Bermuda getting the word out during Igor

"Bermuda is another world, Seven hundred miles at sea." We pride ourselves in being "not like other places". Sometimes it can be to our benefit and other times not so much. Here is where I can say our uniqueness was advantageous.
It is no secret to Bermudians and those who have come into contact with Bermudians that we are obsessed with Smartphones, one in particular, the Blackberry. Referred to as the “Crackberry” by some, it is not uncommon for one to possess multiple devices. The iPhone is even gaining popularity. This was something I was totally grateful for this week as Hurricane Igor invaded Bermuda’s waters.
As a Bermudian living abroad for the last two major Hurricanes Fabian and Igor, I couldn’t help but notice how very different Bermuda dealt with the two as far as communication. Igor was the first Hurricane to hit Bermuda in the age of Data. Data is a service that enables your Smartphone to become more than just a phone. It allows you to access Blackberry Messenger, WhatsApp, Twitter and Facebook to name a few. The four mentioned were in a sense my constant connection to the island, before, during, and after the storm. As more traditional utilities were being knocked out of service due to the high winds and rain, Bermudians and also Commercial Establishments maintained constant communication through Status updates, Tweets, Blackberry and WhatsApp messages.
Just a few years before, while Fabian hit, Bermuda became almost a “black zone”. All I could do was sit and wait. Meanwhile my imagination was left to run wild and only think of the worst. During Igor, Bermudians took to their cell phones (maybe because there wasn’t anything better to do but listen to the wind) and began updating, giving the world a play by play. I sat on the couch in London as the updates rolled in. “Boaz Island is flooding, nobody is allowed downstairs right now”. “My electricity is still on!! Go Belco go!!” 15 minutes later “My electricity is out!!!” It was the most exciting bit of reading I’ve read in a long time, but it was also reassuring that if they are making updates they must be safe.
Twitter and Facebook in particular get a bad reputation all the time, but in this situation they were used to provide up to the minute first hand information to all of us “outsiders looking in”, coverage that even the best and most respected Broadcasters couldn’t do. I knew the Bermudian had broke free moments after it had, someone posted it on Facebook. I knew St. George’s town square was flooded, a picture was sent on Twitter. I knew about the Ferry Terminal in Hamilton, BerNews posted a picture. By the time the storm was over and the news was broadcasted to the world (as a Bermudian would say) “They were late”.
After the storm I even applaud how Companies used these outlets, in particular BELCO on Twitter. BELCO constantly sent out information that the BELCO workers will work until 12am, what numbers to call if there was an electric emergency, and even a running a tally on how many customers were out of power. I was impressed to how fast that number dropped in a matter of 24hrs.
We live in the age of communication and during Igor Bermuda as a people made the best possible use of what was there. It was unintentional but I hope if continued, it can show the rest of the world another side of our uniqueness. We truly are another world.

I don't know if it is because I am not on the island right now, but whenever a storm is heading towards Bermuda and I am not there I get very very worried. So far today my entire focus has been Hurricane IGOR. Ironically whenever a hurricane is on its way and I am in Bermuda. I very very rarely stress. I don't know the cause of my behaviour. What I do know is that. The forecast is changing constantly so it is in your best interest to prepare for the worst. The category 2 that you were told will arrive monday is now forecast to be a category 3. Right now it is a category 4 and still getting stronger. Bermuda, you are looking at a three day storm. Buckle down I beg you!!!

http://www.stormpulse.com/ that is the best website i've found so far.

Gonna miss you Teej!!

Do you know whats its like when someone come to terms with a shocking development in thier life? They go through stages, Shock, Denial and Acceptance. I think that is the case with what I am going through right now. When TJ told me he "might" be moving back to Bermuda and then later that he "is" moving, I think I was in a constant denial stage. After all, he has been my flatmate in london for the better part of my life here. So I guess I took for granted that he would always be around. Now that he is probably boading a plane at this very moment (scratch that, i just got a text saying that he is "on the plane, keep in touch!"), I am finaly coming to realize that my flat is empty. TJ is gone, and I will miss him like hell!!. You better keep your end of the deal and keep in touch also!!

In the picture, TJ and I are at a Christmas Party and I stole my friend Felicity's fur coat and pretended I was Cruella De-Vil.

Back up and Running!!

Its been a while since I have even looked at this page let alone add a posting. In an effort to keep my loved one and those who are just interested in lil ole me, I will now make a concious effort to keep this up to date with my up-to-dateness. Mow that my website is up, (www.devauneonline.com) I will use that more as a portfolio and all the juice will be here ;-)

Blast from the Past again

This was my friend Joe and I messing about backstage Annie in Las Vegas. Little vocal warm up

Locked Out

Simple post today but full of drama, at least for me anyway. I seem to have the worst luck sometimes. If you are wondering why there wasn't a post yesterday it was because i was locked out of my house. No i was not in any lovers quarrel, because at the moment i live alone. My Flatmate has gone to Bermuda for the summer (lucky devil), so as a ritual before leaving the house i stand at the door and do a check. The one time i don't do that, I realize that i dont have any keys as soon as the door closes!!!!
Get this, the key is at a friend's house who lives close by, but they have gone to work for the evening and wont be home (where the key is) until 2 maybe 3am. No problem, i can go to another friend's house nearby until 3 and wait. Only they are not home, neither is anyone else of my friends in London. Why did it seem everyone I knew had a life on this one occasion!!!! Long Story Short, I end up spending the night at a buddy's house half way across town (before i went there though, I did go to the gym to blow off a lot of steam) then go clear across town in the morning to pick up the spare key then finally home. Ive never been so happy to see unwashed dishes, nor have i ever worn the same pair of underwear for so long. These are the simple things in life one takes for granted.



Anyway, back up and running for tomorrow. Its time yet again, for another 5ive.

Blast from the Past.

Unwritten, featuring Devaune!!:)

So little video surfaced from my past way back when i was a student in Las Vegas. The techies used to play music when they were running soundchecks. This was such an "inspirational" song haha that I decided to run out from backstage and provide a bit more "inspiration". I embed the video i found on myspace. But i also found it on a Japanese youtube-esque site. haha I dont know what the comment say lol.