Learn and live.

I don't care who you are or think you may be, you will, for a stone cold fact, catch yourself at some time muttering, "ah well, live and learn." Thing is, we don't have to wait for a flashpoint to go there. Learning is constant, whether we admit it or not, and taking stock of its process is tantamount to consciousness.

Walk waking through this world.

Some orator/philosopher probably said that, if not I'll claim it.

Join me in regarding the past four seasons with critical eye, and in learning from the juxtaposition of observation and personal convictions. My focus will be firmly frontal. Pro-gressive.

And who'll dare to deny that "now" is a function of "then," and "future" will also be thus?

So when I reach back to speak of Mandela, of Marcus, or Marley, my intent is to honor these  propulsive, cultural energies.

Of course, if you've been paying attention, you'll know I'm just as likely to trip the light fantastic on Twerkers, Biebers, Royal Heirs or Jayonce Juniors. Doesn't make me crazy, does it?

Well, maybe, but it can't be said that they don't shuffle the deck over at Ackeelover Chronicles. I'm never too far away despite the recent inactivity on this homepage. Ye olde trusty laptop upped and died a couple months ago, but that has become less of a story than the nifty new one I'm learning to use.

There's that L-word again.

Between Twitter @actualApophis, Facebook newsfeeds and right here, you'll see there's no telling where some actors will go for attention. Sex-tape nah mek it again! - blog is da shizzz yo!

Prepare to test your tolerance threshold for hybrid patois and my app-ified selfies. Marvel too at the island-worldview I distill beneath my brand new illuminati NYE party hat.

Stand clear, Happy New Year!

New Year, 2013 Style.

"(If you) don't know your past, y'don't know your future, ..."

That light-but-heavy hook-line from Tomorrow People by The Melody Makers, along with New Year's Day, the soaring rock standard by U2, always feature high on my January playlist.

Time didn't stop last year. We're all still here, with apologies to Syria, Cote d'Ivoire and Sandy Hook. I'm home, with my customary Ackee and Saltfish, while America stares down a rapid-fire succession of fiscal cliffs, and Canada sees past, future and protest in Theresa Spence.

2012 turned out to be The Year of The Gangnam. A Psy tsunami soaked the planet in a smile, and Canada came good again; leave it to Bieber - and Mark Carney. It's a good thing predictions are speculative 'cos what comes next could be even sillier than my reggaefied Gangnam to di dollarstore, Party-Castanet Riddim.



Yes, I've seen the signs. An overdressed monkey roams Ikea in Toronto. Siri usurps social intercourse, and "Christianmingle" could become a recognized English verb, via tele-advertising.

Dictionary: "to Christianmingle" - the act, or sound, of religion and social-networks merging with the-urge-to-merge.

My parents met in New York at a New Year's Eve party in 1953. It could be said this represents my earliest genesis, and each year with a 3 since has proved prosperous, with Positive Vibration. Kismet. Numerology. Superstition. Obeah. Callitwhatchawill ...

 

Today, 2013 already has me feeling like a sweepstake-winner. 



... letter to The President ...

...
..... whaa'pn Barack ...

.... no doubt there's always an overflowing inbox when you return from those Hawaiian holidays the unreasonable would deny you ... so I'll spare you the heavy stuff to start off this new decade ... I know you must've enjoyed the sun, sea, sand and "sno-bamas" ... a respite from suits and ties and Salahis ... not to mention the gargantuan tasks-of-management you find yourself engaged by ... still, you must travel with your work as it's part of your job description ... I appreciate you doing that even though I do not reside in the U.S. of A. ....

... the wide world is a smaller, more complex place these days ... and as the song says, "... it's hard to get by just upon a smile ," ... yours is a particularly radiant smile, it betrays a disarming honesty which comes across as approachability ... it can be described as "down-to-earth" (as good a place as any I suppose) ... many of us watching as you navigate uncharted routes onward take that smile at face value, even though we have all seen leaders-of-men practiced in the art of deception ... they too often come with winning smiles ...

... as a man who knows the joys of a well struck ball I hope you lined a few sweet fairway shots when you hit the links and didn't have to diplomat your way through too much Tiger Woods susu-susu in between holes (no joke intended) ... unless of course that's what you wanted ... seems Tiger is fair game, grist for the mill at the moment ... if you did the vacation up right there would've been a little workout and some kicking back with a cold one to wind down the day, a romp with Sasha and Malia, and a how-was-your-day wrap up debriefing with Michelle (joke intended ... your smile tells me you're cool with that too) ...

... I'm writing this from several time zones away but we've both inhaled a lot of invigorating sea breeze ... yours Pacific, mine Caribbean, and for the first time in my life I find myself marginally older than a POTUS ... it's from this perspective that I feel safely justified in my observations of you ... though it's early days yet I'd say you're doing fine career-wise ... a B+ is a win in my book and your mother would be proud ... persona-wise I'd award a higher mark based on your ability to connect with a broader variety of global aspirations than your predecessors ...

... well before the Nobel honour it was not overstatement to posit your life-story as allegory ... not only in a political sense, but in a poetic-justice sense ... a politician glibly making much of babies on the way to election is almost a joke ... definitely a cliche ... but you have already been elected ... and, I have it on good authority there was nothing glib or cliche when you held my new niece on New Years Eve ... my birthday ... the photo instantly flew around the world to me as a gift ... you're in the family now brotherman, stay strong and true ... 'til Shiloh ...

... Jah guide ...