Home away from home.

If you could make your business place look and feel like home, what would your business be?

I would sell art, music, food. And books!! 

Because…

“ Every home should have books, my friend. Every home. That is my dream. I want to see books marching, huff-puff, hurray-hurrah, into homes and community centres throughout my lovely native land…all kinds of books, story books, poetry, biographies, philosophy, history, theology, travel and thoughts. I want to see the people reading sideways, upside down, on stairways, top of arch ways, in queues, out of cue, sitting, standing, anywhere, or waiting for the bus.”

That’s right. If I wanted to create a space that felt like home, there absolutely must be books! 

Read more here: Home-Soup.

I know so many people who don’t see books as adding value to their life…or even business place. They couldn’t be more wrong. If I had a café, I’d definitely make space for books. 

Truth is, there are so many ways to make money from books…with a little bit of creativity and imagination, it can be quite successful. Check the Money section for a few ideas.

We need more Mansa Musas today!!

 Today, being Monday, MoneyDay, I'm thinking of, working on, ways that I can earn as a writer.

By sheer coincidence, l've come across an article on Substack about one of the wealthiest men ever:

"Back in the 1300s, Europeans were stuck in the Dark Ages of feudalism, illiteracy, and pestilence. Muslim Civilization was thriving, but no one was thriving as much as Mansa Musa. From his ever-expanding Mali Empire in West Africa, Mansa Musa was raking in the big bucks due to the thriving gold and salt trade that flourished in and around the Sahara."

On his way to hajj, he used his wealth to help others. 

Can you imagine what this world would be like if all the wealthy people decided to be like Mansa Musa?

Read or listen to the rest here: 

https://jennavandenberg.substack.com/p/mansa-musa-the-worlds-richest-man

Pepper!!!

I swear, if I had a big plot of land, I’d grow wealth with a pepper business.

Think of the possibilities, my friend. There are hundreds of varieties of peppers. I can concoct all kinds of unusual food combinations with different peppers.

The most popular in my lovely native land are the wiri-wiri, scotch bonnet, mari-wiri, bird peppa, to name a few. Blended with garlic and other ingredients, it has helped the humblest of women in Guyana to make a living. In every single open-air market, without fail, you will see at least one vendor with a stand selling bottles of fiery sauce.

Want to read more? Have a look here: BALL O’ FIRE.

The shame, the joy, the freedom of words.

Apart from cuss words, did you know that there are words that can make people cringe in shame? 

I kid you not. In some cultures, certain words can make certain types of people feel embarrassed!

Some folk in my lovely native land, upon hearing the musical-sounding word aloo, cringe with more shame than if they’d been caught stealing neighbour’s laundry on the line. It’s unfortunate that, as educated (I use this word loosely) and as civilised (I use this word loosely too) as we’ve become, some of us are not aware that aloo is Hindi for potato, that our ancestors had lugged this bit of language all the way from India. Seems like we’ve put away pride in history and endless books about hardy folk crossing the kala pani…the black water…from India to Guyana. We have evolved. Aloo is now poked under a shelf lower than the lowest level of Creolese, hidden like the old-fashioned clothes you forgot to throw away, and don’t want your trendy friends to see.

Read more here: FUNDAY. And when you’re done, you can play the word game with the emojis.

Now, imagine this…that the only skill you have is with words. What would you do? Develop a word game? What’s your favourite word game? Mine is Pictionary! Another day, I will share with you how I discovered this game, and the outrageous nights, hours of fun.

Voice.

Greetings!

What a gwaan…wha’ a gwaan? What’s going on?

How y’do nah?

How nah?

Wha’ ‘appening?

Marnin’.

Good morning.

G’d’afternoon.

Respect!

I love the different ways we greet each other in the Caribbean. 

The school children, pouring out on to the streets after school in their uniform, are usually quite polite, greeting you, good afternoon. 

Maaan, It’s such a cool feeling, strolling in the hot sun, saying hello to complete strangers.

So many characters on the streets of my old home-town.

Some of them can make a gal nervous, especially if she’s not accustomed to chatting with strangers l Want to read more about these characters? Have a look here: Characters.

And speaking of greeting strangers, your tone of voice says a lot, doesn’t it? Even if you smile, your voice can give away if you’re not in a good mood, don’t want to be addressed.

Now, what if you could use that same voice to portray different characters, different moods, to earn a living right from your living room. Voicing ads, reading books for writers, being a voice actor. Of course, you’d need a really good microphone…hmmm…I’ve been searching for a good one, to be honest…

Dresses by Jackie.

I love the way we can take one skill, a few pieces of material, and turn it into $$$!

In a quiet place, across the Demerara River, Jackie sews the prettiest dresses.

She also sews school uniforms on contract. 

Jackie started with a basic skill which she learnt in school, then took a finishing course after sewing for a few years.

She works from 2 a.m. to 6 p.m., even on Sundays.

“I’ve always loved sewing,” she says. “I feel it’s a gift.”

Have a look ate her lovely dresses here: 

Dresses by Jackie.

(I forgot to ask her what sewing machine she uses!)

My happy place.

Hello, remember I asked this question a week or two ago...how do you find your happy place despite awful things happening in your life?

Music, my dear, music!

Music lifts me to inner heights!

Once, when my mother was overseas and I was alone, a flood swamped our area, then left behind layers of mud. I placed my ancient CD/boom box near the verandah door, and while I washed our yard with hose, brush, coconut broom and a bucket of water with Dettol, I played -

Katie Melua.

(Want to read more? Check out my list of music called 

Fusic '98 - 2013.)

That Sony boom box was loud, yeah! Now, as always though, I dream of owning a set of Bose speakers. I've heard music from a pair of small Bose speakers and, hooooooo boy, the sound was MASSIVE!! 

Oh...do you like my Yamaha guitar? It was a gift from my father when I was 13. I need a good music teacher, I'm still fumbling with the strings.