Bad News Blues

Yesterday was an exercise in deep grief and tragedy.

I sat through the first half-hour of TVJ's news broadcast experiencing a gamut of feelings from the darker end of the emotional spectrum.

First, a policeman was killed and five others injured during a tactical training exercise. Somehow, one (or it could be some) of the rifles that were supposed to contain blanks were loaded with live rounds of ammunition. The result was fatal. Then 14-year-old Sherifa Saddler was killed, allegedly strangled with her school uniform tie, and her body thrown from a car onto a street. Then some deranged lunatic shot a four-year-old in his face. He died on the spot. To hear the mother talk was heartbreaking.

I haven't watched the news and felt this way in a while. It wasn't the normal level of expected sadness. I felt  wave after wave of overwhelming grief as story after story unveiled horror upon horror. I cried.

But it wasn't done. Imagine my shock when I later found out that the decomposed body of former high-schoolmate, 23-year-old Brittney Mighty, was found in Port Rocky yesterday. Brittney had been reported missing for a week, and now ... well, we all know the tragic end to her story. It's too sad. And it's too much too soon.

Today is the first of February. Jamaica has already racked up a shocking number of deaths by murder – and murders of a most gruesome nature. We're one month into the new year, and I'm just hoping that these murders/stories are not indicators of how 2013 will be.

We want Jamaica to be the ideal place to live, work, and raise a family by 2030, and yet it seems that not even our police force can get it right – with each other. I shudder to think what the death toll will be like at the end of this year if we continue this way. I shudder to think that so many lives are uselessly lost in this very small, yet very great, island each day. Why can't we just get it right?

Seriously, why can't we just get it right?? If you believe in prayer, do us a favour and whisper a prayer for Jamaica.

Blog-a-day Challenge: Day 25 - A song you could listen to all day without getting tired of it

Hmph. I do that so often with SOOO many songs (an annoying habit to other people, I know, I've learnt, hehe). But this one, I think, tops the lot (and I know because I've done it!).

It's a recent fixation, a relatively new-found love.

Blog-a-day Challenge: Day 24 - A song you've danced to with your best friend

Hehehe. I did dance to this song with one'a mah hall frenzies.

Blog-a-day Challenge: Day 23 - A song that you cannot stand to listen to

OK. This is pretty difficult because I just don't have any songs that get to me that much. Oh no. Wait. Yes I do. That Rihanna song. Not the Umbrella one. The one about going downtown. Ugh. Sorry. Out of respect for you, I will not be placing it here. But I'm sure you know exactly what I'm talking about... Yeah, that one.

Blog-a-day Challenge: Day 22 - A song that someone sang to you

When I was a little lassie. My mommy used to sing this song to me. I think it was the first song I learned... and a good one too. Here's Jesus Loves Me :-)

Blog-a-day Challenge: Day 21 - Your favourite song

Oh come on!! There is no way you can expect me to choose just one favourite song out of the many I have!!! That's ludicrous!! Anyways, if I must choose one favourite song, I have to think carefully about it and, let's see ... Nope. There's no way I can choose just one song. Just NO WAY! i love too many songs for equally important but vastly different reasons.

I love and give five stars and two thumbs up to ALL Hillsong songs!
I LOVE Jeremy Camp! (Have you heard Let It Fade and There Will Be A Day?)
I'm loving Matthew West and Britt Nicole and Michael W. Smith and Casting Crowns and Avalon and Chris Tomlin and Lincoln Brewster and Mandisa and David Crowder and Toby Mac and Nicole Mullen and Jaci Velasquez and Aaron Shust and Addison Road and Tenth Avenue North and Natalie Grant and Newsboys (omg, I LOVE these guys), and delirious (even though they've dibanded - they AWESOME). And I have favourite songs from all of them. And that's just one genre of music. I have others.

Like

Blog-a-day Challenge: Day 20 - The last song alphabetically in your iPod

W for West, as in Matthew West. The song is The Motions - a very powerful song about giving your all and having no regrets. It's a real motivator for me.  play this at work when I need to remember that I MUST give 100% and live a life of NO REGRETS!

Blog-a-day Challenge: Day 19 - The first song alphabetically in your iPod

B for Battistelli, as in Francesca Battistelli. The song is Beautiful Beautiful. I love it because, well, I know God's making me into somebody even more beautiful than I am lol :) . It's an AWESOME song for anybody from any religion. You'll luvvit!

Blog-a-day Challenge: Day 18 - A song you love but listen to rarely

I love this song so much. But, to be honest, I jive to it when I hear it, but I don't play it very often. It's a kool song tho.

Blog-a-day Challenge: Day 17 - A song that makes you want to dance

Yeah man!! This here is a WINNER!! It just says 'Get up and MOVE IT!!'

Blog-a-day Challenge: Day 16 - A song that has made you cry

My friends on hall know that I tear up pretty easily. So, alla them gathered into one room one day to watch me listen to this song (because they knew I'd cry). I didn't disappoint them.

Bob Carlisle's Butterfly Kisses

Blog-a-day Challenge: Day 15 - A song you love singing along to

Hahahaaa. Ask my former Print labite classmates, or my present coworkers, this song gets me EVERY time!! Whenever I hear this song, I just can't help but bust a tune! It's my hopeful song and I just love it, love it, love it!!

Blog-a-day Challenge: Day 14 - A song that reminds you of your boyfriend

Hehe. Well. Ok. No explanation. I won't incriminate myself on here. Just listen to the song :)

Blog-a-day Challenge: Day 13 - A song that reminds you of a former friend

Well, what can I say? We called her Lightning on hall and she was always busy busy busy, so here's Flight of the Bumblebee.

Blog-a-day Challenge: Day 12 - The last song you heard

The last song I heard is actually the last song I sang this morning on my way to work. Another gospel fave. Here's Twila Paris singing Oh Lamb Of God.

Blog-a-day Challenge: Day 11 - A song on the soundtrack of your favourite movie

But I don't have a favourite movie. I have favourite MOVIES!! How do I work this out? I'ma choose a favourite song from one of my favourite favourite movies... The Sound of Music!! In fact, the song is called My Favourite Things. That film is sooo awesome - and timeless!!

Blog-a-day Challenge: Day 10 - A song by your favourite band

By far, the group  I love the most in this whole wide world (at this point in my life, lol) is a Christian alternative group called Hillsong United. So, here's to them! This is one of my favourite songs from them: You Hold Me Now.

Blog-a-day Challenge: Day 9 - A song that makes you feel hopeful

I have so many of these! But here's the one that I sing to myself every so often...

Blog-a-day Challenge: Day 8 - A song that reminds you of your first love

Ahm. It gets interesting. I dunno. My first love was books, if that's what you mean (*big grin*). But ok, seriously, whatever it was, it was young, secret, immature. Just like this High School Musical song, The Start Of Something New.

Blog-a-day Challenge: Day 7 - A song that reminds you of the past summer

Last summer was quite uneventful. Nothing of note stands out in my memory, so ... here's to the sweet sounds of SILENCE.