My hair is falling out!

That's my hair after 5 weeks of Afro Kinky braid.That's what was left in the comb after I shampooed and conditioned my hair this weekend.

I can't believe I actually still have hair on my head.

But I do.

You will notice however, the big gap by my temples, which I credit to the weight of the braids on my already weak hairline.

*sigh* The saga continues...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!!!

The last time I had a birthday party was for my 25th birthday and it was great (as expected).

I'm having a lime/party this year for my golden birthday (I'm 29 on the 29th) and expect it to be nothing short of FAB!

Cricket World Cup 2007: It's All Over...

At least the Trinidad leg of it is.


I'll miss waking up at 3:45am to leave my house at 4:45am to reach to the Volunteer Break Out Tent in King George IV Park.

I'll miss being stationed at the Stadium and escorting VIPs from the shuttle in the Stadium to the VIP entrance on Tragarete Road.

I'll miss being VIP4 on the radio and calling in the VIPs.


I met a lot of great people...and a couple of not so great ones...and even one or two that I knew from before.
All in all it was an experience like no other, and it was definitely a lot of fun.

I was definitely "in my element" as they say. LOL.
I'm now left with lots and lots of happy memories and two cds of over 500 pictures to show for it.















Now it's on to Super 8. GO WINDIES!!

Cricket World Cup Update: Park & Ride Info

(Click the pic to enlarge.)

Pics of the Oval

Shhh...
We were not supposed to take pictures of the Oval during our tour, but it was looking SO SWEET ah tief ah lil ting...

All the stands have been decked off and draped in the ICC Cricket World Cup banners, so no more BG/Scotiabank Stand, CARIB Stand, CLICO etc.

This is the view from the QPCC Members Stand.

Party Stand in the far right of this pic.

Traffic Restrictions for CWC 2007

(clickto make the image larger)

Cricket World Cup Update: Questions and Answers

So based on the questions Anonymous asked me previously, as well as the ones that I've been getting from persons in my family, at the office and anyone else who knows that I'm a volunteer: this post is dedicated to answering those questions as best as I can.



Anonymous asked:
Any safety tips suggested?
I would tell anyone whether local or abroad, just BE AWARE of your surroundings.
Half the time when I read these emails that are forwarded about "real life crime experiences in Trinidad" I just steups, cause people tend to do stupid/careless things (like not lock their car doors, leaving things on the seat of your car etc.) and are suprised when horrible things happen to them.

Areas to avoid?
Again, if you going anywhere, BE AWARE.
Don't go exploring and wuss yet by yuhself in a country that yuh not familiar with.
I think das just common sense.

Transport to and from the Oval from the airport?
Now Anonymous...Why exactly would you be travelling directly from the airport to the Oval?
Where are you staying? Shouldn't you go there and check in first?
But to answer your question: There are taxis available at the airport and they will take you almost anywhere, at a cost of course.

That's it for the questions from Anonymous.
Now for the friends, family and coworkers.

Why dey must tell yuh what to wear?
Nobody not telling yuh what tuh wear.
Sponsors have paid their millions of dollars to get their name plastered all over the place and they don't want you coming in with your opposing sponsor t-shirt and jumbieing dey sponsorship.
Surely you doh only have Digicel and RBTT clothing in your closet?

Why we can't bring in bottled water?
Dey say allyuh could use it as missiles.
That's the best I could come up with.

So how ah could bring in meh water then?
I would suggest a modern day version of suck-a-bags and use some Ziploc bags.
Freeze yuh water, put it in yuh collapsible 12x12x12 cooler and yuh good tuh go.

Why de prices inside dey so high?
International competition...international prices.
Bring as much as you can in your cooler to help defer any costs you may occur.

Why dey must block off de streets?
Security is the main reason.
Terrorism...9/11...blah blah blah...You can thank Osama or whoever for that one.
But they've revised the streets and made the zone a lot smaller.
Check today's newspaper for details.

Well that's it for now.
Keep the questions coming and I'll try to answer thetm as best as I could.

VOLUNTEER UPDATE:
I worked at UWI SPEC on Thursday and Friday and had a FANTASTIC time!
Got a tour of QPO today and it's looking GREAT! (Took pics even though we not supposed to...Will post pics later)
Back to work (regular work not volunteer work) this week and then working at QPO from the 19th to the 25th.

EXCITEMENT ah tell yuh!!

Cricket World Cup Update #3: Kit Out Day and Accreditation

Date: Saturday 3rd March 2007
Venue: Elizabeth Street Stand (formerly CARIB Stand), Queen's Park Oval.
Time: 7:00...yes...in the morning.

So yuh girl, her g/f anf her g/f's daughter found themselves at the Oval at the ungodly hour of 6:40am.

As there was no clear indication of where we suhold sit (people were all over the place) we scoped out the scene for a little bit.
The seats were dirty as construction is still in progress...so is REAL DUST!
When we saw the placement of the speakers we then choose our seats, wiped them and sat.

At about 7:45ish, an anouncement was made that those persons sitting in the sun needed to move further east in the stands. And guess who was in the "sun"? Yours Truly.

*grumble*
Move.
Choose a next seat.
Wipe seat.
Sit.

At around 8ish now (an hour later than we were supposed to start according to our schedules) the lady in charge of the voulnteers, Lisa-Marie Alexander, comes on the microphone saying, "We have just been informed by security, that we should not be beyond the CAUTION tape, so those persons needed to move back to the westerly side of the stand."

*WHAT DE??*
*grumble*

This last move/wipe seat action, combined with the whole 'we here since7 o' clock and allyuh always telling us to be on time and yet nobody was here on time to start the damn thing and we couldn't even get a cup of hot tea while we waiting fuh allyuh'...got people who were already simmering real mad.

Man...volunteers start to make noise.

We ended up getting a less than half hearted apology, which ended up being more of a lecture on how we should react in situations that we may not like in our volunteer duties.

It was funny.

Because the more Lisa spoke, the less the volunteers wanted to hear.
I was almost on the floor with laughter...ah mighta end up on the floor if it wasn't for all de damn dust.

Anyhoo...the show eventually got on the road.
Mr. Ian Welsh, CEO of the LOC (Local Organising Committee) addressed us.
We got breakfast. (Food to quiet the masses during the long lulls of nothingness).
We had a dry run of an evacuation procedure done with the ODPM. (I went to Kidsworld during the evacuation as I had to get a gift for a party my sons had to attend later).
We then went into our various groups to get briefed by our Functional Managers and then sent to collect our Accrediation passes and uniforms.

So below is an outline of how I felt things went on the day:

The Good
1. We got our uniforms.
Ah hear ah talk that we bringing out a J'ouvert band next year with dem uniforms.

2. We got accredited.
I didn't take long to get my accreditation as my g/f had already told me that mine was ready.
So I just sent her a text to tell her I was coming across for mine and it was ready and waiting for me. (No I eh skip no lines, I waited just like everyone else).

The Bad
1. The Walking
From the evacuation to the walking to King George to collect your acceditation pass to walking back to the CLICO box to collect your uniforms.
I thought of it as physical training to ensure we could make it in the hot sun on the day.

2. The Cleaning
And it was from since the Friday before in UWI SPEC we cleaning seats eh.
I told my fellow volunteers we had to look at it as us assisting in getting the Oval ready in time.

The Ugly
1. The uniform.
Man...dat ting bright! Jeez!
Yuh cyar miss it...ah sure allyuh see people in some bringht orange things walking the road this morning heading to the east.
I eh hear one person say anything nice abut the uniform.
Plus it fit badly.
But once I give my seamstress dat and she buss two dart in it...I go throw some accessories on dat and I go make it look FAB!

2. The volunteers behaviour.
Some of us really get on bad.
There were other ways of getting your point across. BUT...

3. Lisa-Marie's half-hearted apology...dat eh cut it.
She could have looked at it form the volunteers side of things and been a little more genuine.
Yuh cyar call de people rabble-rousers and expect to be happy about that.

Despite all of the hiccups on the Saturday, I'm still liking the excitement of it all and can't wait to work on Thursday and Friday.

My FAB Carnival Boots!!

So after taking chain up from Saucy's blog, I decided to go with traditional mas boots and not sneakers this year.

Once I registered in Chutney I found my way to Picadilly Street and purchased a pair of gold boots from Jomo.

Found my way to Samaroo's and purchased gold glitter and spray adhesive.
Didn't buy any gold or orange braid because I always have ends of braid home.

After I collected my costume on Carnival Thursday I determined that I would use parts of the costume to decorate my boots, namely the leg, arm and wrist bands, which I never use anyways cause they always need to tie over cause dey always falling off/down or some nonesense and they just generally annoy the shit out of me.

So I sat down just before Dimanche Gras on Sunday night (hmm...that's repetitive isn't it?) by Mummy and started decorating my boots.

These are the pictures of my boots before, during the process and after.

I am SO proud of my boots eh...

*DRUMROLL*

Plain gold boots from Jomo

Add gold glitter

Add wrist piece to heel

Add leg piece to top of boot

Add gold braid down front centre of boot

Trim and add arm piece to side of boot and...
Voilà...FAB! BOOTS!!

So check meh next year...ah go be decorating boots...LOL.

Cricket World Cup: Volunteer Update

Sitting at home the Thursday after Carnival minding my own business when the phone rings.
It's the CWC people and they're calling to tell me I got selected for the VIP/Protocol area.

Me: YAYY!!!

Them: We have training tomorrow at the Oval and Saturday at UWI SPEC.

Me: Huh? : (good thing I'm on vacation)

Them: Okay, so see you there!

Me: Okay! (excited I got picked for VIP/Protocol after already having made up my mind that I probably hadn't)


Training was great. We had the privilege of being tutored by Sandra Basheer.
And I finally realised that when I grow up I want to be Sandra. LOL.
But seriously, this amazing woman just cemented in my mind that this is my field and I m on the right track.

And the more involved I get the more excited I get too.

Will try to keep giving regular updates, but this coming month I know will be chaos.

Other than last Friday and Saturday for VIP training, today I had First Aid training.
This Tuesday afternoon is a tour of the airport. (can't forget that I have to go to class afterwards).
Friday is Match Day Simulation from 1:00pm at UWI SPEC.
Sunday is Kitting Out Day from 7:00am at the Oval.
Monday is Match Day Simulation. All day at UWI SPEC.

You get the idea.

If I can't update daily, I will DEFINITELY have a HUGE update at the end of it all, which is at the end of March.

The Best and Worst of Carnival 2007

Best All Inclusive:
It was a toss up between Trinity and QRC.
Trinity wins it by a small push because the eye food was tops.

Best Non-Inclusive:
Machel (Lucifer) at the Normandie on Carnival Thursday

Best Free Party in de Square
Roy Cape. Because I enjoyed Olatunji's performance so much.

Best Dressed Band
Imij and Company

Best Dressed Female Frontline Singer
Michelle Xavier of Imij and Company

Best Dressed Male Frontline Singer
Toss up between Shurwayne and Lucifer with dem metro kits dey was rocking.

Best Performed Song by a band/performer
Last Lap by Disaster Garcia and Atlantik

Best Machel Performance
Machel in the Normandie on Carnival Thursday

Best New Artist
Olatunji Jalani Nathaniel Yearwood. Yip yip yip uhuh uhuh
Rizon “Reach for what is mine”

Best CD
Get Together by Big Artist Crew

Best Gape
Soka in Moka


Worst Non-Inclusive
Ladies First. De dj played fucking TECHNO!

Worst Free Party in de Square
Bunji and the Asylum followed closely by Shurwayne and Traffik.
Too much people coming up on stage fuh free phone!! And underage females tuh boots, wining and carrying on.

Worst Dressed Band
Everybody else except Imij cause nobody else seems to make an effort.

Worst Dressed Female Frontline Singer
Disaster Garcia.

Worst Dressed Male Frontline Singer
Toss up between Shurwayne and Lucifer with dem metro kits dey was rocking

Worst Performed Song by a band
"I Dare You" by Disaster Garcia at Soka in Moka

Worst Machel Performance
Eyes Wide Shut.
People was just standing around until he started singing Jumbie.
Vibes was real low.

Worst "New" Artist
Trini Jacobs.
Yeah yeah...I know she not "new" but she added nothing to Roy Cape.

Worst Gape
Ladies First.
Unless you have a thing for underage white boys

Special Mention(s)
Kes the Band.

Good sound, great perfromances.

Need to change up the routine though. Cant be seeing the same routine Carnival Friday that ah see all season.

Nadia "throat fuh days-pores raising-ohmehgayd where dis woman get dat voice from?-seems like a genuine person and ah hope yuh stay so-time fuh yuh to be on Kes the Band website-dey tief yuh fuh Soca Monarch"Batson.
Nuff said.

My Carnival Letters

Letter #1

Dear Ronnie and Caro,
I had a FANTASTIC time in your section, “Chutney” this year. Costume collection was effortless. My costume looked like it was supposed to and I didn’t need to alter even one thing on it. Food was as promised. Drinks flowed steady. I was really impressed to see Ronnie on the truck handling things in the bar as well on Monday.

The ONE problem I had was on Tuesday when one of your “security” was telling…sorry YELLING at me to get into my section (my pet peeve) when I was a mere foot away from the section. I watched him like he was mad and eventually one of the other security guys told him to leave me alone, cause like he realize what time it was with me.

The second problem I had (I know I said one before, but I just remembered something else) was the barmen. On Tuesday when my extra tall brother wasn’t around I had to stand up by the bar and got ignored but not by one, not by two but THREE of your barmen. I had cause to cuss way one who play he telling me he eh see me even doh he watch meh STRAIGHT in meh damn face!
Anyhoo, Ronnie got that complaint from me on the road Tuesday and handle dat one time!

Despite that, my brother, sister I law and I look forward to seeing what you’ll be bringing out next year. Thanks for a great first time with Legacy!

Yours in Carnival,
Afro Chic.

Letter #2

Dear Shurwayne,
I was to write you since before Carnival yuh know, but in between all de run around for stockings, accessories, boots etc, I just didn’t have the time.
I just have one thing to tell you.
You killed my section's vibes on Carnival Tuesday at our last competition point with yuh Open De Gate.
After signing up with Legacy, I had begun to mentally prepare myself to be brainwashed by Open de Gate on the road.
However, on Monday you were not around and our section became a smoothly choreographed machine to the tune of Jumbie.
Even at all the other competition points on Tuesday we did not cross with your truck. Our choice was Jumbie right through.
So is how you go come now and jumbie de scene with yuh Open de Gate nonsense? What is de point of dat? Yuh did done lose de Road March race…is like beating a dead horse.
Otherwise, on the road yuh wasn’t too bad eh. But yuh kill it fuh we dey man.

Ohnonono,
Afro Chic


Letter#3

Dear Carnival,
I enjoyed you this year.
Stage or no stage I had a time yes.
See you next year, God spear life.

Lovingly yours,
Afro Chic

AH COLLECT MEH COSTUME!!

I real excited.
If ah did like de costume before...ah like it MORE now!
If I had ay worries about playing with Ronnie & Caro for the first time...ah have none now.
The whole costume collection process took all of 5 minutes if so much.

Reach mas camp.

Hand in receipt...paid in full.

Caro gives me the rundown...wear both handbands both days...letter inside with details of where the band will meet etc.

Collect envelope from Caro.

Box with costume comes outside along with goodie bag.

Check through costume...trying not to smile too much or get on hyper in de people mas camp.

Change bottom piece...dey forget is a thong I ordered.

Turn to head to car.

WAIT!! Where yuh headpiece?!?!

Collect BEAUTIIFUL FANTASTIC headpiece...(check previous post in case yuh missed it.)

Leave mas camp.



I only hope everything goes just as smoothly on the road.

Who yuh playing with?

After many months of indecision...which was mainly based on the high cost to play mas...I have finally registered to play mas a mere 13 days before Carnival.

I am playing with *drumroll*...

I have penned this letter to Mr. Big Mike to let him know my concerns with playing mas with Legacy.

Dear Big Mike,

After much hesistation I have signed up with one of your outside sections "Chutney" which is being done by none other than Ronnie "Mac the Knife" Mc Intosh and his lovely wife Caroline.

Please note however, that I am one of those masqueraders that is quite adverse to being in their section unless it is absolutely neccessary (i.e. when we are actually preparing to cross the stage/judging point).

So please do not expect me to be in my section until the ABSOLUTE LAST MINUTE.

I will NOT comply.

I understand the importance of your presentation, but you need to understand my need to be dreevaying all over the band.
On a last note, please, a begging yuh, doh have yuh security roughing me up to get in no section...yuh go make a papers. And it eh go be nice.

Hope this letter clears up your expectations of having this masquerader in your band on the road.

We shall discuss the dread I feel at having to listen to Shurwayne *shudder* all day long in a subsequent letter. Ohnonono!!!

Yours sincerly,

Afro Chic

This is my costume btw...I absolutely LOVE the colours (the orange matches my hair...LOL) and what really sold me on the costume was the headpiece.

I am going to organise my boots and sundry accessories this week.

Costume collection is next Wednesday...Valentine's Day.