On “Brief” Hiatus…

Hey folks!

In case you haven’t realised it by now, this blog has taken a short hiatus. Well, I’ve taken a short break from blogging, if you want to be more precise! Don’t worry, I’m not going anywhere.  I’ll be back soon!  I just need some time to sort some things out in the real world.

This post will remain at the top of the page each day, as a courtesy.  For now, when I post something new, it will be below this post.

I want to thank all my returning visitors (and bots!) for keeping me on your reading lists these past 5 months.  I’m really lucky to have patient readers… and somehow, relevant content!  By my last check, I’ve gotten close to 15,000 more hits since T.B.C. hit the 25k milestone.  That’s not something to be ungrateful about!

In the meantime, you can follow me on Twitter. I’m really liking the interaction there, and its providing me with a fresh perspective, new ideas, new connections, etc. If you want or need to unleash your fury at me (for no new content, what else?), feel free so to do via my blog’s Comments page. You can also shoot me your missive at boboleechron [at] gmail [dot] com.

Cheers!

BoboleeChron

ShortLink for this post? http://wp.me/pfOU1-o5

The Last Day of Christmas

I love Christmas.  Even though I don’t get to do all that I’d like to do, its always been a special time of the year for me.  Its the music on the radio…  The cleaning…  The shopping… The preparation… The anticipation…   The gift-giving…  The gift-receiving!

Too bad it only lasts for 12 days…

As Christmas comes to a close, I just want to share some of our local (Trinbagonian) Christmas traditional music: Parang.

Parang performers... performing! (Image taken from the Trinidad Guardian)

Here are some performances from the 2009 National Parang Champs – Los Alumnos de San Juan – that I was able to capture while attending the 1st annual “Jazzang” (a mashup of the words “Jazz” & “Parang”).   Hosted by the Jazz Alliance and Phase II Pan Groove (in their panyard) the event was well attended and very enjoyable.  I’m looking forward to attend the next one!

Peace and Rice and ALL the very best for the new year!

Enjoy the videos…

Thirsty? Drink This…

The Truth About Bottled Water

(via)

I came across this really informative and eye opening infographic this morning as I settled into my daily affairs.  Even though it presents facts and figures from an American standpoint, its still relevant to us all.  The bottled water business is big business all over the world, with people paying premium sums for the privilege of drinking water extracted from the pristine and untouched glaciers of ‘Mount Here’ and ‘River There’.

We in T&T have a few bottled water companies here also.  I remember one Carnival Tuesday back in 1998/9 I was (in the hot sun) watching the masqueraders on the road, when I felt the need for a drink of water.

So I approached a nearby street vendor and asked him…

“Yuh have any bottled water?”

“Yeah man!  Ah have Blue Rivers, Crystal Ocean, aviV… freezing cold from since dis mornin’…”

All the bottles were of the smaller variety… no more than 250-300 ml (8-10 US fl. oz.).  Typical retail price (in those days) would be no more than TT$1.

I really wanted one of the bigger 500-600 ml bottles (usually TT$2-$3 depending on location) but I was really thirsty.

“Alright then… gimme ah aviV and ah Blue Rivers.  How much I have for yuh?”  I begin counting off four dollars in $1 bills…

“Ten dollars, boss-man…  Is $5 for one…”

I pause and took a good look at the back of the man’s head as he bent over his cooler to get me my bottles.  I was seriously contemplating hitting him a clout, but thought better of it.

“Wha’ ?!  You serious?! Is $10 I hear you call dey?”  (Remember… this is 1998/9, eh? TT$10 could of gotten you a piece of KFC & a biscuit or some fries back then.)

“Yeah… yuh forget is Carnival time! We price does raise nuh… ah does always ha tuh make a lil’ hustle fuh de Carnival…”

In my stunned and confused state, I happen to notice that he also has a few bottles of Club Soda in the cooler.

(NB: “club soda” = soda water = plain, unflavoured and carbonated water.

Sold in 300 ml glass bottles, they hold roughly the same as the small plastic bottles of water he was selling.)

“How much for de Solo… de Club Soda?”

Taken from the Solo website

He cocks his eyebrows at me… “Two dollars…”

“…for one?”

“Yes… for one…” He cocks his eyebrows higher at me… o_O

“…and dey cold?”

He shakes his head in the affirmative.

“Well, gimmeh two dey…”

I hand him the $4 I’d peeled off originally.

He hands me the club soda, which I open and consume post-haste.

We both leave richer than we were before… except that I had more gas to deal with .

PS: After doing some poking around on the interwebz, I have to ask this question:

Could the reason for this be as a direct result of this? (Skip to the paragraph just before the “Author Keywords”)

You be the judge!

Peace and Rice,

Boboleechron
–
Resident expert on all things Cracked.

my blogs:
boboleechronicles.wordpress.com
boboleepix.wordpress.com
follow me!: twitter.com/boboleechron
–

Shut Yuh Mout’, Go Away…

…”Mama, look ah boo boo dey.”

Harry Belafonte and Nat King Cole perform  a classic calypso “Mama Look A Boo Boo”, which was written in 1956 by Lord Melody (Fitzroy Alexander).

Thanks to the wonders of the Internet, I was also able to find the same song done on the steelpan… It was performed by a University student from California named Ziba Zehdar, as part of her university coursework or something.

Taken from Ziba's Vimeo profile...

What made me smile was that she’s so good, that the MC introducing her actually has to announce to the audience that – contrary to the thoughts and questions of many – that  he “didn’t hire her to play the steelpan”, and that she was a matriculated student at the school!

I was just in the mood for some old school kaiso.  I hope you do enjoy!  It always makes me happy and proud to see a facet of my culture being appreciated by other inhabitants of the big blue marble!

Peace and Rice,

Boboleechron

Ole Time Someting Come Back Again

Here’s an interesting (& enjoyable) cover of The Mighty Sparrow’s classic calypso “Obeah Wedding”.Its performed by “TitoTitou”, a French native with a pretty eclectic taste in music, if one were to take a look at his YouTube profile.

We in Trinidad and Tobago (heck, the entire Caribbean) have such a wealth of talent in our blood.  While we must take our many art forms into the new millennia, we must also ensure that we don’t forget our roots & culture.   By revisiting them every so often, it not only serves as a source of edification and pride, but in my view, it’ll also to help educate the younger generations of our rich heritage and our identity as Caribbean people.

I hope you enjoyed!

(bigup to @suzettegardner, who shared this video with me. )

Bobolee Chron

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Shubh Divali

The word ‘Divali’ comes from the Sanskrit word ‘Deepavali’ meaning a row of lights. ‘Deep’ means light or lamp and ‘avali’ means row. Hence Divali literally signifies a row or cluster of lights. That's why Divali (aka Diwali or Deepavali) is also known as the "Festival of Lights".

On the day of Divali, Hindus light clay or oil lamps (called ‘deyas’) in & around their homes, temples, gardens, rooftops, streets and outer walls. This decoration with deyas during Divali makes everything look amazingly gorgeous and vibrant. Divali is celebrated with a lot of enthusiasm here in T&T as Divali is considered to be one of our more "celebrated" holidays. The whole country joins in celebration with the Hindu community, with Hindus and non-Hindus partaking in the lighting of deyas and house lights, the bursting of bamboo, firework displays and enjoying the many varieties of indigenous East Indian foods and sweets.  Many rotishops do brisk business around Divali, with many having to make extra rotis and roti-skins to cater for the increased demand for the delicacies…

Many Hindus invite  close friends, family and relations to their homes to partake in meals celebrating the religious festival, with some going so far as to invite complete strangers into their homes to help them celebrate the joyous occasion.

Some employers allow their employees to dress in traditional East Indian garb to celebrate the occasion. Divali is also considered by many in T&T to be a forerunner to the Christmas season, with a lot of people electing to start putting up their Christmas lights and making their preparations right around, or soon after, Divali.

Take a look at some pictures I took last year during the Divali celebrations on Ethel Street, in the suburb of Port of Spain known as St James.

Enjoy.

Bobolee Chron
–
Resident expert on all things Cracked.

my blogs:
boboleechronicles.wordpress.com
boboleepix.wordpress.com
follow me!: twitter.com/boboleechron

Posted via email from boboleechron

Vendor Rivalry

"A casual encounter soon escalates into a battle royale, as two local vendors get pushed over the edge.

An animated take on a day in the life of two Trinidadian, Caribbean vendors, as an initial battle of words is transformed into a kung fu showdown in the busy streets of Trinidad."

Winner of Animae Caribe's "Best Caribbean Animation" prize for 2009, this video was produced by Ansar Sattar of Trinidad and Tobago.

I'd be more than happy to provide a translation if anyone finds it difficult to understand what the characters are saying!

Bobolee Chron

Posted via email from boboleechron

Any Intelligent Life Out There?

If you see this…

Phone home.

(via)

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