Finally

Lately, I was working on three (3) Sketchup homes concurrently, and it became a bit tiring. But I am glad to say that I finished one of the three.

The idea for this home came to me when I was booked for a PR event. Usually, I am very nervous before the any PR event, because I want to make a good impression and be as professional as ever. The thing is, I don't really like to be booked to meet new people, but I must, so that I can make a living. You know there are those jobs that helps you to quietly make a living, that is what I love, its what I thrive in, its the only thing that helps me to think effectively and creatively, hence, I love Graphic Design. Unfortunately, I have to meet people and make them feel comfortable in front of the camera, while I am so nervous I could pass out. I feel to run whenever I see video cameras, I hate them.

Anyway, the name of this house is called, The Executive Sanctuary. It is a three-story city home with an indoor pool, living room, kitchen and breakfast/dinner nook, lots of storage, parking for one car, one and a half baths, two bedrooms and an outside dining area. As with all my other designs, it has an lots of windows for air and light, so that you will not burn electricity on a regular basis, and it is very private. The colours were really simple, shades of blue and white, with a few "accents." I am yet to meet a flamboyantly colourful business man/woman, who likes to come home to a super colourful house!

This house, is one of my more organized ones, I love the bathroom layout especially. This home would be particularly suitable on a piece of property I saw on Dundonald Street.

2012©LisaMarieBonaparte

Tomorrow...

is a break for me... Enjoy the pic!

2012©LisaMarieBonaparte

Life is Important

Today I was reading up on some info.

Lately, I have been having some pain in my breast, mostly on my right breast, I am a bit scared but eventually I will have to take a breast exam, I have already taken a physical self-exam, and I don't feel any lump or anything, but I do feel some pain. I assume its from the bone in the bra, or the share weight of the breast. If anything I will keep you posted.

Today, I found a website of an organization. The photographer takes photos of women who bare all their scars from the surgery to rid themselves of breast cancer. As a result you can see the fight they put up with just to survive, I can't imagine the painful healing that they must have had to endure. Just a little note: Your breasts are a very sensitive organ, with it, you are stimulated sexually, and they also function as a means of delivering one of the most nutritious liquid ever created: Breast milk. I can't even get started on how effective breast milk really is to growing children. In fact, I have observed that the healthiest children are the ones who drink only breast milk, as opposed to 'baby food'.... Ahhh another time for that, but you are going to have to wait a long time. The pics on the website are hauntingly beautiful, and several times I clutched my breast, thinking, 'What if'?  I think you should have a look, but only do it as a mature person, open your mind and just let the images speak to you.

The SCAR Project

2012©LisaMarieBonaparte

Squatters and Renters

Only recently, I found that local Trinis are beginning to see how beautiful this country is, before it was just wanton slash and burn. It began to look like this: You would see a piece of land or lush forest teeming with wildlife and birds, and in the next moment it would be gone and you would see a housing development or some sort of quarrying, and or a tower of garbage... and one or two or ten squatters... with chickens and cows.

Squatting goes like this: You see a piece of land, you build a small wooden shack. You expand the said shack and add a second piece. You add two more rooms and buy a washing machine, and a stove and a fridge. Electricity is obtained by stealing a live line. You also get a cell phone. You don't even bother to pay taxes on the land. You buy bricks to add a concrete structure, later. The land owner comes, sees you on their land, and they send the bailiff. During the shack building period, you have your wife/girlfriend/common-law/fiancee pop out 6 - 9 malnourished children, so that the public can pity you, just in case the landowner rightfully comes to 'invest' in their 'investment'. Good. This day is here. While the landowner watches, the chickens flutter and cluck in disapproval, the cows snort and moo, the children cower in fear, teary-eyed, their mother visibly distressed with child number ten, bawling for mercy and the father looking to fight the landowner, his shrill voice cussing in the hot blowing savannah air. You and ten other families watch as the bull dozer floor every single home, memories and documents, trampled in the mud. Reporters document the chaos, the smartly dressed newswoman flips her hair as she interviews you, your teeth some missing and some yellow, lips cracked from bawling at the landowner for claiming what is his. The landowner is then interviewed, his gold rolex with diamonds spark and sparkle. Your children watches him, their small bodies baking in the sun. His veneered teeth and moistened lips emphasizes 'th' and 'lawyer', he gestures your way and points at your children. "What do you expect me to do?" he shrugs. The operation takes about two hours, maybe less, then the landlord leaves in his air-conditioned SUV, while the 'Cat' cleans up the mess. You are now back to square one.

Sigh.

We have to move, it has become inevitable.  No, I am not squatting, I am renting. The landlord has been going into our apartment when we are not there. He is supposed to be repairing the tiled floor, however, he has been giving us problems with regards to parking and a host of other ills. So, unfortunately, its the best we can do. Our privacy has been in question. How do I know? He has been too familiar with us, and very controlling, something I saw before, but tried to deal with. We tried to have civilized discussions with him, but, he responded with insults and statements that are not true. In the end, I felt like he is weird, along with feeling that someone was constantly watching us all the time. So, we are moving. Don't feel sorry for me, I am not sad, just very indifferently pissed!

I am going to get ice cream.

2012©LisaMarieBonaparte

A personal project I did in 2005

2012©LisaMarieBonaparte

Musical Interlude...

Earlier today I saw a friend's update on FB, it was a salsa dance number, with music done by Juan Luis Guerra. Now, I have a policy among my friends that I don't really want a romantic bone in my body, its there but I want to focus on other stuff, (between you and I, things will be kept in place...until). However, something about Guerra is special, almost a genuine love, but its not rough, its not 'trippy', its almost hopeful, especially when he is slow and calm, just singing his song.

Now this piece is called Bachata en Fukuoka. It also features an interracial couple dancing the bachata, "a style of dance originated in the Dominican Republic"(Wikipedia). The word Fukuoka is the name of a city in Japan. So my guess is the name of the song is: Dance in Fukuoka. I think it sounds more romantic in Spanish.

The song is really long and while I would love to post the lyrics, you can find them here. The video was directed by Simon Brand, I am so sorry I can't find the name of the couple. Enjoy the music!

2012©LisaMarieBonaparte

The Help

"You is smart…"

I am not a sucker for movies that feature even a spot of racism. It is sometimes too much to bear, especially when you feel it has hit too close to home, that it pierces your heart, because you are being discriminated for something you cannot change…YOU.

Initially, I refused to see The Help, because I thought "meh, another movie featuring 'mammies' who do you-know-what, trying to start trouble in a modern world where, racism has reared its ugly head even higher." The name-calling for one will not stop.  All you have to do is read the comments in some on-line articles: monkey, watermelon, fried-chicken, angry black woman… it just goes on and on… So this movie, I won't even hear of it, or pay my money to see it…

I was wrong.

I love it. 

It was funny, intelligent, tactful, brave, and it opened your eyes to what African-American people, particularly the women, what they had to go through. My sis was convinced it was fictional, this is debatable for me. It seemed too good to be so real! The actresses Viola Davis, plays the 'main help,' who has to face the injustice done to her son as he dies on her couch in the living room, as well as taking care of little white kids, and caring for them, trying to be 'professional,' a mother-for-hire, to them. Octavia Spencer plays a 'sassy-mouth help' who has some really marvelous experiences, one of which causes a scandal… or almost. Bryce Dallas Howard is really brave to take on the role as a beautiful racist, who lies to manipulate the suburban wives in her town, and succeeds, sometimes. 

There were some parts of the movie that made me cry. The story of Constantine Jefferson, expertly played by the classy Cicely Tyson, was heartbreakingly rendered. It is one of the most,  heart-squeezing moment. And, the recanting of the story of Aibileen Clark's (Viola Davis) son. And when Aibileen, was fired from her last job, I felt like I was witnessing my mother, something about that made me think of my mom for some reason, and I burst into more tears. The most hilarious, is Minni Jackson's (Octavia Spencer) chocolate pie incident. As well as her reaction on seeing  Celia Foote's (Jessica Chastain) hubby, offering to assist her.

Emma Stone played the budding journalist, Skeeter Phelan, who finally gains a jerk boy friend, and loses him again, due to the book. I almost did not recognize her, it was a great role for her, but she still seemed a bit fake, as though I could see that she was acting. And I found that, I should not see it.

Movie was directed by Tate Taylor and written by Kathryn Stockett.

9 stars out of 10. (You made my cry, twice)

P.S. the inclusion of Medgar Evers was well done, although, he is almost forgotten since I really don't know much about him, but I was familiar with his name, and I don't know why. i will look him up.

And congrats to Ms. Davis and Ms. Spencer, you both deserved those awards!!

2012©LisaMarieBonaparte