody out there who's perfect for me
somebody who's gonna love me for me

Then Al B Sure sings: I know you want love

Heavy D replies: Love, that's what I'm talking about,
a relationship, a commitment, something to live for

Then Al B: Maybe we could take our time

Err, don't remember the rest.

Come to think if it: what happened to Al B Sure? He sang this wicked song - can't recall the title but the chorus went: I can tell you how I feel about you night and day.... Was a really nice song.

Anyway...

(**p.s: I ain't gonna apologise for my age - we all have to be born some time)

Dear BBC: you obviously ain’t done your homework...

noreply@blogger.com (ebele) — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 04:33:00 +0000

pic by: GirlReporter

I was watching BBC News 24 a few hrs back (a sub-program called 'Your News'), and there was a report about a Poetry Idol competition in Abu Dhabi called 'The Prince of Poets' (you might wanna read this too) (If the comp's open to both sexes, then why call it 'Prince' of Poets?)

Any-hay-way, after the report was aired, the presenter asked a guy (male, middle-aged, white - now why doesn't that surprise me?) if a similar sort of competition was possible in Britain.

The guy says he's not sure something like that was possible in Britain as he felt Britain has lost its oral tradition.

Three things:

1) Dear BBC, there is an event (in London) called Poetry Idol - a spoken-word competition organised by Shortfuse.

2) Dear BBC, don't you remember you've been running a BBC Poetry Slam every year since 2005?

Is a poetry slam not modelled on the oral tradition? Pray, tell me, BBC?

Or, wait, maybe there's a BBC pretending to be you with the same website? Stranger things have happened (like showing black programs in the wee hours of the morning).

3) Why didn't they interview a cross section of poets, not just a middle-aged white poet who runs a poetry event in Ealing? I mean, there are a whole range of poetry events out there. Here are just a few:

- Word4Word run by Kat Francois (who, coincidentally, won the BBC3 Poetry Slam back in 2005)

- Speakeasy run by Baden Prince Jnr

- The Poetry Café in Covent Garden have a poetry event for almost every day of the week.

- 'Sounds Like' run by TShirt and Jeans, performance poetry org Apples & Snakes, the funky Poejazzi, Process at the RoundHouse in Camden.

- The Rise London Youth Slam

- The London Teenage Poetry Slam

- Hammer & Tongue who run a series of poetry slams & regular poetry events in Oxford & Brighton

(**Most of these are in London. There are loads outside London though.)

So why weren't the poets/poetry organisers of those events interviewed? Or is that just too much work, BBC?

I often look at the world through Martin-Luther-King tainted glasses. I'll hug the hell out of any human (as long as they don't smell, ya get me?, or aren't looking for a grope). When colour becomes the sole reason for one person or persons to gain (or be given) an advantage (or disadvantage), then as we'd say in pidgin English: na problem oh.. Art should be a playground for everyone, not exclusive.

Sun(Rise)...

noreply@blogger.com (ebele) — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 21:13:00 +0000

Me and the sun:
we know what it's like
to wake up
when the whole world's still sleeping
when your lover's still sleeping
in your arms

'cos the gods leant me
a spoonful of sugar
in the shape of the woman
laying beside me
Her sweet honeysuckle breath
caressing my face
each time she exhales

My queen sleeps...
but I know her spirit
is awake
and she can see me
watching her - intently

I can't help it
My soul plays jazz melodies
on her skin

and she wakes...

She wakes from her feline slumber
and we rise
and fall
and sing

Yes we rise
and fall
and sing

Inhibitions long lost
boundaries long surpassed
we rise and fall
and sing our bodies
with sweet violence...

© ebele.

Sofa-flavoured Ice Cream, anyone?

noreply@blogger.com (ebele) — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 12:45:00 +0000

Ok, so I went out and got my 2 bountiful bars of Bounty ice cream, talked to and caressed them on my way back. Took my trainers off, dashed the keys somewhere, curled up on the sofa and got down to business.

Tore open the wrapper, admiring its milk-chocolate frame for a few moments and the sheer genius of its capability to hold me captive (soon, very soon, we shall be one).

How I Normally Have It...

...well, I tend to eat mine in layers - First, I'll nibble off all the chocolate to expose the ice cream, and then I'll eat the ice cream. That way, it feels like I'm having two desserts (sad, aren't I?)

Anyway, so I'm doing my sumptuous 'peel-off-and-eat-the-choccie-bits-first' ritual, only to find that the ice cream's quite melted inside. I'm none too pleased with this culinary hiccup of a revelation as it now means the ice cream won't hold once the chocolate gives way. Grrrr.

Feeling a bit robbed of the opportunity to savour the moment - my moment - I feel like going back to the shop to complain, but how silly will that make me look? Upset over a £1.10 Bounty bar? They might call the police and have me arrested for being a twat.

And so, being the eternal optimist that I am, I carry on, my fingers now getting messy (but gloriously so).

I'm watching Scrubs on TV - someone's just said something funny (haha)...

...the next thing I know, half of the ice cream's on the frikkin sofa...

Oh shit... f*ck, f*ck, f*ck...

Now... what do you think I did?

Erm... let's just say I've always been a bit 'experimental' with my food ;-)

My Body Wants Ice Cream...

noreply@blogger.com (ebele) — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 23:04:00 +0000

img by: lafy4k

PRE-PERIOD...

- serious craving for all things fish (tuna in sunflower oil, peppered fillets, etc.)

- found myself crying my eyes out to Donna Summer's 'She Works Hard For Her Money'.

AND NOW THAT I'M ON...

- I'm going through a 'I've grown an extra sweet tooth in the past frikkin 24 hours' phase.

- Bought myself a pack of Thorntons chocolate yesterday. Yum!

- I want some ice cream NOW.

- Been having ice cream dreams for the past 4 hours. Can't think. Can't cone-centrate. Can't breathe. I'm choking. Help meeeeeeeeeeeee.

- How my keyboard isn't completely soaked with my 'mouth-wateredness' is beyond me.

- So that's it. Me and my swollen belly are going out to get some ice cream.

- Mmmm.... Bounty ice cream. Two packets. One for each twin. (I'm a Gemini).

Will she make it to the cornershop on time? Will she slip on a slug before she gets there? Will she make it back with her big Nigerian ass intact?

Find out on the next episode of IceCreamYouScream.

Her name was Jessica. She was only 54 days old.

noreply@blogger.com (ebele) — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 21:23:00 +0000

Authorities failed to realise that a baby who was sexually abused and murdered by her sadistic father was at risk, an inquiry found.

source: http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30100-1305327,00.html?f=rss

If I start crying, I don't think I'm gonna stop.

It's official. Victoria Climbie died for nothing.

Rest in peace, Jessie.

xxx

Elvis Lives in Nigeria...

noreply@blogger.com (ebele) — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 01:41:00 +0000

pic by: RBerteig

I remember in Nigeria, when I was little, my brothers & sister tried to hold a seance to try and communicate with the ghost of Elvis (my brother was a big Elvis fan, you see).

They put a glass in the middle of the table and lit a couple of candles.

I didn't want them to go ahead with it. I was 8 yrs old for Cris-sake. Absolutely bricking it.

But I had no choice but to hang around 'cos I was too scared to go off on my own.

Just as they were in the middle of the seance, the candle flickered, there was a voice outside the window and the glass broke.

I'd never screamed so frikkin hard in my whole life.

The 'voice' turned out to be the landlord's kids outside our window - they'd been eavesdropping all along.

Beneath the Bravado...

noreply@blogger.com (ebele) — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 19:07:00 +0000

img by: Hamed Masoumi

Back in December, I ran one of the most challenging workshops I think I've done in a long time with a group of Year 10 students. I've never come across a group of kids so resistant to writing. And yet, most of them ended up making such a transformation within the time I was with them. I was left amazed, humbled and honoured.

Before I started, I was warned (embarrassingly, apologetically) by a teacher that I shouldn't expect too much from them - that these children wouldn't do very well. How the hell can I go into a workshop thinking like that?

The kids came in dragging their feet, talking, not sitting where they were supposed to, dazed, rude, nonchalant, not participating much. It just all seemed disjointed. One girl just plain refused to take part - she vocally said it. So I asked her to leave. And as she left, she started mouthing off. Another student, quite firmly, told me to leave him alone. And when I asked a teacher to ask him to leave the workshop, she didn't. Instead she asked him to join her so he could work around her. He just sat next to her and didn't lift a finger. One student just kept on staring at me, not smiling or looking away when I noticed.

As the workshop progressed, I was beginning to feel out of my depth. I can't say there weren't times when I wasn't tempted to walk out.

Turns out the students were more pissed off than usual because they hadn't been told they were coming to a workshop. I assumed they had been told. You'd think they would have been. I felt I owed them an apology as we'd both been put in the dark about that. Some students do have a thing about creative writing, so not being told they're going to be in one, for a double period, well, I can imagine that would lower the mood somewhat.

Somewhere amidst all the chaos, most of them eventually got into it and an amazing amount of work was produced. These weren't the worst of the bunch at all, these weren't 'underachievers' (I don't believe in the word anyway) - these were very intelligent kids who were rebelling for whatever reason. Maybe rebelling makes them feel they have immediate power - 'cos if they're disrupting a class, they're having an effect on something, albeit negative.

I worked with 2 students whose circumstances almost broke my heart. I hate having one-off workshops with those type of students - they open up to you and then you say bye.

I also learnt that boys have as many self-esteem issues as girls do - just that they face different challenges to girls.

Beneath their bravado, these were really beautiful, highly-intelligent, creative kids.

(poem): Yes...

noreply@blogger.com (ebele) — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 15:18:00 +0000

Handsome smile
Lightning-white teeth

He'll shake your hand
with so much warmth
as if you've just saved
his life.

'You're special', he'll say
'Beautiful', he'll say
'I've never met anyone
quite like you'.

He'll whisk you away
if you let him
to a place
where the sun sets
over a white dome,
where stars cavort
with the sea.

And you'll let him
oh, you'll let him
'cos no-one's ever paid you
that much attention,
twirled you around as much,
no-one's ever looked at you
that hard
or that long
or with such intensity

no-one's ever rubbed flattery
into your pale skin.

no-one's ever told you
just how good you are.

Yes, yes, his hands
are warm
So warm.
And, yes, he has
a handsome smile

But have you looked
into his eyes?
Really looked at them?

Yes. His hands are warm.
Yes. Handsome smile.

Yes.

But have you looked

into his eyes.

© ebele

Anarchy is...

noreply@blogger.com (ebele) — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 22:24:00 +0000

...eating a big tub of tiramisu while watching Celebrity Diet Secrets on VH1. ;-)

Which is what I did last night.

And ooooh it felt guuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuud. :-)