To Be A Leader?-My Primary and Sub-Primary Theme Songs! :)

As the 5th Summit of the Americas unfold here on the island i.e. in Port of Spain, Trinidad. I've been having a ball looking at the whole buzz around the summit, the speeches and antics of some of the most flamboyant, radical and controversial Latin American leaders out there-Hugo Chavez with his wingmen Evo Morales and Daniel Ortega. All under the auspices of Barack Obama as in my perception he looks over them like a grand judge! :)

Now I’m not much for blogging about politics on this blog as I more think of politics and politicians in comedic and entertainment roles perhaps it is the Trini in me that is accustomed with the legacy to quote the old calypso “Them only kicksin (joking) in parliament”. But really seeing characters like Hugo Chavez highlighted locally it has made me wonder really what does it take to make a leader? Not what it takes to make a good leader cause to me and I will have to quote my favourite Shakespeare’s Hamlet again:


“There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.”

So perhaps then I am inspired by the same Hamlet cause I am pondering:

To Be or Not to Be...A Leader

So many great quotes in Hamlet it seems cause my favourite quote is from it too...

"...To Thine Ownself Be True..."

So I won’t go into what is a good or bad leader but just what it takes to make a leader. And really it doesn’t take much to me really…as complicated as most people make it sound to me we are all leaders and daily lead in our own right. If we remind ourselves of this more often or look within and realize this more often each day and then step up to the plate and do the right thing and so lead in our own way each and every day for sure the world would be a better place.

We all need to make our way…and we all have our unique purpose here on earth. And so it made me want to sing a song I call my sub-primary theme song…'Wonder' by Natalie Merchant cause I’ve always associated with this song but really not in a “I think I’m so great way” but in a way that really it just made sense to me how I felt about myself and I connected with it. My primary theme song being 'I am the One and Only' by Chesny Hawks which I’ve shared on this blog already but will share again.

So really the quotes:

“Ask not what your country can do for you but what you can do for your country” -JFK

“The Power of One” –which really it seems, can be linked back to this South Africa/Australian novel’s title and these Irish and South African campaigns to save electricity.

And at the 5th Summit of the Americas yesterday here in Trinidad come to mind:

"It's important to remind my fellow leaders. It's not just the United States that has to change. All of us have responsibilities to look toward the future…''- Barack Obama

So let’s all be Leaders...let’s all be that change we want to see...

“Be the change you want to see in the world.” –Mahatma Gandhi

So I leave you with my primary and sub-primary theme songs as inspirations to myself to be reminded to do so...and perhaps for you too but really be your own leader and find your own theme song to listen to...of course cool if you really associate with mines and want to share it too...after all music is for the people!

Words to my sub-primary theme song by Natalie Merchant-

"Doctors have come from distant cities
Just to see me
Stand over my bed
Disbelieving what they're seeing

They say I must be one of the wonders
Of god's own creation
And as far as they can see they can offer
No explanation

Newspapers ask intimate questions
Want confessions
They reach into my head
To steal the glory of my story

They say I must be one of the wonders
Of god's own creation
And as far as they can see they can offer
No explanation

O, I believe
Fate smiled and destiny
Laughed as she came to my cradle
Know this child will be able
Laughed as my body she lifted
Know this child will be gifted
With love, with patience and with faith
She'll make her way

People see me
I'm a challenge to your balance
I'm over your heads
How I confound you and astound you
To know I must be one of the wonders
Of god's own creation
And as far as you can see you can offer me
No explanation

O, I believe
Fate smiled and destiny
Laughed as she came to my cradle
Know this child will be able
Laughed as she came to my mother
Know this child will not suffer
Laughed as my body she lifted
Know this child will be gifted
With love, with patience and with faith
She'll make her way "

Easter Sunday!- Morning has Broken...My Refinery Walks, My Sunflowers and a Butterfly

On this Easter Sunday morning many of us think about rebirth...a fitting song for this is one already featured on my blogs in the past...I particularly felt that way on New Year's Day this year and so dedicated the song on the blogs then- Morning Has Broken by Cat Stevens and other versions of it.

However you can feel that way on any day of the year of course. Last Diwali morning (08) I had this beautiful and marvelous dream that to me was the opening up of a very new beginning and birthing to me...of course Diwali is also the start of the Hindu financial year but again I think this can happen on any day...the dream was so beautiful but its contents and details I'd rather keep to myself in a way for now...although I believe I've discussed it on those famous dream blogs we had back on Intent a few months ago...aaahh so beautiful to recall that dream...

Of recently I've been taking many walks and perhaps I'll share the details about my steppy thingy a.k.a my pedometer on this blog soon but very recently I took a walk in my company's refinery. The refinery has parts that hold living quarters called bungalows from the times of the British, golf courses, artificial lakes that were created to collect water that can be used as cooling water in the refinery...and perhaps then the birds came...but would you believe it the refinery also has a Wild Fowl Trust that is housed on its grounds...of course all of this is a good way away from the actual refinery itself but to me our refinery is living testament to sustainable development.

I particularly like the number of Samaan trees that it preserves one of the most beautiful and blessed trees on the island and an ecosystem in itself. My family used to have one in our living area for many, many years (>50 I think) until one relative who owned the portion of the land that it was on saw it fit to chop it down...it was wood to him...a living ecosystem to many others who lobbied for him to keep it standing...when that tree was chopped for months I saw it still like the ghost of a lost love it appeared on the skyline...I had grown so accustomed to seeing it there for the 20+ years of my lifetime back then...a true loss...and you know as a child I use to swing from that tree...I shall have to scan the pic of that and share one day...you must see that tree...such a sad story really...but some people see the world differently no doubt...

However I'm glad my current employer sees the need to keep those Samaans...even admist tanks and pipelines...and refinery cooling water! :) So onto the resurrection as we speak of the trees that live! :) Here are the pics I took on my refinery walks followed by my sunflowers...my suraj mukhi and their surprise visitor whom I captured in digital form! :)

A grove of trees...


A pipeline and a tree...sustainable development maybe? :)


Into the Woods I go...


This is the path I took...


As I walked a lake I met...


There were some pelicans on the lake...


Then I walked some more till I stopped...


Then on my walk back I looked at that lake some more and...
Was that mangrove I did spy?...


And surrounding the lake were so many beautiful trees...


Then I looked across the lake and saw a bungalow...


As I walked back on the other side of the path I saw another lake and on the banks of it were trees littered not with white paper but with egrets! :)


Then I saw some egrets perched in a nearby tree...


Then I looked at those same egrets but more closely...


Then I walked on and took this pic to summarise what I was pondering on...
Here in a refinery so much nature and beauty this could only one thing be
Admist tanks and pipelines
Trees and vines
And so yet still sustainable development could be mines! :)


And a few evenings earlier when I came home from work to my surprise here were my
sunflowers...my suraj mukhi along with a definite and beautiful surprise!:)


PS: At the upcoming 5th Summit of the Americas next week the wives of all the delegates including Michelle Obama will be visiting our refinery to see the staff club and the Wildfowl Trust! :)

And After the Starshine...Here Comes the Sun! :)

Toodoodoo!...tanana...

Good Morning Starshine! :)

Good Morning Starshine! This is just for fun and to honour a fellow Intent community member Starshine Junnie...whose name is just so beautiful that every time I greet her I remember this beautiful, pretty, little, simple 60's tune and want to sing it for her and everyone! So pretty! :)

GOOD MORNING STARSHINE! I HOPE YOU FEEL BETTER!:)

Enjoy!...