Social Media Fatigue

I have been thinking a lot about the social media trend which no longer is just mere trend it has become a way of life. I remember 10 years ago in 2002 when everyone was in the midst of terror and being afraid. I was busy taking photos with my then state of the art 2.1MP digital camera.

Who would have thought that I could communicate with people in different countries over the internet. Oh wait I was. But my e-mails, voice calls and instant messages were private, self contained entities controlled solely by us. I had a lot of online chat buddies and thought MSN messenger, Yahoo, AOL and ICQ would be the extent of my communication.

The whole blogging phenomena happened then fast forward a decade and everyone including my 9 year old niece are using Facebook and “liking” my photos from my trip to Berlin before I could tell her about it in person. After becoming obsessed with remembering to update my check in status at the Bank Cash Point I came to a realization a few days ago while at home recovering from an illness.

Not only has our privacy been significantly impaired but we willingly gave it away. In addition to this silent submission, our private thoughts are being used by corporations for profit. Instead of calling my closest friends I Tweet them and comment on this photos. One might see this as more interactive but after some consideration I think this may be incredibly intrusive.

I am a busy Physician and have to take calls in the middle of the night and lately I have noticed the quality of my sleep has fallen tremendously in recent years. I used to blame this on my work schedule but this restlessness occurs even when off duty. So I decided to do an experiment.

I left all my electronics out of my bedroom and turned out all the lights and went to bed. Image I awoke the next day fully rested wondering how I achieved such a thing. It turns out that each of my social media and message caused mobile to lite up or vibrate which caused multiple disruptions to my sleep leaving me exhausted.

But who do I have to blame for this? No one but myself. So I have decided to rethink my whole embrace of all this technology which is supposed to improve life but really has worsened my quality of life. The challenge will be negotiating the terms of my interaction with the world. I suppose my life shouldn’t be that negatively impacted if I am no longer awoken in the middle of night to see photos of Rihanna openly consuming marijuana and cursing.

So I hereby announce my Social Media Fatigue.

I could read some more into the way companies and intelligence agencies are using all this volunteered information to advance less than wholesome or desirable causes but I won’t. I myself am a bit tired of reading conspiracy blogs. I acknowledge there may be forces which want people to surrender all control and freedoms, even their innermost thoughts to create the best weapon of mass destruction.

I don’t care as much about that as I do about my greatest human right, quality sleep.

Frank

I have not blogged in several months and it seemed like it would be quite a while longer before I posted another post. However, it seems I now have something to say.

Frank, not Sinatra, but Ocean…

A few days ago after trying to avoid all the media hype surrounding Frank Ocean and being uninterested after listening to iTunes track previews. I stumbled upon an interview he gave to BBC radio which gave me some perspective.

I was expecting another obnoxious, crude RnB/HipHop artist but I was pleasantly surprised to see Frank Ocean. Well prior to his now infamous Tumblr post about his same sex love, the interview showed an introverted, articulate, handsome, tastefully dressed, intellectually sound, genuine, thoughtful young black man.

Watching him speak about the thoughts behind his lyrically rich, idiosyncratic, musical gems left me totally disarmed and curious to get to know more about this seemingly new artist. I was further surprised to realize be wrote the beautiful ode to love and longing “I Miss You” for none other than Beyonce. By the end of the interview I watched some of his music videos and listened to the lyrics closely and chastised myself for glazing over such musical greatness.

The dark, yet strangely satisfying “Swim Good” and the lyrics of the eternally beautiful, vulnerability of “Thinkin Bout You” brought me to revisit the once overlooked “over-hyped” album, “Channel Orange.”

After listening to the entire album without skipping a single track I think I rediscovered a part of myself long lost. From the near 10 minute, time traveling epic “Pyramids” to the excessive consumption commentary “Super Rich Kids,” this album is complete.  I have not listened to an entire RnB/HipHop album without skipping any tracks since 1998’s now classic album “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.” After several years of constant disappointment by other artists Frank Ocean came along.

This 24 year old very talented, insightful, soulful, brave artist has created a beautiful, unique, modern musical masterpiece. Have a listen for yourself.

Moving to London? Kickstart your transition with 1st Contact.

I recently embarked on a journey that I have been planning for some time. After spending some time in Barbados working as a Junior Doctor slave I needed a change so headed to London to take my UK medical council licensing exams.

Although it is still a work in progress things were made much easier by purchasing the Kickstart package from 1st contact. Although I am a British citizen I had lived overseas all my life so in terms of UK banks…I do not exist as I have no history or proof of address. So a bank account can not be offered to me.

In the UK a bank account is the primary mode of proving your address in order to access all other services. So in sort…no bank account means, you can’t get a mobile phone plan, you can’t rent a flat, you can’t pay for items in some shops, excess charges to use international cards at cash points, you can’t even register to use the British Library. Get the idea?

I was determined to find a solution around this and after extensive research on the web I somehow can onto this website called 1st Contact which claimed to give access to a UK bank account without prior proof of address.

I have to admit that at first I was a bit skeptical at first as I saw a big UK bank had an offering which as a big downside had a 12 month contract with a monthly fee. Kickstart was just a one time fee. So I took a big breath and charged the fee to my credit card and provided my UK arrival date.

Watch the video below which explains just how easy the process really can be!

On my arrival to the UK in London I went to the 1st contact offices in Central London. A nice girl welcomed me and told me to have a seat. A few minutes later I was presented with my package which included: a Sim card (micro) for my iPhone, a letter to take to the bank of my choice (one of the big UK high street banks), vouchers for sweet discounts including 5days free at a central London gym. They even gave me a free money transfer to put money into my UK bank account.

So it has been over a month and I have received my first bank statement and now have an official UK presence thanks to 1st Contact. I would really like to thanks guys!!! I highly recommend 1st Contact to anyone moving to the UK for the first time.

Get in Contact today!

http://www.1stcontactkickstart.com

Beach House

"Teen Dream" by Beach House

My new musical obsession is the Baltimore, Maryland based duo called Beach House. I stumbled onto this group during a late night music exploration. After only 30 seconds of preview I was in love. The third album from Beach House “Teen Dream” was exactly what my soul needed at this point in time.

Alex Scally and Victoria Legrand of Beach House

This dream or sub pop takes one on a journey during every single track. I just turn this album on, turn off the lights, close my eyes and travel to places I never knew I could get to without being under the influence. Who needs drugs? Beach House is my drug.

Alex Scally on guitar and keyboards and Victoria Legrand on vocals and organ create emotional, existential odes to love,  life and nature. It is Legrand’s unique, soulful yet delicate voice however, which seems to cast a spell on me as I am haunted by the deep connection I feel to the stories told in each song. It is as if they took Nina Simone’s voice put in Victoria’s body and sent her to live with David Bowie and Pink Floyd and Joni Mitchel was her babysitter who gave her a keyboard for christmas.

Have a listen to “Used to Be” and “Norway” and you will see what I mean.

Personally I would love to see them nominated for a Grammy this year. But in reality they may be overlooked as they are not as popular as Lady Gaga. Mother monster if you can hear me…find Beach House! I think my head would explode if that collaboration ever happened.

Every time I make a find like Beach House I am more and more thankful the internet exists so persons like myself who live out on a rock in the ocean can experience culture as it changes.

Buy Beach House “Teen Dream” on iTunes today!

La Coacha does Nicki Minaj

I love this new Parody of Nicki Minaj “Check it Out” by La Coacha. I think this is so funny! I had no idea Nicki Minaj sang that song as La Coacha pointed out in the Parody. lol Other funny line…”I am the black Lady G” lol

How my heart behaves

Feist

“The cold heart will burst if mistrusted first
And the calm heart will break when given a shake.

This is just how my heart behaves…”

Live like there is no tomorrow…

It is Sunday morning and I am having lovely oats porridge for breakfast. While starting my laundry today my mind came onto an elderly patient I saw the other day. She was at the brink of death due to a massive stroke. She looked death in the eye and said hell no! Kicking and screaming with a voracity I have not seen very often she is making a recovery.

Although the language centers of her brain were most affected and she could not speak or read for months she pushed herself to re-synapse and basically rewire her brain. Now she can speak and read with the occasional cue for a lost word. Sheer will and persistence and a big dose of TLC I must say. She has no recollection of anything after she collapsed or during her ordeal in hospital but said she must write a thank you note to those who saved her life. She looked me in the eye  and said it is very important to say thank you. I have to do it now before I die; we never know then it will happen. Second chances don’t always come around.

Just spending 20 minutes with this lady gave me so much perspective on life and living it is incredible.

So next time you think oh no my day is going horrible and you want to throw in the towel that this bit of perspective. Live life with as much vigor and enthusiasm as possible and treasure the little things like eating oats on a sunday morning. lol Taking a walk, driving out, seeing friends and family, doing that hobby you always wanted. All very important things; and the most important thing I think is leaving the world a little better than you found it.

Happy Sunday!

Smiley puppy

Kylie Minogue “Aphrodite” Review

Kylie Minogue "Aphrodite"

Kylie Minogue’s “Aphrodite” is a feast for the imagination. The fifth offering by the Australian Pop Goddess has hit #1 on the UK album chart this week. The album starts off with “All the Lovers” the lead single which is a sweet Pop Anthem. Here is a live performance of “All the Lovers.”

My favourite songs include “Get Outta My Way,” “Closer,” “Aphrodite,” “Too Much,” I guess I should just say I love the entire album from start to finish. Produced by Stuart Price and other Producers like one of my favourites Calvin Harris Aphrodite delivers…one word EPIC! I’ve listened to it 10 times since it’s release! This is definitely on my Best of 2010 list!

If you are a Kylie fan or a lover of good Pop music “Aphrodite” is just the thing for you. Get it now now iTunes!

Where have I been?

I have not written in a week now and I am here to get back on the bus so to speak. lol I am visiting my family here in the Virgin Islands (UK) a lovely archipelago 60 miles east of Puerto Rico in the Northeast Caribbean.

Boasting some of the most beautiful islands, finest sailing, snorkeling, diving anywhere on earth the British Virgin Islands is certainly the place to be. The capital Road Town on the island of Tortola is the business hub of this financial services centre.

Road Town, Tortola, BVI http://www.dexterpenn.com

I was born and grew up on the eastern end of Tortola and always find it quite lovely each time I visit. This certainly is an oasis and over the better part of a decade have dared to capture the beauty all around me in photographs. I spent most of my life on these islands but I still get chills every time I see the islands in the distance on final approach when flying back. Heaven awaits below the clouds on a beach in the BVI.

Savannah Bay, Virgin Gorda

In honour of my birthplace here is a photo montage I put together set to Giazotto’s Adagio in G minor. All photos courtesy www.dexterpenn.com AKA ME. lol Watch in HD it is stunning!

Cheers!

BVI Bound

I am writing from the Departure Lounge of the Grantley Adams International Airport in Barbados. I am on my way to visit with my parents in Tortola. Sorry I have not posted anything new but I was quite busy moving and packing.

Today has been good so far. I am trying my luck with LIAT today. I hope it ends well. No industrial action and no major delays! 🙂