ThisCaribbeanGirl

18.03.2018

2/50 days of productivity

Procrastination is my weakness 😧😫😥😭

1/50 days of productivity | 17.03.2018

Hi Study community!

I always wanted to do a productivity challenge, and seeing that my final exams are 50 days away, I decided to give it a try.

So my productivity challenge started off with a day filled with working through different thoughts and ideas for my poster assignment for my Metrology class.

The day had finally came, and even though it was for a little while (three hours to be exact), no one could have prepared me for the mixture of emotions.

As I watched my husband hand over our little one to the care giver (at that time, we have moved), and her eyes looked at mine, my heart immediately sank. I wasn’t sure if it was the best thing to do anymore. My brain quickly stepped in and I was reminded that this was going to be best for all of us.

As the time went by, I realized that I was able to get a bit of that much needed rest that my body craved. I was to able to cuddle with my husband without the interruption of a sudden cry and most importantly, I got a chance to wash my hair!! (It had been a while) It’s amazing what you can do with your time once utilized properly.

I will admit, I was missing my little one. Though the time without her was well spent and enjoyed, a part of me was secretly counting down the minutes. I mean it’s been her and I for months before any day care, so can you blame me?

Overall, her daycare trail had turned out to be a success, which was great! I knew that she would have been safe and comfortable, while I had me time (and by me time, I meant sleeping).

The time away from each other was essential, as it allowed her to learn more of this world as well as allowed her to progress more in her milestones by being around other babies her age, as well as allowing me to use the time to relax, breathe and do the things I had to.

Six months ago today, I was blessed with the wonderful role of motherhood, and in that time, I was able to learn three things; patience is key, nothing is written in stone and that sometimes you just have to go with the flow.

Now I say patience is key because it truly is the key trait to have when learning a new born. I constantly remind myself that my little one is new to this world and that everything she encounters is new. I also keep in mind that she is yet to be able to talk, so her only means of communication at this stage is crying. With that said, I remain calm and do my best to learn her cries and cues, oh because they are all different and all mean something.

‘Nothing is written in stone’ is something I have heard my mother say time and again throughout my existence on this earth, and each day with my little one opens my eyes to how true that statement is. Having little ones and trying to have a tight and structured schedule at the same time can quickly turn into a losing battle. Anything can change or happen at any point in time. For example, you can wake up thinking you’ll be able to wash your hair AND cook a quick lunch, all while being home alone with a month old baby. How quickly you’ll see that nothing is set in stone, as you ended up getting take out and you couldn’t reach the shower until three in the afternoon because your little one preferred to be up in arms for most of the day.

In the beginning, breastfeeding was stressful and I say this because I wanted everything associated with it to be perfect. The plan was to stick to a proper feeding and pumping schedule but it turned out to be me panicking over the fact that it’s time to feed the baby but she’s still asleep and my boobs are fulling up and one is hard and the milk isn’t flowing enough and freaking out because I thought I had developed mastitis. I had forgotten that I was dealing with a new born and an entirely new experience, being a new mom! I was reminded that I was at home for the next seven months, so why beat up on myself? And from then on , I put the pump down and just worked with my little one’s movements. When she was ready to sleep, she slept. When she was hungry, she was fed. When it’s play time, WooHoo!!! I just went along with the flow, her flow and it has truly made my breastfeeding experience more enjoyable and loving, as I am truly able to bond even more with my daughter in those moments.

So a lot can be learnt when you become a new parent. You learn something every day! Just keep in mind to not be too hard on yourself.

Little girl: Why do you have a bag?

Me: For my books.

Little girl: You go to school too?

Me: Yes, I attend university.

Little girl: So when you're finished, you have to get a job?

Me: Yes I do.

Little girl: What do you want to be?

Me: An engineer.

Little girl: What's an engineer?

Me: A person who makes things

There has been huge raves and reviews of Nicky Minaj’s VMA performance which she made as a tribute to Trinidad and Tobago. As a Trinbagonian woman, it gives me all right to say my part, because as anyone from any country in this world we live in, if anyone says that they are making a tribute to any country, people of said country would want to know AND see that the tribute is by all means and standards, CORRECT!  

Fellow Trinidadian, Ken-Ross Renaldo Le'la of VERSAstyle Designz posted, 

“everybody talkin about true trini but she sang the song trini dem girls (a tribute to trini girls) in a Jamaican accent, but some trini's are so desperate for a lil recognition it doesn't matter if she creates a totally false idea off how we speak and act, that's why the world always think that Trinidad is a place in Jamaica, the song reflected Jamaican culture more than anything is else, the costume saved her otherwise it would have nothing about her that truly reflects Trinidad, she did songs with Beenie, Movado, Gyptian but can't do a song with Machel or Bunji yet, she is no trini, in her interviews she depicts Trinidad as some war torn, disease stricken, poverty stricken and destitute place that she just managed to escape (in her words) "with her life", she uses Trinidad just to create a rags to riches story, but she doesn't know or care anything about Trinidad, she is not a trini, she cannot relate to us, and she left here too young to know much about us, and for those who are going to call me a hater or ungrateful becuz she 'put us on the map' jus by mentioning us, you should have a lil more dignity and stop putting a price on your name, it doesn't matter if she did a music video here, don't sell your culture short just for your name to be known, a little name is not worth trading your identity, she doesn't identify with us, she identifies with Jamaica. On the day of our Independence, this has been nothing but an international insult to us, have a lil more self respect Trinidad, this is not who or how we are, wake up.” 

He also highlights that, 

“The Jamaican online media is having a field day, that's the 3rd online article misappropriating my fb post, to flatter themself and make it to appear more about them than the real issue of Nicki Minaj misrepresentation of our culture as apposed to her affinity for Jamaican Culture.”

We are not bashing anyone or hating on their talents. The very said people who claim these things have lost the true essence of what was trying to be said. The fact is that she sang the song in a Jamaican style and vernacular, giving them more ammunition to lose the very essence of the real issue. It's the very reason more and more Americans  and others in the western world think that Trinidad is a city or town in Jamaica. 

It is just truly sad that Nicky Minaj’s team, the people around her, wouldn't push to correct her or even do proper research because all they care about are sales and they already know that their listeners loves Jamaican music, so why bother to correct her at all. A perfect example of capitalizing on the ignorance.