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
That's short for National Dance Theatre Company. They've been around for 43 years and have earned a reputation for some great performances.
My mother used to dance with them in the very early years, so we go to the performances every year. In recent times, they've got a little boring, and we seeing all these young faces that we don't know.
Last Thursday I went with my father, expecting more of the same boring stuff and dancers who don't do the moves in precision. This was so especially after my brother told me that he thought the performance he saw last Sunday was boring.
Well, I was pleasantly surprised. Even though it didn't have Kumina on, (that's one of the old ones where the founder Rex Nettleford - he with a full head of grey hair - comes on with another of the old ladies Pansy Hassan), I enjoyed it greatly.
The standouts for me were 'Tribute' which had to do with slavery, the middle passage, freedom etc, and 'Spirits at a Gathering'. I think both were revived works.
The period of NDTC that I most enjoyed was during my teenage years when you had such stalwarths as Patsy Ricketts, Judy Pennant, Barbara Requa, Melanie Graham, Barry Moncriefe, Bert Rose, Tony Wilson, Duran Hylton, Christopher Morrison and Pansy Hassan dancing.
Dances like 'Street People' gave me goosebumps. It featured music from Stevie Wonder like 'If it's magic, why don't we all .....' and the upbeat 'You can feel it all over'. Then later on there was 'Gerrehbenta' which is one of the African dances carried down through the years from slavery. The drums provide music for this, and the NDTC singers are involved. After a performance of Gerrehbenta, I would come home and do the dances and sing the songs.
So I'd found that in recent years, I didn't get any goosebump feelings. But last Thursday night, Marlon Simms gave me some.
He has a Masters in Fine Arts from some North American university. He obviously has a ballet background, because he is very technically correct. When they had to do moves like the arabesque (Google it), his form was impeccable. (I used to dance, and I also used to watch my sister in her classical ballet classes, so I have a pretty good idea about these things).
He choreographed a piece which I didn't care too much for, but the costumes were very pretty.
So overall, I had a great time. It would have been perfect had they had Gerrehbenta, but I shan't complain.
Oh, final word. Because the founders of NDTC are reputed to be homosexual, all male dancers who dance with the company are assumed to be gay, but I just wonder if that's really so. The two Cubans who are in the company are both married to Jamaican women. Marriage of convenience, or a heterosexual affair?
I went to cricket all day today. Because I'm not cashy, I decided to carry stuff with me to munch on. But for breakfast, I had a two-egg omelette.
Well, some time during the afternoon, belly start to rumble. Then I had a half of a cheese sandwich, a pear, an apple and some M&M's. Then the belly started to do a full gallop.
Better head home, I thought. But then I remembered I had to get some slug pellets, so went to Evergro on South Avenue.
While waiting at the cashier's counter while she did something else other than check my two packs of pellets, I had to double over in pain. Looks like this was now going to be an attack, so I asked the sales person if they had a toilet. Yes. Oh goody. "But I think somebody is in it". Bummer.
I visualized having to scrape up stuff off the floor if the person took too long in the bathroom. Thankfully they didn't.
Man that was a belly full.
Just sipped some Peppermint Tea and hopefully that will do the trick and I won't need medicine.
Maybe it was the egg. I tend to have 'belly rumblings' after eating eggs. Maybe I should stop. It certainly couldn't be the cheese sandwich, or the pear, or the apple. Could it be the M&M's?
I get that a lot. Did I tell you how one day I was walking down the corridor of the Pegasus, a few weeks ago. Somebody passed me and said "Hi Michelle". I said hi and asked for her name as I had forgotten it. She told me and it didn't ring a bell. I asked her to tell me where we knew each other from (mi nuh shame) and she said primary school!
Today, saw a high school mate who said the same thing. "Michelle, you haven't changed".
I was looking at a picture with me in my primary school uniform, last Sunday, and indeed, mi look same way. That, of course, can be both good and bad.
Well, the toes got done, the eyebrows got done and the hair got done.
And quite coincidentally I've gone out Tuesday and Wednesday night and going out tonight as well. And maybe Saturday.
Research question: Is there any correlation between fixing oneself up and opportunities for going out?
Jamaica's U-19 cricketers are off to Kami's home turf (St Vincent) to win both titles in the regional competition. Last year they won the three day title and reached the final of the one day title where they lost to Trinidad.
Jamaica, on paper, has a strong team. With eight of last year's winning team again included, they will provide stiff competition for the other teams who are coming to try and dethrone them.
Here are a few of the young cricketers, looking sharp in their green jackets...
(L-R) Nickoy Samuels (specialist batsman), Jeffrey Scott (wicket keeper), Cordell Simpson (spinner) and Albert Gopie (all rounder)
On my way to the hairdresser this morning, circa 11:15am, I passed a bunch of men (and possibly women but was driving too fast to notice!) sitting around chatting on the side of a road they had just bushed.
You Jamaicans know that road work programme? It's probably a feature in most Caribbean islands. I've seen people doing the same thing in Grenada.
Anyway, I passed them liming at that time. I finished at the hairdresser and would you know they were in the same position? How long it took me at the hairdresser? Probably an hour or so.
But of course, we still behave like slaves some of us. We don't work hard unless someone behind us cracking the whip.
I am a whip cracker myself, but in a nice way. My nickname at work was 'The Iron Lady' after Margaret Thatcher (I found this out long after). I was Night Manager, working on shifts from 11pm to 8:30am. Unlike the other Night Manager who, everytime you called him he sounded as if you had just awakened him from a deep dream, I used to actually patrol the property, check up on the staff, do my check list etc.
I could count on one hand, the amount of times that I fell asleep and I usually would let my GM know. "Wasn't feeling well Sir, so took a room and slept for an hour."
So the employees knew that I was out and about. And I wouldn't just walk around and say "move it". I'd help out, I'd chat to them about what was going on in their life etc. So we had a good thing going.
But my point is, that I feel that if you are being paid to do 8 hours work, then that's what you must do, unless the boss tell you 'tek a break mate'.
But, we probably will never get this lazy slavery mentality out of our system will we.
I tell you, the body is a weird piece of machine.
So you read how I was feeling Monday. Well Tuesday, I got to the gym with enough time to do 15 minutes on the treadmill. I kept one of the West Indies cricketers company, walking on the treadmill beside him. He was running easily.
So far so good.
I breeze through the Pilates class, where everybody else was tired and lethargic. I even managed to do all one hundred of The Hundred (go Google it for explanation).
Afterwards I went and did some chest and back work on the machines. Then it was back to cardio. Twenty minutes on the bicycle, working to 80% of my heart rate for most of the ride. Then, because of my 45 minutes cardio target, I had to do 10 more minutes. Chose the Elliptical, and bus' a big sweat.
No flutter of the heart. No tired and lethargic feeling.
Today I took a day off, so it's full steam ahead tomorrow for hopefully another energetic day at the gym.
Left home later than I had intended for the gym. Wasn't feeling perky at all, but told myself I should go especially since I didn't go yesterday (wasn't feeling well - chest pain) and I had ice cream last night. (Don't tell the Diet Police)
Did 15 minutes on the bicycle and went back down to Level 4 after 10 just felt too hard. Then did some leg work, only just barely. Light weights.
Went back to the cardio room where I intended to do at least 15 minutes more. Got on the Elliptical Runner, still feeling a bit woozy, then felt a ripple through my chest and said 'that's it'.
Went and sat in the reception area and watched some of Days of our Lives, then left.
I know.....I should really go to the Heart specialist, but I waiting on money which hopefully I'll get on Wednesday. Living from hand to mouth is hard but it's what I've chosen so not complaining.
Then when I go, he'll tell me that nothing is wrong with me. Money down the drain.
I feeling ok now though, so no worries. I plan on doing my Pilates class tomorrow morning, plus a bit of cardio.
If I had a male companion, I would pay more attention to how I look and dress.
Right now, my eyebrows could grow some vegetables the way it bushy; the toenails aint see a pedicure in many weeks; I haven't had a bath since I went to the gym this morning etc etc.
So when I'm at home, I just pray that nobody comes to visit. So far, it works.
Penny normally gets her run of the yard while the other three mutts stay in the pen (because they attack her). One of the three is young Vanna (named after Ivan as she was a puppy back then), who just seems to 'raw raw, yap yap' at anything. So she follow the other two bitches in yapping at Penny.
Now the plan, eventually (and I can't wait), is to give the two bitches (Kalli and Maxi) to my brother. So it will leave Vanna and Penny here. I therefore decided that I have to start mixing the two of them so that I won't have to newspaper the kennel etc when the other two are given away.
I think Penny was happy for the play mate. Here are some pictures of them romping...
Penny enjoying a quiet moment....before Storm Vanna
Duelling Dogs, in a friendly way...
More romping...
And they slink towards me to ask me what exactly am I doing. "Did you get our permission to photograph us????????"
I didn't mention that my sister, her kids and my mother are away did I? So it's just me, Pops and the mutts here.
Usually on a Sunday I help with a part of dinner, but, as Mad Bull would say...yuh done know seh I had to do ALL of it today. No problem.
Lemme do like Dr D now and describe the preparation...
Saturday, cut up and season a whole chicken. I dont like recipes and I like to experiment. So in went some Walkerswood Jerk Seasoning (recommended by Adwoa-Shanti....I'm never returning to Grace again!), nutmeg, cinnamon, pineapple juice and pineapple (tin), garlic, thyme, bay leaf and soy sauce. That was left overnight.
Today, put that in the oven along with two potatoes wrapped individually in foil. Then deveined some shrimps, cooked a curry sauce with coconut milk, strained it and then dropped the shrimps in and let it boil and simmer.
Cut up some cho-cho (christophene) lengthwise rather than cubes, julienned some pumpkin (very thin strips) and cut off some broccoli florets. Used the steamer to steam those veggies.
Boiled corn as well.
When the chicken was cooked, I strained off the juice and added a concasse of sweet peppers, tomato and pineapple slices (nicely cubed).
So when I served it out the plate looked real pretty. I fanned out the long slices of cho-cho and put the shorter pumpkin strips on top, then put down the florets. Placed the chicken on the plate and drizzled the gravy with the concasse over it, so you got this explosion of colours.....red, green and yellow.
I cut an 'X' in the potato and squeezed up the flesh.
And Pops said "not bad at all". (That's a compliment).
Of course, I shoulda take a picture, but I've described it in detail so you can visualize. It didn't taste half bad, if I must say so myself.
Next week Sunday I'll be alone, so maybe won't do anything fancy.
Was just having a conversation with larr about regional integration, stemming from a story where some Guyanese were refused entry into Barbados. I said the only place I have had 'problems' is Trinidad. Them well strict I find.
When I went down this last time here in June, I popped over to Grenada. I went back to Trinidad on a Friday and my flight to Jamaica was Sunday. The immigration lady asked me what was the purpose of my visit. Told her it was to catch my flight home.
Her next question floored me....
So there is no flight to Jamaica on Saturday?
I told her I wanted to relax and that the flight was very early in the morning. Then afterward I said to her jokingly "so you don't want me to spend any extra time in your country?" I think she was embarrassed by that. She sheepishly said something. But I was incensed, really I was.
That's going to be my new postcode (the ## will be replaced by whatever number they assign to the Liguanea post office).
In today's article in the Sunday Business Observer, the new system is explained.
The JM is for Jamaica; the A is for the zone that my parish (St Andrew) falls in, and the AW is for the first and last letters of the parish name (they don't count the 'St'); the number is for the number assigned to the post office where my mail goes. So if Liguanea is post office #10, then my new post code will be JMAAW10
Now in Jamaica, there is mail delivery through much of the island. I was therefore surprised when I went to live in Grenada, because I had to get a post box. That was 1997 and I still have it even though I'm not there permanently.
When I was at university, I had a Trinidadian friend who lived on Eastern Main Road in Tunapuna. So when she was giving me her mailling address, I asked her for the number of the house. She said "you don't need that. Everybody knows us".
Post codes fascinate me. The British ones are the ones I'm very familiar with. And it's great that you can actually descipher (that spell wrong) what street a house is on, just from the post code. So NG2 9JA was Queens Road in Beeston, Nottingham.
I worked at a call centre that handled store credit card applications. The store clerk would call to check if a person's credit was ok, and I had to take the house number and the post code and input it in the computer and the credit report would come up. So my house number was 292, therefore I'd use 292 NG2 9JA and the computer would know that it's Queen's Road. Just fascinating.
So I'll have fun with these Jamaican post codes. First though, I have to get my hands on the numbers assigned to various post offices in the city.
Read this story about two fishermen from the south coast parish of St Elizabeth (aka St Bess).
That parish has a history of fishing, and unlike Ocho Rios, which was once a fishing village, tourism hasn't taken over Treasure Beach (famous fishing village) just yet.
So these American boys ran away, and it took these expert fishermen to find them perched on some rocks.
But I was drawn to the colouring of the men. I was in shock the first (and only) time I went to Treasure Beach in around 1985 or 1986. There were all these people who looked as caucasian as any caucasian in the USA or England. Some had blue eyes, others green, others hazel. Then, when they opened their mouth, there was that unmistakable patois that Jamaica is so well known for (and if you don't speak that abroad, people say "you don't sound Jamaican").
Apparently a set of Germans came and settled in that section of St Elizabeth and the rest, as they say, is history.
Meanwhile, top non-claiming apprentice Paul Francis escaped serious injury when his five-year-old chestnut mare, La Chica Bonita, broke her right fore leg and fell awkwardly near to the inner rails, five lengths from the winning post, while leading the field comfortably as the 2-1 second favourite
The above was taken from the Sunday Observer. On the back page of the newspaper, there is a large picture of the horse falling. The caption of the picture says that the horse had to be euthanaised (probably spelt wrong!).
So I called a friend who is a vet who works out at the racing place (Caymanas) why they have to put down the horse just because it broke a foot. Can't it go in a cast and heal?
Have you ever seen the size of a horse?
Yes, I say. It's huge.
Have you ever seen the size of its foot?
It's tiny?
The horse's foot is about as big as my forearm (he's a skinny dude). When a foot is broken, it places pressure on the other three skinny feet and then the horse gets an infection beginning with L which can kill it. So the decent thing to do is introduce it to a bullet.
Poor horsey. I wonder how many of them are taken from this life in that way?
Took 2 x 81mg aspirins (was having a head ache......still having a head ache after 30 mins), then took 2 x Hair & Nails supplements, then 1 x Cod Liver Oil tablet.
Now my headache is 'worserer'!
Actually, I don't think it will ever come up with a match for me. I too picky and pernickity.
They ask you a whole long set of questions about what you'd like in a potential match etc. Like for eg, would you be willing to go out with somebody who has kids. No. Would you go out with somebody who smokes. No. Would you go out with somebody who was divorced. Hell no (there must be some thing bad about him that caused a divorce to happen!). Would you go out with people of all religions? Most definitely not. No muslims, no 7th day adventists, no, Mormons, no Jehovah's Witness.
So you see, I guess I hardly answered yes to anything, and was really very specific. When I changed my answers a bit, then I got some people emailing saying they want to meet me. Me just switch back the answers and I haven't been bothered since!
Actually, I want the right to choose. I want to be in control. I want to see a guy and say "I like you. Let's get to know each other."
AND I DON'T WANT TO BE BLOODY WELL REJECTED IF I DO THAT!
Went to a section of Portmore today. That's the community you drive through when you're going to Hellshire beach to eat Fish and Festival and Oysters. Many years ago there were no houses. Today it is very populated and even has its own mayor.
Anyway, I went to my dressmaker. Getting some work type clothes made because since 2001 I haven't had any. That's because I haven't had a job-job since then. I free lance so the odd suit here and there has been sufficient. But later in the year I am going to need other stuff.
Sorry. Went off on a tangent.
The point is that we have watched the dress maker work hard and persevere in order to accomplish things. I first remember her when I was at primary school. She lived in a wooden dinky building on Duke Street (where our Parliament is). She had three kids and her husband was nowhere around.
When Waterford, the scheme in Portmore where she lives, was coming on stream, she managed to get one of those. I believe she did some additions on the house gradually. It's in the quieter section of the scheme, so no rabble rousers have joined her. This has been I would imagine about 20 years or so since she has been there. She has kept her clientele for years. Nobody who lives in Kingston/St Andrew minds driving all that way. My mother makes regular trips to her. So she has sewn for my mother for I would think 30 years or so.
But given her circumstances, she could have taken a completely different path. Instead, and with the help of her values and principles to guide her, she worked hard and focused on what she wanted to achieve and she has managed to raise children (older than me) who have all gone on to do well.
It's the family structure that makes the difference how children turn out. We've lost that. And we now have kids growing up whose parent instills in them that they must wait for handouts and remittances, instead of working hard to achieve some thing.
Well let me start with breakfast. A 2-egg omelette with two slices of bread, cup of black tea with 1 Splenda and some Full Fat milk, 4 ozs Tru Juice orange juice diluted with water. I had that because I was going to be on the road for most of the day and I know that would hold me. It did.
Came home and had some left over curry mutton and a dahl pouri (dat spell wrong I am sure) roti skin (found it in the Supermarket last week.....delish!) and then later it was time for dinner.
Felt like a salad since I had bought some nice green leaf lettuce unlike the flimsy other kind we normally buy. Here's what the salad looked like from above...
Contents? See if you can spot them from this close up shot.....
When you listen to music with earphones, it allows you to hear the words more clearly. When you listen, really listen closely to the lyrics, you will probably see how music can influence behaviour and life.
Everybody knows that Beenie Man is very anti-oral sex, even though the mother of his child, former Dancehall Queen Carlene (who needs to go back to the figure that she had then!) say is not true.....him did 'bow'.
So in his lyrics, the same beliefs are echoed through these words in "King of the Dancehall" from the BAck to Basics album which I bought....
Me stand up and dweet, nuh bow down and taste
and
She fi know di sex limit stop at 68
Then he is anti-gay, so we get these words....
Me nuh batman. After me nuh Robin ('s) guy
The classic though was this. After listening to this song a gazillion times, I finally really listened and understood what 'implement' he was talking about here....
She tell eveybody how she tear up di sheet
"yuh tink a toe nail?" (a guy asks him this question in the song)
A di sitten weh go 'skee skee skee skee skeet'
So listen closely to your favourite song and see what message it's sending out.
PS. IF I NEED TO EXPLAIN THE LYRICS QUOTED ABOVE, YOU'RE TOO YOUNG TO BE READING THIS SITE.
IF YOU DIDN'T NEED ANY EXPLANATION THE FIRST TIME YOU HEARD THESE LYRICS, AND YOU ARE UNDER 21, THEN I NEED TO HAVE A WORD WITH YOUR MAMA!
I just looked to see if my calendar has day planners for March and April 2007.
This is why.
I've been waiting for 2007 forever, putting off plans that would take me out of the Caribbean around that time. It has better be worth it. Or else mi will cuss mi real bad patois/Jamaican bad wud! (as if I know how to do that, but it sound good......doant)
Here's the dog who is so happy to see me whenever I go outside. I hear that when I am not here, she comes in the house looking for me...Aw gee....that's love. Well she knows the hand that feeds her and pats her and tickles her and plays with her..
Anyway, see how pretty she is...
From SmallIslandGirl and PoetinWisconsin (I too lazy to do the url thingy)
Ten years ago (1995)
I was enjoying the job that I was in (Assistant Training & Development Manager at a Kingston hotel), but hating what Jamaica was becoming. I also went on my first trip to Grenada....I knew it would not be my last.
5 years ago (2000)
I was walking up and down on a construction site in Grenada, where the hotel I was employed to was undergoing a massive renovation. The walking up and down contributed to significant weight loss. The clothes were falling off. Pity I couldn't maintain it when the hotel opened in December and I was running around like a chicken without a head.
In May or thereabouts, I went to England to watch West Indies lose to England (sucker for punishment). Oh, Dr D, is cricket ah talking bout!
I was also seriously pondering my future. I didn't want to reach 60 and not pursue higher education so I started looking about studying in the Motherland. The following year, I would get a Caribbean Tourism Organization scholarship which allowed me to go to England for my MSc.
One year ago (2004)
I was seriously pondering my future (I'm a ponderer, I guess). Had been accepted in 2003 to start my PhD at Virginia Tech but deferred it to take up a training contract in the Eastern Caribbean. When 2004 came I decided that it wasn't the right programme for me (excellent decision), so was left in a quandary as to how I would be spening my time. Oh well. I'm pondering.
Yesterday (Saturday)
Watched for a hurricane that never came and played Kalooki with the family. I won, as I usually do.
Today (Sunday)
I didn't do much as I had a 'visitor'. Washed the dishes though and played with my favourite dog. Fooled around with the blog design some more. (You like?)
Tomorrow (Monday)
Veg out a bit. Send off a work document. Maybe go to Pilates in the evening.
Five snacks I enjoy
Ovaltine Biscuits (me too Shotta M)
Cashew Nuts
Peanut butter and jelly sandwich
Fruits (apple, plum, pear, mango)
Haagen Daz Cookies & Cream ice cream
Five Bands/singers that I know the lyrics of most of their songs
Bob Marley
Earth Wind & Fire
Whitney Houston
Diana King (who???? She's Jamaican. Very good)
Luther Vandross
(I hope to be adding Joss Stone to this list soon)
Things I would do with 1000.000.000 (is that US or Jamaican???)
Buy my sister a house and put up a trust fund for my niece and nephew
Buy a house for myself and some more real estate and rent them out
Travel to every cricket playing nation to watch a cricket series
Put away money for retirement
Give parents and sibblings whatever they need
Five Locations I'd like to run away to
Providence, Rhode Island
Sri Lanka (the food is divine)
India (ditto)
Anguilla
Turks & Caicos
Five Bad habits I have
Biting my finger nails (yeah, me too)
Eating too much
Being anti-social and a loner sometimes
Not fixing up myself when I am at home (who coming to visit me? Nobody, but I should really do better)
???? I guess a friend would have to fill in the fifth...can't think of anything else
Five things I like doing
Watching cricket
Writing and blogging and reading
Travelling to different countries
Exercising
...and of course...
Eating!
Five things I would never wear
1. A thong
2. Braids
3. Stiletto heels
4. See through clothes
5. Body piercings
Five tv shows I like
Oprah
Days of our Lives
The Apprentice
Law and Order: Special Victims Unit
Fresh Prince of Belair
(I am disgusted that not one of those is a local or Caribbean show....but I do like shows which feature the Caribbean...I just don't get to see them often enough)
Five Movies I like
Pretty Woman
The Bridges of Madison County
Heat (what's that?? that's with Robert DeNiro and Al Pacino...a classic)
Hitch (drop down funny)
Shrek
Five famous people I'd like to meet
Oprah Winfrey
Michael Jordan
Anybody from slavery days who had a hand in dismantling slavery
Michael Manley
Halle Berry
Five biggest joys at the moment
Exercising
Writing
Heading for Grenada
Friends
My favourite dog Penny (I'll take a picture of her one day)
Five favorite toys
Is a computer a toy?
Tag You're it (Whoever wants it run with it)
A couple months ago, I burned some music off my computer to a Compact Disk. Then I put the CD in a portable player and recorded it on to a cassette so I can put it in my walkman when I am at the gym.
Yesterday, I burned some different music off my computer to a different brand name CD. When I put it in the player to record on the cassette, it said 'No Disc'.
Then I noticed that the first CD said "CD Recordable" and this second one said "CD Rewritable".
So I get it so far. That some CD's can only be played in the computer drive and not like a regular music CD in a CD player.
But then I wanted to use the first CD again. So wanted to erase what I had put on there a couple of months ago. It couldn't be done!
Now you know I like variety, so I am going to want to change my gym music again a couple of months. You mean I am going to have to buy another blank CD?
Aren't there CD's that I can erase and use again?
Any IT experts around can enlighten moi? I would be grateful. Music is a HUGE part of me having a successful workout.
I figured out all on my own, how to change the background colour.
Next I will try and see how I can change the font colour and stuff.
So....now that I know how to do it, expect changes often. Why?
Because variety is the spice of life
Now if I could change my weight downwards as often as I will change this, bwoy that would be awesome.
Emily came and left us with just a bit of rain. No fanfare, no devastation. Just a friendly visit.
No power cuts (well not permanent ones). No tree fall down. No having to put shutters up or tarpaulin in the dogs. Just a normal wet weather day.
Now you'd think that with all this rain we wouldn't have water lock off, but this 'turbidity' thing that NWC uses to explain away no water is now lame.
I call the Emergency Control Room this morning. Spoke with a nice sounding fella, who said he didn't have a report that anything was out of the ordinary in our area. I told him all week we had had precious little water, and God bless the tank. He said "well we wouldn't be able to pump any water to that area today you know". But, but, but...
He explained that when the river is in spate, it is very hard to treat. Yeah, so what? How many years oonu been having this problem? "I'm not an engineer so I can't speak on that". He said we would have to be serviced from the 'intake' and that is very low.
I told him that this situation just mek us know seh we eena one turd wurld country!
Then came the typical man line....
"If anything changes, I'll call you. What's your number?"
I gave him. He hasn't called. The one time I would welcome a phone call from a strange man and he ent call. The men are disappointing yet again.
After not gymming on Wednesday and Thursday, I had to get in one today before Emily flood us (and the gym?) out. So here was the workout today in the order that I did it....
Treadmill 10 mins 3.5mph 0 incline
Weights/Strength training
Leg Press (incline) 45+45+35+35=160 pounds, 3 sets, 12 reps
Calf raises on same machine, 3 sets, 15 reps
Leg curl (lying) 1 set at 3 bars - 12 reps, 2 sets at 2 bars - 12 reps
Leg extensions 2 sets at 70lbs, 10 reps and 1 set at 55 lbs, 10 reps
Seated Chest press, 30 lbs, 3 sets, 12 reps
Dead lift 30 lbs, 3 sets, 12 reps
Stationary lunges, 3 sets 12 reps
Stair climber, 3 mins, Effort level 4
Stationey Bike, 27 mins, ranging from Level 8 - 12 (77 - 80 revolutions per min)
Elliptical runner, 5 mins, Level 4
Tomorrow I expect my hamstrings to be sore!
Hurricane Emily will be lashing us with rain about the time that I should be doing my Pilates class tomorrow. When I was leaving the gym today, I asked the receptionist if they were closing early today (Friday). She said no. They normally close at 10. I asked her about Saturday. She said they weren't sure yet.
I think I'll skip the idea of the gym on Saturday and do a longer workout on Sunday.
Emily, you're screwing up my targets!!!!
Emily passed by Grenada and there was some damage. I have heard that the north of the island was most severely affected. Some pictures follow...
An elderly lady is trapped in her house....
They lift her to safety...
Trees uprooted....
Water everywhere....
The owner of these pigs must have said "well, if the light don't come back....ah know where dinner is coming from." Squeal!
Bwoy...choices, choices...(Oonu better run!)
This house lost its roof. Obviously they didn't put back on a proper roof after Ivan....
This man (right next doot) obviously did, so he can be smiling...
I just watched the 11:50pm Tropical Update on Weather Channel. Maaaaan, the USA just so insular with their outlook.
"We have Emily. Looks like it's going to be a strong one, but the good news is that it is far from Florida."
What tha??????????
When Dennis was threatening USA, a friend of mine who lives in Florida said she was in a place and a guy was saying he hope it stay in the islands and don't come to USA. She said she had to tell him that USA can afford to fix back.....the islands can't. Then he piped up "but we give them money".
Moron.
Anyway, I am sure not all Americans think like these two baffooons
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Robert Winslade Anderson, LRAM,BMus,PGDipRAM
Sounds impressive huh?
My dear friend Robert has FINALLY finished his voice studies at the Royal Academy of Music at Marylebone Road, London.
Not many of you who read this blog knew me when I was in England studying. Those who do, would remember Robert featuring in a number of stories, many of me going to hear him sing. He deserves special mentioning because he was one of those people who found his passion and decided to pursue it.....even at the ripe old age of near 30 I think it was.
Yes, Robert was in the Accounts department and used to sing at weddings, concerts etc. He then decided to take voice and music theory lessons with the same tutor I had many many years ago. He was by then a hard back adult. But he persevered. And most importantly, his tutor had faith in him.
Robert entered a Rotary contest in Canada, with very little classical training....and won. That, amongst other things, got him a scholarship to the very prestigious school in London.
When I was across the pond, I'd travel up from Guildford a couple times for the year, or I'd travel down from Nottingham. Always good company, Robert has this unique quality for always giving people a chance, always finding some good in them, always looking past a person's looks or position or title, and finding their soul and connecting with that. He'll tell you that that has got him in trouble a lot of times. I guess his home background has something to do with how he is - his is a strong Christian home.
Anyway, he can proudly write the letters LRAM,BMus,PGDipRAM behind his name. And to boot, he copped the Vice Principal's prize for meritorious performance.
All who knew him when he was just a lil wedding singer will know the great strides he has made in his life, to bring him to what he is MOST passionate about. Look out for him in the future. His bass baritone is rich and meaty, just like his heart.
Hopefully I will be able to post a clip of his voice...once I figure out how to do it.
For now, the things on his plate are (as told to me by Robert on Messenger)...
BobAndy says:
a little role in don giovanni
BobAndy says:
the commdatore
BobAndy says:
then off to germany to do two concerts and then to japan to do a recital with kiki
BobAndy says:
ja independence recital
(Kiki is a former student as well. She's Japanese and plays the piano)
CONGRATULATIONS ROBERT
Found the following on Onlyonebody. Thought it was mighty funny.
(By the way, I don't curse the scale.)
As I go through each day, I do various tasks and I sometimes remember from whom I learnt them.
These have to do with the computer.
From a summer employee in my department in 1996
- How to do basic stuff on Microsoft Word. I grew up on Wordperfect. She made it seem like the easieist thing in the world...and it was.
From Nerissa P
- How to save a document with a password to open and password to modify
- How to print one page of an Excel document without highlighting the document and clicking 'selected text' or whatever the option is
From Brigitte
- How to save a picture from off the internet
From two job applicants who I was interviewing (one in Grenada, one in Jamaica)
- How to show the key strokes in a Word document
- The quick way of finding 5% of a number. (ie Find 10% and divide by 2! We give a numeracy test and I usually ask the candidates what method they use to arrive at the answer and we he told me, I thought "oh yeah, that could work too instead of long division and multiplication by 100!)
From Poor but Polite aka Loraine
- How to use PowerPoint
From a computer person at the Ministry of Finance
- How to use Microsoft Access
From a lecturer at UWI
- About Google. I was asking him how to find something and he said "just Google it" and I said "huh? What's Google?" Now I Google everything. This was Fall 2001 by the way.
Of course you can add a number of different things, like what you learnt from your parents, your kids, your dogs (including the bitch Kalli!) etc.
Found this also on SlimSpirited.com. I've changed the responses to suit me...
3 names I go by:
1. My real name
2. Mich Mac
3. Yammie
3 physical things I like about myself:
1. Smile
2. Teeth
3. Skin tone
3 parts of my heritage:
1. Jamaican
2. African
3. Scottish
3 things I am wearing right now:
1. Gold bangle
2. Purple T-shirt
3. Purple cycle shorts
3 favorite bands/musical artists:
1. Earth, Wind & Fire
2. Richie Spice
3. Mary J Blige
3 favorite songs:
1. Reasons by Earth Wind & Fire
2. Best of my love by Emotions (song written by an EWF member)
3. Ghetto Girl by Richie Spice
3 things I want in a relationship:
1. Independence (that's dichotomous I believe!)
2. Passion
3. Honesty
3 physical things about the preferred sex that appeal to me
1. Butt
2. Fingers
3. Smile
3 favorite hobbies:
1. Exercising
2. Writing
3. Listening to music and dancing
3 Things I want to do badly right now:
1. Lose weight and maintain it
2. Earn money
3. Earn money!
3 things that scare me:
1. Dying young
2. Dying young
3. Dying young without notice
3 of my everyday essentials:
1. The Internet
2. Food
3. Oprah / Days of Our Lives
3 Careers you have considered or are considering:
1. Author
2. ??
3. ??
3 places you want to go on vacation:
1. Providence, Rhode Island
2. Anguilla
3. Turks & Caicos
3 kids' names you like:
1. Temnit Rianna
2. Timon Reece
3. I gave you four! Bugger off! (smile)
3 things you want to do before you die:
1. Do a PhD
2. Go to another far away cricket playing country that I haven't been to. Maybe India or Sri Lanka
3. Write a book
3 ways I am stereotypically a boy:
1. Assertive
2. Independent
3. Logical thinking, unemotional
3 ways I am stereotypically a girl:
1. I like to get a pedicure
2. I like clothes
3. ??
3 celeb crushes:
1. Wesley Snipes
2. Keanu Reeves
3. ?
I found two blogs with West Indian women trying to get fit and healthy. I told you about Reneegetsfit.com already. Now there is SlimSpirited.com. Nneka has a fitness challenge on there called Vegas 100 and I thought I'd post my version of what I will try and do for 100 days (which started yesterday by the way... just by coincidence that I found this today).
And guess what? The 100 days will end on 18th October....just in time for my birthday on the 22nd.
Now this is really going to be challenging because as of September sometime, I am going to be in Grenada (hence the variety in the Challenge). If you look back in the archives for June and July 2004, you'll see how I got derailed when I went and had all that nice food in Grenada. Anyway.....
The Challenge
EXERCISE
* Take at least 3 Pilates classes, do at least 200 minutes of cardio per week and do at least 2 weights sessions (30 mins each) per week. Take at least 1 Yoga class twice per month (until I go to Grenada)
* In Grenada, do at least 200 minutes of cardio per week, at least 4 weights sessions (30 minutes each) and at least 20 minutes of Pilates exercises (on mi own!) at least 3 days per week. Stretch after every session.
EATING, FOOD
* No bun or pastry type food (I can only have ice cream!!)
* Log food each day
* 1600 - 1900 calories per day for 5 days per week. The other 2 days I have to eat normally so that my body knows not to go into starvation mode and hold on to the fat.
* Drink 64 oz of water daily (these are easy points since I drink a lot normally)
* At least 6 servings of fruits/veggies per day
Nneka does a points system but I know I not going to stick to that so I won't even bother try that.
If I follow this, it should result in weight loss of at least 15 pounds. I am now 220 (back up...yup) but some of it might be water weight so lemme estimate that I am really 218. So, I should be weighing 206 (by the scale in Jamaica) by the time I leave Jamaica in early September. Then when I get to Grenada I will weigh the day after I get there and then track it from then, to get down to 203.
Actually, it would be nice if for my birthday I was 200 pounds, so that is what I will aim for.
On Sunday, I woke up to be told by my mother that my brother had called to say that a colleague had seemingly been kidnapped in Montego Bay. They found his car, key still in ignition (I think she said the car was running too), on Gloucester Avenue (a busy avenue). The fellow was no where to be found.
In Jamaica, you hear that news and don't have to wonder if it's possible. It is.
Funnily enough, my heart didn't go flitter-flutter nervously. It was a sign. The fellow was found hearty and well in a nearby hotel. Apparently alcohol had entered the picture, causing him to do whatever he did.
Now, if somebody had got the call like what my mom got in the morning and didn't get the call later saying he had been found, they could be spreading a rumour that dear boy was kidnapped. And I didn't mention that he's a politician, making the story sound all the more plausible.
Btw, I had a huge crush on this fellow in my late teens. He lived in the area and used to come on the bus. Then later he was on Mona Campus same time I was there. I was just attracted to the fact that he could converse so well. I was (and still am to a certain extent) shy and reticent and not very confident of myself or my abilities or looks, so that was attractive to me.
All I ever got from him was a hug. Darn.
The other day in the Pilates class, Susan brought her two boys with her. The younger one is about 3 I think. They are quite well behaved and I notice that if they come into the class to ask her a question, they get the response and they then move along. She also doesn't shoo them out. She simply nods, or in between "inhale, exhale" she says "go ask your brother" or some other quick response.
So the young one ran into the class the other day, and said "Mummy, can I?" and pointed to the back of the room where the water cooler is. She simply nodded yes, and off he went. I looked back at him through the mirror in front of me (showing them big-ass thighs and gut) and wondered how the hell he was going to get up to be able to drink the water.
I watched him get one of the things you put under an Aerobic Step and stand on that. Not high enough. No problem. He just got another, and another, and another until he was able to reach it.
And Susan continued along teaching, not rushing over to assist him. Hell, it crossed my mind to go over and do it for him. But I guess her method will raise the kids to be independent and think for themselves.
I thought what kind of parent I would make in that regard. Would I rush to do everything for the kids or let them try for themselves (within reason of course....don't want them trying to light the stove now do we!)
15 minutes on Stationery Bike, going from Level 8 to 13
Lying chest press
Lying pec flys
Shoulder press
Lateral arm raises
Lat pull downs
Another back exercise which I don't know the name
3 mins Stair Master (a killer machine)
7 mins Elliptical runner
20 mins Treadmill alternating with inclines of 2.5 to 5%, 3.5pmh and jogging 1 minute, walk 1 minute. Jogging was at between 4 and 5.5 mph.
15 mins Stationery Bike
10 mins dancing in the aerobics room and using the step
So I did quite a bit today.
According to Nutridiary.com which has a better list of exercises to choose from, I burned over 500 calories today in my workout. So that means net calories today were 1499. Not bad huh.
Tomorrow is Pilates and a little cardio. Have to work real hard. Real hard Miss Yamfoot.
Oh lawks. Mark at the gym asked me that today as I bounced in for a long session. I sheepishly told him 'not very good'.
'Why?' he asked.
Well I have just not got the eating under control. I went through what I had eaten so far for the day. This was a good day, because I decided to re start writing down what I eat in a proper place. Tittilayo had mentioned FitDay.com and I started using that a long time ago. Couldn't even remember my sign in details to rahtid. Anyway, I finally remembered.
Anyway, he started doing some calculations and I was correct in how many calories I am supposed to be eating per day. I've been eating probably 2.5 times that amount for several weeks. I don't know what triggered the bad eating. Maybe when I went to Trinidad.
Anyway, so far today, I've consumed 1999 calories. So I will look over the list of things eaten today and see where I can cut back on 399 calories. I think I had too much at dinner. Also I can cut back at breakfast.
Mark said "I should take you under my wing you know", to which I said "I can't afford you" but I was thinking something different (:wink:)
Anyway, since someone will be checking on me, I have to make sure and feel good the next time he asks "how's your efforts been going?"
I found this link on Reneegetsfit telling a little about Pilates.
Click here here to read what I've been raving about.
By the way, I think Renee is very brave to put up a picture of her skin showing. I have some before pictures too, in underwear only, but I'll be damned if I put them up for y'all to see! By the way, it looks like they staying at 'before' for ever!
Back in my day, we had more normal names like Tracey, Sharon, Michelle, Patrick, Sean, Lisa and Natalie.
As I sat at church tonight looking on the roll of all the babies christened from last year to now, I had to strain to see the spellings of those names. There was one normal first name - Anthony, but most of the others were very unusual and a sign of the present times.
Jaelyn
Leighianne
Tuwonmi
Shelice
Kai Aren
Xavier
J-Khwon
I think cable television has something to do with this as well. Some of them NBA basketball players have some 'different' names. I sure if I google J-Khwon, it will turn out to be a basketball or some other black american dude's name.
....and I thought 'this is boring'. This was a Methodist church. When we were younger, we went to a Brethren church. I think in some countries they call it Berean.
When I get to Grenada, I'll try one of those there.
Him say him coming at one time, you wait, and wait and wait, and then hear by the way that him coming later.
Same thing with Dennis. Was supposed to reach Wednesday night into early Thursday morning. Now we hear that him not reaching till Thursday afternoon. And if you don't mind sharp, when you wake up in the morning, you will hear that is Thursday night him coming.
I say all storms should be named after females. Afterall, how many female storms caused the havoc that male ones caused? Gilbert, Andrew, Hugo, Ivan, Charlie...all male.
Hmmmmm. This is the kind of thing I am afraid of in Jamaica. One of the busy roads in Kingston was the scene of a gun battle on Tuesday. This is the road where I buy the paper that I use to print my portfolio information. So I coulda been going there or coming from there and meet upon some cops and robbers squaring off in the streets. I would probably be so scared that I woulda sh*t my pants!
On Monday, while coming down from near Maryland (on the way to Irish Town - I think), we passed a police car travelling up the hill, seemingly in hot pursuit of a man on a motorbike. Dunno what that was about.
Anyway, please read this to see the sometimes scary stuff that happens in the land of my birth.
If Dennis is now a Tropical Storm.....how come we on a Hurricane Watch?
As you know, Tropical Storm Dennis (soon to become a hurricane) is heading our way. We needed dog food so this morning on my way to the gym, I stopped in Super Plus. You'll remember how I said that Super Plus was way cheaper than Sovereign, so being cash poor, that's where I normally go.
Well, the lines stretched from here to ohio. I couldn't wait, because my breakfast woulda wear off and I wouldn't have any energy for the gym.
After the gym, I passed by sovereign and noticed that their car park wasn't jam packed. Popped in there to find relatively short lines. Then there was this line over by the magazines which was even shorter. Asked the lady if I could cash a pack of dog food there. She said I would have to find somebody to lift it up for me. I quite proudly said "I can lift it up myself". So I did and got cashed in 10 minutes or so.
I can't imagine what Super Plus looked like at that time, and how long it woulda tek mi! So I had to pay a little more for the dog food (rather Pops will) but time was short and so I did the trade off.
Click here if you're interested in reading 'Stella' and 'Winston's' side of this unpleasant divorce.
I have no doubts that the man is a user. But then Terry didn't give him too much money.
That's the new man in life. He's coming to see me round about Wednesday night or so.
Click here to see what he looks like....
I have no ideas. And in fact I am dog tired. Why? Because the night before last night (Saturday night), I had a torrid time in bed. Chest/back pain, fast heart beat, heavy feeling etc. This was after taking a Voltaren Retard before going to bed. I don't normally have that kind of reaction to Voltaren.
And I usually have it with a slice of bread, which I did Saturday night, but bum, bum, bum went my heart. My father said it wasn't enough food.
Anyway, I sat up in bed because lying down made it feel worserer and worserer. Eventually I fell asleep and when I woke up, I felt like Death Warmed Over.
So last night, I was determined to get a good night's sleep. Didn't need to take Voltaren because the pain had gone. Instead, I took a Lexotan. Only 1/2 (1.5mg). Although I went to bed around 11:30 and got up for the first time around 8 to go potty, I still felt kind of drowsy throughout the day.
It meant that I didn't go to the gym. Not good. So didn't go Sunday, didn't go Monday, not sure if I'll go tomorrow cause I have a meeting in the morning.
So I don't really have anything to blog about....ok?
I was a little apprehensive when, on approaching three servers who were standing at the entrance to the restaurant, not one of them met us and said "Good evening, welcome to Restaurant Japan". I paused and gave them an opportunity to talk to me first (one of the practices of excellent customer service....never let the customer talk first). Eventually one got it.
Then our server came and everything was fine. She was a pleasant missy. Didn't talk much though...needed to have been a bit more personal. But she had a constant smile and she got the orders correct.
The food was tasty. I had Pork Ginger or Ginger Pork and the pork was nice and tender, and very flavourful. The rolls were good too (the ones wrapped with rice etc that you eat with the wasabi).
But the creme de la creme was when the owner, a Japanese lady came over and said "who's the birthday lady" in her best English. Then after the main meal, about four of the employees came over singing happy birthday with a candle stuck in a Melted Pudding (fried ice cream - delish!).
And then the icing on the cake was when they presented Mother with a gift....a box of four wine glasses. Then the owner came back over again to ask how everything was.
See, it's not that difficult to please customers, but not everybody can do it. I can bet you that the family will think to return or recommend this restaurant to others.
Oh, here's what I looked like tonight....
(all 215 lbs of me!)
A headless Yamfoot....
If you've been reading this blog long enough, you would know that I like to check up on health issues. So the last time I went to the 'Guyanese' doctor, based on what I told him, he ordered an ultrasound of the left mammary.
I made the appointment at a place for next Monday, then last night was talking to mother and sister about it and they asked why I didn't go to Dr 'Friend'....yes, a friend of the family. I'd get a discount, they said. And this radiologist is one of the best I am told.
So went today. Ladies, have you ever had a mammogram?
(Oh, Dr Friend said in his opinion a mammogram would be better, then if he saw anything which caused concern he would do an ultrasound.)
Right. Back to the squashing of the titties...
The lady who attended to me was very detailed about what she was going to be doing. So she explained the process to me before, therefore I knew what to expect. This was my first mammogram by the way.
As she squashed, she kept asking "are you ok? tell me when you can't bear it anymore". Well clearly my tolerance for pain is high cause she squashed quite a bit before I said "that's it". She did two pictures of each coconut. Well actually mine wouldnt classify as a coconut. Udders is more like is, small ones though!
She had to fix them on the machine, but of course she told me before taking my breasts and hauling them, like cow's udders. I guess a man couldn't do this job. Too much breasts in his hands....men have little control. That's a physiological thing I understand.
When she was done, she asked me to wait while she went to check the quality of the film. She came back into the room and said "I have to do them all over again". Without being alarmed, I asked her why. She bus' out a laugh and said she was joking.
Next I went into Dr Friend's office where he showed me my titties on film. Yes, my titties are movie stars. He showed me what a normal breast looked like (the perky variety of which mine are not! Too many card games of 'Spit' seated on the floor hunched over), and showed me mine. Then he wrote his diagnosis...
Fair replacement of the dense glandular parenchyma by fat is noted in both breasts. I saw no sign of breast cancer or the presence of a benign mass lesion.
Did he say that I am fat? I think so. Maybe Dr D can confirm that.
By the way, I would think that BGS (breasts going south - like mine) are better candidates for mammograms than PTs (perky tits). I just can't see somebody with an A cup with perky tits getting them on to that machine.
