Hi:
I'm surprised at how talkative I feel lately. I blame it on Amarinda and Kelly...Shh, don't tell them.

Anyway, today I want to gripe about being inconvenienced.

Rumor has it that, J. Aniston and O. Wilson are in town shooting a movie. Good for them, more power to them furthering their art.

But why oh why did their movie have to inconvenience me... I tried to park in the FAU designated parking lot only to find out that the 'President' of the University has given the film crew permission to park their many trailers there.

So now instead of parking right next to the entrance of the building, I have to cross a street, walk through a parking lot, go up a set of stairs, take the elevator just to get to my car.

Argh.

Don't get me wrong... I understand the importance of walking just like the next man or woman. But they could have let us know before hand that we would have to find alternate parking. We received no emails, no signs were posted, hell, not even a damn carrier pigeon provided us with this information.

Oh, and don't forget, although all other parking was unavailable, the top FAU execs still were able to park in the lot.

I'm gritting my teeth, trying to bear it, without swearing overly loud.

Griping can be so good sometimes...

Hi all:

As some of you are probably already aware, I am in graduate school, working on my Masters of Public Administration. This is my final semester, and it has turned out to be the hardest and worst semester of my academic career.

Last night as part of my school assignments, my class and I along with our professor visited the Broward County Main Jail. To say the experience was interesting would not be enough of a description. That particular jail has the highest security level (tantamount to maximum security) in Broward.

We 'toured' the holding cells, the mental/medical ward, the juvenile cell, the male cells, the transgender cells, etc. The smell was bad, the walls and floors and furniture appeared in need of repair, but the aura of sadness at some places and complacency in others has drained me. I am so tired right now after seeing these men and boys in cells, shackled for transport or release, etc.

Inmates were laughing and talking on the payphones inside the cells. Visitors, there to see the kids graduate from the Bridges program, were by turns laughing and joking or quiet.

The corrections officers, some taking great pride in their work, have to deal with so much, with so few of them. The turnover rate at the jail is high, probably at most other jails too.

Anyway, it was an interesting experience. One I don't think I would want to go through again, nor would I in good conscience recommend it. But let me tell you, the images that movies provide is an understated view of what inside that jail was like. I would hate to see what the prisons really look like...

Anyway, until next time...

Welcome to my blog...

My name is Anika. I'm a Jamaican, living in South Florida. And I'm an author.

Since blogging is a relatively foreign concept for me, it will take me awhile to grow comfortable enough to start talking . . . typing. But when I do finally open up, watch out.

Over the next few months, you should hopefully be seeing more from me. By then, I should have gotten over all my phobias about being open with others . . . I hope.

I'll also be finished with school by the end of April (woohoo). This will free up a lot of time for me to write again. Unfortunately, I don't have enough time to dedicate to work, school, and my passion (bummer).

Anyway, shortly after school ends, my first book, a lesbian contemporary called Lust Bites: Good For Something will be published by Total-e-Bound Publishing (Yippee). The scheduled date is June 2008. Then two short stories will released by BookStrand, Inc.: Dessert Box in July 2008 and Reclaiming Nicola in August 2008 (big dreamy sigh).

I'm also currently working on a number of other books that should be ready for submission soon. But all that must wait until after school is done.

Stay tuned for more in the writing world of Anika. Until next time....Imagine