- Goon Affiliated is the fourth studio album by American rapper Plies. The album was released by Atlantic Records on June 8, 2010.
- bear a physical resemblance to; “She looks like her mother”
- To seem; To be similar in appearance to; resemble
look like
- An internal bodily fluid, not necessarily red, that performs a similar function in invertebrates
- The red liquid that circulates in the arteries and veins of humans and other vertebrate animals, carrying oxygen to and carbon dioxide from the tissues of the body
- the fluid (red in vertebrates) that is pumped through the body by the heart and contains plasma, blood cells, and platelets; “blood carries oxygen and nutrients to the tissues and carries away waste products”; “the ancients believed that blood was the seat of the emotions”
- smear with blood, as in a hunting initiation rite, where the face of a person is smeared with the blood of the kill
- Violence involving bloodshed
- temperament or disposition; “a person of hot blood”
blood
- A seat without a back or arms, typically resting on three or four legs or on a single pedestal
- A support on which to stand in order to reach high objects
- a simple seat without a back or arms
- lure with a stool, as of wild fowl
- fecal matter: solid excretory product evacuated from the bowels
- A piece of feces
stool
Perspective
I was taking along a few first time Thaipusam visitors who weren’t Indians, so it was fun to watch their reactions. One was all excited, another stunned, another was cautious at first, she’d hold on to another friend everytime we moved but that was only for the first 30 minutes after that I had to look for her as she’d be right at the front of the kavadis.
As we were meeting the rest only at 7 we decided to head to the river and get some shots. Darn we could have stood at the shower point forever, never knew watching people shower in their cloths could be so fun. ;p
We met so many friends on the way, lost a few to the kavadis with some calling us up to check on where we were heading every now and then. You try keeping 15 people together. I’d be walking and suddenly turn to check only to find everyone still at the last kavadi we saw ;p
We finally reached the location my friend and his group of kavadi bearers were getting ready at. No more babysitting work for me coz I told the gang once I get you to the group and you know who we’re following you guys are on your own.
Each kavadi bearer goes through a month of fasting and prayers. In the last 3 weeks heading to the day, they take turns attending prayers and bhajan (devotional songs) sessions at each home. I believe god is a vibration that acts as booster to get you through life, you find him through hope, devotion and faith, regardless of which religion you’re from, it is this vibration that continues to keep you devoted. Each prayer session is a rampage of vibration, you can feel the power seep through you and revitalize yourself.
The day before Thaipusam, they pick up their kavadis that had already been cleaned and spruced from their storage places and head of to Batu Caves where they will spend the night to beat traffic and the hassle of getting there on time.
On the morning they’ll start getting ready while their friends make sure every single screw is in place and nothing will jut out while they do their dance. A very essential part of the process is making sure the vesthi they tie is secured to their body and so someone helps them to make sure it is in place and will not loosen up while they’re walking.
Then we head up to the prayer spot. My friend and his team normally do the prayers in the centre of a circle of their kavadis that are placed at the end of the road, away from most of the crowds. Emotions are predominant, tears normally overwhelm them as they pray in thanksgiving to the vows that were fulfilled, for the journey theyre about to take and for the strength that they will need to partake in that journey.
Its interesting to watch them as each of the hugs the other before they take the kavadi, seeks the blessing of their parents, and awaits the group leader to initiate them into their trances. Then the piercings begin so effortlessly you wonder are they really getting pierced, believe me they are!
I cannot explain how these kavadi bearers carry their kavadis which are normally around 70 kgs in weight. Take my friend he is one of the thinnest in the group, all bones so its amazing to watch him carry the kavadi, dance with it and up the 272 steps. Carrying the kavadi is a team effort, while only one person lives the last month eating a vegetarian diet with only one meal per day and sleeping on the ground, he needs the support of family and friends to get him up there. He doesn’t need help walking but everytime he sits down he needs a few people to balance the weight of the kavadi so he doesn’t topple down, and then there’s someone carrying his stool, his water.
The rest are continuously offering morale support by chanting vel vel to push him forward and rubbing down his legs in between the walks. So the journey becomes very personal for us, coz we are praying for him, praying that he manages to fulfil his vow and reach up without any problems. And there is gods grace – this year we headed up later than usual and the heat was really burning down our backs and imagine what these kavadi bearers were going through.
After removing his kavadi he tells – there was one point on the steps he was telling god, you’re really pushing me too much, you can’t do this and the very next second a gush of wind pushes his kavadi up and lightens his burden. He turns back expecting one of our friends to be standing at the back but there was no one there.
It is amazing to watch them get into a trance – each in his own way, some turn into fierce characters while my friend starts laughing. Yes the variety of emotions are amazing. Each year is never easier, each year provi
46 with a blast… literally.
I had a tooth partially chip off awhile back. The rest of it was still intact, surrounding a filling that’s been there for 30+ years. Although it would pain up occasionally. For the most part, it was under control… not that weekend. Next to kidney stones. I can’t think of a worse pain.
That Monday I started searching for a dentist, had the tooth pulled, and went home… simple enough.
Midway into the evening I started to get sick. With a lot of blood being released through my stools… we’re talking buckets here… black as can be… looked like "Texas tea". All because of a tooth being pulled? Didn’t seem likely. (and) it wasn’t.
As it turned out. I had been taking too much Ibuprofen during the course of the past few weeks. Especially so during the previous day. Three here, four there… if I couldn’t remember the last time I took one. I would only take two. Soon to be followed by another four.
All this created three bleeding ulcers in my stomach. It seemed odd to me that I was bleeding profusely through my bowels. Yet there was no sign of blood when I threw up. The doctor explained it just depended on where the bleeding was taking place. "Logical".
They set me up to have a scope(throat) done later in the week. By this time I was so sick. Any simple task would exult me completely. They wanted to do a Colonoscopy as well. But I was too weak to attempt the prep work for that.
The morning of the procedure. It took everything I had to get from Bruce’s car to the first wheelchair I could plant my ass on… there was no waiting. They took me straight to a bed.
My Hemoglobin was 5.6… 13.9 to 16 is considered normal. It was no wonder I kept wanting to pass out. Apparently the under-skin of my eyes were completely white. No blood what-so-ever.
During the day long stay. They gave me a blood transfusion(3 pints/bags). Which brought my number up to an 8.7… still not perfect. But much improved. I now have 6 weeks of medication and Iron supplements to finish the ordeal. Feeling much, much better… so far I haven’t needed the stool softener(due to the Iron). Something to look forward to. 😉
WHAT DOES BLOOD IN STOOL LOOK LIKE 