Category Archives: people

me and Missy.002

DREAMING BY DESIGN

So last weekend I ate lots of food, saw tons of relatives, and reflected on things that have happened for me between Thanksgiving 2013 and Thanksgiving 2014.

Like 2 super-exciting gigs, for example. I got to escape winter by singing in Dubai for 6 months, then I came home for the summer and filmed my first movie role playing the young Missy Elliott in Lifetime’s Aaliyah: Princess of R&B.

Of course there’s a silver lining in every cloud and a cloud for every silver lining. The Dubai experience was awesome, but being away from family and friends for that long can be tough. Playing the part of a pop culture icon in this major project is my biggest booking so far, but it didn’t come without a certain amount of . . . let’s call it . . . character-building.  =)

Now this post isn’t going to count, characterize or rehash any negative comments from the world of social media. (Although I offer a sincere “Thank You” to all those who took the time to send me encouraging messages; more than I expected! Bless up.) Nope, I’m writing this to share something that helped me keep my head up when it would have been easier to get angry or defensive or sad.

Let’s take it back to high school for a minute. As a tenth-grader at Thornhill Secondary, I had my first taste of graphic design in a course which I think was called Computer Sciences, and one project really stuck with me. Our teacher instructed each of us to Photoshop our face onto the cover of a popular magazine.

I loved the idea, and I scanned a hard copy of VIBE that I’d bought on a recent trip to the States (it was hard to find in Canada at the time).

double take

I’d never heard of a vision board or a dream board back then, but I kept a copy of this assignment. And I almost forgot about it until years later when the “controversy” arose about me portraying Missy Elliott. You cannot imagine how encouraging it was to find that 12-year-old piece of paper and hold it in my hand. It taught me 3 really important lessons.

me and Missy.001

 

1. THOUGHTS BECOME THINGS

Me designing this made-up cover, and keeping it, was my way of saying to God and the universe (long before I learned about the law of intention or self-fulfilling prophecies or anything like that) that I wanted fame and fortune and photographers. I still want to be a cover girl; I would love to do so in the world of music, but if it comes about through acting or some other form of expression, I’m fine with that as well. This taught me that making and using vision/dream boards is incredibly powerful as long as you’re putting the work in too. Mind what you wish for, because if you think it enough times, you’ll end up with it somehow.

 

2. NEVER GIVE UP

Notice, the time lapse between my magazine assignment and the headlines for this casting was 12 years. I originally thought I’d have a record deal around the time I finished high school — HA! It would have been so easy for me to trash this printout when I realized I was headed to university instead of being the next teen pop music queen, or any of the times I auditioned/applied/submitted for a role/gig/deal and didn’t get it. Now I understand that years or even decades can go by, but that doesn’t mean you won’t get what you’re going for. It might just mean you haven’t grown enough, or learned enough, or sacrificed enough yet.

Let’s say you set your ultimate goal 20 years ago and you’re not there yet. I don’t know when you’ll make it, but if you give up, I know you won’t ever make it. And it might be right around the corner. So keep going.

 

3. GOD HAS A GREAT SENSE OF HUMOUR

To be honest, my choosing that cover was a matter of convenience; it had nothing to do with Missy herself. Of course I’m a longtime fan; the woman is a legend! But it ended up as my backdrop simply because we were told to choose our favourite magazine (mine was definitely VIBE) and that was the hard copy I had to scan. Of course, the funny plot twist is that I went from replacing Missy’s face with my own to being the face of Missy in the movie. So the timeline looks like this:

June 2002 – I declare “I’m going to be on the cover of VIBE one day” by inserting my face onto VIBE’s cover and changing up the headlines to reflect my own interests and wishes.

Summer 2009 – VIBE goes out of print. I mope about my lost opportunity. Even the magazine’s later resurrection and reincarnations don’t make me feel much better. I sulk, but I keep working (duh).

June 2014 – I audition for and land the role of Missy Elliott in Lifetime’s biopic Aaliyah: Princess of R&B, and I keep an eye on social media as people speculate about the movie and about who will be playing the lead role. The majority of what I read confirms my suspicion that the public will be vocal about any casting choices they don’t like.

August 2014 – BlackFilm.com publishes a piece about the movie’s cast, announcing that I’m playing Missy. Figuring the cat’s out of the bag, I confirm via Facebook (where a bunch of people who know me are full of congratulations) and Twitter (where a bunch of people who don’t know me are full of something else). Remembering my 2002 DIY mag cover, I remind myself that I earned this role and that my job is to get up, dress up, show up, and play the part. I have an incredible time, working with amazing people — love and respect to Izaak, Alex, AJ, James, Brad, Etheline, Rose, Chris, Gisele, Joe, Michelle, Fast Eddie, and every single member of the cast and crew for making this experience as awesome as it was!

November 2014 – the movie comes out, and a new chapter begins.

 

I can’t wait to see what new things I’ll have to be grateful for by next Thanksgiving.

xoxo

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10 MARKERS OF A REALLY GOOD PARTY … OR A REALLY BAD ONE

 

Caribana weekend has come and gone and I refuse to dedicate this month’s Top Ten Tuesday to the mess that was the Grand Parade . . . partially because everyone else is blogging about it right now . . . and partially because I’d rather focus on positives than negatives.

However, various events from this weekend have led me to spend some time thinking about the best and worst parties I’ve attended, many of them occurring on a jump-up weekend in the past, and what sets apart the great from the good, and the bad from the truly terrible. See if you agree with any/all of these.

 

1. WHO YOU’RE WITH

I mean really. You can have an amazing time in a condemned haunted house if the company you’re keeping is cool; yet if you’re invited as a VIP guest to some awesome soirée but you don’t like the crowd, you’ll probably be wishing you were somewhere else.

Party people!

Party people!

Everybody’s got those friends who they would go anywhere with. Keep them at the top of your invite list.

 

2. WHERE YOU ARE

Even with the important “who” detail out of the way, the “where” is still important. Some people love clubs, while some of us are getting really tired of them. Some people love pool parties, while some people don’t want to spend an entire afternoon being afraid of getting wet.

Good peoples, plus a party on a boat?  #yup!

Good peoples, plus a party on a boat? #yup!

Know your preference.

 

3. YOUR PURPOSE

You left your place and got dressed up (maybe; see #5) for a reason; that reason has to be in line with the party you’re going to! Example: I’ll get excited to go to a fête, but not to a bar. I don’t particularly like drinking, but I love soca, so that choice is obvious for me.

Our purpose was CRYSTAL CLEAR!

Our purpose was CRYSTAL CLEAR!

One of the best parties I can remember being at was a 90s jam at the Ram in the Rye, back when I was a student at Ryerson. DJ Starting from Scratch cemented his status as my favourite DJ (and reaffirmed it in #7) by playing nothing but 90s music. If I’d gone out hoping to do anything BUT dance to all those old-school jams, I would’ve been in the corner with a sour face.

 

4. YOUR TRIP THERE AND BACK

Ever get to a party exhausted because it was such a struggle to find parking, or you got lost, or something like that? Instant loss of fun points. This is why I stick to downtown events where, worst comes to worst, I can probably take a taxi or a streetcar there and back again. If you do like drinking, you’ll probably prefer partying where you aren’t the DD.

Don't let it take too long to reach the party ...

Don’t let it take too long to reach the party …

For me personally, one of my favourite things about living near Bathurst and Lake Shore Blvd is that I’m walking distance from the Caribana parade. No waiting for anybody; when I’m ready to leave, bye!!!

 

5. YOUR CLOTHING

How are you gonna have fun if you’re constantly sucking in your stomach or snagging your shirt or sweating too much? Personally I like parties which don’t require much clothing at all (lol), because this minimizes the amount of time I have to spend considering all these variables.

 

Couldn't even count the amount of times I wore this top ... super-comfortable and it always looked great.

Couldn’t even count the amount of times I wore this top … super-comfortable and it always looked great.

Which brings us to . . .

 

6. YOUR ACCESSORIES

Every female reading this has, at some point, suffered due to an unfortunate choice of footwear at a party. Shoe manufacturers seem to have discovered a way to make certain pumps feel deceptively comfortable in the store and around the house and for maybe the first 90 minutes when you finally debut them, and then suddenly your feet are burning like hell fire. Every male reading this has, at some point, shaken his head and wondered (silently, if he’s smart) why a female would do that to herself. I have been literally carried back to the car (thanks Kerron!). I have spent most of the night dancing from the waist up only, because my friend and I knew full well that if we left our seats, the other footsore females who were circling would make sure we never got to sit down again (shoutouts to Dawn Dai!). And on numerous occasions I have brought a pair of flat shoes in my purse in case the pain from the heels got too intense.

Yes, we got a cute pic out of it. But we were legit concerned that I might cripple myself walking back across the gravel parking lot, so he really did carry me. #clearlyakeeper

Yes, we got a cute pic out of it. But we were legit concerned that I might cripple myself walking back across the gravel parking lot, so he really did carry me. #clearlyakeeper

Shoes are a biggie, but there are other accessories that can seriously kill your vibe too. Like earrings that are too heavy to let you really dance. And hairpieces that threaten to separate from your head if you dance too hard. So choose your ENTIRE wardrobe carefully.

 

7. THE DJ

If there is a DJ. Because sometimes you want to go to a party where you can have an actual conversation; and sometimes you’re okay just hearing your friend’s iTunes playlist in the background. But when the DJ is legit, he or she has tremendous influence on whether you’re smiling or screwfacing.

summerbreezeI attended “Summer Breeze” this Caribana Sunday, which was a daytime rooftop party, and the DJs (the main ones were Toronto’s own DJ Starting from Scratch and DJ Dany Neville from Dubai) were so proper. Great mixing, good pacing, a wicked soca set in the middle of the event, and — praise Jesus — there was zero talking over the music. If you are a DJ who thinks I came out to hear you talk, you are sadly mistaken. And I know plenty of girls who get irritated by repeated exhortations to walk roun if yuh pussy tun up, for example. Even dudes get salty if you interrupt the music one too many times — why should their bubble get cut short because you like the sound of your own voice so much? It’s like someone with a megaphone walking in on a couple in a baby-making zone. Stop it.

 

8. THE PRICE POINT

This is a dealbreaker for a lot of folks; hey, it’s a tough economy. And yes, I do realize that charging admission helps to keep out some of the riffraff, usually. But I am so much more likely to buy an early-bird ticket for an event, or choose just one expensive party every few months and stay on the cheaper side for the rest, because let’s face it: some of the best parties I’ve ever gone to (like the 90s jam in #3, and a few wedding receptions, and even some high school dances back in the day) didn’t cost me a thing to get inside.

Nish, Dija and me!

Nish, Dija and me!

With that in mind, when someone is sweet enough to cover your cover for you, you’re automatically more likely to have fun; like when my homegirl Nish bought me a ticket to the 2014 Camo boat ride to welcome me home to Toronto. Love you girl!!!

 

9. THOSE PEOPLE (NOT YOUR PEOPLE, THE OTHER ONES)

If your crowd is all fun and friendly and everyone else in the venue is stush, sure, you can just ignore everyone else in the venue. But it really is more fun when a whole bunch of like-minded people get together, and by the time you leave, some have gone from strangers to friends.

New friend Doru, who I met in Dubai? Will we ever meet again? Who knows. The point is we had fun at the Cavalli Club =)

New friend Doru, who I met in Dubai! Will we ever meet again? Who knows. The point is we had fun at the Cavalli Club =)

Yes, I obviously like meeting new guys when I go out; my roster can usually use new names and faces! ;-)  But I’ve even made great new girlfriends out at events, or reconnected with old ones. It really is about people getting together and having a good time.

 

10. YOU

Strangely enough, even though I’ve just spent all this time listing external factors, it comes down to you and your mindset. When I decide to let go of my insecurities, I have a great time. When I decide to live in the moment like I might never get to go to a party ever again, I have a great time. When I remember to laugh about (or at) painful shoes, unfriendly people, annoying DJs, inflated prices, my bestie who’s not there, or how long the lineup was, I have a great time.

Once me, myself and I have decided to have fun, it's a wrap!

Once me, myself and I have decided to have fun, it’s a wrap!

After all, it isn’t my job to control everything; and if it were, I’d never be able to have fun. Here’s hoping I can remember that more often. And here’s hoping I see you at another fête, day party, or house jam sometime soon! ;-)

 

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10 PLACES I WANT TO VISIT

I’ve been home for a month now. I love home. I love travelling too. I’d love to go back to Dubai for next winter.

However, there are tons of other places I’d also love to visit, and that’s the topic for this month’s  Top Ten Tuesday here at www.chattrisse.com . . .

 

1. Belize

Just because. The idea got lodged in my head while I was in university . . . I legit don’t even remember how . . . and it hasn’t gone away.

www.cahalpech.com

www.cahalpech.com

Honeymoon destination?

 

2. Paris

This is thanks to The Devil Wears Prada. My mom and I started planning a trip there once, but we ended up going to Costa Rica instead.

worldtravelguide.net

www.worldtravelguide.net

I am hoping I can find extremely chic clothing at a reasonable price, and that my French isn’t too Canadian.

 

3. St Lucia

Pretty much any gorgeous tropical destination is a win in my book. But it would be nice to catch the St Lucia Jazz Festival, go snorkelling or scuba diving and then drive through a volcano (faster getaway in case Mount So-and-So decides to heat up).

www.travelintropical.blogspot.com

www.travelintropical.blogspot.com

And since the St Lucians I’ve met are all awesome, I’m looking forward to meeting more of them!

 

4. Brazil

Mom and I were once asked if we were Brazilian, and we were extremely flattered — maybe the genuine Brasilianas (did I do that right?) can teach me a thing or two when I get there!

www.ibtimes.com

www.ibtimes.com

Clearly I’m missing the party that is World Cup 2014, but hey, surely that means the airfare is about to drop. And speaking of the World Cup . . .

 

5. South Africa

I’ve been reading about freedom fighters since I was a kid, so naturally I want to see this place for myself. I do not, however, want to hear any vuvuzelas, please and thanks. My friend Shane, from Cape Town, has piqued my interest with his descriptions of safaris and beach house rentals, and malva pudding is like one of my favourite desserts now, so off I go!

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Me and Shane!

 

Random fact: when I followed my dad’s lead and selected an African name, the first time around, I chose Zenzele, which is South African.

 

6. Way Up North

The aforementioned Shane wants to visit Canada in the winter (crazy man), since he’s never experienced bone-chilling cold before. I’m okay skipping the weather, but I do want to go somewhere far enough north to see the Northern Lights.

www.guardianlv.com

www.guardianlv.com

I would have caught them at summer camp one year except that the clouds conspired against me (just as they have for so many meteor showers); and watching Frozen recently reminded me of how much I want to see that beautiful sight for myself.

 

7. Trinidad Carnival

I see this as a different destination from Trinidad at any other time of year. I really wanted to be there for Carnival this year, since it fell on my birthday. But going during a year when it doesn’t (which is pretty much every year) will just mean stretching my birthday out over a matter of weeks.

www.democraticunderground.com

www.democraticunderground.com

Or months. I’m okay with that.

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8. Italy

For the food. For some authentic tiramisu. For some amazing pasta. If I’m lucky, my friend Davide will be home when I go and he’ll cook me a huge meal . . .

Davide =)

Davide =)

he might even convince me to turn away from my usual fruity cocktails and enjoy some wine instead.

 

9. Singapore

This got lodged in my head while I was visiting Mom in Abu Dhabi once, and shortly afterward I got very excited by the possibility of living there for a year while performing as Nala in The Lion King on stage there.

ds-lands.com

www.ds-lands.com

Neither that trip nor that role have happened for me yet, but both are still kicking around in my brain . . .

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10. Indonesia

This entry is highly influenced by my recent stint in Dubai.

www.indonesianfair.com

www.indonesianfair.com

My bandmates both love Indonesia and couldn’t stop raving about it; if my three new Indonesian friends Adit and Rio and Oka are any indication of the general population, the country is full of amazingly friendly people; and Indonesia was strongly recommended, along with Singapore, by a GTAer I met during my final days there who’s been travelling for ten years.

Honorable mentions go to Sweden, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, the Maldives, Malta, and Monaco; and I’d love to take a coast-to-coast trip across Canada too.

Guess I better start packing.  =)

Are any of these places on your bucket list too?  Have you been to any of them already? Is there somewhere I didn’t name that you think I absolutely HAVE to visit?

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10 WINS FROM MY STAY IN DUBAI

 

June already! I’m almost back on Canadian soil (editing and posting this from inside an airport terminal actually), after spending half a year abroad. For this edition of Top Ten Tuesday, here are ten awesome memories and/or accomplishments from this stay in Dubai . . .

 

1.  So much writing.

Beginning on Christmas Day 2013, I promised I would write every day. Even a single sentence, or a few words; some days this meant an entire song or three, and some days it meant several scenes of a TV episode. Sometime in April or May I got a little more strict with myself, so now I have to write a snippet or piece of a song, or a song idea, every day. Even on days when I’ve completed a song. Even on days when I’m totally focused on a script and don’t want to think about writing a song.

IMG_0726So, the final tally? 52 new songs and 3 new episodes of the series I’m working on. Plus, I’ve got about 11 pages of ideas to dip into the next time I think “now what can I write a song about?” Not bad at all.

 

2.  So much sun.

What do you when it’s 50 degrees warmer where you are than it is back at home? You go to the beach.

Feb 5 2014.027It’s not like I was out there every day, but I definitely took advantage of my winter and spring in the desert — and I’ve got the tan to prove it!

 

3.  So much singing.

Being onstage six nights a week and singing so many genres (pop, reggae, rock, country, soul, Motown, blues, calypso, jazz) is awesome training. Doing so without lyrics in front of you is great for your memorization skills. Doing so in heels has left my feet considerably uglier than they were six months ago . . . ah well, you can’t win em all.

DSC08154Shoutouts to my incredible bandmates Jo (keys) and Julian (guitar), for allowing me to experience the awesomeness that is playing with live musicians — and alllllll the hilarity that goes along with it!

 

4.  Friends from every corner of the globe.

Maybe not every single corner . . . but I now have people to welcome me in Italy, South Africa, Indonesia, Sweden, all over the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Russia, the Ukraine, Saudi Arabia, and of course here in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. And as eager as I am to get back home and hug all my people in Canada and the United States, it feels good to know that friendship transcends borders.

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IMG_0110Of course I look forward to welcoming any of my new friends if and when they find themselves in Toronto, too!

 

5.  Fly boarding.

Hands-down the coolest single activity I’ve done since leaving home.

flyboard10You can watch the video here (in fact, go do it right now) and I really hope I get the opportunity to do this again one day . . . Does anyone offer it in southwestern Ontario yet?

 

6.  Loving on nature.

At home I can jog along Lake Ontario, and I’m frequently amused by the friendly (well, probably just hungry) squirrels in my neighbourhood, and there are some nice views of the sunset from my building before it’s hidden by condos.  In Dubai, I’ve been bathing in the Gulf of Arabia, taking pictures of flowers and sandscapes and water views, and loving the sight (though not always the sound) of tons of birds — including obnoxious crows and shrill peacocks.

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10am in Toronto, and 6pm in Dubai

 

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There are some really cool manmade wonders out there, obviously, but it’s also been really nice to just look at a seashell or a cliff and enjoy that.

 

7.  Opportunities.

I’ll do my best to explain this clearly and without offending anyone.

Opportunities are everywhere, and so are opportunity-seekers and opportunity-creators. But it seems to me that there is a greater sense of possibility in Dubai than at home; and it has nothing to do with money and everything to do with attitude. Both Toronto and Dubai are big, bustling cities with international populations and people at different socioeconomic levels . . . but they differ when it comes to the ratio of whiners to risk-takers. At home, I find a lot of people who feel that they’re stuck in a rut. In Dubai, I find a lot of people who are hustling, who are keeping it moving, who are creating some type of change instead of just complaining.

Example: my friend Davide Giusti (grey shirt), tennis coach extraordinaire who is opening his own academy in Dubai, and 15-year-old "Rpince Pavel," a future world tennis champion from Poland

Example: my friend Davide Giusti (grey shirt), tennis coach extraordinaire who is opening his own academy in Dubai, and 15-year-old “Prince Pavel,” a future world tennis champion from Poland

This is probably because roughly 80% of the people there are expats (not local to the area, they were born somewhere else), so they’ve already taken the step of leaving home, their physical comfort zone. Granted, many of the people I met were on vacation, but when I did meet someone who’a planning to stay for awhile I tended to notice a quiet confidence and certainty that they’ll be able to do what they came here to do. And if not then they can go somewhere else and try again. It’s all good.

 

8.  Truly cherishing interaction with people from back home.

It will be such a treat to sit down and have a meal with family and friends again. Even if I don’t like the food, I have to sit on the floor, and no one says a single word for the duration of the meal.

See these two? They will be smothered with hugs very shortly . . .

See these two? They will be smothered with hugs very shortly . . .

I knew homesickness would be an issue for me; I’m glad that I came through without getting too emotional (for the most part), and I now fully understand what a musician friend of mine meant when he told me staying away for a month wasn’t enough; he wanted to be gone for long enough that he missed being home.

 

9.  Exploring.

I’ll have to make sure I do this in Toronto/Ontario/Canada too! One of the best things about travelling is getting to know a new place. I don’t mean just the people and customs and laws, I mean the physical place. When you’re new to the UAE, you ask a lot of questions like “Why isn’t there any parking?” and “Can I take the Metro?” and some more unique ones too, like “Why isn’t there a street address?”

The huge sigh of relief when you finally somehow get to the place you were hoping to find . . .

The huge sigh of relief when you finally somehow get to the place you were hoping to find . . .

I’m very grateful to anyone who has ever printed and distributed a clearly marked map, and for numerous online forums where expats and travellers share tips. I’m also newly in love with Groupon (and similar sites like Kobonaty) for offering great deals in the area, making it that much easier to get out there and try a desert safari, or flyboarding, or a double-massage deal.

 

10. Discovering and developing new talents.

I’ve dusted off my photographer, videographer, and video editor hats, in addition to writing new episodes as mentioned above. I decided to share some of my insights in a 30-day art installation project via Instagram and Facebook/Twitter . . . (stay tuned to my YouTube channel for a video recap of that, plus a video recap of the whole Dubai trip) . . . and being genuinely touched and surprised by a bandmate’s comment that I’m “so visual,” I’ve been creating collages (as seen all over this blog) that are way better than those Instathings, and I even came up with my phoenix/mermaid photoshoot out of thin air.

collages.056Plus, I commissioned two newly designed dresses and had them made at a local tailor’s (and blogged all about it), and I’m really loving finding new ways to express myself visually!

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So what’s next for me? A Top Ten Tuesday blog featuring the 10 best things about being back home?

Nah, too predictable.

See you next time ;-)

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MY DUBAI FASHION SPREE

Yep, a fashion spree.  Not a shopping spree, because it isn’t like I bought a ton of stuff.  What I did was design and commission two beautiful new pieces of clothing, and I feel kind of silly for not having done this sooner in life!

Some of you remember (I blogged about it here) me saying I wanted to have some clothing made for me by a local tailor. It’s finally done, and the experiment was a huge success. Check it out …

First I started looking around for inspiration. I saw a dress online a long time ago and I really wanted it, but the site only had super-small Asian sizes available. It was a lovely pale blue chiffon dress with an almost fairy-like feel to it, and the idea of it stuck with me. If I saw a dress on Etsy or somewhere else that kind of resembled it, I usually took a second look. And here in Dubai, I flipped through my bookmarked pages and decided to ask for a replica of this pretty little number from Lipsy London.

Lipsy.062

Okay, to be honest, I actually picked out 5 Lipsy items that I wanted made, and printed pictures of all of them, but I didn’t let myself go visit the tailors until I’d calmed down a bit. Remember, I had no idea how much any of this would cost. By the time I finally did go, I’d narrowed down my Lipsy selections and I also brought along a Charlotte Russe blouse (hey, I’ve also blogged about this blouse before!) because I was curious about having a replica made of that.

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How did I decide which tailor to go to? There are hundreds here, but I found a blog by Caitlin Wilson which heartily recommended City Land Tailors (and now I can see why!) so I called them up, made an appointment, and found my way over there. Their phone number is 04-344-5442.

If you’re using public transit, just take the metro to Al Jafiliya Station, hop in a taxi, and ask for the Satwa Post Office. The ride shouldn’t cost more then ten dirhams unless there’s crazy traffic. Directly across from the post office are a bunch of fabric shops; look for the one called Deepa’s, and if you’re standing facing it go slightly to the right – the entrance to City Land Tailors is in the little alleyway there.

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Raj is an absolute joy to talk to and work with, and great at answering questions and offering advice. After I told/showed him what I was hoping to get done, he told me how much everything would cost (scroll down to the end for the number-crunching, lol), and I decided on one Lipsy replica, plus the blouse replica. I told him exactly what I wanted changed in each design, and what I wanted to stay the same. Raj took me a few blocks away to where City Land has another shop, recently opened. Here I chose the fabric. While I was poking around, I also got some zebra-patterned silk for a couple of headscarves. I almost got pillowcases made too (it can be easy to get carried away!), but I refocused.

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I paid a deposit, they took my measurements, and that was that. 3 weeks later (my choice; they could have done it in 2) I went back to try on both dresses and have alterations done, which is included in the original price. This was my chance to point out any little changes I’d like made (example: I’d asked for 6 inches to be added to the blouse, but that made it too long), and I took my new scarves home.

After 1 more week was the big reveal! And I absolutely love the results, especially the blue dress. I call it Lipsy Lupita, since it reminds me of the dress Lupita Nyong’o wore to the Academy Awards while staying true to its original Lipsy inspiration. The orange one is Firebomb (haha), and look, they stitched up and gave me the excess they’d trimmed off the bottom; it makes a great headband!

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Now for the numbers.

The fabric for the dresses cost me 130 dirhams, or just under $40 Canadian. The making of Lipsy Lupita cost 225 dirhams (about $67 Canadian) and the making of the blouse/dress was 100 dirhams (about $30 Canadian).

Was it worth it? Well, I believe the original Lipsy dress retailed for over $100 Canadian … without a tailor to custom-fit it to my body. My grand total for everything, including the silk headscarves, was under $145 Canadian. I’m curious to see how much tailors back in Toronto charge for similar work.

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Suffice to say, I absolutely recommend Raj and Iqbal and the rest of the City Land Tailors crew for any of you who are in (or near) Dubai, men included! (There was one tall cutie trying on his custom-made blazer and trousers on my last trip there. I love foreign accents. But I digress.) Again, their number is 04-344-5442; call or visit them before 1pm or after 4pm. I hope to come back to this part of the UAE so I can revisit them and have more clothes made; and if you go, please tell them Chattrisse said hi!

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Til next time …

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10 THINGS I CAN’T BELIEVE I’M MISSING

I’ve been in Dubai for just over 5 months, and I’ll be home in 28 days.

Whoa.

It was pretty much inevitable that I would compile a blog about things I miss about/from/at home, and that’s the topic for this month’s Top Ten Tuesday. However, this list is not for the obvious things: my family and friends, my cat, recognizing money instantly, leaving my bedroom without feeling compelled to cover my shoulders and (maybe) knees. This right here is a list of things I’m surprised and even embarassed to be missing.

 

1. The laundry room.

No, really. Taking an extended vacation from chores has been really nice, but there are some things I’ll be happy to regain control over, and one of those things is when and how my clothes are taken care of.

DSC07530(I won’t be surprised if I take this wish back after about three weeks.)

 

2. Being on the same clock as most people I interact with.

I don’t know if you ever quite get used to being 8 or 9 hours ahead of the majority of people you know … But if it does happen, it must take much longer than 6 months for the adjustment to occur.

10am in Toronto, and 6pm in Dubai

10am in Toronto, 6pm in Dubai

I find it surprising that this matters since so much, since most of my day-to-day communication at home is not done face-to-face (you send someone a text or Facebook message, and whenever they get around to it, they send one back), but things go a lot more smoothly when no one has to stop and wonder “what time is it there?”

 

3. The daily routine of taking public transit and running into people I know.

If I stayed here long enough, both would be more frequent occurrences, but as a temporary UAE resident I’ve definitely missed that feeling of “this is my city” that I have in Toronto. I’m about that downtown life: being able to walk to lots of places, knowing it’s pretty much impossible for me to get lost, not having a time limit on when I should start heading back home, etc.

Seated in a hotel shuttle bus, passing a metro station on Sheikh Zayed Road

Seated in a hotel shuttle bus, passing a metro station on Sheikh Zayed Road

(Note: much of this is not because I’m in a new city, but because I’m living on the outskirts, a 20-minute ride from the nearest metro station. Trains here don’t run as late into the night as the TTC, but that wouldn’t be an issue for me if I were more centrally located.)

 

4. Canadian manners and customs.

So apparently, holding doors open for people is not a worldwide trend.  And apparently, there are numerous cultures where it is not considered offensive to make unflattering personal comments to someone you don’t know very well … Like [pointing under eyes] “You look like you didn’t sleep last night” or [placing their hand on my belly as if I’m pregnant, and giggling].

IMG_0246It’s taking awhile to learn to let certain things slide off my back.

 

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5. Eye candy.

I’ve always been boy-crazy, so I became aware of this “lack” pretty quickly. Yes, I’ve been to the Middle East before, so I knew I wasn’t going to spend this trip smeyesing and flirting with random men. But even the beach at my hotel is painfully devoid of watchworthy bodies, except for a few sweet weeks when a bunch of professional soccer teams were staying here (shoutouts to Stoke City FC!) … Meanwhile, in Toronto, the temps are heating up (right? If not, I’m not coming home) and the streets there are probably full of men who are not only eligible but damn sexy.

With Kees Dieffenthaller in December 2013. #happysigh

With Kees Dieffenthaller in December 2013. #happysigh

Fortunately, my homegirl Nish has already secured me a ticket for a boat ride on June 15th. Hot dudes reading this, if you’re coming to Camo, please just leave your shirts at home.

 

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6. Easy midnight snacking.

Yes, I know it’s bad, and I rarely do it. But I miss having the OPTION, lol! I’ve been doing my best to keep a small stash of maybe-healthy snacks available, like rice cakes and nuts and tea.

My Easter gift from the hotel. Sweet!

My Easter gift from the hotel. Sweet!

But, man, sometimes you just want to crack open those dinner leftovers or start on breakfast eight hours early. And while we’re on the subject, I also miss …

 

7. Cooking privileges.

Living in a hotel room has perks and pitfalls, and one of the latter is a lack of kitchen access. I have a kettle and a minibar (which I blithely assumed was a suitable substitute for a fridge, until I got food poisoning), and whatever foods or snacks or treats I choose to buy are pretty cheap, which is nice.

Dessert buffets are dangerous things.

Dessert buffets are dangerous things.

And don’t get me wrong, I fully understand that it’s a luxury to eat at buffet restaurants staffed by professional chefs and servers three times a day! But once in awhile, I’d rather just open up a legit refrigerator, see what’s inside (especially if the groceries were bought by me) and make something I feel like eating. You know?

 

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8. Checking the weather without feeling guilty.

Example: Yahoo tells me the temperature at noon on May 2nd (Dubai time) was 40 degrees, while it was 8 at home (4am Toronto time). On January 2nd, Toronto was -15 degrees with a low of -20, while Dubai had a high of 24 with a low of 17. Full disclosure: sometimes I check the weather back home for a good laugh because the differences are so ridiculous.

Feb 5 2014.027But there have been many times I’ve considered posting a Facebook status update about the weather here, then changed my mind for fear of being met at the airport by a violent jealous mob.

 

9. Jogging outdoors.

I did my best! For the first few weeks I was back in workout mode, I jogged around the resort (boring) and ran up and down the stairs to and from the 7th floor (boring) and went along the desert highway outside of the resort property (enjoyable, but ultimately unsafe).

DSC07811Then I gave in to common sense and I now use the exercise room at the resort’s gym. I’ve never been a fan of sharing equipment with a bunch of other people, or of staring out at scenery that doesn’t change regardless of how fast I move, so it will feel awesome to go run alongside Lake Ontario once again! (Although it won’t take long before I start missing the peacocks who sometimes pass by the gym just to say what’s up.)

 

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10. Having a regular social life.

“Regular” means different things to different people, and I’m past the days of finding it fun to go clubbing every weekend. But I do miss having days/nights off at the same time as other people. I really hope I find someone to go party with at least once, now that my night off is Tuesday which is Ladies Night (all of my girl friends here work Tuesday nights). It would have been awesome to see Cirque du Soleil or Carlos Santana or Lionel Richie. And there are no words to accurately describe how much I’ve missed going to fêtes!

-.029This is like normal homesickness, mixed with the time zone adjustment, compounded with Carnival withdrawal and topped off with a more restrictive schedule than I’m used to (having one night off per week is pretty normal during a contract, but I’ve never been in a show that lasted half a year with no breaks before).
So for these and other reasons, get ready for a big party when I come back home!

Or at least a day of jogging, laundry, and making my own omelette for breakfast.  :).

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Chattrisse Dolabaille – #60days Bio

Oh goshhhhhh that was a lot to fit into one 30-second video!  Thanks for checking out my bio here, and getting to know me a little bit better.

At the moment I’m stationed in Dubai, singing at a resort and meeting people from all over the world and LOVING that I found a way to escape winter! :D

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I’d say I’ve been able to travel quite a bit in my lifetime … not as much as I’d like to (haha), but certainly more than the average person … and when folks back home ask for pics/video or some other way to experience the journey vicariously through me, I take the request seriously.  This is even more true since one of my little cousins has health issues which prevent her from flying.  The ability to get on a plane is a blessing I don’t take for granted, and I bring my camera everywhere I travel — even if it’s just to London, Ontario!

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Both of my parents were born in the Caribbean and grew up in Toronto; Mom is Jamaican and Dad is Trinidadian.  This has given me a unique perspective on some of the differences between countries and cultures.  As you might expect from a Caribbean-Canadian, I love roti and jerk chicken and poutine and hot weather and (most) reggae and (almost all) soca and Caribana (it’s so hard to remember to say “Scotiabank Toronto Caribbean Carnival” every time, lol).  In fact, being the Island Connoisseur would mean I am not playing mas in Toronto for the first time since 2004 … but I’m sure I can get over it … ;-)

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Keeping it all in the family is another reason I’d love to be in Tobago this summer: my dad’s big family reunion, which I originally thought I wouldn’t be able to attend, is in Tobago this July — how perfect would that be?!

3 generations from "Papa Guhn" ... Pedro Segundo Dolabaille's son, grandsons and great-granddaughter

3 generations from “Papa Guhn” … Pedro Segundo Dolabaille’s son, grandsons and great-granddaughter

Not that it’s all fun and games.  You want your Island Connoisseur to be someone who takes a great deal of care with what they’re doing and how they represent themselves; kind of like being an international diplomat, but one who can wear flip-flops to work.  You can view my online resume here for onscreen testimonials from professionals I’ve worked with over the years, and of course I encourage you to check out the rest of my blog, my YouTube channel, my Facebook fan page, my Twitter account, and my Instagram account too.

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On that note, I’ll quickly mention that no copyrights have been infringed or compromised in the making of my official submission video; the music you hear in the background is one of my own songs, and I created the mixed-flag graphic using Keynote.  Of course, the pictures and videos and voiceovers are my own property.  To respect the privacy of people tagged in my photos, if you’d like to see more pictures from previous trips that are not on my public Facebook fan page, please contact me directly.

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Sun and sand and sky and sea … Tobago’s calling, please send me!

 

Thanks so much, and may the best Island Connoisseur win!

 

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Dubai recap – 2 months in and still going strong …

Before this stint in the Middle East, the longest I had ever been away from home was about 7 weeks, when I interned in Washington, DC.  (Shoutout to everyone from BET’s main campus!) So one thing I was excited to experience was being away from home for a long time. Anything over 3 or 4 months, with no visits back home, is long to me.

Now it’s been 2 months since I left Toronto (flew out on November 27th), and I can honestly say the time is going by faster than I thought it would. Working 6 nights a week is probably one of the reasons why. In Alice Walker’s novel The Color Purple one of the characters says “Time moves slowly, but passes quickly” and that is so true – sometimes I’m in the middle of a set thinking “How is it that only 16 minutes of this set have passed and there are still THREE MORE SETS to go before bedtime?!?”

And yet, when I look back through my photos and videos, I’m reminded that I’ve been making good use of the time here. So let’s get you caught up a bit …

DSC07297Ah, the lovely White Orchid Lounge! This has been our show venue since we arrived and in less than a week we will be moving to a different stage here on the resort. I wish we could take all the White Orchid staff with us because they’re so fantastic … fingers crossed, we might get to bring one or two of them … and although I know I’ll miss the children who come dance to our music and the view from the balcony overlooking the pool, I’m looking forward to our new venue too. For one thing, my “commute” will be much shorter … instead of a 3-minute walk, it’ll be a 30-second elevator ride. #likeaboss

 

January 12, 2014

January 12, 2014

I’ve been getting off the resort and into the city a bit more, which is both nice and necessary.  Almost once a week I find myself at the famous Dubai Mall … it’s humongous and one of my fave shopping centres so I have no complaints on that score! We’re currently in the midst of the Dubai Shopping Festival (yep, that’s a real thing – check the pic below) so between that, looking around in souks like the one where I got the pink wallet/clutch pictured above for less than ten dollars, and a visit to the Dubai Outlet Mall (now that’s a heavenly word combination), I’ve been snagging some great deals.

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And I have to say, I feel like I’m settling in pretty well! Eating three times a day is awesome. The weather has had its ups and downs, but it looks like it’s starting to heat back up slowly but surely. Being 9 hours ahead of home makes it tricky to stay in touch as much as I’d like to, but Facebook has become my lifeline and I’m very grateful for Skype as well. I’ve met some awesome people, I’ve written 6 new songs in just over 8 weeks, I’m finding a balance between work and play, and I’m already very excited about the rest of 2014 and into 2015. Oh, and I’m slowly tanning. =)

Stay tuned for more updates and another Top Ten list coming your way!  (The first Tuesday of every month.)  Check out my YouTube channel for videos of the Dubai Marina, the dancing fountains at the Dubai Mall, a baby peacock, clips of our White Orchid performances, and – soon – my first completed video project since I got here.  Much love …

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10 THINGS DUBAI HAS TAUGHT ME SO FAR

It’s Tuesday! And the first Tuesday of every month this year I will publish a Top Ten list of some sort. Let’s see how this goes …

Being away from home, especially when traveling solo and especially for long periods of time, provides an awesome opportunity to learn new things. Mind you, most are things you could have learned at home too, but sometimes it takes a new environment or a new experience for a lesson to really hit home. Here are a few that have found their way into my consciousness since I came to the UAE.

 

1. Language doesn’t have to be a barrier.

The UAE is officially an Arabic-speaking country, with English commonly used as the language of business. With roughly 80% of the population being expats from some other country, you can hear dozens of languages being spoken, including every accent and dialect of English imaginable. Knowing how long it took me to become even somewhat functional in the French language, I have so much admiration for people who have perfected or are learning English (which is a VERY difficult language to learn), and true respect for everyone who has ever packed up and moved to a place where their mother tongue is not commonly spoken.
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This lesson has also taught me more about the power of music; the amount of people worldwide who know the lyrics to an iconic song by The Eagles or Bob Marley, even if they speak very little English, is mind-boggling.

 

2. You can miss someone even as you’re talking to or seeing them.

This one surprised me a bit — the last time I spent any significant amount of time away from home was in 2008, and I didn’t have Skype but I was physically close enough for about 10 of my family members to come visit me midway through the trip. I figured homesickness would be an obstacle during this Dubai gig, especially during the holidays, but sometimes it goes deeper than “I wish I could hear this person’s voice” and “I wish I could show them what I did today” … Sometimes, even as you’re looking at their face and hearing their voice and commenting on one another’s Facebook pictures, all you’re thinking is “I wish I could give this person a hug. Right now.”

Nothing beats in-person contact. Case in point: my godson.

Nothing beats in-person contact. Case in point: my godson.

Don’t get me wrong, Skype is awesome! But there really is something magical about being able to share the same physical space as a friend or family member. Makes me think I should plan some kind of big party when I get back to the T.Dot =)

3. Remain grateful.

Now is a good time for this reminder — there will always be something to complain about, and there will always be something to be grateful for. Focus on the latter (unless you want more things to complain about; then focus on those instead and watch them multiply.) Much more here than at home, I wake up and am immediately reminded that it’s a better use of my energy to focus on the many amazing things about my life, right now and in general, than the things that aren’t exactly to my liking. Especially when you don’t have to look too far to find someone who would gladly trade their troubles for yours (I blogged a bit about this here, at Christmastime).

In fact, it’s interesting to list some things that really stressed you out at one time in your life, now that you’ve reached a vantage point where you can see how unimportant those things really were. I had to stay in a hotel overnight in Montreal once on my way home from Haïti because the plane left Port-au-Prince too late to catch my connecting flight, and when I got there they wouldn’t let me use my dinner voucher … oh, boo hoo! It’s almost embarrassing now to remember how much I groaned and complained about that.

 

4. Go ahead, try a new dish.

Most of us love food, but lots of us are scared to eat something we’ve never eaten before, or something we find difficult to pronounce, or something we don’t know the name of at all. There are things on offer here that I don’t want and may never eat (like mussels … ew), but I’m proud to say I did start sampling new things right away. Like ful medames (pictured), and malva pudding, and millefeuille, and these little pastries with ground-up pistachio and sugar and cinnamon that are heavenly once I pick out the raisins with my fork.
fulYou never know when you’ll get a chance again, so take a lot of chances.

 

5. Go ahead, try a new drink.

Whoa! Some people get really, really attached to their favourite cocktail or brand of beer. While I am not the worst example of this, I have always been a hardcore piña colada girl (just ask the bar staff in the lounge where I sing, they tease me about it weekly). And yet, the other day I was cajoled into trying something called a mint splash, a milky minty green cocktail that reminds me of the Shrek McFlurry at McDonald’s awhile back. Love it!

Not sure why all the images I'm seeing online are white or brown; mine was green =)

Not sure why all the images I’m seeing online are white or brown; mine was green =)

I also tried the newest drink offered by KFC in mall food courts out there: a mojito that has no liquor and tastes like a hybrid of Sprite a 7-Up with real mint leaves in the cup. Weird? Yes. And I didn’t really like it. But at least I tried it =)

6. It is acceptable, even admirable, to take a nap every day.

Back at home, my attitude toward naps was back and forth between “Naps are awesome and I totally deserve one today” and “Napping?! Who has time for that?!” But when I got here, jet lag kicked my butt and a nap a day became my new normal (sometimes 2; 9 hours ahead is no joke!).

Napping in the sun? Don't mind if I do ...

Napping in the sun? Don’t mind if I do …

Besides, my main job here is to sing; just my luck, when I’m tired, you can hear it in my voice. Plus 6 nights of the week my shows wrap up around 12:30, with me often being too keyed up to go to sleep until 2am, and sleeping in would mean missing breakfast — so naps are imperative, no matter how much the more seasoned musicians tease me! Your schedule may not be as funny as this, but for real, if you aren’t making time to rest once in a while, you are doing a disservice to you and everyone involved with you or your work.

7. Establish a routine.

While we’re talking about daily naps, we might as well discuss other good dailies. I say aim for at least 3 things that you do every single day, without exception, which are helpful to you. 3 of mine are praying, doing my simple floor exercises, and writing something.

DSC07672There have been times when my list of dailies exceeded 12 activities, and feeling like you’re your own drill sergeant can be kind of miserable sometimes, so I eased up a bit. But when you start with 3, it takes less time than you think to get into the routine of doing those 3 things every single day. Then you can start to add in more. Whatever your goal is, I am willing to bet that the people who have achieved it already did so by focusing on their daily activities, no matter how mundane it seemed at the time. Routine is important.

8. Dash it away once in awhile.

Because breaking from the routine is important too! That’s why there are vacations and PA days; veering away from the routine, for some needed rest or for something spontaneous and fun, is also necessary.

Being in a situation where I get one day off per week, I’ve been making the most of each day off. I laze around at the beach. Or I catch up on chores. Or I shop and sightsee and attempt to get into Tyrese Gibson’s birthday party and get home after 5am. (Yeah, that was a really good day off, lol!)

dec29.009You know what they say about all work and no play … So change it up every now and then. =)

9. Whatever you wish, believe or have been told your area of work is, your primary business is connecting with people.

Honestly. Can you give massages better than anyone else in the world? No one will call you their favourite masseuse if you do so with a scowl or with dirty hands. Likewise, if your architect designed a gorgeous house but it was different from what you’d commissioned them to do, you might not be too happy about it.

Two of our awesome bar staff, Sumesh and Dony! I'm too much of an alcohol novice to comment on their bartending skills but I know they make the experience enjoyable! (This is them jumping up to Hot Hot Hot - made me so happy!)

Two of our awesome bar staff, Sumesh and Dony! I’m too much of an alcohol novice to comment on their bartending skills but I know they make the experience enjoyable! (This is them jumping up to Hot Hot Hot – made me so happy!)

All skills are important in pretty much every field of work, and that includes communication and other social skills; and I’m starting to realize how little of that was taught in school. When you throw language differences into the mix, it becomes even more important to connect and communicate with people.

 10. Learn about yourself.

Have you noticed how many people seem to pride themselves on knowing a lot about someone else? Sometimes the someone else is a person who they will never even meet. For example, it worries me when a parent knows who all the celebrities are dating and marrying and divorcing this year, but is unaware of what’s going on in their own home. I really recommend taking the time to learn or rediscover things about yourself, whether you ever feel the need to share those discoveries with someone else or not. Here’s one thing I found about me: I am happy when people come together and sad when people separate. (Deep down I always knew that, but again, being here helps crystallize a few things.)

Jacuzzi journalling. I need to do this more often.

Jacuzzi journalling. I need to do this more often.

So there you have it!  My first Top Ten Things blog of 2014. I’d love your feedback, either here or at www.facebook.com/chattrisse or www.twitter.com/chattrisse or even www.youtube.com/seechattrisse … And to be added to my mailing list, please send an email to chattrisse@gmail.com with MAILING LIST in the subject line. Bye for now!

Photo 52

Well I recorded a vlog on Christmas Eve …

… and since there was no internet service in my area for basically the whole day, I didn’t post it.  Then when I went back and watched the video, it seemed so pointless that I deleted it.

I mean, why post an explanation of how no one on the resort had wi-fi and how sad I would’ve been to miss Skyping my family back home, when I know that hundreds of thousands of people back home didn’t even have power or heat for days … and some still don’t?

From my friend's Facebook page - everyone across the street from her has had no electricity for days now.

From my friend’s Facebook page – everyone across the street from her has had no electricity for days now.

Tree down in my cousins' backyard! Thankfully it didn't hit anyone or anything.

Tree down in my cousins’ backyard! Thankfully it didn’t hit anyone or anything.

Why go on about how social-network-dependent I’ve become and how I’d find it difficult to imagine even contemplating a move to a different continent without things like Skype and Facebook to keep me connected, when hundreds of thousands of people in the United Arab Emirates are far away from their families too (one salon worker I was chatting with gets to go home and see her son once a year.  He’s four years old) … and most are in far less luxurious circumstances than I am?

dubai population

Not sure how to enlarge this, but check out http://www.dubaifaqs.com/population-of-uae.php to read up on it …

And what’s the point in wishing you health, happiness, peace, prosperity, and abundance of family and friends and food for Christmas or Kwanzaa or New Year’s or belated Hanukkah or anything else on a specific day?  Frankly, I wish all of these things for every human on every day of every year, and when all is said and done, every day in the calendar should be just like every other day if you’ve got your priorities straight.  Besides, what would be the best time?  The stroke of midnight?  In which time zone?  Skyping my fam at Grandma’s house before their Christmas dinner (yes, we were able to connect – yay!) meant staying up until nearly 2am my time, and they were still starting the meal late and waiting for some people to arrive, lol.

So, while this may sound Grinchy to some, there will be no specific Happy Holidays post from me here.  I may do a year-end wrap-up, but it depends how busy I am putting in work and putting out energy for 2014. =)

Christmas Eve kisses before showtime!

Christmas Eve kisses before showtime!

Much love, always …  And from everywhere!!