Sunday, January 2, 2011
Saturday, January 1, 2011
2010 vrs. Ronald
The year 2010
The year 2010, was my first New Year outside my home country Ghana, my lips are too short to do the description. So, as bro John and family were here in NY for Christmas and the holidays, we gathered on the 31st night in the living room watching the live show at time square on our big screen television. Some where some time, I always forget I was watching a TV, but often think I was there myself, ha!
The performance was great, as Jenifer Lopez was on stage with her husband or fiancé Mark A. we watched as the time counted down to Jan 1st , 2010 when the crystal ball was dropped from its proposed 77ft above sea level. The whole concept of dropping the crystal ball is a kind of tradition on its own dating back some one hundred and seven years (107). Time square was so brutal, and one couldn’t help imaging whether the whole world was present there, it was simply crowded with people all over the globe.
I saw 2009 passed and was ushered into 2010 and that morning, John and family have to depart for home, FL, as the girls school was reopening in 2 days. Don’t forget the trip to FL was going to talk a day as they were driving. Will talk more about the trip later.
I have to be honest I was blessed with 2010 like the other years like 2008 & 2009 respectively. I started school few days after New Year, and it was kind of a nice experience though I had experience college life before, but this was absolutely different. We to stay in a class with students from different ethnic and racial background don’t mention the college buddy; we had whites, black, brown, yellow and the rest and one class with students from over 20 countries. When it comes to sharing ideas of life from these countries, I was always very eager to hear what student A or B have to say about his/her country in relation to culture and life in general.
After a month or so, I was use to these students, relation was better of, and life was worth fun. Springs break set in and mankind was happy to hear the one week break was going too be spent in FL and the good news was that, we were not going to fly but will be driving through all those states to FL.
Preparations were executed, my PC and everything packed nicely and was ready, as the Mr. Van was also in extra good shape. And at12-1pm we hit the road. I was often in the back with the two girls (Bonnie and Zoe), the very first state we passed through was New Jersey also our immediate neighboring state, and into Delaware, they had a very beautiful bridge and I have also got to know DW is the smallest State in the US and that was where Vice President Joe Biden is from. From there we left behind Maryland and to Washington DC, I got to see the Washington Monument. All these sceneries are what made me think it was good driving than flying, besides all the nice scenes, it was also expensive flying everybody with the two dogs. Lol.
Now it was getting to 6pm when we approached Virginia, in fact its sch a large and vast States for more than an hour, we were still driving in the state. But when we were there, I remembered a friend who was in Richmond VA, but as at that time, she was gone, to Ghana.
After VA, we found ourselves in North Carolina, this time, we were tired and hungry and hence needed to stop and earth something and then a possible rest. So we did just that at a rest inn. But this point, my PC was dead, so I was out with my computer, had it on charge while I was reading. I was so careful with my eyes on the computer because I didn’t want any misfit too touch it, as I just had it new with all my investment, haha!! Early the next morning, I brushed up and we took off. When we got to South Carolina, we went to a restaurant to eat; it was really nice and at this point. Hey! Don’t forget it was spring the most beautiful season, if not the allergies. After we had enough of our share of BF, we left again, the dogs of course we also fed.
Now we were heading Georgia, also a long ride. All the way after GA, we were in FL the sunshine state. It was so good and nice to my surprise, and on arrival, I was in love with the place, but that nice I was told, hey!! “Don’t get too use to the place”, and it was true.
I needed to keep my environs intact, because I am simply a sojourner. Then, we got to go to almost all their beaches and for the first time, I got to see how and what it was at beach. The fun was tremendous and trilling until we left, coming home was kind of fast.
Back to school, finished up my first semester and God being so good, I had a summer job before my last day in school, wow!! Something that to keep me busy all summer.
Summer was great and after work, came home watched a movie and the next day to work. I simply thought this routine was a big time blessing from Him. Not all were fun, but that is simply life, we may not always have everything to make our lives the way we want it.
In no time, fall semester began, and I bet I love school than anything that was on my way. I registered for classes, got my books together and ready to go, so many ups and downs, but God saw me through. Fr. Patrick return to Ghana, and a lot came on in the parish, we got new Pastor as the Old one left, a Nigerian Priest came to replace Fr. Patrick and everything back to normal either than the broken Economy.
For me, the year was good, nothing extra, as I look forward a smooth journey, my journey is so long I think so and I think it’s God who will make a perfect traveling partner and him alone, I endorsed.
School again went on well, and Christmas came in. we had a lot of people at home for Christmas dinner, I was bashing my room down with the finest of music till everybody was seated and ready to wine and dine.
We sat and talked after that and I got to see some movies. A week later, 2011 and I just woke up after haven’t stayed later to see 2011 with my eyes and thanked God for this. It could be a year of blessings and or the either one, with challenges, but whichever it is, man must make it a point to give praises and glory to His Holiness.
I pray 2011 will be crisis/ disaster free, terrorist plotting free, economic recovery and stability, good health, illness free. A year that I will improve my relation with God, also a ear that I will buy that 3million home. Everything will turn to good.
Tomorrow is my birthday 2nd, hey!! May I live to see everything God want me to see and do all He had for my as my an assignment on Planet Earth.
May God in his abundant mercy heal all our illness and bring to us joy, happiness, love and forgiving hearts.
Amen
Happy 2011 to you all
Ron
Snow and the People
The snow day
Late last Saturday 25th , which was Christmas day, there came a forecast that we were going to have a big blizzard thus, across the Northeastern parts of US. On the 26th, it was a clumsy day as one could easily smell the anticipated snow. We rushed to church and from there we went to David Bagels to catch a quick breakfast before going to Nyack Hospital to see Grandma Esther.
On our way, it started to snow and for me, I love to see it snow, I really love snow in short. But just like us, everybody was in a hurry to their various destinations and some on hearing news of the impending snow storm do everything possible to gather all their needed items so that, in case they are not able to go out as a result of the snow, they will stay in good shape with food, and others. I could also see, people rushing in and out of shops, from one to the next, to get their stuff of necessity. We didn’t need anything after all, as we had enough to sustain us for weeks, even months or at least a year, lol.
From Nyack, we drove gently home, as it was really snowing badly and it was forecasted we were likely to get 24 inches of snow, which was two foots. I guessed it did snowed all night and the next day, we had a big pile of snow, I couldn’t get to shovel the drive way as I intended so as to get my way out of home.
The storm was said to be one of its kind, all public transports were cancelled as well as almost 10,000 flights, and people didn’t get to go to work. The city of New York was in a mess as people couldn’t do otherwise in terms of mobility, few days after that, others complaint, the city authorities didn’t do their best when it came to cleaning the snow from the city.
The mayor of the city had to publicly respond to those criticisms, some people even said, wealthy neighborhoods were target first than people in other low income neighborhoods.
Personally, I happened to hear from a conversation with a friend after haven’t asked, whether he was able to go to work on Monday amidst the blizzard, he said to me no, because their streets were kind of the last to be plowed as they are lots minorities/ simply a minority neighborhood, I wasn’t happy at all to hear that remark. But that is America, where everything is competition and class structure with so much attention being paid to, if you are not in a certain class, just forget it, don’t sit and expect to have favors like the rich guy whose house is on the hill. That is why, everybody look forward a better life, which in its sense isn’t easy to come by.
About NYC, all who weren’t certified with the responses to the blizzard by the towns, and city authorities may have their points to err in good faith, because they need to work and support themselves and that notwithstanding, they pay taxes like crazy, right from their hard earned pay checks to the cup of coffee bought.
So if I may ask, where did all the tax dollars go that, they couldn’t get to hire enough personnels with working equipments to do the job very fast as everybody know for sure how the city operates?
Next time, I think the Mayor will do his best with his men to serve the people so that, the wont grumble out of dissatisfaction.
Economically the storm affected a lot of businesses but this is a natural cause, not any homo sapien did it to attract punishment.
All that man could do was, get prepared to clean up when such natural disasters occur, of course people lost their lives as a result of this storm. Some 8 people in a small room in California were reported burned to death in their effort to stay warm from the blizzard.
Snow, I love you, but not shoveling and not when you over snowed and cause chaos in town. I know in few days you will be here again, this time, and go easy with us and this we will be able to manage you. Every neighborhood does pay tax and need to be served when there is the need, we are not all the same, and some must be masters and others servants, but when in terms of emergency like blizzard, that kind of attitude must be showed a back benched.
Blessed day
Ronnie
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