"...And muthafuckas actlike they forgot about Dray."

They still remember me, even after all these months away from the dockyard.

I still ask about what's happening on the MCDVs, and some of the stories are quite interesting.

Like a drug bust on the Saskatoon out West - confirm or deny?

But what am I to do? Beacause of diabetes - and a few other issues known only to the closest and dearest - I can't go out to sea anymore.

Everytime I think about this fact, there would be this madman's mix of emotions - bitterness, elation, sadness, confusion. But working on a warship with excessive baggage and issues can endanger an operation, and being the empathetic entity that I am, I rationalise this mixed blessing-curse.

If it weren't for my diabetes (and the accompanying "Why Me" mentality) and persistent seasickness, if it weren't for my demons and the accompanying elephants, would my career on the MCDVs have been different? I don't know; nobody else would want to speculate.

But in a couple of days, I'll be moving out of St. Laurent Block at Windsor Park. Five years of accumulated stuff, memories, games, treasures that I modestly hid away for future considerations, and junk that I kept "just in case" are being packed, categorised, unpacked and repacked to maximise space in the huge totes, suitcases and boxes.

Many people say that it's easy to pack and hard to unpack. For me, the two opposing acts are equally demanding, especially for 1 person with too few friends and acquaintances. If I were back in Ontario, at least I could bribe a bud to lend me a hand, but here in Halifax, I still consider myself as the friendly stranger, as every day in this very small city looks different and new.

I tried looking that same vibe back in Thornhill, in Toronto, but each day looked the same - more traffic, more noise, more condos, more stupid shootings, more etc.

On the 1^st of February, I'll be relocating to a nice little 1-bedroom in Dartmouth. There is a small issue with the furnishings, but nothing that the good old "Buy and Sell" cannot solve. And thank Lucifer that there's a Sobey's, a drugstore and a pizzaria not too far away.

So don't be too surprised if there will be a few changes in the blog and the website. There will be just a many changes in my life. The attitude, though, well...

Stay tuned.

PS: belated big-up to Tej, a.k.a. DJ Slide, King-pimp of the Sunday night Junglist scene at the Kabin. Keep the fires going.

Extra belated big-up to Andy, a.k.a. MC L.A. Pick 'em up - knock 'em down... now you're legal enough to buy smokes and booze, M'son. Respect, Everywhere.