Farewell Cool Ruler

Image from http://www.jahreggaeshop.com

The man dubbed as the Cool Ruler, an icon in the Jamaican Lovers Rock music, Gregory Isaacs has passed. This great Jamaican musical icon succumbed to his fight against lung cancer on October 25, 2010 in London at the age of 59.

Gregory Isaacs forty year musical career produced several hits such as Love is Overdue, Out Deh, Sad To Know, Big All Around, Rumours and my all time favorite Night Nurse. Like most great artistes he had his fair share of problems, due to his well known abuse of cocaine and subsequent run in with the law. Nevertheless Isaacs still managed to continue to produce hits and to have a successful career. He was also a staple and well anticipated performer at the Heineken Startime show which featured artistes and songs from the 70's.

Gregory Isaacs was certainly a great artiste and a powerful force in the Jamaican music and entertainment industry. Another great Jamaican icon has passed.

Enjoy my all time greatest Gregory Isaacs song, Night Nurse, below.

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New Photo Blog!

So true to my words in my last post, I finally got my own domain name and blog for my photography, joelfinnigenphotography.com! With the aid of my fellow blogger and photographer Jamaipanse I was able the setup the photoblog with relative ease. So now I have a platform to blog about my photography, yes a blog dedicated only to photography and my journey to photographic bliss!!! So far I two posts on the blog, on an introductory post and the other is about my first shoot with my new Nikon D90. The other good thing is that I now have my own domain name, which looks much better on my business card... which I have ordered from Moo.com. I could stay here and tell you a lot more about the new blog, but that would just spoil all the fun for you. So head on over to joelfinnigenphotography.com and explore!

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Opps, I Did It Again!

It has certainly been a while since I have posted anything here... I seriously think I have lost my Blogging Mojo. I used to be able to write a post sometimes even three or four time a week! but alas, I just can't seem to do that anymore, I'm averaging about one post a month now. I need to get that Mojo back, because it's not even that I am extremely busy to the point where I can't find time to blog. This is very urgent as I am about to launch a brand new blog... yeeesss, I said brand new blog. But this will be different, as it will be totally dedicated to my photography, so no random post about the weather, just pure unadulterated photography. I am hoping to start that blog by as early as next week. I think it will be a good Idea for me to document my journey in my passion, photography. I should have started that blog a long time ago, but procrastination got the better of me. Have no fear Stunner's Afflictions will still continue to be around for all my other useless musings. So you can look out for the launch of my new photoblog in a few days.

The bride's shoot shot with my Nikon D90

Since I am on the topic of photography, let me give you an update on how that is going. Well, I have improved a bit since I last spoke here about my photography, but I am still oh so far away from where I want to be. The journey is long, hard and very expensive, but photography is something I love so I am still walking the perilous journey. I have now done two weddings as a second shooter and have gained enough confidence to take on a wedding of my own, yes a a primary shooter. I have to admit, being a wedding photographer is one of the hardest jobs one can do! One has to be prepared to sweat, put up with pain all over: hands, feet, back etc, organize a chaotic bunch of nervously overjoyed people, get the exposure right, catch every special moment... and the worse thing is, you mostly only get one shot, no retake! And if you think it's finished there, you are wrong, as there are several days of post work in front of the computer to really wow the client. I have a few prospective ones in the wings, so I am looking to getting those contracts and of course the pay! Hehehe...

My new Nikon D90 and Nikon 18-105 kit lens

My passion of photography has cause me to do some really crazy things, get on my belly, climb up on dangerous ledges, venture into secluded places... and it still continues to make me spend money that I don't have! This is still true as it was demonstrated recently with two new major acquisitions. I had been noticing that my Nikon D60 DSLR was somewhat limiting my creativity and had started to toy with the idea of upgrading to a new camera. however, it was not until after my first wedding as a second shooter that I was convinced that if I am going to be serious about photography, I needed an upgrade. With this in mind and a lot of thought, calculations, budgeting and sweating I made a leap of faith, yes went out on a very frail limb and made two major purchases. I sold my Nikon D60 and upgraded to a new Nikon D90. At the time I could only afford the body, thus I was lacking a general wide angle zoom lens as I had sold the one I had with the D60 body. So a few days ago I again sacrificed and bought a 18-105mm lens, which I got just yesterday. Was all that money worth it?

A photo from my first model shoot with the D90

It certainly did! I shot the second wedding as a second shooter and was not disappointed and depressed as when I did my first with the D60! The D90 proved itself at that wedding! I must admit that even though I have not done much shooting with the D90, I am loving it! I did my first model shoot with it a few days ago and the camera was great to use. So I have no regrets making the move to upgrade my camera. Now I need some good fast lens, but that is for the future. Right now I will have to work with what I have and hopefully make some good money to support this expensive addiction. You can take a look at the photos from my first model shoot using the D90 here in the set titled Crissie.

Wow! that was a mouthful and a half! Please make this be the Mojo coming back... please...

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Fashion Over Cash...

Packed parking lot and crowded sidewalks at The Village Plaza on FNOJa

... Or is it cash over fashion? Well whichever it was, people were certainly out in their numbers for the Jamaica Observer's Fashion Night Out Jamaica (FNOJa) on the eve of September 10, 2010! The Constant Spring shopping area was a buzz with eager crowds pacing the floors of the stores and sidewalks of the shopping plazas. Traffic was thick, and parking was only a figment of the imaginations of drivers who arrived after 6:00pm! It seemed as if the entire Kingston metropolitan area descended on the shopping strip.

Customers inside Jewelry Collection Twin Gates Plaze

A very packed Ammar's Village & Mall Plazas

From all indications FNOJa as a great success for the stores who participated in this event as all stores were seeing more than their regular customer count. This was even more evident with stores like Collectibles and Xtras, which had to be letting in customers on a phased basis, customers who were already in endless lines at the doors of these establishments. This was just more than browsing customers in many of the stores, especially with the ones that were actually having a reasonable discount of 30% and up. I recall seeing the cash registers at quite a few of the stores being swarmed by eager customers making their discounted purchases.

Customers lined up at the entrance of Collectibles waiting on their turn to enter the store.

Some establishments employed creative ways to lure customers into their places of business and to advertise their services. Bling Bling had live mannequins in their store window which drew quite a large crowd of curious onlookers. In Motion Fitness Centre hand representatives dancing and giving out flyers, while the LIME store had a large screens and neon lights at the entrance of their store. Some stores certainly went the extra mile to get customer in and some certainly benefited from their participation in FNOJa. However, not all benefited greatly as the stores at Devon House seemed to be devoid of customers, which were sucked in by the hub of commercial activity brewing at the Constant Spring shopping plazas. Nevertheless, they still seemed to be happy with being a part of the event.

Shoppers looking at live mannequins at Bling Bling.

A dancer promoting In Motion Fitness Centre

The Impressive entrance at the LIME full service store.

The crowds seen at the stores in the plazas along Constant Spring road was certainly huge, so much so, it seemed even bigger that the crowds seen in the days before Christmas! One thing is for sure, FNAOJa seemed to be a success for the organizers and the participating stores... and maybe even for the consumers! This definitely looks like an event that will be returning next year as shoppers are always on the hunt for cheaper prices.

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Mini Bloggers Linkup

L-R: Irie Diva, Taylor, Marangand, Jamaipanese, Jamaican Dawta, Stunner, Bobby, Tami

Hot off the heels of the Jamaica Pegasus Tweetup, was a mini blogger/ex-blogger linkup on Saturday September 4 at relatively new spot called Scotchies on Chelsea Ave. I say ex-blogger as some have moved on from blogging the pursue other interests... something I can relate to as I am not blogging as frequently as I used to. The mini linkup was the brain child of blogger, now turned lurker, Bobby Minoramp seeing that it has been ages since we had a bloggers linkup... from 2006 in fact! It was cool reuniting with fellow bloggers and meeting the other bloggers who I have interacted on the blogsphere with, but had not had the opportunity to meet.

Chatting while we ate.

The location was a decent place for such a meetup as we had secured a corner for ourselves as well as two tables to ensure we were comfortably seated. The smell of jerk meats being prepared permeated the air and the chatter of patrons also followed suit. We had a good time getting acquainted and reacquainted over some Red Stripe Beer, Jerk Chicken, Jerk Pork, festivals and roast breadfruit. 

Scotchies Jerk Pork

I however, have a bone to pick with Scotchies for slow service and undercooked chicken which made me sick in the early hours of Sunday morning! Nevertheless, the linkup had a good vibe with fun people like: Irie Diva, Tami, Bobby, Taylor, Jamaipanese Marangand and Jamaican Dawta. Definitely would do another lyme like that again... But not at Scotchies!

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Jamaica Pegasus Tweetup Round Two!

The Twitter fountain on a projector screen at the Jamaica Pegasus tweetup

In June of this year the Jamaica Pegasus (@JamaicaPegasus) created history when they hosted the first ever corporate sponsored tweetup in Jamaica. It was a great event which saw not only the popularity of the hotel grow, but also it gave so many tweeters an opportunity to put the faces behind the tweets. It was hailed a great success by many and yet the Jamaica Pegasus hinted that they had plans for another tweetup in the future. But after the success of that historic even. could the Jamaica Pegasus really pull off another tweetup to compare?

Guests at the Jamaica Pegasus tweetup

That question was certainly answered not even on the day of the tweetup, but even several weeks before the actual tweetup on September 3, 2010. The Jamaica Pegasus decided to go bigger and better and this idea had some positive indications weeks before the event. Within approximately two days of sending out the invitation on Twitter, all the available invitations were gobbled up by eager tweeters who wanted to relive the experience as well as those who heard the good reviews and wanted to get the experience of a Jamaica Pegasus tweetup! Now they had the support, but could the Jamaica Pegasus really deliver to the anticipating guests?

A shot of the tempting food at the tweetup

With a larger crowd confirmed for the tweetup the Jamaica Pegasus moved the party from the 17 floor to their beautiful lawn of the "Gardens of the Pegasus" which was big enough to host a crowd that was twice as big as that of the first tweetup. As expected the Jamaica Pegasus delighted its guest with an open bar flowing with an unlimited supply of alcoholic beverages and mixes. But that was not the only thing flowing as the ever funny Elva (@Elvajamaica) kept the vibes going as she MC'd the programme and the mix master Captain Collin Hines (@captcollinhines) kept everyone swinging with some dangerous mixes from the turn table! The crowd after being fuled by some good food from the appetizing buffet, couldn't resist the mixes being dished out by Captain Collin Hines and the bartenders at the two bars! They hit the dance floor and partied the night away on the mini stage/dance floor as well as the lush lawn! The sounds of great music, laughter and friendly chatter filled the air at the Jamaica Pegasus, all a sign of a people having a good time.

Tweeters dancing up a storm to the music of Cpt. Collin Hines

Sticking with their bigger better plans the Jamaica Pegasus enlisted several other corporate sponsors for this event, such as, NCB (@ncbja), Jamaica National (@JamaicaNational), Secrets Resorts (@SecretsResorts), Palace Amusement (@PalaceMovies) Boingo (@boingo) and returning sponsor Calico Jack. Calico Jack provided their addictive rum punch to loosed the up the crown while the other sponsored provided even more good cheer with several prizes and giveaways including a Blackberry and a weekend for two at the luxurious Secrets Resorts! Hopefully these sponsors will realize the impact social media can have on the success and continued growth of a company in this competitive environment and jump on board to even host their own tweetups in the future.

Guest collecting a prize with MC Elva (left)

This tweetup gave me yet another opportunity to physically connect and reconnect with so many people that I interact with on a daily basis on Twitter. But it did not end there as just with the previous tweetup I met and am now connected to so many more tweeters. It was great hanging out with my now extended twitter family!

 L-R: @Jamaipanese, @IrieDiva, @djnarity, @KarmaizaDiva @Elvajamaica and me.

Me and @IrieDiva 

Me and @Reesy11

L-R: @Jamaipanese @StunnerJ @9970000

Me and  @sweetpersona

Me and  @captcollinhines

Kudos to the Jamaica Pegasus for hosting another successful tweetup and the biggest tweetup in the history of Jamaica! For tweets about the tweet up you can visit the twitter hash tags #jptweetup and #jptweetup2. To get a full eyeful of the Jamaica Tweetup visit my facebook album Jamaica Pegasus Tweetup II.

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