Catching Well Water 11/22/2008

As far back as I can recall, I have always started at the end and ended at the beginning. Sometimes I get confused and think that something is wrong with me or that I missed some information everyone else has. (Like the day I was absent from first grade class and everyone learned how to tell time except me. I had to pretend like I knew what was going on until I eventually taught myself) ... But, when I remember that the same thing I think is wrong with me is how I have progressed in the world, I can slide past all the bullshit and make things happen. Everyone is just trying to be okay. Prayer keeps me grounded. The same reasons why people love you are why they hate you. Passion is Passion. And seeing intention is cool, but actions are what people remember.

For the bucket to catch the water I have to throw it into the well upside down, pull to the right, let it sink, and pull up after it goes under. I walk over three ditches to use the internet (which has died three times so far during the course of me writing this blog), six to use the ATM machine, and ten to get to the gas station, if I don't cross the street. If I do, then that makes fourteen....ditches that I cross. I haven't seen anyone fall in or drop the huge loads they carry on their heads. Some people carry entire stores. It's something that everyone on the planet should witness. Effortless balance and pure hustle. Mmm, I believe in Africa! I'm not so sure Africa believes in me... but I think shes trying a little bit harder this week.

Buckets by the well. (Accra, Ghana 2008)

I walk the wrong way all the time and end up lost. Today it was on dusty backroad with six rather large goats (like if they came towards me I would run size). They were chillin' in the shade of a black station wagon that had no tires. The crazy thing is that I stood right next to them for about ten minutes and didn't notice they were there until Robert sent his neighbor to come get me.

A sneaky lizard with a black body, red face and tail keeps following me around. I watched him on the fence today as I was leaving the bath house. He always moves his head from side to side like he's saying, "No, no, no." He walks funny. I don't trust him. I get out of the way when he comes close.

I've been sick for the past couple days. Coughing all night. I've lost my voice from all the smog. My booty ran away from me about three days ago. Everytime I ate something, ANYTHING... it was all bad. I just caught it today. You know, in the bath house, right before I watched the lizard on the fence. Lol. Yeah so....that's what I been doing. I 'm trying to see this whole bootyfull experience as my African self coming forward and my American self falling back. But damn. It's not cute yall. Not at all. Real talk. Akrifa!

The other Vodou is that the Ewe folkloric songs I am learning are all about (this is very literal translation) "people that didn't have brotherly love being sad that they drove me away, them crying out for me to come back and then coming to get me to go and fight." Lol. Wonder what's next. Oh, let me guess.