17 December 2008
Christmas is coming and the goose is getting fat … did Sparrow miss out on this one in his song “Dan is the Man in the Van”? I have never listened to that calypso in its entirety. I guess it is all about symbolism. These days Christmas is ‘something else’, maybe more for the ‘patricians’ than for the ‘plebs’. All of a sudden certain people now know that Christmas, as we used to know it, is null and void. I could understand the Santa Claus thing, but to fly in the face of ‘knowledge’ on this Christmas matter is not my cup of tea. Some of my friends no longer celebrate Christmas, whether in December or at any other time, and I respect their view, but that in no way impacts our friendship and the fun we have around this holiday season. I even see some of them trying to stay so far away from the ‘Christmas’ that they seriously seclude themselves, but I still respect their viewpoint and privacy, whether it has religious overtones or not. Every man to his own order.
This year has been a great one for all of us, and for ONE reason only. We are still here, as a resident of planet Earth. If there is any other reason greater than this please inform. For those who believe in and subscribe to Christianity or a similar set of religious beliefs and values, it is incumbent upon us to give GOD thanks for bringing us this far, and to seek his blessings for a better tomorrow. One thing we are sure about is today, as in right now, this minute, because our tomorrow may never come. We need to live today as though it is our LAST. Forget the mistakes we made yesterday, that is human. Forgive like it is going out of style. Let go of all negativity, in thought, word and deed, and let your GOD have his way in your life today. It is You that put yourself into your own ‘dodo’ but only GOD can get you out. So why run away? Exercise your only option. Suicide, physical, political or spiritual is not an option. It is just plain old fashioned stupidity. So let us stand upright, turn our face to the East and call upon GOD, or maybe better yet, drop down on our knees, bow down before GOD, and enjoy our ultimate experience.
2008 was exciting with all the political parties and the hopeful politicians, with and without dual citizenship, trying to stir up the political waters, but I have yet to see any strong currents. I suspect that they are still so afraid of the ruling party [7 to 1] that they stir exceedingly gently, so as not to raise any real mud. I think those who say they want to be ‘the opposition’ are seeking to introduce a new ‘wave’ of politics, but they appear to be lacking ‘something’ or maybe they are playing smart, and waiting for an opportune time to drop a bomb. I am not impressed with their attempts to cog and mimic aspects of the Obama campaign. ” Yes we can … Go back to the Plantocracy? I guess Lord Cut has to remind them yet again that St Christopher is indeed unique. So political campaigns have to be uniquely custom made to fit the people who have decided to run for public office. Go after their juggler, but cover yours, if you can. This is what will separate the men for the boys, the winners from the losers, and it has nothing to do with who have more money to pump up their campaign. I am no political guru so I may be dead wrong, but we will see how this pans out from January 2009, if the ‘pseudo’ opposition [not Her Majesty’s legal] can get the country into election mode by then.
Why does the ‘pseudo’ opposition politicians want elections called in EARLY 2009?
If the ‘pseudo’ opposition succeeds in getting the country into election mode from January 2009 everything will be upset. Some people welcome this season, most don’t. Some people will literally make millions, while some others will go more broke. Some people will just get more sleepless and paranoid, while others will relish the season to create more confusion. My concern however, is with the impact on our present ‘perceived’ level of Crime and Criminal activity. Will we have an escalation of politically motivated criminal activity? Given the rising level of criminality, which we seem not to be combating effectively, anything is possible. Let me back up a bit and clarify. Maybe something is being done to combat the criminality, but I am not hearing about it, and if that information does not reach [filter down to] me, irrespectively, then either nothing is happening or there may be a blockage in the national communications media systems. Be that as it may, I expect the security forces to be cognizant of and fully prepared for any scenario of politically motivated criminal activity, designed to be disruptive to our free and fair general elections. Let us face it, there are those people living with and among us who seriously subscribe to winning by [a] intimidation, [b] at all costs, and [c] any means possible.
Yesterday a friend asked me, “How do you see this election shaping up”. My response was not what he wanted to hear, because I have not been delving into the local politics for the last few years, simply because there is nothing, in my view, to dig for. I have not seen any of the opposing political parties narrow the gap over the last few years. Maybe they have done that inside their heads and minds, but if I am a voter on the street, I have to be able to feel it out there. If I can’t feel it, it does not exist. Maybe they too also suffer from a national communications problem. It seems like the young inexperienced ‘politicians’ rely on the ‘hard sell’ campaign trail strategy, in lieu of an ‘institutional’ plan. I believe one really learns about the ‘politics’ while serving the people for the first term, failing that you must have a real keen street sense, nuff local knowledge and support, and should be willing to forego most of the University and Textbook approach to non-Caribbean politics. Enough said about election and politics. It could be another 8 to 0, 7 to 1 again, or maybe worst case 6 to 2.
For 2008 I continued to brew and drink NONI juice, but more significantly, I commandeered my son’s bicycle, and added bicycling to my daily list of things to do. After cycling for about a month my small ‘pot’ or ‘beer’ belly has disappeared, and I have dropped a little weight, and I feel great. I notice that the exercise seem to have impacted my diet too. I thought that I would need to consume more food but it is just the opposite. The cycling is fun. I cover greater distances, take in more scenery and action, and break a good sweat after 20 minutes. 20 minutes now takes me from the War Memorial to the R.L.B. International Airport via the Kim Collins Highway. 15 minutes later I am home thanks to the new West Basseterre By Pass Road. I just have to fit the bicycle with a pannier for my cameras, tripod and photo stuff, because I oppose the back-pack.
According to the Calypsonian ‘I see progress’. Some things are indeed getting better in this Country. I see an increasing number of persons exercising at mornings. Walking and jogging along the New Town and Irish Town Bay Road, the Kim Collins Highway, and now the West Basseterre By Pass Road. I am not yet cycling to Frigate Bay but I am aware that a contingent of exercisers use that route daily too. There is an increasing health consciousness slowly moving across the Nation. We have our own local TV exercise shows now, but still the vast majority of the residents do not exercise at all. I believe that it is time that someone [like an institution] introduce a Nationwide Exercise Plan and Program to our citizens. This plan and program should be designed to encourage and motivate our residents [ALL AGES] to exercise regularly. All health care providers and the vast majority of our citizens are fully aware of the tremendous benefits of exercise, but most people lack the will power and self-motivation to commit to the minimum recommended workout session of only 20-minutes per day, for just 3 days each week. Nothing is easier to do than 20-minutes of free hand exercises every other day. It seems to be the minimum amount of exercise that will keep most of us on a healthy track. The Maltese populace is given a financial incentive to encourage the riding of bicycles. We may be able to create an innovative incentive to motivate our residents to exercise daily, and thus enjoy a better quality of life, to wit, live longer.
Everyone is aware that almost every TV channel carry some form of exercise at some point in their daily programming. Usually it is in the morning, but there are some of us serious enough to get up and exercise alongside the TV. Some of us even go a step further and record the exercise programs for later workout. We also have a few persons just short of the boundary who have their own thousand dollar brand name home gym. Having the hardware and the software is sometimes not enough, especially when you have been out partying or you are trying to recuperate from that holiday weekend. It is startling the amount of home gym and exercise equipment that comes into our Federation. I have been at Customs clearing my goods and observed the exercising hardware passing through. The shameful thing is that a lot of the exercise equipment just sit idle in basements, garages or under beds while their owners indulge in wishful thinking, and lament their not getting slim and trim. I empathize, because I have some untouched exercising hardware going on 10 years if not more. My own exercise hardware lineup, excluding the gut busters, arm and leg weights and jump ropes, comprise [a] Weider fitness cycle, [b] thigh trainer [c] trampoline [d] treadmill [e] 18 speed bicycle. The trampoline and the 18-speed bike provide the best workout and the most fun, even on a rainy day.
I find that walking and jogging, no matter how intense, does not impact the ‘beer’ belly, belly fat or whatever constitute that “Andy Capp styled” waistline. Some recent colon cleanse advertisements now claim that this increased waistline size is due to ‘waste matter’ trapped inside the intestines and can range in weight from 5 to 22 pounds. After walking for a few years with no impact on my waistline I joined Docs Fitness Center and Gym Aerobics class, then located on Fort Street, every morning from 5 to 6, and routinely exercised until the belly became flat. But once the aerobics stopped the ‘beer’ belly returned post haste. Many years later I can now achieve and maintain the same flat stomach with a daily half-hour bicycle cruise around my neighborhood which borders on RLB International. A Trinidadian Ham Radio friend of mine who bicycles, says a daily 30 mile ride is considered normal. I did not bother to tell him that in my case I will have to ride around St Kitts every day … but when I can afford a ‘carbon fiber’ frame bike I will do just that.
I am very pleased, and so too should be the health care professionals and providers, to see the number of persons who are not afraid to be walking, jogging or bicycling in the fore-day morning, some from as early as 4.30 AM. Some people are paranoid about becoming a statistic, but the security forces are usually on patrol along most of the exercise routes, so I am personally not overly concerned, but greater visibility of the security forces could further allay possible concerns of the other interested [female] exercisers. For now the greatest threat and hazard to us [exercisers] will be from speeding vehicles on the two highways, but I sense that the majority of motorists on the West Basseterre By Pass Highway recognize and acknowledge the walking, jogging and bicycling exercising trail and are willing to share the road with the other users. That mentality seems not to have pervaded the psyche of most motorists on the Kim Collins Highway.
Some of our outstanding and professional citizens in our community, including doctors, lawyers, bankers, accountants, religious leaders, senior government officials, parliamentarians, businessmen and business women, senior citizens, retirees and married couples, are also on these exercise trails at mornings. A most welcome sight. Once you get hooked on daily exercise you don’t give it up easily, but getting hooked is the hard part. We need to get all our citizens on a highway to an improved quality of life, and EXERCISE is a fundamental tenet to achieving the psychological and physical well being that sits at the root of high quality living and lifestyles.
Our citizens need a little encouragement and motivation … and the reason or excuse to do it.
Our Nation can only be as healthy as our exercising residents.
[To be continued]
10 February 2009
In the Sun St Kitts/Nevis for Friday 6th February on page 10, I was pleased to see the article captioned “PM Douglas’ health, wellness walk tomorrow”. Congratulations to the Prime Minister for taking such a personal interest in the wellbeing of his community and constituents. To me, this is what politics is all about. The elected representative doing everything that is necessary to bring a better quality of life, health and longevity to our citizens, whether they voted for him or not. Regrettably our people sometimes find it difficult to rise above the party politics and would therefore willfully deprive themselves of the opportunity to participate in something wholesome and beneficial to their health and wellness. If those who are unable to participate in the PM’s walks [for party political reasons] were smart they would organize their own event, notwithstanding that it may be called ‘copy cat’. The health of our nation is far more important than the rhetoric., in any event the talk should only persist for 9 days.
Given the recent political drama and excitement, which may be stressful for some constituents, it is even more important that people get involved in some stress dissipating exercise programs, like walking, jogging, bicycling, or whatever that helps them to work up a sweat in 20 minutes. Love making may also work up a good sweat, but I am yet to see it listed as an approved exercise. I guess as long as the exercise is regular and sustainable, and someone can handle that activity three [3] days each week, you are good to go. Please be reminded that: “Before starting any exercise program it is advisable to check with your physician”.
In my 17th December blog [above] when I wrote …
There is an increasing health consciousness slowly moving across the Nation. We have our own local TV exercise shows now, but still the vast majority of the residents do not exercise at all. I believe that it is time that someone [like an institution] introduced a Nationwide Exercise Plan and Program to our citizens. This plan and program should be designed to encourage and motivate our residents [ALL AGES] to exercise regularly. All health care providers and the vast majority of our citizens are fully aware of the tremendous benefits of exercise, but most people lack the will power and self-motivation to commit to the minimum recommended workout session of 20-minutes per day, for just 3 days each week.
… I stopped short of suggesting and naming any institution. Actually in my original blog draft I used the word “Government” but changed it to “institution”, because in reality I believe that our Government may be bold enough, but not crazy enough, to legislate a National Exercise Plan and Program. I will not go into the ramifications if they were ever bold enough to even think about doing something like this. Just use your imagination. These are days for thinking and acting outside the box. Kittitians and Nevisians are adventurous people, sometimes living on the edge, and they like challenge, excitement and now-a-days nuff nuff drama, so I personally believe we have nothing to loose, only to gain … to wit, a Nation of healthy individuals, with firm bodies, sound minds and increased life expectancy.
In relation to SKN, exercise and the politics there are only 2 categories. A person is either FOR or against, irrespective of your religious persuasion. Basically this makes for two institutions, the “Government supporters and sympathizers” on one had, and everybody else on the other. It was my hope that in my lifetime I could see either one of these institutions taking the lead to usher in a wave of National Health and Wellness for our Federation through a Nationwide Exercise Plan and Program. I believe that day is coming much sooner than I expected, since the Prime Minister is now on the ball with his constituency wide [walking] exercise program. I expect to see, in short order, the other seven[7] constituencies in St Kitts and maybe those in Nevis, jumping on the band wagon, to ensure that everyone across our Federation is aware of the need to exercise daily, and to seek after a state of improved health and longevity.
I notice that most of the politicians on this side of the fence, are either athletes, or recently retired athletes and sports persons. They know first hand the importance of being fit in body and sound in mind, if success in life is your goal. I would challenge them ALL, to put on their walking shoes, track suit or bike pants, and walk through, round and about their constituency as never before, not just for the sake of meeting the constituents, but to encourage and motivate most of them to get our of their house and walk the 400 meters, [up the road and back] daily that can add another 5, 10 or 15 more years to their life. When they can do this honestly and unselfishly from the bottom of their heart, they are on their way to being a true representative of the people, all the time, and not just for some of the time.
The next matter to follow up is National PRAYER, not just one day a year, one day a month, or one day a week … but one day a day …. like EVERY DAY. As a matter of fact Prayer comes highest on any and every list, because the morning you don’t wake up, you won’t be exercising. We seem to be fast moving away from ‘teachings’ that seem to have successfully brought us to where we are today. This is the age of Information, DISINFORMATION and MISINFORMATION, and our leaders must be able to discern what and which are the true and clear paths for real long term national development. This could be a topic for another blog when I am in the mood. For now, let us use our exercise time, walking, jogging, running or bicycling, to meditate, and ponder on more ways to bring a superior quality of life to all of our residents, constituents and nationals.
[To be continued]
Keeth France - V44KF: "Speak Now ... or Forever Hold Your Peace" 