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
A few months ago, I commented about Star Jones' weight loss. She's the black presenter on The View on ABC who caused quite a flurry when she married Al Scales Reynolds who people say has had homosexual relationships.
Leading up to the wedding, she started to lose weight, she had a website and really, the wedding was a commercial event.
I commented that her boobies were looking strange, her shoulders too narrow and her gaunter face made her eyes look buggy.
Well I was surprised to turn on today to see that she seems more in proportion now, and is not looking bad at all.
So why can't I be like her and stick to it? Maybe because I don't have and can't afford a personal trainers???? She does Pilates too. Swears by it.
I dug up on google and found her website. She answers some questions about her weight. There have been speculation that she did surgery.
I was catching up on my reading last night, and saw that the place called Images which I mentioned in the post yesterday, is owned by Raymond Campbell who used to be in charge of First Caribbean (merged CIBC and Barclays Banks) and Rodney Davis, the new CEO of Cable & Wireless Jamaica.
Apparently Davis runs the most successful chain of barber shops in Cananda, so maybe JDid has heard of it. Not sure of the name.
Read about it....
At the post office today, I was mailing two large envelopes. One to Grenada and one to the UK. The one for the UK had only three sheets of paper in it. The cost quoted was $250.
That's way higher than what I paid the last time I mailed something to the UK. So I asked the attendant if the postal rates had gone up. She said yes, and I asked if it was by 100 percent.
She said no. Then she explained it like this..
"The envelope is long you know, so it adds to the weight. It actually weighs 55g. It's just like how a tall person will weigh more".
I said "Oh yeah, I use that as an excuse as to why I weigh 219 (freaking) pounds."
A few things...
1. Driving on the road in Kingston is torture. People are mean and impatient. Shotta M will back me up on that.
2. At the traffic light by South Avenue and Constant Spring Road, a boy knocks on the passenger glass. Normally I would have indicated to him through the closed window that I had nothing. Instead, I rolled down the window and asked if I could him. He said "Miss, beg yuh a money nuh?"
My reply was this. "Sorry, I don't have anything to give you. I'm poor like you. I'm unemployed so don't look at the car I am driving and think that I'm rich, because I'm not." He said ok and walked to the car behind me.
Here's a look at the car I was driving...A Volvo S80.
3. Service is poor in some of our stores. Went into a couple of stores today and no one said "hello, how may I help you?" Only in Spencers Tailoring Establishment did that occur. You'd think that I'd have plenty of work, but people don't want to spend money on people development.
4. Discovered a new hair and nails place in the same plaza that houses the new post office for our area. It's called Images and it's new. Eight hundred dollars for a pedicure, so I'm going to try out the staff there on my yamfeet and see how it goes. The other place I go to is off Red Hills Road which is in Kingston 19. I live in Kingston 6. It too far. Although it's $600 there. We shall see.
5. Saw three policemen on motor cycles driving and looking like they wanted to arrest somebody, so I made sure to drive within the speed limit. The car kinda speeds away very quickly so have to be careful. Then soon after, saw a police car tearing up the road, sirens blaring, horns-a-honking.
I have to confess. I would love to see the police in action shooting gunmen. I like action movies. Heat is my favourite. But so far, no TV crew has managed to capture that. And I not joining the police force to find out.
*******
I spent far too long on the road today. We should never have allowed all those cars into the island. We should be like Bermuda where they have a law allowing only one car per family. Our family would suffer though.
Jeezaz Peezaz I have no idea what is wrong with me. And since I haven't had sex in over a year, NO, I AM NOT PREGNANT!!! (That was probably too much information but who da hell cares!).
I don't know if it's the higher carbohydrates that I have been eating that have increased my cravings for sugary carbs.
Sunday, there was no ice cream at home. It's a kind of tradition that we have dessert on a Sunday. So I instructed the wee ones to make a chocolate cake. There was some Chocolate frosting in the fridge so I scooped two dollops in the bowl with the cake, added some lychee and I was in heaven. (My bottom however rebelled rather loudly at close intervals)
Monday, ice cream was bought, so that was added to the mixture. The lychees weren't there....those were replaced by fruit salad (still fighting to be healthy).
Today, after dinner, I had two slices of sweet bun with cheese.
I know I am in the PMS zone, but dang......
Of course I should not have been pissed today when I jumped on the scale at the gym and it said 219.
Cho bumbo claat rass....this weight thing is just too tedious. Just freaking hard.
(this is me attempting to curse)
Bwoy was I pleased when that phrase popped out of my mouth, as I noted that the starter was Red Peas Soup.
The waiter said no, no meat, and I dug in. I wonder if he had said Salt Beef or my beloved Pigtail was in it, if I would have said "no thanks".
Next it was on to the buffet line where I would again be tested.
First, filled up half the plate with raw salad. Yes, I took dressing. Ooonu lef' me. Next was rice and peas. Had a spoonful. Then there was lovely crunchy cooked veggies - broccoli, cauliflower, string beans, carrots. Took lots of that. Next was some meat thing. I had looked beyond that and seen there was fish so I didn't even wait to hear the waiter explain what the meat dish wash. It looked like chicken.
So I had fish, and beside the fish, there was some chocolate cake staring longingly at me. But I didn't succumb. I went straight to my seat and began eating.
I was well pleased with my resistance today. And this evening, while the others were having left over chicken, I cooked curried chick peas, lima beans with raw cashews and raisins for dinner, along with rice and peas and more broccoli (one of the 12 best foods you can eat).
As Miss Lou would say, "clap me"!
Lawks, if is anything I dislike is being dragged out of bed and don't get any reward. Probably the only reward was getting to see the dog Penny earlier than normal.
Mr Smith could have just sold us the manual, and the organizers could have halved the fee, because there was nothing there of substance.
Foreign consultants are way over rated.
Ok. Reached there on time, chatted with a couple people I knew, had some tea (mi fraid of hotel coffee. From experience, invariably it's a server who knows nothing about brewing proper coffee who is sent to make it. Those of you who are coffee drinkers can probably count on one finger how many times you've had good tasting coffee at a conference).
Sat at a table, said hello to the people sat next to me. Then the presentation begun.
First he told a story about taking 15 boys sailing from Miami to the Bahamas. He said it was relevant to the theme of the session, but blow me down with a feather if I could see the real relevance. OK. Maybe there was a little to do with needing something like a compass in business. But he took too long with the story, went off on too many tangents and so he didn't get into the session really until about 20 mins after he started.
Then after he got into the session, he showed a bunch of slides from US organizations of some of the practices they have. Well, most of them might not be workable in the Jamaican context, so why show them? He coulda put that in a handout for us to read!
There were 10 points to follow in creating high performance organizations. He only got through 7 because of these irrelevants inserts. He gave some group exercises for each table to do, and then gave us 2 minutes to discuss!!!!!
He didn't go to Adult Learning Principles 101 clearly! Adults want discussion. Adults want practical things they can take back to their organization and implement NOW. I was talking with a lady who joined our table late and she agreed with me.
Now I would love to have looked at the evaluation forms. I rated the presenter and the content as Fair. I rated the facility, administration etc as Good. I wonder if, because Mr Smith is a caucasian American, the participants gave him very high marks? Well if they had any sense and looked through the humour and guffaws, they would realize that they left with a manual.
The organizers coulda just mail the manual to me and I coulda slept late!
I woke up at 6:30 this morning....by design because I have a seminar to attend. But even before the clock alarmed, I woke up at 6:12 because of the chirping birds.
Everything was so still and quiet, apart from the birds. Normally I get up at 8 o'clock (yes, we 'idle' folk are allowed), after going to bed at midnight. Last night I still went to bed pretty close to that time, so you can imagine how I feeling now!
You get a different perspective of a day when you get up at a time that's not normal for you. So those of you who do the 5:00am rise, try sleeping in or having a 'lie in' one day nuh?
Anyway, don't want to be late for 'coffee and networking'. Maybe I need the coffee to keep me awake suring Mr Gregory B Smith's session. Gosh I hope he's not boring!
Well........success.
I cooked today for the family. Roasted a whola yard fowl (it did come complete with the foot mi dears), and cooked a salmon steak for myself so I didn't have to succumb. Monday I will try the mince.
But I must confess that I had the chocolate cake for dessert. You mustn't tell kids anything you know, for my niece said "Aunty Yamfoot, you're not supposed to be eating eggs". She made the box cake so she knew it had eggs in there.
Cho man, eggs don't count. (Did I tell you that one day we were having a discussion at the dining table and the subject of diary came up and I mentioned eggs and was surprised to find out it wasn't dairy? OK. Lemme explain. Is because you always see Diary & Eggs together when you look at a Food Pyramid or food groups. Check it out).
But I think I won't have any more of the cake, not so much because of the egg factor, but the fat factor.
And I have the fat lady on the weight slider thingy at the top of this site to remind me that I am fat. Obese actually. So says the Healthy Calculator.
Just like being under the spell of an irresistable man, I succumbed last night and had chicken AND oxtail!
Well it was a special occasion (father's birthday) so I couldn't just have the shrimps alone could I? I guess I could but I made the decision to have the other things.
But I must say that the meat and poultry didn't excite me the way that it has excited me in the past. I've been on the meatless/poultryless crusade since last Saturday so it's about a week. What I realize is that I have to find more protein-packed sources. I had used red kidney beans, chick peas and lima beans, but there is only 6g of protein in a serving (1/2 cup) and 20g carbohydrates.
In the world of food linking, the rule is for every 15g of carbodhydrates you should combine it with at least 7g of protein to prevent an insulin spike. Excess insulin in the body supports fat storage around the middle, and as I walked around in a dress last night, I felt rather tubby around my tummy.
I plan to visit Earl's Juice Garden where my brother says they have great vegetarian dishes, to get some ideas as to what protein to eat my carbs with. I did buy some soya mince, so maybe I will cook that this morning.
You heard about the TT$700-800 million cocaine bust on Munos Island off the coast of Trinidad?
Well, the judge has denied bail for the eight men charged. It included some Venezuelans, an Antiguan and a Trinidadian.
Great job by the police, who must have either had them under surveillance, or got a tip off.
Well that's less drugs on the streets somewhere. Maybe it was going to the USA or Europe. Hopefully it won't go 'missing' in Trinidad!
I aiming for 165 eventually (by 22 October 2006).
By 18 October this year, it's 203.
But, according to this weight loss tool, my highest weight according to my frame size should be 154.
Mi ent cyare. Onward march to 165.
I agree with the Mummy in this cartoon....
Imagine this.....
....I left the gym on Sunday at 214 pounds. I decided to eat vegetarian style...well really no meat or poultry...... while I took three days off from exercise. Leg muscles were feeling a bit odd.
I cut back calories tremendously during this time. For example, for breakfast I would have a slice of Ryvita (rye biscuit = 35 calorie), a dollop of fat free cream cheese (30 calories), a ripe banana (approx 100 calories) and a fibre drink (45 calories).
Lunch would be a salad with, for example, lettuce, red kidney beans (approx 110 calories), lima beans (approx 110 calories), cucumber, carrot, sweet pepper, celery.
Dinner would be assortment of cooked vegetables, small piece of sweet potato or 1/2 cup brown rice, and 1/2 cup red kidney beans.
In between those meals I might have had an apple. I drank a couple glasses of fruit juice diluted.
Now that don't even total 1,600 calories. My Basal Metabolic Rate is about 2250 calories. That means I created a deficit without exercise of 600 calories.
So why di &$^#^ the scale go up instead of down, or even stay the same?
I lamented to Mark, one of the instructors. (He wasn't in such a friendly mood today). He said it could be anything. Hydration could be one. So at the end of the work out, I asked him how can I get rid of water weight. He asked why I wanted to get rid of water weight and said that's why I musn't weigh every day (mi nah listen to him pon dat!).
Anyway, he said drink lots of water because that is the body's best diuretic, and I must watch my sodium. I guess them canned beans have more sodium than I was accustomed to.
I'm still going to go meatless for a few more days and see. But maybe I'll have a bit of oxtail tomorrow on the occasion of Father's birthday.
I sat in the funeral today, not so much sad, but angry.
My anger was directed to those who were with him on the day he died. And maybe I am just assuming that his judgement was impaired by what it didn't have to be impaired by, because one does have a choice.
So assuming that his judgement was impaired, I wonder why didn't his friends caution him before he got to that stage?
If you see a friend doing something that is not in her/his best interest, would you stop him or her?
I posted about the death of a family friend in a boating accident a couple Sundays ago. The funeral is today at noon, so I went to bed last night with this 40 year old gone-too-soon guy on my mind.
Well, here is what I dreamt about him.
My family and I were in a couple hotels rooms in a hotel somewhere. Lo and behold, there comes the fella in my room today, the same day of the funeral. I kind of stutter, but didn't say to him "don't you know you are dead".
We chatted, about nothing significant. I was getting ready (to go to the funeral!) and he was lying on the bed. He got some calls on his cell phone while he was there.
Still in a stupour, I left my room and went down the hall to my parents' room and told them what was taking place. Daddy was quite nonchalant and said that that's how his kind of death is (he broke his neck).....it takes awhile to kick in. "And while he's there, ask him where is ______ (a place I can't remember the name of) because I have to mention that in the tribute".
I go back to the room and he is still there looking hale and hearty. So I ask him what he's doing later (ie around the time of the funeral) and he gives some answer that doesn't include "I'm going to be lying in a coffin at the church".
I keep saying to myself that 'God' must know what he's doing, so lemme not tell him that he's not alive and that he'll pop off soon. My sister comes in the room and chats with him and leaves. Then he gets a phone call that makes him have to go. We say bye, me with the knowing how I am going to see him in a couple hours.
He is gone and I look around and see his shades and his bunch of keys which include his truck keys (I don't know what he drove in real life) still on the side table.
I don't run after him, because I know he won't need them anymore.
Remember I told you I had signed up at e-Harmony.com? That's an online dating service that promises you great matches.
They ask you to set out the qualities, attributes etc that you want in a mate. They also ask you to say whether you would get together with somebody who smokes (no), drinks (no), has kids under 18 living with them (no), and what race you would go out with.
Now yesterday I changed some of the settings. Under race, in addition to African American, I ticked 'Other'. Now what pray tell is the 'Other' race?
Anyway, this morning, I get an email saying they have found a match. When I had 'Caucasian' ticked, I got three matches to whom I never responded because I think for me to go out with somebody who is not the same race as I am, I'd have to meet them in person.
So, here's the snippet on Jay, who I haven't quite decided if I am going to start communicating with....
Match Name: Jay
Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States
Occupation: I am a student and research fellow
Height: 5' 11''
Age: 37
Ethnicity: Other
Jay could be one of you nice men who read Yamfoot, nuh true? Maybe I should start communicating with him?
These days I have to weigh choices of expenditure.
Read about a seminar next week on Creating High Peformance Organizations. Cost = J$5,000.
After the heart consultation, the doctor suggested a test where they attach some device to your chest and record your heart beat for 24 hours.
Cost = $9,000.
For now, I chose the seminar, since I will do the test and the results will be normal.
So why did I have trouble sleeping last night, I ask.
You would have read a previous entry about Donnie McClurkin. (If not, go read it now).
Anyway, after yoga class today, I was passing the reception area and saw a feature on him on BET, so I sat for the next 40 minutes and watched. I was particularly interested because just two weeks ago, a friend had told me that McClurkin was sexually abused at 8 and at 13 by male relatives and lead a homosexual life before he says God saved him.
So I wanted to hear him talk about that. His uncle was the one who did it at 8, and then, check this....
His uncle's son raped him at 13. Now how horrible is that?????
So he mentioned it in the feature. He also said that when he came out and denounced homosexuality, the gay community was saying that he's a fraud because you can never be 'cured' of homosexuality.
Two weeks ago I went and googled Donnie and found some interesting articles on him and some were talking about the fact that it's not that he's 'cured' of homosexuality, it is that he has chosen not to follow that lifestyle.
Personally speaking, I like to believe in the gene theory. I am sure if they did research, they would find that heterosexuals have a gene that homosexuals do not. Well not all. Some get into that lifestyle by accident. Maybe they had anal sex and liked it, in which case would you consider them homosexuals or people who just like same sex relationships?
Anyway, Live in London is a great album. I was listening to it just now....then the computer shut off. (That's another story for another time)
I woke up this morning to the realization that I had a frightening dream.
In reality, I am going to the Eastern Caribbean in a couple of months to work on a training project. In the dream, I dreamt that I was offered a really great permanent job which I had to take up right away.
Towards the end of the dream, I realized the predicament I was in, and was about to go to the boss man, who was Mike Fennell (Olympic boss in Jamaica), to ask him if he would give me about two months so I could fulfil my committment to the company in the Eastern Caribbean.
Have you ever been in that kind of pickle? Thank goodness mine was only a dream.
It was frightening because I had to choose between two situations that I would want to be in...having steady income, and working in that lovely establishment in the Eastern Caribbean.
I so don't want to give up the freedom of time that I have, but money is always nice.
I just finish mixing some tick wash and pouring it on Penny. Now the instructions sounded quite ominous. Wear gloves, wash clothes that you wearing separately etc etc.
I did neither. So I'm wondering.....will my hands fall off? I really didn't put my water in the wash that much. Still, the fingers looking shrivel up a way.
Anyway, I was so pleased that Penny sat still and allowed me to pick ticks off her face, close to eye. And then she allowed me to use a cotton ball and rubbing alcohol to kind of clean out her ears.
She spends a lot of time in the yard, so she has the most ticks. The bitches - Kalli, Maxi and Vanna don't have so much so mi nah go bodda wid dem.
Only Penny will get me to risk my fingers falling off on her.
I'm trying to cut out meat and poultry for a while. So today, this is what I had...
Two Ryvita (rye) crackers with fat free cream cheese
1 Ripe Banana
some raw cashews
1/2 cup pasta (dry measure)
1/2 can tuna in water
1/2 cup red kidney beans
string beans
tomato
1 large slice avocado pear
olive oil
3/4 cup garbanzo beans (channa, chick peas)
string beans
pumpkin
broccoli
curry sauce (left over from that Sunday dinner many weeks ago...freezer is a
blessing)
Dahl pouri roti skin
some raw cashews
So apart from the tuna, all I've had is veggies and legumes and pulses for the day, and I've been rather full for the day.
Tomorrow I'll mix up the left over peas and see what I can come up with.
Now the scale today, I wanted to call it a &$^#%$ liar, as was in that picture I posted some time ago. Today, it showed that I weigh 213.4 pounds. I had to stand on the scale for a few minutes to let it settle and see if in fact that was correct. Apparently. Yesterday I was 216.9. Don't tell me I lost so much water between yesterday and today??
Anyway, I will continue with this meatless kind of eating and see where the scale takes me.
I remember making a point at a tourism forum one time, and mistakenly named tourists as the beneficiary of some suggestion I was making. The Director General of Tourism, who is a family friend, and who was on the panel, said "not just for the tourists, but for Jamaicans first". I think it was something in relation to reducing crime.
Anyway, I just read this article and want to know why the government can't get all the areas in all of Jamaica cleaned up. Why we have to do it especially for the tourists?
My father brought this to my attention.
You've all heard of Nadine Willis right? Mad Bull has blogged about her, and so have I. She used to be an exotic dancer from lower class surroundings, not much education etc.
Then she was discovered by Kingsley Cooper who heads Pulse - the most notable modelling agency in Jamaica. Nadine set the world on fire with her exotic looks and her je ne sais quoi. She's one of, if not the hottest black model in the world today.
When she is in Kingston, she lives in a suite at the Jamaica Pegasus hotel. That's a big thing. I think they give her free room, but don't quote me on that.
The point of this story (bet y'all were thinking 'when is she going to come to the point') is that Nadine turned 25 a few weeks ago and the Pegasus had a party for her. A bashment you might call it. Invited guests included the Issa twins, Zein and Muna.
Their father, John, is Chairman of the Pegasus board and also owns Superclubs, a well known all inclusive chain of hotels in the Caribbean.
So my father sees a picture of the twins and Nadine cutting birthday cake, or maybe it was blowing out the candle. He says "you see how life funny? When this girl was living in the ghetto, you would never see people like the Issas associating with her, but now that she become famous, everybody flocking around her."
Very valid viewpoint.
I was leafing through an edition of Oxygen magazine (lovely magazine for serious fitness buffs......like moi!) last night and looking at the diets of the women when they preparing for a fitness show.
Well, everybody eats Oatmeal. So do I. Everybody eats Sweet Potato. So do I. Everybody eats Tuna. So do I.
Now what they don't eat is cashews, ice cream, Ovaltine biscuits, M&Ms, banana....and the list goes on. I guess that's why they on a fitness stage and I bussing my ass in a local gym.
They call it "eating clean". Lots of egg whites, oatmeal, lean chicken, turkey, tuna, sweet potato, yams, salad and such the like. No fruits. I was surprised about that, but then the carbs in them not good for their figure just before competition.
I was looking through thinking what if I looked like them one day? Actually I wouldn't. Dem too skinny. I still maintain I want to be about an American size 12. Just three sizes to go. Do you know I wore 22-24 when I first got to England in 2001? Do you know this T-shirt that I am wearing now, couldn't even smell me in 2001?
So there has been progress, but I guess I really need to eat like the pros in order to look near to what they look like. They are certainly inspirational.
Just read this story about the catching of a car thief in Grenada.
Is a trini man to. Him don't know that you can tief cyar but yuh cyant hide!
Actually, when I went to live there, I felt that there was a lot of opportunity for crime. I pictured some Jamaicans moving in and just salivating over how much they could steal. But is the Trinis and Vincentians who have come.
No joke. Usually many of the crimes committed have Trinidadian and Vincentian connection. None from Barbados or Guyana.
Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher's relationship has sparked another round of discussion about older women and younger men. Can't remember how much younger he is, but is over 10 years.
And of course we hear other people say that if it was an older man with a very young woman, there would be no chat about it.
Why do people think they have to talk about people's age in a relationship?
Personally speaking.......
We don't know what two people have between them, so we shouldn't query it.
Most of the relationships I've had were with younger men. I like the youthfulness, the carefree attitude, the willingness to try anything, the laughter, the lack of inhibitions.
Elsewhere in this blog, I've said that I would be in a relationship with a guy up to 8 years my junior and 5 years my senior. I'll revise it.
ANY YOUNGER MAN WILL DO.....NO MATTER THE AGE.
Once we connect mentally, let the games begin!
I went to a focus group with some teenagers last week. They were asked if they each had a cell phone. Yes. According to them, it consumes 99.9% of their time.
When I thought about how different their lives are compared to mine when I was their age, I empathize with all parents who have to bring up kids in this era.
I say the cell phone is dangerous because text messaging can involve material that parents can't monitor. It's different if the teenager is talking on the phone. The parent can insist that the child stays in the open. But you can't monitor those text messages. And some pretty hot topics can be discussed using text messaging.
How do you get kids to stay on the straight and narrow in this day and age what with such "innovations" as the cell phone etc?
I thought I woulda been at about 213 by now. Instead I'm back up to 216. Cho rass man. (That's about the only swear word I can cuss.....cause it don't sound like a cuss word to me).
Well I missed the opportunity to move her down today. Skipped the gym because I was tired, having not fallen asleep until around 5am this morning, only to have the lawn mower next door start running around 8:45am.
It aint fair. It aint fair. Somebody give this diet slider lady a big heave nuh?
We got the news yesterday that a family friend died after he jumped off (presumably his) a boat at Lime Cay yesterday and hit his head. He's in his early 40's I would estimate.
Interestingly enough, I haven't seen him in over 10 years I would think. Then about three weeks ago he called the house wanting Dad's number. So we got talking and he asked me what I was up to. Told him about the training and he said he had some people who were in need of training.
We then got talking about his industry (construction) and I disagreed with him that talking to construction workers rough was the only way to go.
Anyway, another life lost at a young age. Don't have all the details surrounding this passing.
Had a strange dream last night. Dreamt that somebody called Daddy and asked him to drop off an outfit on Keeble Crescent which is around the road from us. But first, I had to press it. That is one of the most hated jobs for me.
There was a black pants suit, and a white tank top (which in real life I bought at Sun Island and wear to the gym) and a pink stretchy top. I pressed everything except the white top and pink top.
Daddy drove me around there and I found the house. It turned out to be a large house that several UWI students were living in. There was mess everywhere. And the bedroom had about six twin beds in it, the room was very bare. Definitely student accommodation.
It wasn't any of the students getting married. I guess the one I delivered it to was just attending.
After I left, got a call on the cell from the girl I dropped off the clothes to, to say that the tops weren't ironed!
Steups.
This little island nation just up there in the medal tally at the World Championships.
We just won silver in the 4 x 400 women relay. This was especially pleasing because in the semi finals, we dropped the baton and went from second place to fifth. This was from the 3rd to last leg. The anchor, Loraine Fenton, ran her heart out so we qualified in some fraction of a second faster than the other team.
Now it's the men's turn. Soon come.....
Yeah Jamaica! Bronze. So we have 8 medals I think? More than Great Britain. Yeah Jamaica.
It's sad when you have to resort to .....
....hey, I was going to link the story on page 3 (or was it 5?) of the Sunday Gleaner but it nuh deh pon di website.
Anyway, the Observer had carried a story on it a couple months ago. Male prostitution.
One guy in the Gleaner ad says when his homosexual relationship ended, he had to go on the streets because his former lover used to pay his expenses. Within a month of being on the streets, he met his now first lover and then the second. So he's in a three way affair. The two men pay for his one bedroom apartment. And he's now at University going into the final year of his degree.
Making ends meet. Literally!
No, I don't have hiccups. HIC is short for Heart Institute of the Caribbean.
I went there on Friday last for a check up. Of course I did an ECG. Of course it's normal (just like the one I did at UHWI Casualty last year September when I was having pain). Of course the doctor said it's nothing to worry about. Of course I felt some horrible ripples in my heart on Saturday night. Typical.
Anyway, the next thing to do is wear a device that records your heart beat for 24 hours. J$9,000 for 24 hours. How much per hour is that? The first visit was $6,500. An ultra sound is $13,000.
To be poor is a crime, but it won't lead me to crime.....or prostitution as I read about in the Gleaner today.
And these people who I wrote an article for in New York and haven't paid me just cannot appreciate how much I need that money right now. Bastards.
Anyway, the doctor was young and very thorough I thought. And I liked the fact that he spent time to explain things to me. I just can't remember the explanation to tell you! Something about the heart having a rhythm and you get a pre-beat or a beat out of the rhythm. But don't take my word for it, cause I never wrote it dung!
The greatest fear I have is finding out I have some illness for which I have been tested and the doctor has said "nothing wrong with you man". I've read too many stories of mis-diagnoses. So I will continue to spend money which I can ill afford on medical tests, just to make sure.
As I said to the doctor, when I drop down dead, everybody will cry at my funeral and say "she was such a nice person".
Yes, he laughed, as he was doing through most of the consultation. I guess he's just a happy person.
Well in the printed version, there are pictures. But in the online version of The Sunday Observer there are no pictures.
Sorry Mad Bull. Not even the website has been updated. I note that Laura Butler seems not to be the organizer this year. I haven't seen her around Spartan. Seems like the organization not so good, from the newspaper report.
The list of contestants are:-
Miss Purelene, Debralee Lewis;
Miss Libresse, Sharice Fernander;
Miss WaterFalls, Nalini Banhan;
Miss Optical Solutions, Ahsaki Clennon;
Miss SplashJamaica.com, Francine Pinnock;
Miss Diet Ting, Jhenelle Rudd;
Miss Viola's Passion, Jadie Soutar;
Miss Empire Supermarket, Raven Rae;
Miss Eden Gardens, Zahra Small;
Miss Captain's Bakery Ltd, Lisandra Richards;
Miss AtmorHeaters.com, Christol Wilson;
Miss Watts New Limited, Peta-Gaye Walker;
Miss Entertainment Systems, Natalia de Lissa;
Miss Acropolis Gaming Suites, Danielle Lowe; and
Miss Oriley's, Terri-Karelle Griffiths.
The ones in bold are the ones I mentioned in the post I did a few days ago. Miss Libresse is the one with the wide hips. Miss Eden Gardens has a nice shape and nice smile. Miss O'Reilly's (dey spell it wrong I tink) is the one with the denim bikini with the cute face and nice build...
When pictures come out, I will link it.
Unlike in previous years, they only have a month between now and the finals on 11 September. Some of them have nuff work fi do iya!
It is at times like this that I wished I were back in England. It is just too hot here. I guess that contributes to the lazy feeling, and the drinking of things other than water. Bad for the weight loss programme.
I am listening to Fantasia's album and Summertime just finished playing. I remember during American Idol when she performed that song in the later stages of the competition. She wore a red dress and lay on the floor. She got the pitch exactly right (I have a musical ear so I know) and it gave me goosebumps.
She's been to St Lucia Jazz where a Jamaican journalist gave her full marks, especially for her audience rapport. She also performed in Jamaica on Reggae Sumfest which is held in the summertime. Can't remember the reviews. She had on some short shorts bwoy.
I guess in the summer time, that's the kind of garb one has to wear. It's just too bloody hot man!
I woke up, lolled around in bed for about an hour, fed the dogs, ate breakfast, watched athletics, went on the computer, played music, ate.....you get the general idea?
Not a damn productive thing I've done all bloody day!
After Pilates at 5:30, I went to the cardio room, stepped on the stepper but decided my knees weren't up to that today. Went by the bike but just was not into it. Lemme do the Reggae class, I said.
It is quite a full class. I guess dancehall music is popular to exercise to. Anyway, in walked two of the contestants I had seen earlier in the photo session for the Miss Jamaica contestants.
One of them skinny skinny skinny, not like Rosemarie referred to in the previous post. The other was hippy. I wonder if that was Miss Libresse? But without so much make up, I couldn't make her out.
Also in the class was a former Miss Jamaica from a few years back. She was the one who left the Yoga class early one Sunday, when she couldn't manage it any more. I felt good that I, a fat person, could go through a Yoga class and a skinny person couldn't. There is justice.
Now all that must happen next is a fat person be selected as Miss Jamaica. Then the world would be rocking! Like the reggae class.
Reached to the gym about 4:30pm today, only to see a bunch of scantily (dat spell wrong) ladies lining up for group photos in the aerobics room. Naturally, I had to peer (dat spell wrong?) through the glass doors to scope out the beauties.
Well, plenty long hair an' ting, but many chocolate Jamaican gals in the bunch too.
There was one at the end of the line in a bright yellow bikini who hips could rival mine. Seriously. I said to the trainer who I normally chat to, that all I needed to do was drop a few pounds and I could be in that line up too. She is Miss Libresse. Mad Bull, look out for her when the photos come out.
Miss Eden Gardens also don't look too bad. Nice shape. One of the prettier ones, I forget her sponsor, she had on a denim bikini with frayed edges. According to 'Uncle Fred' who is an old time body builder, it didn't do anything for her. Pity, because as he said, her body structure is good and she has a very attractive face.
But them all look young. Gone are the days when older women like Cathi Levy, Sandra Cunningham, Allison Barnett, Sandra Cunningham entered. These look extremely extremely young.
They don't have an elimination show again. That used to be a hit. If you wanted a belly full of laughs, that is where you went. I was telling Uncle Fred about a year long time ago when a girl named Rosemarie Hutchinson, with thighs the size of my forearm, strutted her stuff down the runway, to thunderlous laughter. She was so skinny it was hilarious. We never forgot her.
They selected these girls privately. In fact, they haven't had a show in years. Only the finals. Let the best girl win.
Here are some scenes of what's happening in the Kingston/St Andrew/St Catherine metropolis.
The intersection of Marcus Garvey Drive and a road which I don't remember the name of. This is where you turn off to head on the causeway which is under construction.
Heavy duty equipment
This is the two lane highway as it is now
The road leading up to the bridge which is rusty and old
Now on the way back, these little boys did the dangerous thing of riding on a van back. When I took the picture, the two boys jumped off, ran back to the car and I just drove off. When we reached a little further, they ran up to the window again and asked "miss, why yuh tek wi picture?" Did I expect them to be violent? Yes I did. They weren't. I explained that I was taking it for my own purposes. They asked for money. See, even they know about image rights! I didn't give them any.
In New Kingston, this lot has now been cleared. Wonder if it's going to be office buildings or apartments? Whatever it is, the units will be bloody expensive.
And this is the sun setting. A view from the airport road. Looks peaceful, doesn't it? What a contradiction.
I had wanted to attach these music clips to the previous blog entry but then it made the file too big.
So here's Stevie Wonder doing two of the songs I blogged about two weeks ago about NDTC's old dances. These two songs were featured in Street People, which was a most enjoyable dance many years ago with the old timers.
Take a listen....
I decided, with my new toy, to record today's blog entry. There is a bit of music to go with it as well.
Let me know if you have difficulty playing the link.
Ryan introduced me to the sound recorder programme on the computer, so having fun.
Take a listen......
Do they remember that today (7 August) marks the third year since their father (Sis' ex-husband) was murdered for no reason at all on Lanetree Road?
When they grow up (they're 13 and 9 now....soon to be 14 and 10), I will show them the following newspaper article that came out two days later. I wish I had known then how to save the TVJ clip that I saw on the internet while in England, where I was when it happened. They were shielded from seeing it.
That was a sad time. I believe they, one more than the other, are still sad.
Insurance agent shot dead
Could be mistaken identity
Observer Reporter
Friday, August 09, 2002
INSURANCE sales agent, ________, 41, was shot dead by a gunman on Wednesday night in what was being suggested yesterday could have been a case of mistaken identity.
Police said that __________ and a woman were sitting in his parked motor car on Lanetree Road, Kingston 10, when the gunman, who had been a pillion rider on a motorcycle, walked past the car, returned and opened fire.
______________, who was hit in the chest and armpit, died on the spot, but his companion escaped unhurt.
Police officials indicated last night there had been a report of a threat, apparently by a jilted lover, on the life of another woman, who lived in the same complex as the one who sat in the car with ____________.
There was speculation that it was that threat that the gunman intended to carry out.
___________, from a Stockfarm Road, St Andrew address, was formerly on the sales staff of XYZinsurance company, but became an independent agent three years ago.
"The mood here is a sombre one," John Doe, ________'s friend and head of the XYZ sales force, told the Observer yesterday. "A lot of people here are shocked to hear the news. He had a lot of friends here."
I've been up since 3:30 this morning watching cricket. Because I dont have a TV in the room I sleep in, I can't have the sound on. So I normally wear the walkman to hear the commentary, and watch the screen sans sound. But this morning there is no commentary on the radio. Technical difficulties.
I still have on the walkman, switching from radio station to radio station and enjoying the mix of music across all of them. It led me to think about live concerts or musical events that I have been to. Not a lot, but there were some aspects of them which brought chills down my spine.
1. Dennis Brown performing with the sun rising at Reggae Sunsplash one year at Jamworld in Portmore. Those were the days when I would go to such a concert.
2. Beenie Man performing at Reggae Superjam at Pulse. His outfit was fantastic and I had to tell him that one day when I saw him at the poolside at the Pegasus. It was the first time I was seeing him perform. He remains my favourite dancehall artiste today.
3. Freddie McGregor performing at Jonkanoo Lounge, at the then Wyndham in Kingston
4. _______ Fearon performing Reasons by Earth Wind and Fire at my high school, circa 1978. She was part of the Extension School at the time which in those days meant she wasn't too bright.....or maybe the teaching she got didnt allow her to pass her common entrance exam.
5. Machel Montano performing at a Carnival concert at New Kingston Cinema. These were in the days when he was likkle and cute. Him turn big and untidy looking now.
Can't think of any more now. Music is an important part of my life. I'd rather listen to music than watch TV. Yeah, even though they play music videos on TV, they don't grab me.
Nothing beats the sound of music pumping through the headphones. Right now I'm listening to Third World's Now That We Found Love remix with that fat rapper....his name escapes me. Hey, this would be a good gym song.
It started off with the feeding of the mutts as usual, and the cleaning up after them. I hope they're grateful. I know Penny is.
Then, after internet and breakfast, it was time to hit the streets. The first stop was the hospital to collect something. And it was during that trip that I had my first pissed off moment for the day. As soon as the light changes to green here, the driver behind starts to blow. Damn impatient bastards, half of whom must have bought their licences.
There were several more such incidents for the day. Mi nah go mek nobaddy stress mi out today though.
After the hospital, it was to New Kingston to interview somebody for an article I am doing on one of these U-19 cricketers. Next was the Pegasus.
During that part of the trip, I got a call to say my sister's flight was going to be delayed from 2:10 until after 4:00pm. The plan, working with the original flight arrival time, was to collect her and then head home and changed for my 5:30pm Pilates class. With this new change, I decided to head back home, change and I reached to the gym by 3:15.
Did 25 mins of cardio (treadmill and bike), then some leg work on the machines, then it was back to the cardio room to complete the 60 minutes of cardio that I had decided to do. Ended up doing 70 minutes. The second stint was elliptical runner, bike and treadmill.
During this time I called the airline twice and eventually the flight was scheduled to land at 5:39pm. Goody. I can do some of the class. So did 15 minutes and then went to the bathroom. When I walked in, a lady was changing for the Pilates class. She said to me "you're losing weight." I said not weight but size. But that wasn't really true, because if you keep looking at my weight slider at the top of the web page, you'll see that I've lost 6 pounds since I came back from Trinidad/Grenada on 19 June.
So things are working and I'm not stressing about food.
Must work harder in August though because I'd like to be down to about 210 by the time I leave for Grenada. Then I'll have 6 weeks or so to get to 203.
So that's how TODAY went. TOMORROW is a public holiday, but of course, the gym is open, so that's where I'll be at some point before 4pm. No class, so I'll do some upper body work.
Bounced in there somewhere around 11am. Supermarket nice and empty. First order of business was to find Miss Grant. After all, I couldn't pack up all dem trolleys only to hear "sorry, we can't accept this cheque".
Clearly they have no hand over system, so even though Ms Kinghorne told me to ask for Miss Grant and "tell her you spoke with me", I would also have expected her to tell Miss Grant "dis lady name Miss Yamfoot will come tomorrow with a cheque". Anyway, Miss Grant said it was Ok for me to shop.
And shop I did. When I filled up the first trolley, I headed to a cashier to make them hold it, where an eager young bag boy rushed to me to take it. "No, no, I still have a lot of shopping to do, so I need another trolley." Off I head to get it, when he said "is OK miss, I'll get it for you." Him spot di rake.
The second one was filled up and I took it to the cashier again. Same thing. Young men rush to get me another empty one. I asked them for a case of cow's milk and he went and got that. So very helpful they were.
When it came to finally cashing the stuff, there was not one, not two, not three, but FOUR persons attending to me. Reminded me of that scene in Pretty Woman where all the sales persons are sucking up to Julia Roberts after Richard Gere tells the store manager that he is going to spend an obscene amount of money.
I filled in the amount on the cheque, went to Miss Grant for her to authorize it and she said "hopefully everything will be ok" and I told her yes.
When Mother comes back, I will give her the bill to double check prices against MegaMart and see which one is more economical. And if Loshusan's turns out to be even or less than MegaMart, I will encourage them to switch.
Man oh man...
My sister is away and she asked me to follow up on some things for her with the Inland Revenue, regarding a motor vehicle title.
Well, if you are to get through on the phone, it's a miracle. Either all the numbers are busy, or they ring without an answer.
Today I called the head office. I told the operator what information I wanted (cost to transfer a vehicle from seller to buyer). I was put to a phone which rang, and rang, and rang, and rang. The call went back to the switchboard so I said "hello, hello". Hear the operator nuh....."that extension is rining without an answer". Like duh.....
So I say "But how can it be ringing without an answer? Aren't there supposed to be people there to serve the public?". Well, without answering, she put me back to the ringing phone!
Each time it came back to the switchboard, I said "hello, hello". Miss Thing promptly put me back to the ringing extension. I think I must have held on for about 3 minutes!
So I called back and used the automated service to connect me to the Human Resources department. Yes. I was going to complain.
The lady who answered the phone said "I was just passing by and picked up the phone because the Senior Personnel Officer was on another call". She proceeded to tell me why I would have got a ringing phone. I told her that that doesn't help me. I then explained the simple information I wanted. She said "hold on".
The next person who picked up the phone said "hello, may I help you?" Lawks man. Mi haffi repeat the whole thing again? I had to. She explained that the phone have call waiting and when the staff answer a phone and have to look up something for a tax payer, they don't hear the call waiting. Again, I explain that that is not my problem.
I told her that the operator could have connected me to maybe a supervisor or manager who could provide that information. Anyway, she said that she would connect me to somebody, and she wouldn't leave me on a ringing phone.
That she did and I was finally able to speak with someone who could give me the information. Do you know how much the seller (my sister) has to pay?
N-O-T-H-I-N-G! Hot up mi nerves fi nutten!
I've found that in my working life, I've had to be very persuasive, so those skills have certainly developed.
Whether it was getting a guest to agree to stay in a room he didn't particularly want (because we were full), or to get another to 'walk' to another hotel when we were full, I had to employ those skills. It also involved getting employees to do things that they didn't necessarily want to do, and I'd usually get "Is only cause it's you yuh know Miss Mac."
I think it calls for empathy and good interpersonal skills and making a connection with the other person. The feedback I've got indicates I do a pretty good job, and it has also stood me well for the interviews that I do.
So, armed with that, I phoned the supermarket today. My mission? To get them to accept my father's cheque......
We normally go to MegaMart on Waterloo Road to do the monthly shopping. As my mother is away, and I am not a signatory on Pops' credit card, he would either have to (a) come there when I was ready to pay or (b)give me a cheque.
(a) wasn't possible for tomorrow, so asked them if they would accept a cheque. After several backing and forthing, the answer was a big fat no.
"Well, I guess we'll have to shop somewhere else". Dem don't realize that shopping for 6 people is a hefty bill, but anyway.
It's on to Loshushan's......that new BIG supermarket in Barbican Square almost. I go there from time to time because it's never packed and the prices are only just a touch higher than SuperPlus, but less than Sovereign.
My last visit there was to return a bag of dog food that surprisingly turned out not to be good. So I called today, spoke with Mrs Kinghorne. I explained the situation to her, but she said they don't accept cheques.
ME:"Are you the lady who refunded me for the dog food?"
SHE:"Oh, yes. The one where the bag was open?"
ME:"Yes. Well that's me, and I really need to come to the supermarket but my father can't come blah blah blah blah"
SHE:"Oh, you remember mi name!"
I told her that we also shop at Sovereign, owned by another Loshushan. She said call her back in 1/2 hour. She was going to call Sovereign and see if they could vouch for us.
Half hour later......
"They say they have so many Yamfoot's that they can't say about your Yamfoot family".
But I was not daunted. I explained that this was monthly shopping ($$$$$$$) and that I have been in this new supermarket several times and the prices are very reasonable ("that's what a lot of customers come back and tell us you know").
"Ok, I'm not going to be here tomorrow, but go to Miss Grant and make sure all the details are on the cheque, and maybe this can be the start of a relationship".
You bet it will be, because I don't see what MegaMart have over Loshushan. After all, I aint looking for patio furniture and all dem tings.
Will let you know how tomorrow's shopping and my encounter with Miss Grant goes.
PS. I really could have gone to the supermarket in the evening when Pops was available, but the preference is to go in the morning when very few people are there. Ask for what you want. They can only say NO, like MegaMart....and be sorry.....VERY sorry.....
I wonder if any studies have been done on the difference in behaviour etc between kids who grow up with no television vs those who have cable TV from america.
I just can't see a kid who watches Dragon BallZee or however it's spelt, turning out the same as a kid who read newspapers and sensible books (not Harry Potter....sorry titilayo!)
Personally, if I were a mother (of a kid and not a dog as I presently am!), I would select carefully what the kids watch on TV, and it would certainly be limited. There would be no Sims 2 video games either. Everything would be educational, and the fun ones would be very carefully chosen.
Further, we would spend time in the Great Outdoors, appreciating nature and the environment. I feel that would contribute to bringing up a more wholesome child.
By the way, I was remembering the other day that I read an Enid Blyton Five book one day, and it showed you how to get a key out of a door, like if someone locked you in a room and left the key in, and I remember trying the method they used and it worked. So if I...a sane, sheltered kid....could actually try something that I read in a book, image a kid who is not so well grounded wanting to try something dangerous that they read in one of these outlandish books or see on TV. That's why we have incidents like Columbine.