Mix Up, Mix Up

Listen while you read: Some reggae, mon!

Oh, Lord, oh, Lord, oh, Lord, yeah

Well, it's not easy, it's not easy

Speak the truth, come on, speak. Eh, now
It ever cause it what it will
He who hide the wrong he did
Surely did the wrong thing still

Get in the studio of . . .
Studio of time and experience
Here we experience the good and bad
What we have, and what we had

This session (session)
Not just another version (version)
Oh, Lord, give me a session (session)
Not another version (version)

They're so much stumbling blocks right inna our way
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday
There's so much wanting, so much gaining, so much have done

Too little mix-up in the mix-up, yes
Too much little mix-up
Too much of this mix-up, mix-up

~  Bob Marley (& the Wailers)

Pure coincidence that my song choice today has that word (in bold) in it. Because I would never have googled "songs with the word 'session'" when looking for a song on this made-for-political-junkies day. Mere coincidence. I just thought everyone could use a little reggae rhythm for a change. Some people waiting for the message that you bring / They listening to every word that you'll sing. Again, just coincidence.

Confrontation was released in 1983, two years after Marley's death. I never got to see Bob Marley & The Wailers, which makes me sad. But I think his music will live on forever. Jamaicans idolize him, a fact that became quite obvious to me the couple of times I have visited their island.

Perhaps I've had Jamaica on my mind after yesterday's visit to Publix. I was in the ethnic foods session section, looking for Pad Thai ingredients, when my eyes fell on a can of ackee. OMG! I have been drooling for ackee and saltfish ever since my last trip to Jamaica eight years ago! Ackee is the national fruit of Jamaica, but because its black seeds contain a poison (hypoglcin), only canned, pre-prepared ackee can be sold in the United States.

My kids and I spent Christmas in Jamaica in 2009, and because it was a holiday, none of the roadside stands had any ackee left. Our host drove us out to his friend Milton's farm where he grew scallions and pumpkins and thyme. Milton also had an ackee tree. He climbed it and picked a couple of ripe ackee for us. The next morning, we were treated to ackee and saltfish, and I have never gotten over it.

Because of a robust Jamaican population in south Florida, ackee is now available in my local Publix! Did I put a can in my cart? You bet! It wasn't until I returned home and checked my receipt that I saw what I paid for this luxury. $7.89!! It's okay. I will take it back to New Jersey with me, and some rainy day when I need a cheering up, I will open that can and cook it up. Hold the saltfish.

It's almost time to turn on the TV. There's a hearing session that I want to watch.

Hey, you been talkin' all your mouth full of lies
Sitting there toppling, and Lord, they criticize
So through the eyes of the fool, the deaf is wise
And through the eyes of the wise, the fool is size

Milton picking ackee for us!