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
"on the intercom rosie cummin to town
seh shi didnt hav a daughta shi did hav a son
shi seh di lif didnt work so run up the stairs and come
and if u dnt come quick
you not gonna see your son
so i grab a bunch of rose and i started to run
here i come ( oohh )
The familiar lyrics blared throughout Club Karma on Saturday night. The Grenadians were full of love for Mr Barrington Levy, fresh off a plane from California....
I reached there shortly after 1am. The club was crowded (thankfully) and the vibes was great. I wasn't looking too bad myself.
Took quite a while to decide what to wear. Eventually I settled on short capris (black), multi coloured strap top (bought in Guadeloupe) and gold shoes. The shoe decision was the most difficult. The top was white background with dominant colours being green, yellow and black. See all the shoes I was considering (except the work ones to the right of the picture)....
I eventually settled on the gold ones. Mistake. Not good for dancing.
There was lots of dancing. Music selection very good. I was dancing by myself for the first part of the night. Then after Barrington reeled off hit after hit, I found a few dance partners. They have a carpeted section of the floor which is poor for dancing. Shoe heel gets hitched in it.
Anyway, I helped lock down the club at minutes past 5am. Needless to say, I didn't wake until 11:30am, and then lay in the bed aiming to take another 'five' but ended up sleeping for another hour. The rest of the weekend you will read about in "The Perfect Weekend".
Motorsports is not a popular sport in the Caribbean I don't think....well not as popular as cricket and football for sure.
Who follows Formula 1? I started watching in the early 1990's when I was working in the UK. I like driving so I guess it's a natural thing to be interested in that, but also I am a sports fanatic. Take me to a sporting event guys, if you want to get a foot in with me. No romantic dinner for me!
Anyway, if I asked you who is Lewis Hamilton, would you be able to tell me without googling him?
Do whatever makes you happy. I certainly won't be like those two old ladies she mentions. I remember her very clearly in her singing days....very nice voice. I believe she was in class with brother Patch. You go girl!
Went to see this play last night, compliments of a friend. Hilarious. There are several vignettes showing the games both men and women play in relationships. The lead actress Camille Davis is EXCELLENT! In the first vignette, she is a prostitute. The patois was to perfection, the stance, the walk, the hair. I highly recommend the play.
I don't get out much, so afterwards I wanted to go on the town. Went driving past The Verandah. Crowded. The Deck. Didn't like the crowd. At the end of Musgrave Avenue, bucked up two real life prostitutes. One was TWICE my size, and in a blouse (conservative enough) and a baggy! No skirt, no shorts, no pants. Now what kind of man would pick up a woman like that to have something so close and personal as sex??? Gotta be real desperate.
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 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.
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 will be dancing this Friday night and am really looking forward to that. I hope the music will be great and keep me on my feet di whola night.
The dancing season kicked off with my birthday fete, and then of course that party at which Island Spice saw me was another. My feet were itching so I decided to have a small fete.
Sixty persons the Saturday before I left Jamaica, same DJ set at the birthday, some of the same people, some different but all very nice and pleasant evening. Of course, I coulda paid under J$1,000 and gone to Quad, but the last time I went, it was too crowded and the music wasn't that good, so decided to do a home thing.
I use the dancing opportunity as a way of burning calories. I tend not to eat when I am fete-ing, and drink soda water or some other diet soda so I know it is definitely less calories in than calories out.
The party this Friday night will take place in an air conditioned environment so doubt if I will be sweating much.
Sad thing is, the invitation says "and spouse' but mi nuh have nobody (appropriate) to bring so will be hoping there will be some unattached dancing men there. Maybe that is what I should be working on in 2007....finding a dancing partner.
I am puzzled how come a theatre in Jamaica can show a movie before it premiers in the USA. Anyway, Dreamgirls reach Jamaica. I am filling up on movies here because the one cinemawr on my side of town in Grenada is a bit "far" to get to and transportation when movie done is a bit iffy. I believe one is going to re-open in a plaza within walking distance from me, but until then, each time I come to The Rock, Palace is going to get some money outta me.
Anyway, back to the movie...
Is one of them feel good, singing, fill-up-your-heart type of movie. That girl Jennifer Hudson - American Idol cast off from a few seasons ago - can surely sing.
That song "And I am telling you, I'm not going", she sung it in the movie and when she was done, the audience clapped. When the movie was done, the audience clapped. Good casting. All the actors seemed perfect for their roles. Definitelly worth a watch. And there is Oscar buzz around it after it was nominated for some Golden Globe awards. So we shall see. They're saying Jennifer Hudson, who by the way is in her first movie role, could walk away with one. Wouldn't that be a dream!
On Tempo, they still are showing the Dutty Wine video. The song is quite catchy I must confess.
But following the suspected deaths of some females as a result of doing the dance, shouldn't the video be pulled?
Oh, while I am to TV, those of you with access to BBC World, our resort will be featured on a segment on luxury All Inclusives this week. Fastrack is the name of the programme, and I believe it will air at 3:30 Jamaica time TODAY (4:30pm in the Eastern Caribbeah), 5:30am Jamaica time tomorrow (6:30am EC time) and on Wednesday night sometime. Check the BBC site for more info.
But anyway, TEMPO, please pull the video. Or are you relying on people to be responsible and sensible and not do the dance? Well that's not sensible or responsible!
I'm tired of reading/seeing interviews with movie stars who are married, who talk about how everything is great. Then you hear they getting divorced.
Reese Whitherspoon was the first. When I was in Barbados last month, I read an interview she gave in Marie Claire. Now she divorcing.
Then, Matt Lauer talk to Brittney Spears for a long time, she so blissful with Kevin Federline. Now I see she file for divorce. Maybe it was because she saw/heard his rapping and figured she couldnt be with somebody who performed so poorly!
So whenever I listen to them interviews, I will say "dey lie....dey damn lie!"
I like music....no...that is an understatement. I LOVE music. Having played classical piano for about 15 years, it's a part of me. I see music in everything...in words, in love (when I do find it!), in life, in....oops...am at work so can't say that.
While passing through Antigua earlier this year I picked up an Elan Parle CD in the airport's music store. In my consciousness, I had never heard of that group before. But I must have read about them because I read BWIA's inflight magazine Caribbean Beat all the time and while googling them today, I see there was an article about them in there.
The leader is a guy called MING (Michael Low Chew Tung). Let me tell you. If you want seriously sexy music, with lots of energy, rhythms, instruments, and colours then pick up their Tribal Voices CD from 2000. Maaaaan, I could picture myself with a honey moving with our energy to this music. OK, I'm at work so it will have to stop there.
But I'm on to Elan Parle from now on. Anybody knows where they're performing next? Jeezas, this is some seriously soul stirring music. (I suspect that some of you will listen to it and say "what's she on about?")
Have to go to the gym now to work off this pent up.....ok, I'm at work so gotta stop.
I started watching The View from the very first day in 1997 I think it was and liked the show....mostly. Meredith Viera was real. I remember her always talking about the fact that she doesn't wear underwear!
So I was eager to watch her debut on The Today show yesterday. Excellent choice NBC.
I also watched Rosie O'Donnell, Meredith's replacement on The View and that was also a good choice. And Katie has changed the landscape of evening news TV.
It's a win-win situation for all the networks I think. NBC morning show ratings will stay strong.
THE DOCTOR, KING OF THE DANCEHALL, DUDE, GRINDACOLOGIST. LIVE AND IN LIVING COLOUR IN FRONT OF MY EYES........
I am taking the opportunity to go to these shows here, where I know gun shot won't pop. So excited I was last week Saturday to be going to this.
I left home at about 9:30pm and walked it to the hotel (about a 15 - 20 minute walk). Did some stuff on the computer, then at 11:52pm I thought I should get going. The concert was slated to start at 10:30pm but you know how these shows go.....
Wondered how I was going to get there. It was being held at the Drive-in cinema, well, the old cinema. Hmmm, what should I do?
What any well thinking Island Girl should do......W-A-L-K. So up the road I went. About a 15 minute walk.
The concert was good. They have a clean, crisp, smooth sound. My friend Galliwasp usually makes the trek to the East Fest show in St Thomas that they have annually. When they had played "Tell me How Come" as their encore piece, I decided that it was time to head home. This was about 3:30am.
There was no hesitation about walking, so I did! About 20minutes away was my house. When I got by Food Fair to turn in, someone stopped who I knew, and gave me a ride up the hill.
Only in Grenada. Ah, what bliss. What freedom!
Last week Sunday, we went to Eddie Bullen in concert at the University. Bullen is a Grenadian who left here some years ago and went to Canada. He's a jazz musician.
Very nice music. He brought his song along. Fourteen year old Quincy was allowed to play three songs at different points in the show. Suppose you see his fingers glide over the keyboards! And with attitude too. He already has the showmanship, is very sociable and darn cute! During intermission I went to speak with him to ask him at what age he started playing. Only at age 6, so he been playing for only 8 years. He's very good. Listen out for him in a few years time.
Now while I was there enjoying the mood I was thinking....
I really need to go out more! I think this weekend I am going to the Morgan Heritage concert, to inhale some of the goodly weed!
Well, what can I say? Fifteen years was too long to stay away from Trinidad at Carnival time. Had a blast despite the fact that I was not 100%. Had the sniffles and a cough, not too too bad, so had to pace myself. Wouldn't have gone full throttle though even if I were 100 %
Here's a snippet of what I did.....
THURSDAY
Got in around 10am. Did 'stuff' then went up to St Joseph to a fete called Beachouse at Ortinola Estate. Reached about 3:30pm. Left when it finished around 9:15pm. A sprawling lawn with gentle undulations. Food was Bake & Shark and Vegetable Samosas, orange juice and Hagen Daaz ice cream and fruits. Of course the ice cream made my day.
There was a bit of rain so had to go shelter. It got very chilly in the evening which of course started up my coughing again. Consequently....
FRIDAY
Stayed home. Took medicine, slept, watched TV. Should have gone to Girl Power fete.
SATURDAY
Went to Panorama about 9pm. Stayed until the end. It was great. My most favourite part of carnival. Then went to a breakfast fete. Reached there around 3:30am. Left at 8am Sunday morning.
SUNDAY
Slept when we got home from the breakfast fete and got up to go to Brian Lara's fete. My expectations were exceeded....and they were high! Great food, fabulous music and performances from Patrice Roberts and Machel Montano. Destra was ok. She was sick and kept apologizing for it. Reached at about 5:15, left when it done at about 11:15. Best US$108 I spent. Woulda pay more too.
MONDAY
All that dancing on Sunday night meant that I had to stay home Monday! So no jump up on the road for me because I wanted to save it all for Tuesday....
TUESDAY
On the road with Tribe from about 9:30am until it done at about 10:30pm. I had been given the option to be dropped home after the lunch break but I decided to stay and am glad I did. Saw some people I hadn't seen earlier in the day. Rescued a Guyanese fellow who had too much to drink and helped him to re-unite with his sister. That was a trip! Anyway, we felt good about being his angels for that night.
WEDNESDAY
An airport trip, checking on email and cloth shopping occupied that day. Then in the evening, met up with my friends from university and had a blast. More about that in another blog entry.
THURSDAY
Cleaned house, did laundry, and to the airport. More about that and $^#@%$%$( LIAT in another blog entry.
You've got to be kidding me body! Why di hell have you chosen now to start feeling effects of a cold coming on???
Benedryl in yuh tail and 2000 mg of Vitamin C. Maybe have to get some Vitamin S too to ensure wellness. Can you imagine being sick for carnival?
2005 will mark 14 years since my last carnival in 1991. I thought it was huge then, but I know that more and more people caught on to the enjoyment factor, and so I can't imagine how huge it will be.
Like last time, I will skip J'ouvert because I just don't like not being able to see, and then to have nasty greasy stuff on you. Enjoyment stops at a certain point for me.
Panorama Finals is my most favourite part. I wonder if they still have the "North Stand" where less of the action is? We sat in the other section so we could stomp our feet when di music lick yu. But I kinda felt unsafe. In fact, I recall the authorities coming on the microphone and saying too many people were in that stand. Can't remember the name of the stand.
But anyway, after a week of up and down, I am sure to drop about two pounds. That's why I'm really going! (joke)
Went to see this this afternoon at Carib. Very funny. Not as drop down funny as Hitch, but still funny enough to keep me laughing.
Now as a diagnosed hypochondriac, I could relate to Queen Latifah's news that she had a terminal illness. I could also relate to what she decided to do to spend her last days. Cash out all the money she had saved, and blow it on a mega holiday of her dreams....
Only thing is, I aint got no money to cash out, but I still coulda sell some stuff and get money to go to Anguilla and Turks and Caicos. Those are the next two islands to visit on my list, also Guadeloupe.
Now, if you found out you had little time to live, what would you do?
Just heard by email of the death by a stroke of Pansy Hassan, one of the stalwarts of the National Dance Theatre Company in Jamaica. She retired a long time ago, however for the dance piece called Gerrehbenta, she would sometimes dance that role alongside founder Professor Rex Nettleford, and of course in the piece entitled Kumina.
One of her daughters, Stacy, danced with my sister. Stacy is a member of the NDTC as well.
Here is an entry I had done after I went last July to see the performance, which mentions Mrs Hassan.
It struck me that Mrs Hassan is probably just a little bit older than my mother. Bwoy, the thought of losing one of my parents scares me sh*tless.
The resort had a drumming and dancing group called the Tivoli Drummers tonight for two hours. Normally, the entertainment is very stade....ladies singing ballads, a reggae band here and there and a steelpan group. Once a year they get the Tivoli Drummers.
It was the first time I was seeing them. Boy, they got my skin jumping. And the guests loved it. Shoulda seen them doing the limbo. No fire eating though.
A good time was had by all and I showed some of the employees the Yamfoot dance moves. I don't know why people think that I can't do these things. After all, I'm a black woman you know and proud of it. I took some pictures. If they come out good, and my computer decides to recharge, I will post one tomorrow.
Speaking of tomorrow....
...isn't it amazing that the end of the year 2005 is already here? I just can't believe it.
Tomorrow will be more entertainment here with the steel band who are very good, and a band called Aliens. Admidst working, I shall be having another thumping, pumping whale of a time.
Do you know on my first New Year's Eve on duty at the hotel in Jamaica, I had to deal with a bomb scare? Imagine having to go in the ballroom with over 500 people and announcing that everybody had to leave the room so the fire department could check the ballroom for the bomb. Of course, we knew there wasn't going to be a bomb, but we had to follow procedure. Now if you were in Jordan, or Iraq, or Israel or one of those places, a bomb threat is no hoax!
Anyway, enjoy however you ring in the New Year. For much of my adult life, I have spent it working. This year will be no different.
This is the Christmas tree in the lobby of the resort. Pity I don't feel the Christmas vibes at all....but it's beautiful isn't it?
I just went on the internet and saw that Terri Karelle Griffith placed in the top 15 out of 105 contestants. She was one of two chosen from the Caribbean region. The other was Miss Puerto Rico who went on to win the MIss World Caribbean crown. There was another Caribbean beauty in the top 15 - Miss US Virgin Islands who got a fast track into the final 15 by winning the talent competition.
See......I told y'all, Miss Griffith was going to make her mark. Coming in the top 15% is no easy feat for a real black beauty, when beauty seems more and more to be defined by the European standard.
Go dey Terri Karelle! I'm sorry I wasn't able to see it on TV.
If you've been reading long enough, you may have heard me mention that I watch Days of Our Lives. That's the only soap opera I watch. No General Hospital, no Guiding Light, no Bold and the Beautiful, no Y & R.
Now one time when I went to Barbados, Princess P warned me that the DOOL they show there is way old. Not sure if it has improved now, but back then, you saw Hope with poofy hair, Alice was still young.....you know then that version was old. So apparently Bajans like their DOOL.
When I was coming back from there, I read the newspaper. In it was a letter from one David Brown.
Here's what it said....
DAYS OF OUR LIVES VIEWERS DESERVE BETTER
I am writing this letter on behalf of the Days of Our lives family. We are asking CBC-TV-8 management to treat us a litter better when they are showing the programme on evenings.
My first concern is that most evenings the programme starts after the scheduled 6 pm and then it finishes about 6:45pm or 6:50pm; then to show a five-minute music video leading up to the lottery draws.
Secondly, since we get about 40 ads during the programme, you are depriving us of much of the show which is years behind.
I know the ads make money, but, please, you need to do a bit better. I personally would suggest that you give us two programmes - the regular at 6pm and another one at 8:00am after the Mornin' Barbados show.
I think this will make a lot of us happy because the way you are treating us, we are really vex.
You lucky he didn't say "blue vex". But I thought this was hilarious! But you know, when you have a favourite TV show, it does hurt when they do crap like this and you don't get the full thing.
Wow!
On the spur of the moment, I went to see this movie alone tonight. A friend of mine told me she had seen it this past week, and said she wouldn't tell me about the ending. Good thing she didn't. I had seen the trailer and it looked interesting. Man, was it ever!
I won't give it away, in case you haven't seen it. All I can say is never underestimate a mother's intuition.
Speaking of flight plan, I need one of my own.......
Ho Hum.
On a Friday night, I frequently find myself listening to Dancehall Splurt, a show on one of BBC's radio stations.
They have a dancehall chart as you can see, and I found the show by googling for the song "Tuck in Yuh Belly" which implores young childless girls to go the gym. You can see how I relate to that!
There are other songs on there as well, so it keeps me in touch with what is out there.
If you want to listen to the Thursday show (that's when they do the dancehall chart), then on the left pane, select 'Dancehall' and you will see the shows come up, then click 'Listen to this show' and listen away.
(If you have to ask "who is Terri Karelle?" then I know you haven't been reading my blog, or don't live in Jamaica)
Had to go to the Pegasus today and was talking to a friend who has natural hair, so we were talking about it being in a bun etc etc. I asked her if she had watched Miss Jamaica last night and she said yes, and then said she had to tell Miss Griffith that she had validated her (my friend's) bun.
She then mentioned that Miss Jamaica was around the corner by the cafe, so Miss Gladys aka Yamfoot went around and said "I was so pleased that you won. See? I told you", she said thanks very effervescently, and then I told her her hair looked lovely and that that's how I wanted mine to look but couldn't if natural so I had a texturizer in it.
She is very warm, held on to my hands and said "thanks". Extremely bubbly but not clawing. Just very natural. I can see her being a bit hit on all of the visits she does around the island.
Terri Karelle Griffith!
Well, well, well.
You all doubted Judge Yamfoot. But I know a pretty girl with personality when I see one. I told ya.
The applause for my pick was tumultous each time the emcees announced her as a sectional winner. Her stage presence was outstanding. Poise and grace was a feature of her movement as she glided down the aisle. According to the stats read, she had lost 8 pounds, and I am sure Mark and the other trainers will be working her hard in the gym until she departs.
Her question from the judges was what is the one quality that she wished people had and why. She chose "open-mindedness" because if you have that quality, it means that you are able to accept persons of all races, class etc etc. Yay!
So Miss Griffith wins a Mini Cooper, plus money, plus a trip to China in November to compete in the Miss World. I would be surprised if she did not come in the top ten. Her personality alone could take her there.
The top five was rounded out by....
2nd Place - Peta Gaye Walker (also won Miss Beach Beauty and Miss Sport Beauty)
3rd Place - Nalini Banhan (and also winner of the public vote)
4th Place - Ravn Rasheeda Rae
5th Place - Sharice Fernander
The top five was a good representation of who we are as a people, so I think everybody would be happy with the choice.
Now let's hope Miss Griffith does not have any skeletons in her closet and that all goes well. Come to think of it, we've never had anything like that happen to our Miss Jamaica's, not like Vanessa Williams in the USA and others around the world.
Miss Griffith speaks Spanish and French so should be able to share the good things about Jamaica to many many contestants in China.
You go girl.....wid yuh natural hair and all!
After gym class (1 hour Pilates, 1/2 hour Reggae) and other stuff (13 mins Elliptical, 12 mins Bicycle) I was walking out and the spotted the Miss Jamaica girls in the aerobics room about to go through some routine. One of the gym trainers was near the exit and I asked him who he liked.
He said he hadn't really seen the line up and I showed him the add that had four girls including my pick. I pointed her out to him. He said yes, he liked her. I was saying how she spoke so naturally on the TVJ special last week and he agreed. Then he said "you want to meet her?". Ok.
He goes over to the aerobics room door, me in tow and beckons to her and says "somebody wants to meet you". Well is not really that. I wanted to see her up close sans make up and ask her if her hair was natural or texturized.
So she came up to the door and very bubbly said hi and I asked her if her hair was natural, and she proudly said yes and showed me. It's very curly like she has Indian in her a couple of generations back. I then did the 'fan' thing and told her she was my pick and that I had voted for her.
I wish I coulda tell har see all mi blog readers vote fi har too....but oonu let me dung badly man. Still, oonu have a chance.
Then I told her good luck. The show is on Sunday. I can't afford to go but if I could, I would go. Hopefully it will be on TV.
She's already in the top 10 because she won the talent competition. Here is the story about it. Look at her.....isn't she just radiant? I really hope she wins. (She is the one in the middle).
Yamfoot's Pick.....
After an hour long TVJ special tonight, on which the 15 girls vying to be Miss Jamaica were featured, my previous opinion of who looked good was confirmed tonight.
The special was filmed from the week they spent at Beaches Boschobel hotel, and from a fashion show they did at Sovereign Mall.
The girls each had to introduce themselves "Hi, I'm Yamfoot, and I wear the sash Miss TryingtobeSlimmer. As you can see, I like to eat, eat and eat. But I can assure you....it's only healthy stuff. I entered this competition to see if it will motivate me to lose weight at a faster rate than I'm losing it at...blah blah blah"
You get the general idea.
Well, Miss Griffith was the most free flowing person in terms of her 'speech'. She's a vet student in Cuba, and has completed four years, with one to go. She speaks Spanish (duh!) and French.
There is a public vote, and I'm trying to persuade you all to vote for her. See, I've even provided you with the link where you can go and vote for Miss Griffith.
Warning: Do not use my link to vote fuh no odder girl!!!!!!
The Walker girl is not bad as well.
But Miss Griffith has a very nice shape, though I think she could do with a 5 pound loss. No, make that 7.
Oh, she was the one in the entry linked at the beginning of this story who I couldnt remember her sash, but she wore the denim frayed edge swimsuit. Don't hold that against her please.
Ok, go and vote now.
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!
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.
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'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.
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?
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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
We tried to see this UK movie about a Jewish boy who befriends his Jamaican neighbours last week, but it was pouring, which made me reach home late, then the tickets were sold out.
It was part of the week of European films being shown during the Film Festival.
Well fortunately for me, they ran it again tonight, and I went with a friend who plays cricket (Princess P bailed out at the last minute over 'unforeseen' circumstances) and he enjoyed it immensely. So did I. Very hilarious.
Also very sad to see the reality of how non-English people were (are ?) treated by the English. But the Jamaican characters were really played well. I guess the lead guy - Delroy Lindo - is a Jamaican. His accent was too good for him not to be.
I tuned in for part of the show. There were some 'brothers' amongst the winners. (Watch Oprah tomorrow to see her gushing over them....that's for you Kami!)
Morgan Freeman for Actor in a Supporting Role and Jamie Foxx for Actor in a Leading Role.
Hilary Swank got Best Actress (same as Actress in a Leading Role) for Million Dollar Baby.
I must say that before the nominations came out, I hadn't heard of half of these movies!
Anyway, good for them. Hollywood has been accused of marginalizing negro actors. Sidney Poiter (a Caribbean son I might add) was the only negro man to win Best Actor, until Denzil did it a few years ago. Then the lovely Halle Berry was the first negro woman.
What does that say? It could actually say that not enough black people are taking up acting. But I guess for those in the industry, they will say that the negro people aren't recognized.
By the way, Beyonce sang most of the nominated songs. She have voice though! But my opera student friend Mr Endicon/BobAndy would be able to give her some tips about breathing. And I could give her some tips about French pronunciation. She sang a song in french and all I could recognize was 'de la nuit', which means 'of the night'.
Best Picture went to Million Dollar Baby, which means they got at least 3 wins (that I know of). Aviator got a few too. I think Cate Blanchett got Best Supporting Actress.
I find that Chris Rock was quite subdued, like he was on his toes about not offending anybody.
Went to see Hitch, the movie starring Will Smith, tonight. Hilarious. Drop down funny. It's a must see.
I just can't help thinking about him as the Fresh Prince from Bel Air, especially when he does this dance in the movie that was typical of Will in the Banks household in Beverly Hills.
But a very feel good movie. Unlike some others.
There is a song for every situation isn't there? If you listen to the lyrics of songs, you can relate it to a personal situation I'm sure. Hopefully not Macka Diamond's song though....
Baby, yuh mean yuh really done arready....steam fish in yuh back done arready?
One that I can think of which is quite apt is by Diana King. Before she was a star, she used to sing every Sunday at the Pegasus Poolside Barbeque. Hear di lyrics.....
Why oh why oh why you tell me lies,
Yuh mussi tink seh mi wouldnt realize
I have two of her albums (I think she only has two). Sometimes I carry them to the gym to accompany my workout.
So listen real carefully to the lyrics of songs and see if it sounds like you.
