I must admit, I have found it almost laborious to write these past two or so months. I painstakingly think of things to write about only to remember that I’ve already done so. I am then forced to reflect upon the general tone of my pieces. By now I’m sure you all have a fairly accurate perception of me. I’ve addressed issues very personal to me. These have included weight, depression, family, Apple and even politics. Today I revisit a topic that, over the past few days, has been in the forefront of my mind. Mortality. Read the rest of this entry »
Category Archives: The Union-Recorder
No Sense of Time
I recently took a trip to Jamaica. I still semi consider Jamaica my home as most of my family members are from Jamaica and I did spend my childhood there. With a family wedding planned it was time to make our almost yearly journey to Jamaica. Unlike most people I’m not usually overly enthused to go back home. It’s hot, air conditioning is still a luxury, and then you have to contend with island time. Island time is not restricted to Jamaica, from my experience, it’s a universal Caribbean island expression and experience.
It’s a bit sad because I too have my own sense of time. When I’m at work and I need to go home I’ll say I’ll be leaving in a ‘LaToya minute.’ That means it’ll be maybe 30 minutes to one hour later. What’s funny is that while I hate island time, it’s manifested its way into my life. Island time, for those who are unfamiliar with the term, is when a set time is more like a general guideline. The wedding I attended was set to begin promptly at 4 o’clock. That meant the wedding would start closer to 5pm as 4 o’clock was when much of the wedding party was just beginning to get ready.
Getting to Retirement
Retiring seems like a distant and almost unattainable reality to me. At 32 years old I know that I have several decades to go. However, unlike past generations, I have a real concern about what will happen when I retire. I look at people who are well in their years and wonder if they view others the way I see them. Feeble, dependent on care, sometimes forgotten, the older generation is a constant reminder that one day I too will be among them. I’m afraid, with no children of my own and the mistrust of government in this regard, I’ll be placed in some home hidden away from the rest of the world. Read the rest of this entry »
The Reluctant Parent
With Mother’s Day just around the corner I can’t help but to think about how recently I became a stepmother. It’s a life change that I hadn’t really anticipated. I thought, in my youth, of what it’d be like to become a mother. It was a notion that seemed like a dream. As I got older I realized that it was a dream that was to remain just that. I made the conscious decision that I would not have children.
It’s one of those tough decisions in life that many women face. In my case there are a number of health reasons why having a natural-born child is not in my best interest. That works out considering how business-minded I am and the lack of an overwhelming desire to have any. However, I must admit that I am very nervous about being a stepmom. Right now I feel like it’s a ceremonial position. The kids have great parents who have a wonderful system that works for them and as a result I’m hesitant to step in. Read the rest of this entry »
The Days of Our Lives
Our ways of viewing television programs have changed considerably over the last few decades. With the popularity of satellite television and expanded traditional cable options there’s virtually no limit to the content that we have access to. Have a passion for sports, british programs or even telenovelas? They’re just a click away on your multi-buttoned remote. We’re no longer tied to the traditional television networks and recording shows have never been quite the same. I find that I spend a lot more time watching tv, more than I probably should.
During my childhood while living in Jamaica I remember there being only one channel, JBC. Each night’s broadcast ended with the playing of the national anthem followed by the nothingness of the SMPTE color bars. It was finite. You always knew when children programming and the news were coming on and with one channel, it was easy to know what others were watching. In these days of early commercial satellite tv my grandparents were among the few who subscribed to American television via a very large satellite dish (which remained up from the 80s into this decade). Certain channels that they didn’t subscribe to came through with squiggly lines and other distortions which were meant to serve as an early deterrent to non-subscribers of premium channels. Read the rest of this entry »
LaToya M. Davidson-Perez 