#LoveNote

Stop looking for some one just to change your relationship status or your financial situation. Choose a partner who brings out the best in you, some one who wants to know your mind, your heart and your soul as much as they want to know your body. Find some one who values every moment you spend with them even if it's just a walk down the road from your home or one minute conversation on the phone. Find some one who appreciates every gift they receive from you even if it's  a wild flower you picked on your way to meet them. Be with some  one you want to spend the rest of your life with the one who wants to spend the rest of their life with you. Love is is two way street so if you are invested and your partner is not then your wasting time. Be with some one you can build with, some one you can dream with because if you can't see yourself marrying and growing old with the person in your life then you are with the wrong one.  Find a partner who doesn't want your relationship to be a dog and pony show for social media likes and comments but some one who values the privacy and sanctity of your "coupledom". I'm not saying there is anything wrong with posting a picture of a moment shared with your significant other occasionally but let's keep it real some people especially women tend to over do the "relationship posts".

Relationships are hard work. If you are in it for the wrong reasons then it will never go the distance and if it ends up where you'd like, if  you can't put in the work necessary your relationship will never last.

#PowHerTalk Launch Highlights.

Krystal Tomlinson on Wednesday October 7th launched her #PowHerTalk series under the theme "Ladies of today, leaders of tomorrow #MakeItHappen" at the University of the West Indies, Taylor Hall. The series is aimed at empowering and encouraging young women; providing them with a space where they can learn, voice their opinions, concerns and gain advice from each other and from women of excellence across different fields.

The guest speakers were all  late and usually waiting would annoy me to the core but I appreciated the fact that all the speakers are hard working women juggling a thousand things all at once but still found a way to make being at the PowHerTalk happen.  If the young women present were not inspired and empowered by just that realization they were not really paying attention.

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The ‎#PowHerTalk featured Senator Imani Duncan-Pryce, journalist Janella Precius and Media personality and event organizer Krystal Tomlinson. Lady Saw was also slated to speak but had to pull out at the last minute.  Each had some amazing things to say, however I'll be highlighting some of my favorite points from each speech. 

Senator Imani Duncan-Pryce was the first speaker and she  was very candid about her professional and personal life. In other words- she kept it all the way real. I honestly didn't expect her to be as open as she was. I'm sure many people when they hear a politician or business person will be giving a speech expect boring and stuffy but she was far from that.  She spoke on the role of women in business, politics and in the home. She informed the audience that though Jamaica has one of the highest percentage of females in management positions many are still being payed less than their male counterparts simply because they are afraid to negotiate for higher salaries. With that point she encouraged the ladies to be fearless and negotiate for a pay increase. The first step towards doing that she instructed is placing a high value on your qualifications and skills and commanding respect whilst being respectful. She also imparted some words of wisdom to those who aspire to enter the corporate world,  "arrive early to business meetings, sit at the table- in the middle, at the front but never on the outside or at the back." Mrs Duncan-Pryce said doing this will ensure that we are not overlooked when decisions are being made.  She also said that has professional women we should try not to make excuses but find ways to get the job done. Doing this she said will ensure that negative perceptions of what a woman can or cannot do is erased in the workplace. She also advised that in the conference room though it's ok to be nice, as women we should never make it our duty or have the duty thrown upon us to make or serve the coffee or take notes. Senator Duncan-Pryce also advised that when it comes down to personal relationships young women must understand that they should never compromise their personal ambitions for a man. She reflected on ho she learned from making that mistake in her first marriage. She pointed out that a relationship is a partnership and a good man will encourage and empower his woman to achieve her goals. She then went on to speak on how many women have issues with the "boys only club" because they feel its the reason they don't make it to the top of their specific professions. She expressed that there is nothing wrong with the brother hood or "boys only clubs" infact she feels that just like the men have created brotherhood and secret societies (her husband is a member of the Free Mason Society aka Lodge and that revelation sent shock waves through the audience) to support each other so too women should create sisterhoods instead of always trying to tear each other down over trivial things. 

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Krystal Tomlinson was next and her first points were centered around women celebrating each other. I agree whole heartedly with that sentiment because even in the room  I heard young ladies being judgmental of each other, picking away and laughing at simple grammatical errors of those who chose to speak and having issues with those who participated by asking multiple questions. One of my male friends has a favorite quote and he reminds me frequently that he doesn't try to understand women because "women understand women and they hate each other." Sad but this is true sometimes and as Krystal pointed out women tend to hold on to grudges too long and leave University carrying those same hard feelings towards each other into their professional lives not realizing that these are some of the reasons they can't get ahead in their organization. My favorite portion of Krystal's talk was when she told the young ladies to Put some "fleek" on aspects of their life that is of actual importance. I'm sure this resonated with every one in the room. I see where women are caught up in the social media world mainly posting about their hair, their nails, a party they went to or throwing shade at some phatom "hater". All very vain and unecessary in the grand scheme of things. Krystal put  it perfectly we should ensure that our social media reflects more than just vanity. She challenged the young women in the audience to post their goals or instead of posting their new hair style or that new outfit for that party make a post about the A+ they received on a test or term paper. She reminded the University girls that life on campus is not the real world and thus they should try not to be consumed by all the frivolous activities they are presented with each day. She encouraged them to soak up all the knowledge needed for entrance into real world ahead.

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Janella Precius was the nights final speaker. She co-signed some of what Krystal and Imani said before her. Miss Precius said that women should know their worth and the perfect way to do this is to set high standards and stick to those high standards. She too challenged the ladies in in room to value themselves higher than a meal at KFC or a trip to Strawberry Hills. Janella told the story of how for years women in the news room were being handed fluff pieces to report on instead of hard hitting stories people were really interested in hearing. She told how that changed during the Tivoli incursion when the men in her news room were afraid to face the gunshots in West Kingston, she took the reigns and used the opportunity to show that female journalist in Jamaica can do anything the males can do.  What I took from Janella's speech is that when a good opportunity is presented women should ensure that they take full advantage and do our best to always  "shock the system".

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I can say honestly that it was good for me to have been at this event. The PowHerTalk was entertaining, informative and empowering. Congratulations Krystal on the launch of what I know is set to be a great series. I look forward to the next installment.  #PowHerTalk #MakeItHappen. 

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Love Notes 2015: Put Yourself Out There.

I was at a women's empowerment seminar recently. One of the speakers Jacqui Tyson  spoke about "Not apologizing for your existence." the way she put it -some times our fear causes us to exude this aura of "I'm sorry". It can be in the way that we stand, walk, sit, enter a room or even speak. She said many times we are placed in a position where we can make a first good impression but don't because of fear.  The speaker went on to say her philosophy is different from most. For example, she said she never enters a room and goes to the back. If the room is full she said she prefers to stand to side where she can be seen, she takes every opportunity to ask questions and to put herself in a position where she will always be remembered. Sounds narcissistic but think about it. How many times do we seek out the back; the back of the class room, the back of church, the back of a seminar etc mainly because we feel like if we are at the front we will be seen, we'll be the first to be pointed at. How many times do we refuse to ask questions. Afraid that the question is stupid, afraid of all the people who will be looking at us, afraid of speaking. How many times are we offered an opportunity to attend an event but pass or asked to give a vote of thanks or introduce a speaker but say no because of fear. Being apologetic. How many of us have put have been in situations where we get to network but  introduce ourselves to a business leader.   Truth is many of us often shy away from the aforementioned. ‎

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The message of not being apologetic about my presence and using opportunities has stayed with me. Since then I've been trying to think about all the times and all the ways I've let great opportunities slip away from me becuase I was afraid to be in the front or afraid to ask a question. Sad to say that I've had many of those moments.   I've actually been on a mission to change. I speak up now. Even when I'm filled up with nervous energy shaking in my shoes. I have been to a few networking seminars just so I can practice. If I'm ever in the building with a business leader or a politician I plan to make an amazing first impression. 

So my message to you my readers is stop apologizing for your existence. Stand tall, head up. Put your self out there. Speak without fear at all times. Ask for what you want in a respectful way. Remember that no is never the end of your journey and there is no such thing as a stupid question. The difference between those who are successful and those who are not or are trying to be is that they put them self out there.

#DRS12 Top Two Review.

Digicel Rising Stars final performance show was the show down that I guess every one expected. Anna Mariah walked away with a not too shabby four hundred thousand dollars third place cheque and Marsha K and the "Teach" Jody Kay James were left to battle it out for the top spot. Shaggy was the nights guest judge and Ding Dong was the "Belleh" guest in the Huawei chill room. So each contestant had a chance to wow us three times and below I give you the play by play.

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Marsha started off with a Fantasia cover of "You are Always On My Mind" which was a nice acoustic set, stripped back and sweet. I keep telling people that she has the better vocal technique in the competition based on the riffs, runs and licks she can do and this song was proof of that. I feel like if she was on a Competition like #NBCTheVoice the judges and audience would have had a better appreciation for her performance . Marsha K's second song was supposed to be the song that gave her the most votes in the competition. "Encourage Yourself" the song she did during Gospel week was her choice.  I didn't think that was the song that gave her the most votes though. That title I'd give to "Grown Woman" by Beyonce. When she did that song is when I think Jamaicans realised she had the full package: the voice, the looks and dancing ability..........Back to the song she picked. There were some "struggly" moments. I felt her pushing through whatever vocal difficulty she was facing and the frustration she was feeling. The performance was ok but was amazing the first time around and the judges basically said the same thing. ‎For her final song Marsha K decided to go with he Billboard hit from Miss  #GraceJones "Pull Up To Mi Bumper". Personally I wasn't happy with that song choice.  But I'll put my personal views aside though to say that she performed the hell out of that song. She was sexy not raunchy; did just enough vocally and then wowed us by showing she can DJ just as well as she sings.

Now for Jody Kay. She's Not my favorite but she did well she held her own against the technique that Marsha has.‎

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Jody Kay' s first song was the Jenifer Hudson cover of I'm feeling good by Nina Simone. It was a great song choice. She did well with it I however began to feel her energy come through close to the end and that's when I got into her performance. Her  second song was "All I Could Do Was Cry" by Etta James. It was the song she wowed us all with during the first live show but  I don't know if that was the song that gave her the most votes.  Her performance again was good she excersised vocal control and all the judges agreed it was a good second performance. Jody's  final song was Whitney Houston's "I Get So Emotional" she failed to do what Marsha did for her final song. She didn't perform the hell out it. She tried but as Shaggy said she didn't look comfortable and it did show. There were great moments though and for that I give her props. All the judges agreed that they'd give the third round to Marsha but becuase Jody is a good singer I doubt voters will hold that performance against her.

The Round Up.
The judges said that Jody K is in the lead. But I am not so sure about that. I think it's evenly tied. It wasn't the knockout showdown that I expected to get from these two. I'll say again she isn't my favorite but I feel that Jody K will win #DRS12 because thousands of Teachers in Jamaica are voting for her and the students from STATHS too. At the end of the day the votes is what decides who wins. I see Marsha and Anna going further in the music industry than Jody however becuase they are all round performers. Anna is the creative Edna Manley student an Marsha is the girl with th technique. And both are more versatile than Jody is. I'd like to see Marsha enter the VOICE she has the vocal ability to go far in that competition. Let's see what happens next week when the winner is announced. ‎

Talk Up Yout Season 5 Episode 2 Review- Easy Money.

About The Show

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This was another great topic. I'll say again that I love the new format of the show but I feel this would probably be one of the times where the producers perhaps should have reverted to the original layout just so we all could get insight from some one who was in the business of getting "easy money". We can only assume why people make certain choices so having some who has "been there and done that" would have been great for this topic.  Not every one's story is the same and even a female who had a sugar daddy could better provide us with the reason she headed down that route, what made her give up having a sugar daddy and what she feels could prevent other youths from choosing that life. The panel did however do a good job  bringing some very good points to the fore. 

They all agreed that many want quick cash because they believe that a good education and hard work can not help them achieve their goals. Another point I also agreed with given by Erieka  is that many who cry for more government aid are the same ones who spend what little they have on material things like expensive clothes, bleaching cream and trending technological items. I also agree that Jamaican youths need to have more of an entrepreneurial spirit.  

There were some statements  I didn't agree with though. One of the panelist was of the view that Jamaican youths needed more training opportunities. I didn't agree with that statement because I see where the HEART NTA and the NYS are providing several programs aimed at helping youths who cannot afford traditional tertiary education. I also know too that the YMCA also has training opportunities for those who choose to take advantage. I also didn't agree that for young people who wanted to start a small business there is no avenue for them to get assistance. I have benefited from the JBDC business clinic where I was provided with free one on one business consultation with business strategist and bankers who wer able to suggest business financing options. I have taken advantage of any free networking seminar in order to learn more about starting a business and marketing. So the facilities are available some are just not willing to researh and take advantage of them.

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My Thoughts

We all want to live the fabulous lives of local and international "celebrities". It seems like every ones goal is to become rich socialite. Not many want to be doctors or lawyers anymore. Not many want to obtain a Masters Degree or PhD. Some of us are willing to work hard because we understand that even for those rich and famous people their big house, expensive cars and clothing didn't come about through over night success but through hard work and dedication to perfecting their craft. The rich and famous continue to work hard to maintain their lifestyle. I heard some where once that it's easy to get the money but very hard to keep it.‎ I feel that even if a young man or young lady has a man or woman taking care of his/her daily expenses he/she should still be ambitious enough to save a few dollars, use the help they are getting to further their education or to start a small business. (I'm not talking about under age youths).  Some are smart enough to do so, others however use the financial support they are recieving to buy clothes, go away on weekend trips, party every night and get their hair and nails done every weekend and that's  not smart at all. 

Solutions

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I honestly can't say how this issue can be solved. It's not an issue only affecting the poor youths. Even educated youths are falling into the trap of wanting easy money. It's how many are now being conditioned through the western celebrity culture being portrayed on socia media and reality tv. I believe youths just need to value hard work. Youths need to be inundated with more stories from programs like Profile and Talk Up Yout of those who came from poor back grounds but through education and remaining goal oriented they have made their lives better.

Those who are engaged in illegal activities for easy month need to understand that one day they will g caught and will end up spending time great portion of their lives behind bars or worst and that's a high price to pay.

Youths need more networking opportunities from as early as fifth form so they can build a relationship with prospective employees and prospective business partners. Youths also need to understand the importance of saving and  taking responsibility for their own future. Youths must understand that they have to invest in their their goals from early and not blame or depend on the government or any one else to provide aid after they have wasted time in school and have squandered money. 

Another great episode can't wait to "talk up" on next week's topic. 

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#TalkUpYout Season 5: Episode 1 Review.

"Talk Up Yout" season five episode one aired on Television Jamaica last night and the first topic tackled was the issue of Brain Drain in Jamaica. Before I get into my thoughts on the first episode, I must say as much as Emprezz is one of my favorite media personalities I'm ok with her not being in front of the camera for this season. I enjoyed the new layout of the show; the panel of young minds and the short debate.

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#AboutTheShow

Throughout the entire episode I was yelling at the panel through the TV. My first issue was that they didn't really stick to the definition of Brain Drain which could be defined as highly trained, educated and professional people with specialization in particular fields migrating to other economies for better pay or living conditions. If we are working with a definition similar to that then the panel some what missed the mark if they were even to educate some one who had no knowledge of what "Brain Drain" is and the impact it has on a country. For example, there was mention of students athletes opting to study abroad due to lack of resources in Jamaica. That in my opinion cannot be considered as a "Brain Drain" issue. I stated on twitter that individuals may decide to attend school abroad for a myriad reasons including wanting to be exposed to a different culture or a particular course of interest isn't being offered in the islands universities. I wanted to add that if a student athlete studies abroad but still competes for his/her country the "Brain Drain" wouldn't be happening in this instance.  

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I needed statistics and more proof that Jamaica has a brain drain problem especially as it relates to degree holders and highly trained professionals leaving the island. For instance what number of Jamaican scientists, doctors or engineers left the island over the past five years. Without those stats even during the debate portion of the show i was left not convinced that Jamaica really has a huge Brain Drain problem. Yes, I agree some of our educated people are leaving but is the country really feeling any impact.

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#MyThoughts‎

I feel that Jamaica loses more skilled workers than university graduates. HEART graduates who are trained in hospitality, food and beverage management and  electrical installation and even construction often opt to go to Canada or even to other Caribbean countries to gain employment especially because the Jamaican market is over saturated with those having the same skills set. Again in this regard I'm not sure if "brain draining" would be taking place because the country has hundreds of workers within the tourism industry and students leaving vocational training institutes quarterly that can replace those that are leaving. Many who are leaving are doing so on a temporary basis as they are not being offered permanent residence in these countries. Personally I have a family member who has been living and working in Grand Cayman as a chef for over ten years she was university trained but still Jamaica has no shortage of chefs.‎

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A friend in Jamaica's shipping industry told me recently that his company is losing several of its crane and strad operators monthly to Canada and Dubai and these operators are not University or community college graduates but they do have a specialized skill. His company is spending more money now on training new operators and being less productive daily due to not having experienced strad and crane operating staff and outsourcing workers that really don't put out the same level of productivity those who left use to. This strengthens my point that the Brain Drain may be taking place in Jamaica but skilled and technically trained workers are the ones that are actually leaving. I also see where Jamaica is losing English teachers to countries like China and Japan but we still have a surplus leaving teachers college so again I'm not sure if losing just a small handful of teachers is really a huge problem that falls under the brain drain banner. 

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#Conclusion 

As the program wrapped with the panelists giving their solutions I found my self agreeing with their points.  Adrian suggested that corporate Jamaica should launch a under study internship program that would assist university students regardless of their address to gain valuable work experience and possibly employment. Another panelist made reference to more graduate recruitment programs being needed on the island and less nepotism and cronyism which I believe is the main reason for college and university graduates not gaining even entry level positions in government agencies and companies. 

"Talk Up Yout" season five episode one was a good start to the new season. Congratulations to Stanley and Empress productions. I can't wait to see what next week's topic will be. 

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The Plight of Jamaica's Athlete.

Photo credit: Twitter @jasondadzmorgan 
The Current Situation. 
Some people believe that because some of Jamaica's top athletes get local and international endorsement deals that all of them are earning millions of dollars. Kayon Raynor's interview Thursday night during TVJ Sports News with discuss thrower Jason Morgan and shot putter Odayne Richards, 400 meter runner Dane Hyatt and 400 meter hurdler Leford Green brought to the forefront the lack of support the nation's athletes receive from the Government of Jamaica. The feature helped to answer the question of why those who decided to switch allegiance to other countries made that choice.  I felt Morgan's pain as he shed tears while speaking to Raynor about his rough journey as an athlete and how many times he felt like giving up. The interview put into perspective how much more work the Government and the JAAA needs to put in to ensure that Jamaica does not lose anymore athletes to countries that are willing and able to pay and provide them with necessary benefits so they can perform at their best and survive outside of competition season.

What's Really Happening 
We see our athletes at these meets and we don't  imagine them not being able to do their best because they have a nine to five and supervisor calling them days before a competition to find out when they will be coming back to work. We couldn't guess that for all the pride they bring us some are basically coaching them self because they can't afford a full time coach, paying their own way to different competitions, taking care of medical bills for injuries sustained at meets or during training and just like everyone else they are worried about  how their bills are going to be paid and how they are going to take care of their families. We need not imagine because the reality is the life described is being lived by some of our elite track and field stars.

 What We Think.
As Asafa Powell said in the interview with Kayon Raynor many Jamaicans believe that the nations track and field team is made up of just ten people. Let's keep it real; how many athletes of the forty Asafa says is on Jamaica's track and field  team to the 2015 World Championships to Beijing do many of us know? Fact is, if they aren't breaking records or getting medals many of don't care to know their names. We forget that those at the top were once at the bottom. We assume that because some have endorsement deals and drive flashy cars and live in big houses or own businesses all of them are living that dream life. Many of our high school stars are hurrying to become professional athletes hoping to join the likes of Usain and Shelly- Ann at the top. They don't understand that it will take them sometime to begin earning and I hope after watching the Kayon Raynor feature they are re organizing their goals and setting up a plan B.

 What Next?
 Brand Jamaica needs brand ambassadors and we have plenty talented ones; but brand ambassadors need to get paid. Maybe the money being using to fund large contingent of political representatives to attend these world games should be spent on helping to finance some of the nation's athletes throughout the year. Instead of spending millions to host a big celebration when the athletes return from competition why not put that cash in a trust fund aimed at providing financial aid for the athletes who need it not just those who are still working but those who are retired too. JAAA needs to not make anymore small mistakes that will cause an athlete an opportunity to compete and possibly earn. Corporate Jamaica needs to stop being wagonists and not only sign athlete after they begin winning. The Jamaican athletes at the top won't be at the top forever so private and public sector entities need to start showing that they believe in the future of Jamaican athletics by investing in or adopting an upcoming talent now or we will find in the years to come more of our athletes opting to compete for other countries.