Belle Vue Methodist Congregation Hosts Tea Party on September 28, 2019

The Belle Vue Methodist Congregation is hosting a Tea Party on Saturday, September 28, 2019 from 3:00 to 6:00pm at the JR O'Neal Botanical Gardens. Tickets are being sold for $25 for adults, and $10 for children who are 12 years and under. Come and enjoy our tea, pastries, scones and other goodies, as well as various activities including a hat parade, hat competition and tea pot competition. Everyone is invited to attend and wear their best hat. Proceeds are in aid of the church's building fund. For more tickets and more information, please contact any member of the congregation.

Belle Vue Methodist Congregation

Good Hands Trucking & Water Delivery Delivers School Supplies to JSPS

On Tuesday, September 10, 2019, Anji Walters from Good Hands Trucking and Water Delivery made a special presentation of school supplies to the students of the Joyce Samuel Primary School. Mr. Walters shared that he was thankful for the support he receives, and he wanted to find a way to give back to the community in 2019. He chose the Joyce Samuel Primary School because it is the main school that serves the community that he resides in.

Mr. Walters made the presentation to students at the school in Belle Vue. Each student received a reusable bag with writing books and other essentials. In addition, students were given encouraging words to set the tone for the new school year. Mr. Walters hopes that his actions would encourage other entrepreneurs to do likewise in their community, and looks forward to doing similar in the future.

Being a Manager... My Quick Thoughts

I think that managers play a critical role in setting the tone in an organization.

• You have to be afraid but you can't be so impaired by fear that you cannot make a decision.
• You have to be able to give criticism, but you have to be able to take it too.
• You have to be able to teach, while learning, and getting others in the teaching mindset.
• You have to be confidential, but you can't hoard information that needs to be shared for others to grow.
• You have to be serious, but you have to be able to laugh and come down to earth with your team members.
• You have to be diligent and hardworking, but you have to know when to delegate and empower others - without them feeling like you've dropped your work on them.
• You have to be willing to investigate, and find fault - and be willing to admit when it's your fault.
• You have to be kind, but don't be a walkover.
• You have to be unbiased, but you have to know when you have to make a decision that may be hard on someone.
• You have to be able to communicate and make presentations, and you have to do your research and be prepared. There's no going around this.

These are just my quick thoughts on August 26, 2019. Please comment and add more.

Daily Juggling - Making, Making Do and Doing

When you venture into any public space outside of your house, you have to put on your game face, tuck in your tummy and get ready for the challenges. No matter how you plan and coordinate, you have to be ready for the inevitable. I have been planning this whole week to package some files and I really think that I have had the best intentions.

However, every day something else pops up - some good and some bad. There are some things that I would prefer to avoid but if I want to be successful in my current role, I have to try to meet the various demands. There is a lot that I don't plan for and it's not that I am disorganized or that I procrastinate. It's just the nature of the way things work. The unexpected comes and you have to respond. Sometimes, I am at a loss as to how to respond and I have to take time to consider the situation.

When you go to college, you learn a lot of theory and you discuss what the possibilities could be in a situation. Real life is much different. I always encourage people to share their story on their journey so that others can learn from them. Raising a family, being an entrepreneur, working or leading a non-profit are all individual roles that demand your full attention and energy. There are some people who juggle all and more. Consider what challenges they may meet on a daily basis.

Therefore, we are all jugglers in some way. Today, I was told that sometimes we need take our time with situations and the advice is well taken. I find I have bursts of energy and other times, I feel overwhelmed. However, I put my best foot forward and try to accomplish as much as I can. The advice I mentioned has played out well several times because we often feel that we don't have the solution. We let the matter rest and eventually we find a solution or a solution finds us.

Whatever your role might be, you have to stay focused and as Kenny Rogers sang, you have to know when to hold, fold, walk away or run. Balance your priorities, maintain your physical health and be the best you that you can be.

ribbon

Acrostic Poem: Emancipation

Every soul rejoiced
Minds and bodies calmed
All engaged in the fight
Never flailing, never relenting
Capacities imagined and envisioned
Invigorated energy
Purposeful intentions
Anticipation for the future generations
Tireless toiling ended
Inventive mindset to resume
Open minds and arms to a
New life in freedom

© Linette Rabsatt

Words of Ribbon 2019

Fierce Competition in 2019 BVI Soca Monarch Competition... and the Winner Is...

Ramon George, BVI Soca Monarch 2019
Photo Credit: BVI Soca Monarch Facebook Page

According to the BVI Soca Monarch Facebook page, the winner of the competition on Saturday, August 3, 2019 was Ramon, whose song was Rampage. First Runner-up was JJ, whose song was All of That, and third runner up was Diffy, whose song was Sip Sip.

Original article published on July 25, 2019:
It's time again for the BVI Soca Monarch competition! Eight (8) competitors are vying for the title of  2019 BVI Soca Monarch - each artiste with his distinct flavor and style. The reigning BVI Soca Monarch from 2017 is JJ and he is competing once again in 2019.

After Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017, festival was scaled down. However, the British Virgin Islands continues to progress and recover, and part of this process includes showcasing our culture and taking time to celebrate our emancipation from slavery. This year marks the 65th celebration of Festival in the territory and 185 years of emancipation from slavery.

The BVI Soca Monarch competition is slated for Saturday, August 3, 2019 at the Primetime Festiville and several regional artistes will also be performing including Mr. Killa known for "Run Wid It", Rupee known for "Think Twice" and "Tempted to Touch", Freezy known for "Woy", and Explainer known for "Lorraine".

The competitors include known band members and other budding artistes who are full of energy, spunk and talent. The songs listed below were shared by the BVI Soca Monarch organizers for the public to vote for their favorite. I enjoyed listening to all the songs and confirm that I would not want to be a judge for this show because the artistes have come strong this year.

Keep It 100 by TeeJay
TeeJay is a member of VIBE, the reigning BVI Road March champions. He is the lead singer of the band's "Eye Contact" and "Don't Leave". "I 'm so much better with you by my side, feels like I can do whatever, but I don't want to feel like I lied" are a sample of the lyrics. The song has a groovy feel, like a soca love song. The song flows well with the rhythm and pace so it's left to the actual performance to see if TeeJay will be the winner.

All of That by JJ
JJ is a member of OMG (Our Music Group) and is the reigning BVI Soca Monarch. His song gives a Caribbean flavour as he sings about coming to do "All of That". This song is an example of 'feel good' music that keeps your fingers and feet tapping. Lyrics include "Don't care if you want to judge me, is my life - is I decide to get on like I have no training". This song does reflect that JJ has some soca training though.

Chappy Boy 65 by Chap Chap
Chap Chap is well known in the BVI and his father, Chappy is also a known band man who sang in Primetime, the band the festival village is named after. Chap Chap sings "Waving up the flags, slavery is no more, freedom come through the door, I jamming til my body sore". This song is high energy with a rhythm that is synonymous with BVI Festival music. He is a serious contender and if the performance energy is high, he stands a good chance to win.

Rampage by Ramon
Ramon's song invites you to really have fun and go on a rampage! I hope that with the infectious rhythm and lyrics which entice you to move, Ramon will take the stage on a rampage when he performs on August 3, 2019. "We on a rampage, on the road Parade Day, we going leave it ablaze..." are some of the lyrics.

We Ain't Going Home by Pascal
Pascal is another member of OMG and he is not new to the music scene in the BVI. "We jamming again and we ain't going home, we got our friends and we ain't going home" are some lyrics. This is another high energy song with lots of rhythm to get you off your feet. The rhythm varies in the song and brings excitement to the listener.

Dilaahlaah FM by Mr. Bluez
Mr. Bluez's song is unique in style and rhythm and it seems to have influences from other genres. "Ahyu I think done, bring my other shot of the rum" and "The fete is my home, I'm a party animal" are some of the lyrics.

Wuk Up Permit by Jim Bob
I would say Jim Bob's "Wuk Up Permit" has the most fun and unique lyrics. I guess with all the improvements that the government is making with work permit processing, the song is ideal for this competition. Jim Bob sings "She here on a wuk up permit, shake your hips like you working for tips, homeboy don't rub up on it, cause a money man done eat it!"

Sip Sip by Diffy
Diffy's song "Sip Sip" is surely different. "Sip sip on it" encourages you to groove while sipping on your favorite drink at the festival bar. Lyrics include "Behind the truck, having my fun ..... we chipping and we sipping...." This is going to be an interesting performance.

I wish all the competitors good luck because the competition is looking tight. It's hard to say who is my favorite and since I do not have the judging criteria, I refrain from making any predictions.

** Thank you to Virgin Islands News Online for featuring excerpts of this post in their article, "Big $$ up for Grabs @ Fierce Soca Monarch Competition".

a to z the usa: Arts and Culture in U.S. Virgin Islands

Thank you for sharing information about VI Callalloo: Poems from the Caribbean!

a to z the usa: Arts and Culture in U.S. Virgin Islands: Arts and Culture in U.S. Virgin Islands The cultural life of the U.S. Virgin Islands is filled with contrasts and connections.