This is the 100th article I am writing since I accepted the wonderful opportunity to share my views, visions and observations via this weekly column. Can you believe it? One hundred! Yeah it may not be a big thing to you, but

I am so pleased and proud to finally reach a hundred in something. I have never ever seen that kind of number on any class work assignment or examination while in school. In fact, the only hundred I got in school was the punishment of writing things like 'I will refrain from disrupting the class"'one hundred times.

And I don't think I'm going to live to be a centenarian. So I want to celebrate this milestone 100. I want to mark this 100 by first of all thanking the many people who check out the box. Whether you make sure to buy the 'People's Paper' every Wednesday, or you regularly borrow a small read off your neighbour or co-worker, or if you are one of the many local and overseas online STAR readers, or even if this is your first time, I owe you thanks. I deeply appreciate your pausing long enough to read my weekly rant.

Box-mi-back

Thanks especially to the folks who take time out to box-mi-back with responses. Talking about response, I didn't intend to expend additional time on the worst response I've received thus far, that email from the senator. But I got such a deluge of support in response to the article about his tirade; I have to say special thanks to those readers. Some, so passionate in condemnation I had to say words in his defence. If those (nearly 100) readers reflect the views of the general public, he's not getting any love, and has nobody to blame but his good self.

Provoke discussion

In my 100 boxes, I have tried to provoke discussion and raise critical questions around topics like male power, parenting and family issues, paternity fraud, gender inequality, violence against women, marijuana, alcohol abuse, Rastafari, social contradictions, dancehall, pop culture, beauty, sexuality, the comedy of politics, the politics of comedy and much more. I have spoken as a man, parent, grandparent, African-Jamaican, citizen, resident, teacher, itinerant artist and more. I have singled out people for praise and practices for disapproval. I occasionally get cross and angry, but generally try to do it with love and laughter, as is my nature.

Glimpses into the box

Still, people like you, good, decent, sensible people who should know better, continue to look in this box in THE STAR and get glimpses into the box that sits on my neck; so apparently something good is in here. One kind reader sent an email suggesting that I represent Jamaicans well, and another said I have proven that I am not just a "lickle hurry-come-up half-idiot comedian bwoy". I thanked them both for their support and approval, but assured the latter that I am unable to imagine that a person could ever exist with such an opinion of me.

Trivia

This box is about thanks. About me thanking you for reading and being part of the 100. Oh, and because I'm so into trivia and I'm kind of weird like that, I decided to challenge myself by ensuring that every single paragraph in this piece ended up with exactly 100 words. And I did it. So Tenk yu, Merci, Gracias, Danke and more! Wait, yu never know I could talk in Spanish, French etc.? Yeah! And I can sing in Swahili, walk in English, dance Latin and do other things in various languages. Anyway, as I was saying Thanks again!

Every response is worth a hundred, so go ahead!

box-mi-back@hotmail.com