The Rounds - October 1, 2006

Good Evening Soca Lovers. I’m nurse Karen and these are Dr. Jay’s Rounds. Perhaps you’ve heard our favourite Doctor will be celebrating his birthday Next month. I know we only just made it to October, but it’s never too early to think about how to take better care of yourself as you gently creep along to old age!
It’s not just soca DJ’s that have to mind they health. We all do. Start with what you could manage. Keep your stress level down. Keep your head up! High on de almighty. Stay out of trouble and exercise…even if is just half hour on the elliptical every time you’re procrastinating on yuh homework.
You know I give good advice. So, listen up! Here’s what could happen if you don’t.
Antiguan Soca Icon Oungku is recovering this weekend after an ATV accident. (Ladies, it means all terrain vehicle. You know, dem four wheel motor bike kinda tings. The bandleader of Red Hott Flames is dealing with some Red Hott Back Pain since he fell off his machine at Friars Beach. That’s some kinda irony considering his song “Quad Ride” made the sport vehicles the number one must have items in Antigua this summer. He’s not a new rider, but it appears de man was not paying attention to a chain crossing his joyride path.
Pain and ting could age you quick. And so could stress I tellyuh. Well, a former Lucian Calypso King is trying to bring his blood pressure back down after being told he could not compete in the World Calypso monarch competition. Wulstan “Walleigh” Alfred was St. Lucia’s 2005 Calypso monarch. Last week, he was told to pack his bags because the reigning king “Bachelor” wouldn’t be able to make the trip to TnT to rep their country in the Carifesta show. When Walleigh got to Trinidad, it was a different story. The Trinidad Unified Calypso Organization denied him the opportunity to peform because he didn’t win the title this year. And he vex, ya know. Walleigh says he’s upset because he doesn’t think the organization is abiding by its own rules. Apparently St. Vincent’s 2005 Calypso queen was in the same boat…and SHE got to take the stage at the semis. Walleigh dahlin, if you’re listening take it easy…cuz girlfriend didn’t make it to the final round anyway. So YOU can relax and enjoy your FREE trip to Trinidad.
It’s one thing to stress yourself out, but it’s much worse to stress out the people you love. Which leads me to Lavaman. The former Grenada soca crown contender mussee lun he lesson now. Back in August cops found ganja and a gun in his car, after shots were fired at a fete in Victoria, St. Marks. He and his crew were officially charged with possession last week…and placed on $8000 bail. Which is no small amount for country people working for EC dollars. He must be grudging Mr. Killa bad bad now…because that soca monarch money would have come in real handy right now.
Sometimes despite your best efforts things happen sometimes that turn your black hairs grey. I’m sure you all remember when poor Grenada fell victim to hurricane Ivan. The old people say, when life gives you lemons, yuh hadda lemonade. Ricardo Keens Douglas did just that when he wrote the hit play AYE AYE AYE IVAN. It focuses on the positive steps Grenada is making as it recovers from the atrocity. The play is heading to London England just in time for their Black History Month.
Trinidad is also recovering from a shocking blow. On Thursday the island was hit with an Earthquake measuring 6.0 on the Richter Scale. Cell sites along the East-West corridor collapsed, and the Trinidad Hilton incurred some structural damage…but unlike regular folk, the Hiltons and them could afford it.
As we get older, we have to remember that everything we do affects our health and the quality of our lives. This Afternoon Elvis White brought entertainment to the 17th annual walk to cure diabetes in Manhattan. Diabetes is an illness that affects people in the Caribbean at a disproportionably high rate. So, it makes sense that a soca ambassadors from the sugar islands lend their voices to make a change.
Now, if we could just get Dr. Jay to lay off the sweets.
I’m nurse Karen and those are Dr. Jay’s Rounds. Send your comments to soca at FLOW 935 dot com.