Negril Notes
Thoughts - Words - Images - Music - Loosely based on my travels to Negril Jamaica

My daughter Kristine was born twenty years ago today! WOW! 

I remember like it was yesterday! Meeting Kris for the first time, I knew right away she was cool! Her mom was there too, making a lot of noise if I remember correctly, but I did most of the work. It’s stressful in them delivery rooms!

I have to admit to getting a bit misty looking through her photos, I think I feel an ode coming on!

Kristine’s Twentieth Birthday Ode

O’ Kristine, O’ Kristine
O’ How I love thee
You looked like this when you were about three

Once such a cutie

You’ve grown into a beauty!

You play, You sing, You dance

OK, and occasionally you prance

Your look has changed year by year

But there were no facial piercings for Dad to fear

You work so hard, and you play the same

It amazes me how you win your game!
Although below you’re looking a tad bit lame, but I don’t mean to flame

So take today and try to chill,
I send you my love, my heart it does fill

Just think, in six months we’ll be back in Negril!!

Happy Birthday Kris!

Love,
Dad

I know I don’t get there often enough
But God knows I surely try
It’s a magic kind of medicine
That no doctor could prescribe

I used to rule my world from a cell phone
Ships out on the sea
But now times are rough
And I got too much stuff
Can’t explain likes of me

But there’s this one particular harbour
So far but yet so near
Where I see the days as they fade away
And finally disappear

But then I think about the good times
Down in the Caribbean sunshine
In them Negril days I was so bad
Laughin’ about all the fun we had

I seen enough to feel the world spin
Mixin’ different oceans meetin’ cousins
Listen to the drummers and the night sounds
Listen to the singers make the world go ’round

Lakes below the mountain
Flow into the sea
Like oils applied to canvas
They permeate through me

And there’s that one particular harbour
Sheltered from the wind
Where the children play on the shore each day
Guarded safe within

Most mysterious calling harbour
So far but yet so near
I can see the day when my hair’s full gray
And I finally disappear

-Jimmy Buffett 1996

When I’m not in Negril, my company designs, sells and services point of sale computer systems for restaurants, bars and the like. One of my latest projects is with a new fast food chain called JerkQ’zine, it’s Jamaican fast food!

I got back from Jamaica a few weeks ago just when they were to open thier first store outside Atlanta. My head was still spinning from a week in paradise and I found myself immersed in Jamaican culture once again! I had Curried Goat for lunch last Thursday! How cool is that?!

Of course my system ran perfectly so I got to spend four days, eating patties, and talking to the Jamaican community of Atlanta. Getting paid to eat and talk about Jamaica, sometimes I love my job!

Then today, I’m in a hotel in Cape May, NJ and I hear tell-tale Jamaican patios. Two brothers from Falmouth run the kitchen. We chatted awhile, it was a lot of fun.

Not back to Negril till Boxing Day Seems sooo long

Vinny

It looked easy from the picture on the box. How hard could it be?

(L to R) Michael, Aidan, Priya, Uncle Vinny