The next decade....what's in store?
Musings of a yamfooted traveller still trying to shake off those last 20 pounds as she treks across the Caribbean
It's that time of year init?
Well, I've been thinking. Here's what I've come up with so far. All really simple stuff.
1. Find out how to answer a call waiting beep on my cell phone
2. Sort the hair out
3. Get a 'footshall' at least once per month
4. To learn to rollerblade in North America
Hmmmmm.....I'm still thinking. So they come to me, so I'll add them.
This year, like many other years, I'll be home.
In our youth, we always had a swinging fete. Then when I got to young adulthood, some New Year's Eves were spent outside of Jamaica. Here's a list of those (that I can remember).
1987
Ocean Club, Paradise Island, BAHAMAS
Was doing internship there, as part of my university course. I was the restaurant hostess for an open air restaurant at this upscale luxury hotel. Very nice evening. Restaurant Manager allowed me to invite some of my friends, so I think it was Eilean, Gwyn and Emerson who came.
1992
The Queen's Hotel, Leeds, UK
Overseas work experience at this hotel. The theme for that festive season were that we were on a ship, so I was a Deck Hand, all dressed in white. I have the pictures to show for it.
1997 - 2000
Spice Island Beach Resort, Grenada, EASTERN CARIBBEAN
Work. Always hard work, but with lovely guests, it didn't feel that way.
So any nice places you've spent NY Eve in the past? Tell me about it.
I've got up at early o'clock for the past two mornings to see the West Indies suffer against South Africa (die-hard cricket fan). Now, cause of lack o' sleep, I feel flu-like symptoms coming on. Yes, I'm diagnosing myself. Who knows my body better than me?????
I shall therefore head to the medicine cupboard and down one of them Vitamin C effervescent tablets and get at least 7 hours sleep, to keep it at bay. There's no way I'm going down (unlike the West Indies team, for whom going down is inevitable - save for a miracle on Sunday)
One morning, an Auntie and her nephew went to the Mona Dam. When they arrived, this was the scenery that greeted them....
With time, the vistas changed as the sun reared her beautiful head. Follow the pictures....
Also spotted were these....
Did you know all this 'stuff' comes out of your water before you drink it?
The sun was taking its time to rise.
And here she came in all her glory
There weren't too many walkers or joggers, perhaps a casualty of Christmas. But other creatures were there doing their thing....
At the end of the trail, one must drink responsibly..
...and eat responsibly (this is a pomgrenate and accompanying flower)
We parked responsibly according to this instruction....
With scenes like these, we should be rushing to do this every morning init. Well, early to bed and it will be early to rise to greet the sun at the Mona Dam.
Readers of this weblog ('blog' for short) should read this disclaimer which I found on a site called This, that, whatever.
Most of it is quite accurate. You will notice I don't mention names in full usually of people who I know. The reason is included in this disclaimer.
The cake mixer is going (I have nothing to do with it!), Salsoul Orchestra's Christmas Jollies is blasting away from Windows Media Player, and there are presents under the Christmas tree!
Speaking of which, I have some pressies to go wrap. That's a wrap :wink:
Up at the crack of dawn this morning. On the agenda were
The Bank
Downtown (3 stops)
New Kingston
Because I don't have a car, I have to plan my day around the availability of vehicles. The car that was behind was the one I was driving, for it just too difficult to get cars moved around in the yard.
Bank stop. Corked! No way am I standing in this line for this long.
Downtown 1. I park illegally and run out and do the drop off. No cops.
Downtown 2. That government building. No difference. The people who staff the office are late. More late than last time. The man, Mr Miller, comes in to see us congregating in the corridor and exclaims "Wait. Oonu no know sey ah Christmas, what oonu a do here?" He spots me (you couldn't miss me in my lime green sleevefull T-shirt) and asks if I come back to collect the document. Just by his jovial nature, any anger and threats to write to the boss man dissipated.
Downtown 3. Back to the airline building, seeing the guard who shares my last name, I drive up the car park. Very badly designed. The evidence? Lots of bumper marks on the walls. Collected cheque for Sis.
It's now 9:40 am, and I have 20 minutes to get back to Big 12 to meet the deadline for car drop off number 1 to Sis. Were it not for a few bumbling twats, a cold engine and Christmas, I would have made it. But didn't do too badly, got home at 10:05am.
Switched cars. Went to the bank which was by now a lot less crowded than my first stop at 8:20am. After the bank, walked over to Lane Plaza (is it still called that?) to the pharmacy to exchange wrapping paper for card. I had no receipt but the recency effect helped since it was just last night, less than 24 hours that I bought the wrapping paper.
On to New Kingston to the courier company. Found a parking space easy easy, taking care to avoid the yellow lines. They should have had two more persons working the counter. I spotted the guy I knew and he came out to say hello. Not the appropriate time to say that to him. Got through quickly enough, after enduring a regular user of the service telling me how many times she uses the service.
Hog wash in first water, so I left the car where it was and walked to the shopping centre. Bought a few things and I vowed those were my last purchases. Later saw Ms K who, in response to my statement that LMT and I were ladies of leisure and so could be browsing the plazas in the middle of the day, quite firmly stated "you mean you're unemployed". Ok, so a tiny matter of semantics. Unemployed....lady of leisure...same thing, but "unemployed" is why those were to be my last purchases.
It was now time to head home, after getting a Juicy Beef Chicken Soup (much better than the one at Island Grill yesterday) and a Mega Patty (beef patty with cheese, lettuce and tomato). Reached to the intersection by Monroe Road and Old Hope Road. Toyed with the idea of going through Mona to get across to the Pastures but then saw a clear street ahead of me. Very misleading. The Hope Road/Old Hope Road intersection was corked. Turned left by the soon-to-be new Post Office, intending to turn right on to Liguanea Avenue. Wrong move. So darted back into the left lane (illegally), turned by Campion and went back from whence I came. When I got to the intersection, no hesistations and right I turned.
Went through Mona, and remembered I had to drop off the deposit slip for the person who gave me her space in the bank line (I therefore got a 'skip' about 6 places). Did that, headed home, stopping along the way to pick up oranges and tangerines from rural Jamaica.
Back in the sanctuary of my home, I have decided that I am not setting foot in a car until Christmas morning. Hmmmm, now I have to figure out how to get the presents to the one house that I have bought for. Let me go think that one out nuh.
The usually quiet neighbourhood of Hope Pastures, threatened to be overrun with patrons to Appleton Hotshots last night at the Hope Gardens Bandstand (right in our back yard). But the rains saved the day and the show was.....no, not cancelled, but...postponed.
So at 2:00pm today, Sunday, a usually quiet time in my neck of the Pastures, the juke boxes cranked up, the mike tests began and it seems like now - a whole hour after the re-scheduled start time - they are just about to get the live music started.
Heaven help us!
"NOTICE
Applicants must be properly dressed when applying for a certificate.
Male applicants - no merino, no sleeveless muscle T-shirt will be allowed.
Female applicants - no mini-skirt, no tube tops, no belly skin blouse, no sleeveless blouse.
By Order
Jan 7 2003 "
Good thing I decided not to wear the "belly skin blouse" Thursday morning! I would have been turned back!
Some of you may know that I used to live in Grenada. Some of you may also know that when I left in 2001 to do my Masters in England, the intention was to be away for one year only. Well, it's going into Year 3 now, and although I've been back to Grenada twice, it has never been to stay, cause me is still a student, technically speaking.
Before I left, several boxes with 'stuff' were deposited at Brigitte's house. When I went back to Grenada last year May for research, the intention was to sort them out, give/throw away what I really should have done before I left in 2001, but just never got around to it. Ditto, when I went back in the last couple of months.
Well, Grenada had floods the other day, and some of the boxes were damaged beyond retrieval. So that leaves me with just 3 boxes to sort out. What a thing. The Gods have intervened because they knew how I was dreading that job. There is stuff scattered in two other locations on the islands and I must make a point to give them away next time I visit in the New Year, so that some one in need can benefit.
I'm very minimalistic, so literally the clothes on my back and in my cupboard, and the stuff I have here - books etc, is all I need. No amassing of material things for me, because you know what, life is short and life has floods!
Of the many personal things I had to do today, one was getting a blood test done.
I made a fist in preparation for the Med Tech, or whatever he is called, to prick me. Says he when he is ready "Ok Michelle, let me see your fat arm"! Is only because he had a needle why I didn't take him on.
After him slap me and slap me, him couldn't find the vein. Hrmph. So on to the other "fat" arm. Stick me once....no blood. Second time lucky.
Then, in finishing, he says "But Michelle, you putting on too much weight you know". Now is the time for me to start. My response? "You don't know where I am coming from you know, how you can say that?". No response. Then I say "I have lost a lot of weight". He expresses surprise. Like him did know me before today.
Well, how he addressed me afterwards made it seem so. I get up to leave and says he "Ok MICH, bye". You know how I dislike when people I don't know very well call me Mich??????????????? Gimme that needle!
10 Tips For A New Year's Resolution You'll Keep!
Wednesday, December 3, 2003 Posted: 4:31 EDT
by Raphael Calzadilla ACE, RTS1, APEX
Special For eFitness
Why wait until January 1 to think of your health and fitness goals? Whether it's looking better in swim trunks next summer or just having more energy, here are 10 simple tips that will get you started on your way to a leaner and healthier 2004! They aren
These sound really realistic and do-able and would be on a list that I would give you if you were weighty and asked for my help. I could be a fitness coach you know, I can recite all the lines, but unless I am like Lara (di bwoy good) and lead by example, then oona nah go listen to me?
Well as I say below in that post, I went walking this morning and tomorrow, we will up the tempo.
But see if you can try 3 or 4 of those 10 things and gradually change behaviour, that is, those of you who don't look like string beans!
....me, (break the English rules), GMoney/Galliwasp/G, and nephew were at the Dam.
Damnnnnnnn, it's beautiful!
Muscles were talking to me, so only a one lap stroll. Upping the tempo in a few days though.
Friday, jump pon an Air Jamaica Express flight to Mobay. Couldn't see the Jamaican topography, cause I was sitting in da aisle. So read the newspaper instead. Bumpy landing in Mobay. Dem need to learn from Liat pilots how to land the Dash-8 si-moothly.
Me tink seh is Sangster mi landing at but is de si-small airport next side ah it. Reach over di big side via airline shuttle, this after fending off offers of a taxi for $200. I need to have up my sign. "I am unemployed".
Over the big side, went to the bathroom, sorry toilet for no bath is in it. The attendant rushed to wipe off the seat for me, cussing the others who sprinkled when they tinkled and weren't neat. Hear her nuh "Is only because you look nice you know why mi wipe it off fi you". Hmmm. The red flowers frock rocks! (People will soon take my picture in it!...in fact, here's a picture of part of me in it)
Filled up at the gas station (the car was BELOW the E!) and later realized that my journey to Negril was not from Kingston, and so I need not have put a full tank in. Headed off, got lost at the Montego Freeport round-a-bout TWICE, stopped in Lucea to visit Grandma, got lost going to her as well (took the wrong hill). This is a picture taken on the way to Negril. Don't ask me where. Oh, I think it's near to Lances River.
Arrived in Negril, to be greeted by a big purple hotel. Ugh. Riu. My purpose in Negril was not a breeze out; I was there to collect data for a research project so before I went to check in at Rondel Village which I would recommend , stopped at two hotels, without notice and did those.
Had not had any lunch, so as soon as I checked in, around 4:15pm, headed for the restaurant. While waiting for the Tuna Melt, the guy at the bar says "hello" in that pseudo American accent, then proceeds to add "I have to talk to you later". I quickly told him I was here to work.
Now Negril is a real gem. Next to this hotel, I spot some si-mall brown, wooden, zinc roofed units. What's that? I ask the waiter. "Oh, that's blah blah blah (can't remember the name), they rent them for about US$25 per night". Dem have bathroom? Apparently.
After lunch, drove to the West End looking for other hotels, and also Ricks Cafe. Didn't see it, then reached the end of the road where it looked like civilization stopped. But no. For I see a sign pointing me to Westender Inn. Passed virgin land, turned back at the "Inn" and it was now sunset.
Read on.... more pictures included with the story
Behaving like one of the many tourists who I had passed walking along the road (do we have a crime problem? Apparently not), I stopped at a place designed for taking in the view and took pictures.
Just as I was about to get in the car, two men rode up on separate bicycles. Said one to the other, when he saw the tourists "wait, ah wonder if any money dey here so". Not knowing what exactly he meant, I quickened my pace, jumped in the car and varoomed off (big coward!). Looked in the rear view mirror to see dude showing man tourist something in a styrofoam container. Ok, no robbery in place.
On Saturday, more interviews. More driving around from the Boulevard to the West End to find hoteliers. And more pics. Had to take one of this place, after Karen's description of it last week.
Notice the many tiles????
After work, it was time for lunch. Of course, guess what I went in search of? This.
They didn't follow my instructions. Had to throw away some of the rice and peas.
Oh, while waiting for the Oxtail (at Sweet Spice between the two gas stations on the way to Sav), a fella with plait up hair came in. Out of the blue he says "that hairstyle fit you". Aw gee. Made my day.
Sun Day was made by the gorgeous views as the sun rose and continued to shine brilliantly, on the way back to Mobay to catch the flight. Then there were the scenic views from the plane. Pictures to come, after you have read this. So look for them in a few days.
I continued this 5 question thing that Ryan from Caribbean Cricket.com started, and me did gi oonu mi answers whey mi did gi 'im and invite oonu fi aks mi 5, but oonu neva aks me. So gwaan eena it nuh? Memba, mi is unemployed so mi got a lotta time pon mi 'and dem (plus mi gots two watches).
So pose away. Nothing too too personal that I wouldn't be able to answer on here ok!
I had good intentions you know. But then, nephew got sick in the night so had to be up with him late (I know why I don't have kids), so got up late this morning, then went back to bed and finally got up at 10:30am. Ah.....the life of the unemployed.
This afternoon, walking is out of the question, cause either I'll be at the niece's Musical Evening, or I'll be kid-sitting the sick one.
We'll try for Thursday won't we? Yah, fur sure.
I'm talking about my walking sneakers. Took me two weeks to unpack, and I aint done yet. But I did get out these two important size blankyty-blank shoes.
Now all I have to do is git outta bed at 5:00am. Easier said than done, but once it's done, I'll be hooked.
As for Dr Phil, ah like how oonu nah aks mi whey a gwaan. Well, Dr Phil is on the shelf. I've reached instead now for Adele Puhn. Now this book I found in a sale at the Fire Station in Beeston one Saturday morning. Published in 1997, it has in it a thing that I liked. Adele (we're on first name basis) says there is no such thing as willpower! I like the sound of that. She stresses the physiological aspect of why we (read=I) overeat. If we don't keep in Good Blood Sugar or GBS as Adele calls it, then because our brain needs fuel, we crave sugary things and will eat everything in sight if our blood sugar is low.
I tried this in Beeston. It worked. Then I backslid in some cheap ice cream and I went back into Bad Blood Sugar. That, coupled with lack of exercise (who wants to exercise in their bedroom - I couldn't afford the gym), resulted in all of Adele's handy work going down the drain.
Anyway, I summarized the main points of the book for a friend, so if you want to read it, go right ahead.
Just cause I'm a pro now....
This one courtesy of LMT
I want to put a picture on the blog. How to do it?
I went to 'Upload' and clicked Local Archive Path, and then typed Images, and me don't see anything happening.
That's why I always put them on Shutterfly, cause mi nuh know how fi dweet pon dis.
Look what I've managed to do...see below. Bwoy, sometimes I amaze myself. I have tried to do this several times, no luck. But if at first you don't succeed, try, try again init.
A friend sent me this in an email and I thought I'd share it.....
Early yesterday morning, the skies opened and showers came pouring down. Perhaps the sky knew that later that day, we would have been shedding showers of our own in the form of tears, for one gone too soon.
Just prior to the start of the proceedings, the skies again opened, perhaps wanting to provide company as we grieved, sang and prayed for his soul.
Father urged us not to ask ourselves "Why?", "Was it my fault?", "Could I have done something to prevent this tragedy?", but that's not so easy to do is it.
Today, the skies are still grey, overcast and sombre, again reflecting our moods. Soon, the sun will shine again. For him, we hope it already has.
Rest in peace.
Forgot to let out Brown Puppy. Yup, we have dogs and yup, this one is really called Brown Puppy. Although she's really not a puppy anymore. Actually, she's the oldest of them all, with the grey hairs, cataracts, arthritis and all.
When I'm home, I do Dog Duties several times a week. Pops saying "so you going to feed the dog in the morning for me?" cannot be answered with "No". Just not possible! Now Dog Duties involve more than heating up the scraps, washing out the dog pans (3), putting the pellets in the pans, pouring the water and scraps on and giving them to the ruff-ruffs. It involves what comes out at the other end after they finish eating!
Yah. I get to deal with the crap. Well, Brown Puppy is left in her kennel cause she does tek a long long time to eat. It's very common for her to be forgotten. But not for a whole bl%@^y day! That's what I did yesterday. Forgot her for the whole day. Heard her yelping last night, but that's a common thing, so ignored it.
Well this morning, went outside to find pellets of the softer, smellier variety in the kennel, along with some liquid stuff. Imagine that. 24 hours cooped up in a kennel, without water. Don't let the animal rights people hear about this.
For my sins (and forgettfulness), I had to wash out the kennel, after scooping up the stuff of course. At least hers are firm. My goodness, the other two dogs produce some mushy stuff that sticks to the shovel. So this is what Dog Duties involve. Shoveling up the 'stuff' all around their enclosure, changing the water, feeding them, and lest we not forget, letting out Brown Puppy when she's done.
This morning I was smart. I set the timer. So she's out. No yelping tonight!
Thanks for your patience.
Hope you enjoy some more pictures of a jewel in the Caribbean
Cricket done! (for now). See what the Captain has ordered fans like me to do, after the WI won both the Test and One Day series.
"To the fans back home I say use the next couple of days to get your rest. I know you have had to be up from 2.30 am over the past month. Get your rest now as you face it again beginning December 12.
I know we continue to have your support and despite the ups and downs of the series, you like myself, feel proud of the young brigade.
We will endeavour to make your early morning sacrifices rewarding and yes, less stressful. "
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