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
"I wasn't there when they called to say they had the anthem. They (Foreign Affairs) should have got the Chinese Ambassador to come and listen to the band rehearsing. Truth is, I don't think Foreign Affairs people knew there were two different anthems for PRC and ROC. I thought they were the same."
That's the gist of the conversation I had with said gentleman. So my conclusions were correct. Foreign Affairs is at fault, yet it's the Band Leader who is transferred. Me thinks he will have the last laugh.
Had some friends staying with me and they left on the early flight this morning. Tried to go back to sleep but I couldn't. Decided to go walking instead. Just down the road from me, I came upon a group of people, saw a Caution tape" and didn't think anything of it. Lo and behold when I reached closer to the area, I see a dead man covered up with cloth, blood flowing from his upper body.
The area has an open air bar which is very lively. Made a few calls and heard that he may be a "jumby" from Woburn and that some men drove up last night/early this morning, some bottles were broken and he was cut. Then I heard that when they were on their way back to the Woburn area, they crashed. I understand that police caught two of the perps.
But imagine, the only dead person I ever see in Jamaica was the victim of a motor vehicle accident, and I come to peaceful Grenada and see a murdered soul. Who would have thunk it?
Tonight when I was walking home, people by that area were seemingly going about their normal business. Perhaps they were talking about what had transpired the night before. But perhaps some didn't know what had transpired and people would have been unknowingly walking over the very place where this man took his last breath.
Watching the first night of the finals of American Idol. It's the men tonight and I am NOT impressed.
This year's Idol winner will be a girl. For sure.
Oh, Simon and Ryan slugged it out with words tonight. I wonder if that is an act. By now, Ryan must know how Simon stay...he tells it like it is, and most times he is right.
Well since I typed that, I heard Chris Sly or whatever his name is... a chubby dude with curly hair and glasses. Good voice.
I've spent the last 3.5 hours online, viewing items at J C Penney, Target and Amazon. Mostly clothes items because I really don't spend money on clothes and I don't have a wardrobe. I wear the same things over and over again...plus, I don't go anywhere because I am either at work or at home. In Jamaica, it's either home or the gym, so I really don't have need for clothes.
But there is the matter of cricket this year - Jamaica, St Kitts, Antigua, Grenada, and Barbados, and I figure with the little bit of weight loss, I deserve some new shoes and clothes.
I first shopped on Amazon years ago and found their service to be great. They continue to be very efficient and I don't have any complaints with them. The last time I was in Florida, I went to J C Penney and liked their clothes - very simple...very me. Decided over Christmas to give them a try. Bought some sheets and clothes from them. There was a problem with the address (their fault) and so I did not get the items for Christmas and one of them was a gift. I emailed them and they said they would refund the shipping charges (US$65) which they did (got the statement last week).
I like JC Penney's navigation. Very simple. They also have a wide product selection, so just finished selecting a fair bit. Haven't closed the order yet because I had to see what Target had to offer. Was very disappointed in their site. Only bought two bras as a result because the site was hard to navigate. As I usually do, I've given them some feedback. Don't suppose they will take it on board, but mi ah give it anyway!
I wrote..
I usually shop on JC Penney and Amazon, and I have to say that I found your site very difficult to navigate. Specifically, regarding shoes, I wear 11W and could not tell if you have that in stock because you only list the size and not the width for each product.
Also, there are multiple viewings of the same product, just for different colours. A suggestion is to have one picture of a product, and then give the shopper the option of selecting colours from a drop down menu.
I have spent several hundred dollars with both amazon and jcpenney because it is easy to view and select the products. I got frustrated with your online shopping so only bought two bras and I don't think I will return.
And I seriously won't return. I don't think I need to work so hard to give away my money. Anyone who wants it must make it easy for me to give it away!
There is an article in today's Observer.
This quote had me cracking up....
He's still alive and still sc------ around with the fat woman he left me for. What can I do? I divorced the ass---- and took my children. I got the house and the car and he had to rent an apartment. I still hate him and the hate grows everyday.
I still can't believe he left me for a fat woman. I still dream of killing him."
Lady, one question. What is wrong with a fat woman? They can't get man too?????????
When I reached home, I put on the tv to watch The Herbalist, a Grenadian man who is always telling people here tha they eating bad foods and food making them ill.
Last week on the show, somebody called in and told him to stop talking nonsense and about things which he don't know. He fanned him off.
The Herbalist is used by a sports person I know who sings his praises. There are questions as to what qualifies him to give out all of this medical advice. But people go to him, and they seem to do better, so hey...keep on doing your thing Mr Herbalist.
I didn't get to the new 'cinemawr' (British pronounce it like that) until tonight. Saw Blood Diamonds and I am glad I did.
The summary is about the diamond trade and how it results in war and death, child soldiers and so on in Africa. Leonardo DiCaprio was brilliant. His accent was very good and he really played the character well. He's a Rhodesian who was a soldier and left that to trade diamonds on his own.
He hears about a black man, captured by the rebel government, who has found a pink diamond. Apparently that is very valuable....I wouldn't know because I've never owned a diamond in my life. He arranges for the man Solomon to be released, befriends the man, who is desperately searching for his family who was taken away, in the hope that he will lead him to the diamond, and therefore his fortune.
The story progresses well and we see glimpses of the white massa trying to rule the black baboon, but lots of compassion too. Go see it. Very violent in parts. My brother's boss was sitting beside me and he said it's so violent that he was thinking of walking out of the theatre. He didn't. As I told him, even though I am from Jamaica, I also found it violent. The slums, the guns, the terror....all of that made me think about Jamaica.
Anyway, I took the bus (two bus stops away) to and from, and as I was walking from the bus stop home around 9:40pm, I gave thanks for the peaceful country I live in, where all I have to fear is those two dogs I have to watch in case they decide to rush me like last time. It's the simple things that no money or no diamonds can buy. I have it here in Grenada.
Years ago when I was living here, I had all the cable channels that Grenada Cablevision offered (not many by Jamaican standards). This included the movie channels and so on. After a while, I realize that working 6 and 7 day weeks did not make watching tv possible. Sports, yes. Movies no.
So I downgraded, saving money in the process.
When I started working here again, I went for the Value Package which has the basics - the networks, ESPN, Tempo, BBC World, Fit TV etc. One day I went into the cable office to sign up for more channels. This was helped on by the special the cable company ran every weekend for a month and I got to watch some nice movies. But in the office, I looked on the price, looked on my work schedule and said "nah".
When they cut off the cable day before yesterday (I>yeah, embarrassing init?) and I went into the office to pay, I said "cho, what di hell" and got the Gold Package which includes Discovery Health, the merged WB channel, BBC American and a few others, plus three movie channels - HBO, Cinemax and Black Starz. I already had Sportsmax...that was a must.
I didn't ask how much my monthly bill will now be (it was EC$85 which included a whole EC$20 alone for Sportsmax but that was just NOT debatable cause I must see my cricket). I just closed my eyes and signed.
We'll see how long I keep it on for! I have had it since Thursday and I keep watching the same channels!
I think I don't have any willpower. But then I believed the writings of Adele Puhn who said that is not a question of not having willpower, but just a physiological matter....this thing we call cravings.
Once you send your blood sugar out of whack, it starts behaving real crazy. Mine has been out of whack because I have been having brownies and cookies at lunch most days. I don't didn't have sweets in the house except good-for-you Grenadian chocolate before today. But a friend was staying with me this week while on a work assignment and I thought it would be nice to buy some ice cream. It was for him, except he was leaving tonight so Yamfoot, I don't know how that makes sense!
Anyway, along with the ice cream I was going to buy one pack of Chips Ahoy cookies, then I remembered I had written a note on my phone saying "No brownies, no cookies, no cake, no sweets...Remember the size 14" so I didn't buy them. Victory. Small victory, for then I said lemme have a sundae. That required chocolate syrup, walnuts and M & Ms.
I had one bowl. Then two. Ok, don't panic, I stopped there. But still, willpower busted. AAAaaarrgh!
The Grenadian lady who won Miss World in 1970 (betcha didn't know that Spicy Lady won???) has the franchise for the Miss World Grenada competition. Girls have been selected and like in Jamaica, the girls cover the stratas of Grenadian society (even though Grenada don't have as much strata-ing as Jamaica and Barbados....very refreshing that is).
Go to their website and tell me who you think is gonna win. I come back to Grenada on the 30th so will plan to go to the show on the 31st. I will still be unemployed so don't have to check to see if I will be OFF. (New contract starts on 1 April...lest oonu is confused.)
What was he thinking?
A journalist of a college newspaper says that for some, rape is a magical experience. He asked "how else would an ugly woman know about the joys of sex with a man who wasn't drunk?" If it don't go so, it go hear so. Google it.
The fella is 23 years old. I am watching this on CNN. Unbelievable.
What the $^#@&%$*($ was he thinking?????
The wise half-Grenadian, half-Jamaican coupled one, in response to my post about feelings, put a reality spin on my sheer torture. "Feelings pass" she said.
Indeed they do. Indeed they do. The moon changing probably helped that too!
That's me slicing up the Prestige bun I got today (along with 3 tins of ackee) from a Jamaican working here. If certain people at work ever know I get bun and don't bring for them, it would be anarchy....war even! Prestige bun is a hit. Is only one bun so some people will get one slice, and two lucky ones will get a few more.
Apart from admiring Professor Trevor Munroe's butt in his jeans while he taught me Introduction to Politics at UWI Mona, I know zilch about politics. But I am following this American Democratic vote very carefully and will watch all the tv I can to see this Obama dude and Miss Hilary fight it out.
In the meantime, can someone in the know explain to me about being left of centre, centre and right of centre? That I have never been able to get.
I reached home from work tonight just in time to see Mary J Blige get one of the awards at the Grammys.
My introduction to Miss Blige came in the early 90's when I used to go to a colleague's house to tape music from his extensive collection. He was a huge fan of her voice, and before that, I had never heard of the lady. But I got hooked and bought a couple of her albums, including the last one which has earned her all these accolades.
Ms Blige was the typical black American rap thug kinda singer in her early days. That kind of music ensured that she was surrounded by people who meant her no good. She was into drugs and alcohol in those days and she eventually saw the light and the folly of her ways. She met a great man who made her believe in herself and taught her how to love herself. She has turned her life around and her music has got so powerful.
If you havent listened to Miss Blige yet, please do so now. Her voice rocks.
I love Saturdays off. That's when the market in downtown St George's is most vibrant and I can pick, choose and refuse among fruits and vegetables.
So this morning, I headed to the bus stop and was in town in quick time.
A cruise ship was in town so there were some tourists out. After stopping at a couple of "Indian stores" (stores owned by Indians or Syrians) and not finding anything that grabbed my eyes (shopping in Grenada is not very good unfortunately....online shopping here I come!), I headed to Cablevision because I have two months of cable service to pay. Line too long so I waved to a former colleague and said I would put it in the post. In Grenada, they don't cut off your services just so. Terrible payment culture here. I guess in other countries too, but businesses are very soft hearted here, then people take advantage of them.
The first vendor I encountered on the outskirts of the market was a fella helping maybe his mother. Good salesman and he got me to buy some chive/thyme/shado benni (triple marriage!) and a papaya. Next I got some yam, sweet peppers, plantains, limes and tomatoes. I like to get something from several vendors to spread the wealth around. Most of the vendors grow their own stuff so I feel like I am directlly contributing to their lives. Some buy from others and bring them down. I had been trying to find sweet pepper in the supermarket for a long time but no luck. You could be guaranteed to get it in the market. Expensive as hell but anyway....
With the tourists walking through the market, you heard a variety of "tourist calls" to woo them to the stands. A lady and her two boys stopped by where I was buying some tomatoes. She pointed to a soursop and the vendor explained that the kids could suck it. One of the little boys asked Mummy if she could buy it. Not sure if she did because I had finished packing my now heavy knapsack...oh I forgot I had orange and grapefruit in there...very heavy. Walked off to see a tourist taking a photo of his two companions. I did the native thing and asked if he would like me to take a photo of all three and he said yes. I hope it comes out.
Next it was to buy apples at the man who sells pirated music...an illegal act, but...oh well. Then a bottle of water at The Bottle House.
The Esplanade Mall was built primarily for the new cruise ship pier that was constructed right smack in the middle of town. Several stores have been opened in there, thereby giving locals an opportunity to earn a living. There is a store called Native Foods which juices fresh fruits into delicous juices. A must have if you come to Grenada. The man behind the counter was sharing out some peas soup for a customer and it looked so inviting. I asked him if it had meat in it. Duh! I asked him what about people who don't eat meat???? He say is mostly locals buy the soup and locals eat meat. Silly locals. (ah joking!)
There is a Mario's pizza (Trinidad company) and a Subway (yankee company) in there. The mall is air conditioned and I noticed lots of tourists patronizing those. The Mall is good in a way, but bad in a way because the tourists might just come off the ship and stay in the air conditioned comfort of the building rather than going out into the town.
After I paid my Cable & Wireless bill at their kiosk in the Mitchell's Megastore (by Grenadian standards....it's smaller than Liguanea Lane pharmace), it was time to catch the bus back to Grand Anse. Surprisingly, there was none at the terminus! Didn't wait more than 10 minutes though. Soon we were off. The driver cussed people for blocking a road while delivering bread and cussed a lady who cussed him for cussing the bread van. "Shut yuh mudda ass mouth...interfering in what yuh don't know bout". My word!
Got off at the supermarket, bought a few more items and headed home with my heavy load. Had some Campbell's Vegetable soup and bread, then headed off to La-la land, spelling out the phrase "g-r-e-n-a-d-a-n-i-c-e-l-i-k-e-s-p-i-c-e" in between my Zzzzzzzzs. Such freedom, such clean air, such lovely people, such peace, such calm, such beauty.
Well, this morning, I wake up at 3 o'clock. Ah cuss, case I was looking for a good night's sleep and had set the clock for 4:50am.
As I was rolling around in the bed and couldn't fall back asleep, I said 'lemme go to the gym'. Left the house at 4:33am....it was black as night, but this is Grenada so no worries re criminals lurking. Only the dogs barked at me, but they were behind a fence.
Got picked up by Rissa who was headed to the same place. Did 15 mins on the bike, and 30 minutes on the treadmill including some intervals (and now my knees are killing me from the running I think), walked back home and did some yoga and butt exercises.
So one day ah cyant get out of bed, and another day ah get up too early. Tomorrow is afternoon exercise because I have to be at work at 7am, so no time in the morning. I think I may go to the beach too in the evening. It was calling me today but I think the evening will find the water being cooler.
Yesterday, I got up at 5am and went walking for about an hour at 6am. I am finding that things get busy at work and by the time evening come, mi nuh feel fi exercise again. So I am trying to do the morning thing, even though my body does not like exercising at that time of day.
Last night, fell asleep maybe about 10:30. Caught some of American Idol. Set alarm for 5:15am. Lawks it was cold, plus it was raining so I rolled over, and went back to sleep. Got up again at 6:00am, and just did not have the energy. So I rolled over yet again, saying to myself "surely, I deserve a rest since I exercised yesterday?".
But ah ent exercise for bout three days before that and I must fit into the size 14 jeans properly.
I am due in for work at 11am, but I going to go in a little earlier, so I can go to the gym at 5pm, then bathe and change for guest cocktails. I guess I don't really deserve a rest.
I was talking with a colleague yesterday and he mentioned Barrack or however him name spell.
Then I said that in my opinion, he and Hilary should join together and it would be a clear victory for the Democrats in the 2008 election. He only has 2 years in the Senate; she has lots more plus her hubby, so it's a no-brainer to me.
I guess they will wait to see who gets the party nomination and then decide their running mate. For my money, it should be a Hilary-Barrack (or should it be Barrack-Hilary?????) ticket all the way to the White House. I don't normally follow American politics but this race will get my attention because of the race.
I saw Barrack and his wife and Oprah. Very likeable guy. She did ask him if him was gwine run and me sure seh him did seh no. Why anybody would want to be President of that troubled country with so many enemies, I don't know!
But anyway, ah watching from mi likkle spot here in the Spice Isle.
Torture is...
...a cool windblown, rainswept evening with a nice moon, and no damn (available) person to share it with! The TV is turned to channel 65, the music station that plays old time music from the 60's and 70's and so on. Right now they playing "I'll be loving you always" I think by Stevie Wonder. Sweet and mellow music. Sweet and mellow moods and only di damn mosquitoes to keep me company.
Sh*t, Sh*t, Sh*t, Sh*t, Sh*t, Sh*t and more Sh*t. Bloody $^@^%$#%@ unfair!
(Don't worry, tomorrow I will be back to my normal "I don't need anybody" self. Actually, I think I will go to the new 'cinemawr' Saturday to take my mind off these things.