January 30, 2004

In The Fullness of Time

I am always getting ahead of God. I should know that by now, when things are right, it will be right. When things dont happen when and where I want them to, I need to step back and wait and see how things are going to turn out. I need to leave room for a miracle.

I am holding that miracle in my hands... I have a set of keys to the store front at 60 Waianuenue, where the tattoo parlor was and I have the thanks, hopes and encouragement of the whole building there to get my store in there and be a raging sucess.

It is a miracle. This spot is in what we teasingly call "Hilo's Rodeo Drive". From the Bayfront, where the high end furniture store, Koehnen's resides, to the top of the drive where the illistrator and ad-man Nelson Makua, has his classy shop NaMakua This is the prime shopping area for downtown. If I cant make it here, with Resturant Kaikodo, just across the street and Ets'ko down the way, I cant make it anywhere.

As Woody put it so well, "Do we want to go down fighting on Waianuenue, next to Kaikodo, or in the bloody Cunningham???" It has been so bad here at the Cunningham resort for the insane this past week that I can no longer sit in denial about it.

For one thing out of a misguided sense of compassion, they have allowed "Violet" and her little posse of girlfriends to move back in..." Her mother wants her back and she has no place to go" So??. This chick makes noise all day long banging on the floor, dropping large objects, like ice chests slamming stuff and moving the furniture around, all of which we can hear. Add to this the family of five in the unit across the hall and we have a really bad noise problem above us. Add to this a huge number of "new" drunks and other nonfunctional and its very apperant that we are ment to be out of here.

Add to this the fact that the place is being sold and we will see an increase in the rent. For sure. Best to get out now

All of this started to happen when the landlord called me at home last monday to tell me that the deal had fallen through with his first renter and that he wanted to know if I still wanted the place... We looked at it and while it is still rough, the worst of the damage has been repaired. I took snaps of the place and will put them on the snapshots page( once the thing lets me in...) The rent is double, But I think the potential is there.

I have the phone and the alarm people notified and we are getting ready. I was able to get the corrections made in the This Week and the Hawaii Drive Guide. Amazing but I know that this is God and that things will be ok. I just need a few good sales to help me pay for the move and things will be alright.

Woody is working at a storage place at 7.00 bucks an hour. At this rate we will be in the hole so deep we wont see the light of day ever...Thats 25% less than what we need to basically survive. Its a really bad thing but what can we do?

Pray for another miracle.

Houston....We Have a Problem....

I got this from my cousin Lyn, a resident of the Houston area, where I know that life is not the same as it was even a week ago. The city is priviledged (snork!) to be hosting the fabled gridiron classic this weekend, The Superbowl. All this has ever ment to me was it was a great excuse for every man I have had in my life (nearly )to act like a wacko for three days. When we lived in California, Woody would go off to Reno to a giant party held by friends of his and camp out in some casino for the weekend. I never went cause I didn't quite feel welcome at these events.
As I read this e-mail, I laughed then mentally bowed down and thanked God above for getting my out of LA, and its perpetual traffic nightmare. Here in Hilo, we find ourselves whining if we have to wait a few minutes, let alone the hours stuck in traffic in my former life...
Well here it is:

TO ALL MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY IN HOUSTON -OR- FOR ANYONE WHO HAS HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF DRIVING IN HOUSTON AT ONE TIME OR ANOTHER. "WELCOME TO HOUSTON - UNDER CONSTRUCTION".

Some of these were really on the mark!

HOUSTON TRAFFIC RULES FOR PEOPLE VISITING DURING SUPER BOWL XXXVIII, FEBRUARY 1, 2004

1. You must learn to pronounce the name of the city. It is "Hue-stun," not "Ewe-ston," & definitely not "How-ston." The street named San Felipe is pronounced "San FIL-uh-pee," not "San Fi-LEEP" or "San Fay-LEE-pay."

2. Forget any traffic rules you learned anywhere else. Houston has its own version of traffic rules. They are called "Hold On And Pray." There is no such thing as a high-speed chase in Houston. Everyone drives like that.

3. All directions start with "Go down to Loop 610," which has no beginning and no end. That's why they call it a "loop" - get it?

4. You have the East, Katy, Southwest, North, South, Northwest, and Eastex freeways, which are actually I-10 East, I-10 West, 59 North, 59 South, I-45 North, I-45 South, and 290, but not in that order. Your job is to figure out which one you really want to get on, without any signs to tell you. God help you if you are in the wrong lane, or you will go around Loop 610 again, which is an endless circle.

5. The Chamber of Commerce calls getting through traffic "a"scenic drive." It is if you love seeing wrecks and people risking their lives changing tires, running through pot holes, slamming on your brakes to avoid a collision, having people cut you off, seeing a lot of people's middle fingers, and exhaust fumes.

6. The morning rush hour is from 5:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. The noon-hour rush is 11:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The evening rush hour is 2:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., sometimes 9:00 p.m. (or 3 a.m. during floods, which we call "ponding"). The teenagers take the streets from 9:00 p.m. through 5:00 a.m., and Friday's rush hour starts on Thursday morning.

7. If you actually stop at a yellow light, you WILL be rear ended, or at least cussed out, and/or possibly shot. When you are the first off the starting line, count to 5 before moving when the light turns green, to avoid being "T-boned" by crossing traffic.

8. Construction on every freeway, loop, and tollway in the city is a permanent form of entertainment as well as a source of delays.

9. Kuykendahl Road can be pronounced ONLY by a native Houstonian. (It is pronounced "Kirk-n-doll.")

10. All unexplained smells are accompanied by the phrase "Oh, we must be near Pasadena."

11. If someone actually has his turn signal on, it is probably a factory defect and should be ignored.

12. All Suburbans have the right-of-way, unless you are driving an 18-wheeler, a Hummer, or perhaps a Bradley tank (or an Excursion)

13. The minimum acceptable speed limit on Loop 610 is 85 mph. Otherwise, you will be stopped by Houston's Finest for impeding the flow of traffic.

14. The wrought-iron bars on windows in East Houston are NOT ornamental.

15. Never honk at the driver of a car with a bumper sticker that says, "Keep honking. I'm reloading." In fact, don't honk at anyone.

16. If you are in the left lane, and going only 70 mph in a 60 mph zone, the people who are passing you are not really waving at you.

17. If it is 100 degrees outside, then January 1st must be next weekend.

18. The Sam Houston Toll Road is Houston's daily version of a NASCAR race.

19. When in doubt, remember that all unmarked exits lead to the state of Louisiana.

20. Don't get on Main Street unless you really WANT to be on Main Street. Left turns and right turns are not allowed between the South Loop and Dallas (that's Dallas, Texas, not Dallas Street).

21. Don't get sick or injured. There are no parking spaces in the Texas Medical Center for anyone but doctors.

22. You don't have to wait for an exit to get off the freeways. Just follow the ruts in the grass to the frontage road like everyone else. This is how Houston residents notify the Texas Department of Transportation where exits should have been built in the first place.

23. Stop signs are only suggestions. If you stop completely, you may be rear-ended.

24. If your vehicle is in any way disabled on a busy street, immediately abandon it if traffic begins to build....angry drivers who just made it through the construction zone may yell at you or honk or maybe even throw something at you.

25. The HOV lane is called the H-O-V lane not the hov lane and is for all vehicles with 2 or 3 or more passengers (dead or alive or inflatable).

That's about it, folks. Remember these tips and you should be able to survive Super Bowl XXXVIII traffic without a problem.

Yeeup! Memories that I had long burried are resurfacing. Best to end this post now.....

Friday Five

You have just won one million dollars:

1. Who do you call first? One of Woody's stockbroker Friends, likely Tom who is also an attorney for help and advise...

2. What is the first thing you buy for yourself? I would pay off our bills and get us current, then plan a long vacation, likely on a very large boat.

3. What is the first thing you buy for someone else? I would find out what I could do to make my Mom's situation better. Probably arrange for a care giver to see her at the nursing home on a semi daily basis. I dont think I would move her to someplace else, or try to pay for it on my own as a Million isnt really a lot of money.

4. Do you give any away? If yes, to whom? Yes, I would donate some. Children International, comes to mind as a charity I would donate to.

5. Do you invest any? If so, how? I would place at least 2/3 in mixed investment for our retirement, and thank God as we have nothing put aside as of now....

January 29, 2004

Monday Madness

I have so much going on that I will be doing a long post later on in the week. I just found another fun thingy. If you like the Friday Five you will like the Monday Madness. I am adding it to my blogroll and posting now

1. The one kitchen appliance I just could not live without is my Microwave.

2. My desk always looks like an act of urban terrorism took place there.

3. The clocks in my house are always many minutes fast. or slow depends on how many power outages there are these days Im darn tired of setting them so I let them blink...

4. The one television program I just can't stand is.. If you cant stand TV why do you all watch it. giving it up was the best thing I have ever done for myself.

5. The one television program I try to never miss is all of them.

6. When it comes to housework, I really hate cleaning everything.

7. If I could re-design my living room, the first thing I would do is...extend it out the back about 20 feet... maybe not more house to clean

8. I wish I had a bigger Closet in my house.

9. When someone points a camera at me and says 'Smile!' I usually Stick out my toungue

10. I expect I'll have my income tax done by late April..

January 27, 2004

A Tale of Two Sisters

In the dark time before man knew of Hawaii, or even Kahiki (Tahiti) or the islands of the east, the gods lived on the earth and like any family they quarreled among themselves. The eldest and wisest of Ku, the great god of war's daughters, was Poliahu, the White One, goddess of snow, ice and rain. She built a great voyaging canoe, called the "Ho'okena" and was going to set off on a great journey to the north east, following the Hokulia, the star of gladness, which as all navigators know is a fixed star that Akua, Creator God gave us to go by. Poliahu was desirous of setting up her own home and wanted to get away from her pesky and tempestuous younger sister, Pele the goddess of fire. They were always at odds and Poliahu felt it would be for the best if she left.

The days were accomplished and the canoe was completed and Poliahu sailed off like a great white sea bird in search of her nest.

Not to be outdone, Pele had crafted her own canoe, paddled by her servants from the underworld. She in her jealousy wanted to best her sister in everyway, so she was going to follow her and out do her in everything that she could. Ku', her father had spoiled the bratty beauty and when she didn't get her way she would throw a trantrum that would result in a fiery eruption of smoke and ash, and hot lava would rain down from her chosen abode.

Pele followed Poliahu from one place to another. First they settled on a beautiful round island that shown green in the eastern sunrise. They struggled for a place there, building up a huge mountain with Pele's lava fits and Poliahu's snow and rain, Wai ale ale mountain formed in the center of the island... Filled with flowing waters from the rains and snow melt. Poliahu knew there would be no peace for her on Kauaii ever, so she left and sailed south

The Ho'okena voyaging canoe landed in a beautiful bay that shined like a pearl shell in the sun. Pele followed and as much as Poliahu loved the high Makaha, and Koo'olau of Oahu, she could not stay.

The same struggle happened on the next Island. The sisters stayed a long time on what would one day be called Maui. Poliahu called the god of the sun to come and intervene and he did come and ruled that neither sister could have Maui. He would claim it as his own and so does to this day and his home is high upon the mountain that the warring sisters created and called it Hale'akala, the House of the Sun. Poliahu was welcome to visit and does every winter when she leaves a layer of fine dry snow on the surface of the mountain.

The ruling was clear. The sisters were to go to the next bit of land to the south. They were to divide the land. They were to live in peace and respect the ways that the Great God had made them different, and to not fight. But the struggle continues to this day. Poliahu appears every year at the time of the solstice and covers the mountains with snow and ice and brings the great rains to the Islands. Pele in her anger and jealousy, cries out in anger and the earth trembles and lighting and thunder rolls in the sky. The lava boils in the earth and rolls out into the seas.

I like this story, a loose retelling shortened and simplified for the blogging world, and my rudimetary Hawaiian. It is interesting as it is also an accurate tale of plate tectonics and the full tale documents well the birth of the Hawaiian Islands in the midst of the Pacific. They were good observers of nature and human nature as well

We are living through this "sibling rivalry" as I sit and type yet another band of heavy storm has pulled in. I am thankful to not be in the East with all of you in the subzero... and our hearts go out to those that have perhaps lost loved ones or livelihood in these days of horrendous weather.

Thanks to all of you for your comments.. Aloha

January 25, 2004

Update

The weather has been stunningly beautiful for the last24hours. The storm is still lurking about so we may still see more wetness, fine with me.

I gave up the computer to Woody to play Neopets...will blog about that little addiction some time and within two hours the storm came back...bigger than life, with lightning strikes and thunder that shook the house repeatedly...I also found out that 3 days ago the volcano started really going nuts with large scale eruptive activity, great for the tourists except that you don't dare go out on the lava flats with rain let alone lightning. Sounds like Pele, the volcano goddess and Poliahu, the goddess of snow are slugging it out, at least that's what people say.... More later


later... check out my snapshots as I got a photo from the trib of our gorgeous mountains.

January 24, 2004

This is a Civil Defence Alert for...

This is what we have been dealing with here on the Big Island for the last 36 hours:

AT 242 PM HST...RADAR INDICATED SEVERAL AREAS OF HEAVY RAIN OVER THE
BIG ISLAND. RAINFALL WAS ESPECIALLY HEAVY OVER SOUTH KOHALA NEAR
WAIKOLOA AND PUAKO...AND THE PUNA DISTRICT NEAR MOUNTAIN VIEW.

Puna-thats where we live

...THE FLOOD ADVISORY FOR THE HILO AND PUNA DISTRICTS OF THE BIG
ISLAND HAS BEEN EXTENDED UNTIL 330 PM HST...

...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 400 PM HST...

THE HEAVY RAIN HAS DIMINISHED OVER HILO AND PUNA...BUT RADAR SHOW
THAT MORE HEAVY SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE ONSHORE FROM THE
SOUTH THIS AFTERNOON.

RUNOFF FROM THIS SECOND BATCH OF HEAVY RAIN WILL CAUSE STREAMS TO
RISE RAPIDLY...AND WATER TO COLLECT IN LOW LYING AND POOR DRAINAGE
AREAS. MOTORISTS SHOULD AVOID THESE AREAS AND SEEK A DIFFERENT ROUTE.


We had electrical activity all during this time. I had to run an errand this afternoon, so I grabbed fast food and went to a park on the south curve of Hilo Bay so I could face the town and watch the lightning strikes. I could actually make out what was getting zapped. Was listening to KPUA radio when their tower was hit....Was like watching a video game with the lights of the city going off then comming back on

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
310 PM HST FRI JAN 23 2004

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN HONOLULU HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
WEST HAWAII INCLUDING LEEWARD KOHALA

* UNTIL 615 PM HST

* AT 306 PM HST...RADAR INDICATED VERY HEAVY RAIN OVER WAIKOLOA...OR
ABOUT 27 MILES NORTHEAST OF KAILUA-KONA. THE AREA OF HEAVY RAIN
WAS NEARLY STATIONARY.

EXCESSIVE RUNOFF FROM THIS STORM WILL CAUSE FLASH FLOODING OF STREAMS
AND COULD ALSO TRIGGER ROCK AND MUDSLIDES IN STEEP TERRAIN.

EXCESSIVE RUNOFF FROM THIS STORM WILL CAUSE FLASH FLOODING OF
STREAMS...HIGHWAYS...UNDERPASSES AND LOW LYING AREAS.

MOTORISTS SHOULD BE ALERT FOR FLOODING AND SHOULD NOT ATTEMPT TO
CROSS FAST FLOWING OR RISING WATER. MANY FLASH FLOOD DEATHS OCCUR
WHEN MOTORISTS TRY CROSSING FLOODED ROADWAYS.

ESCAPE RISING WATER BY CLIMBING DIRECTLY TO HIGHER GROUND. NEVER TRY
TO OUTRACE A FLOOD...EITHER ON FOOT OR IN YOUR VEHICLE. DO NOT CAMP
NEAR STREAMS OR OTHER AREAS SUBJECT TO FLOODING.


LAT...LON 1998 15592 1980 15595 1990 15561 2024 15590

There were some major wash outs and emergency shelters were opened for residents of Kau District below Pahala and North Kohala districts. Lots of folks didnt get home tonight. I am fine and the shop and house are fine. the cats are exausted from fright and are sleeping with Woody in our bed like little puddles of fur.


URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
430 PM HST FRI JAN 23 2004

HIZ004-007-008-241400-
NORTH AND EAST HAWAII-SOUTH HAWAII-WEST HAWAII-
430 PM HST FRI JAN 23 2004

...WINTER STORM WARNING FOR THE BIG ISLAND SUMMITS OF MAUNA KEA
AND MAUNA LOA...

BELOW FREEZING TEMPERATURES...SNOW AND SLEET WITH THUNDER AND
LIGHTNING ARE NOW OCCURRING OVER THE SUMMITS OF MAUNA LOA AND MAUNA
KEA. IF YOU ARE IN THE SUMMIT AREAS TAKE NECESSARY PRECAUTIONS TO
PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY.

A STRONG TROUGH WEST OF THE ISLANDS IS PRODUCING DEEP LAYERED CLOUDS
AND BELOW FREEZING TEMPERATURES OVER THE SUMMITS OF MAUNA KEA AND
MAUNA LOA. SNOW IS LIKELY ALL NIGHT.

TRAVEL TO THE SUMMITS IS DISCOURAGED AS THE ROAD MAY STILL BE BLOCKED
AND DANGEROUS. CALL 808-935-6268 FOR A RECORDED MESSAGE ON
INFORMATION ON ROAD CONDITIONS TO MAUNA KEA.

THE NEXT STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED AT 4 AM HST OR SOONER IF NEEDED.


There was snow this morning down to the 9000 ft levels and with be lower. Its was snowing furiously this afternoon, I could see it from the Bayfront. I hope to have pictures of the mountains on the blog snapshots tomorrow if its clear. I know that all of you snowbirds are very disappointed that there is seemingly no escape from the cold white stuff. But here...you can snowboard in an Aloha shirt....Done all the time.

I hear booming in the distance... I live about a mile from the water and I can hear the storm approching again. The thing will swirl around us a bit longer and then move on. Better get the computer turned off before the power goes off again...

The Friday Five 1-23-04

At this moment, what is your favorite...

1. ...song? Silence... cant pick one song right now

2. ...food? Ice Cream, Chocolate, Indian Food...miss that

3. ...tv show? The total absence of TV from my life has been the biggest blessing. Try it youll like it.

4. ...scent? Roses... I miss the 75 rose bush garden I left behind in California. Too wet to grow them here

5. ...quote? "You dont throw away a life, just because its banged up a little..." from Seabiscuit For Stronger fare than that I like" He is no fool to give that which he cannot keep to save that which he cannot lose..." Missionary Martyr Jim Elliot, 1950

January 23, 2004

To CPA or not to CPA....

That is the question....Blast! just as I thought that things were going wonderfully, we start to have "accounting trouble"...I am not a numbers person. Well, I do like to have my inventory straight and I balance my checkbook, but financial statements and all that... Bother...So we ask a friend of ours who is an accountant to do our books... Yes...Great. WRONG!!!

First this is my first year to do anything. So we need everything to be right. I have carefully documented everything, cost of sale and cost of goods, I keep a tight checkbook, and save all receipts and log them in a monthly log... I didn't give anyone the proverbial shoebox of stuff and say "Here! Fix this!"

So how can he be off when all he had to do was add up the sales to pay the blessed General Excise Tax? You just add up the tickets. No he was $8000.00 over, then when confronted, re added and was $2300.00 short. Have him do my profit and loss and other financial statements...No thank you.

So called Kathy Hammes, my mentor at the Small Business Development Network, screaming "Help me Help me!!!" . She gave me a name and I called the lady. Jennifer seems like a good sort. comunicative for a numbers lady and that is good. We decided that warm fuzzies are just as important as the accuracy... After all this is Hawaii. Gotta have Aloha!

My bookeeping is semi automated. I have sales invoices that are compliant with the Kimberly Process and the Patriot Act I, I fill them out by hand. on the reverse I figure out the cost of sale right down to the tissue used in the gift wrapping and the bag... as well as the cost of goods for the actual Item. My inventory is perpetual and I have it to the penny so that is ok, Jennifer seemed comfortable with that.

will keep the blog informed...We had a real blow today on the job front with Woody, a promised 6 week job that he was set to start was pulled off the table by a underling today without the knowledge of superiors. Very embarrassing for them. So glad that Woody went instead of me. I would have verbally ripped that chicks face off. I was furious. Woody has canceled two months of computer classes, and we have both turned down offers for work so that we could honor our word to these people. The HR lady that hired us says that the situation will be resolved in the morning. It better be with an apology to Woody and more money... He didn't need that.

There is something about this island. No one wants to pay anything to anyone. No wonder everyone is so poor. I should be getting 10-12 bucks per hour for the doctors job and today the temp service called Woody for a long term job that he has to interview for, managing a storage place they only want to pay 7.00 for...I made more babysitting. Its terrible. A grown man with 30 years of work under his belt. Its really wrong. People should be ashamed of themselves.

Its little wonder kids turn to ICE...they have no hope

I had so many people say to me "Gee, you have great qualifications but the job still pays 6.25 per hour.." Remember when you were an kid and they said they would pay for experience now I have it a still nothing... I am frustrated and sad. We wont make it at this rate.

I am thankful to perhaps have found a CPA. I didnt think that I would at this point in the year.. The busiest time. Thank you God for Small Business Development Network...for Kathy and her making me have a cash flow spread sheet that showed us the fatal errors of the previous bookkeeper.

I know that Woody will find work... Its a matter of time.

We are into our longest contiuous period where we have had a sale every day. A miracle thank you God....

Help me to cultivate a heart of Gratitude

January 22, 2004

For Those Who Grieve

A client of ours came into the store today. A young man, who lives with his girlfriend and her family. He wanted to buy her something to help ease her broken heart. She lost their 2nd baby is less than a year, yesterday. I called the hospital and she was not coherant. I felt really badly as I have been in that situation and know how she feels. We got the young man something light and fun to present as a "I love you" gift, wrapped it up fancy, and sent him on his way...

Its very sad...and I know that they will one day feel a bit less pain, but it will hurt non the less for ever.

Greg and Allison our hearts go out to you and you are in our prayers. And for all of us who have children in heaven waiting for us, we stand with you...

January 21, 2004

Pu 'u koloha (The Hill Where You See Whales)

Woody and I went off yesterday to have an adventure. When one is living in a place like ours its easy to forget what surrounds us...one of those choice spots that everyone wants to visit. So we got in the car and drove up the Hamakua Coast, past the old sugar towns like Honoka'a and on through Kamuela/Waimea, to Kawaihae...(pronounced Ka-why-high). The landscape changes dramatically from tropical to alpine to rolling grassland to desert. Kawaihae reminds me of some of the little towns in Baja California, dry sandy beige. Scrubby brush, with great clean air. We go there to enjoy the best fish taco on the planet, at the Tres Hombres Cantina in the Center there. Surfer feeling and the food is really good. You have a view of the harbor and beach park beyond. On the weekends you can see the paddling clubs out on the water and there are always a fishing boat or two out.

After a great lunch and some nice chat with a few visitors, we decided to go to a place we have talked about stopping at but have not ever and looking around. I am so glad that we did, as the views were breathtaking.

The place is the Pu'ukohola Heiau National Historic Site. (pronounced Poo-ooo-ko-ho-la Hey-e-ow) This large structure and surrounding area was once a place where only Kings could come, a Royal Temple built by the young king Kamehameha I in response to a dream that was prophecied over that should he build the heiau and sacrifice to the war god of hi fathers he would become the overlord of all of the Hawaiian Islands. He began at once, building using only stones no mortar, and the slave labor of thousands, that hand passed the stones from 20 miles away. Rivals tried to stop it and one of them became the first human sacrifice offered there. The anceint temple, Mailekini Heiau, stands below it on the hill. Below that is a Royal Compound called Pelekane, where a number of royal family members were born. Another heiau, this one to the shark god was located in the middle of the tiny but beautiful bay, called Haleokapuni.

Woody and walked all around the structure. Quite a hike for us portly folks but I loved it. When we got to the base of Puukohola, I chose to climb the path reserved for Native Hawaiians up to near the top if the temple, enjoying the view and trying to imagine how things were then in 1791, when the temple was dedicated and how Cheif Keola Kuahu'ula(Kamehameha's cousin and chief rival) was slain. I know that several times a year ceremonies are held here in honor of those bloody times. I also know that by 1820, those times had ended by the choice of the Hawaiians themselves as they willingly embraced Christianity. and now there are only fruit offerings to not the god of war but to those times of independence. I walked to the stairs that asscend up to the top of the luakini (place of sacrifice) but did not asscend as I heard the Spirit with in me say, " you have no need to see that or think on it, the Price has been paid..." and so it has. The Kingdom of Hawaii, gone from the face of the earth. those who long for it really long for the respect of a people that has long departed this world. I felt the wind on my face and could see the island of Maui in the distance.

I have loaded pictures into my snapshots and will update the captions when I get a chance.

for more on the history of the area, I found this on the National Parks website. You might find that this is all you need to know about really old Hawaii. It looks pretty exahustive

I dont want to romance the life of the native peoples here prior to the comming of the English. If you were not a part of the ruling elite, you life was short and sad. This was not the paradise of Michener's "Hawaii"but a brutal place of laws, taboos and rituals, particularly on the Big Island. Christianity delivered these people from savagery, and endless bloodshed. The ruling classes dominated and humans were often sacrificed. Again this is not discussed by the "return to the good old days" folks.

Woody saw whales... they are finishing up their stay here and will be returning to Alaska for the summer. I was glad for him.

And the couple that we met a Tres Hombres? They came to the shop today and spent a bit of money. The chatting yesterday and today was treat enough. let alone that.

Went to the "first hour" Meeting. I am so impressed by these ladies. I will be woring on saturdays for them for a bit. Yippee.

January 20, 2004

People, Books and the Glory of Christ

I was commenting on HaloScan and there was an advert for a discussion Blog called People, Books, and the Glory of Christ...I checked it out and while I only read part of the great stuff available, I really liked his realism and honesty. So I have placed it on my blogroll for you to check out. Even if you are not a Believer, there are some interesting discussions on history, philosophy, and ethics that you might find of intrest.

Jan 12...(I think I got the date right) Chris gave a testimony and a word about faith when you have hit the bottom. I know that what he said is so true as I have been at the bottom place so often, and Have seen a lot in my life over the years...the good the bad and the ugly...the really ugly. As a therapist of mine once said " Healing is knowing that you are light years away, yet just around the corner from where you have been..." We are called to build inward and sometime outward memorials to those past things, to remind us from wence we came. Lest we judge some other poor soul stumbling along, we might be there ourselves again...

I say this as I go tomorrow to the "first hour" meeting at Dr. Holcomb's office... In that "first Hour" of the work week, she prays over her active paitent list, many of whom are what most would call the dregs of society... probationary offenders, recovering drug addicts, welfare cases, those with issues regarding their sexual orientation... Her office is the last stop in life for some. Suicide is common. Recitvism is likely, and its not pretty no matter what.

..."and such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of our Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.......ICor 6:11

I have had this poem around for a while and this is a good post for it

Lord
I crawled
across the barreness
to You
with my empty cup
uncertain
in asking
any small drop
of refreshment

If only
I had known You
better
I'd have come
Running
With a bucket.

Sometimes I think
If people
had any idea of
How wonderful You are
They'd be fighting
for a place in line
Just to get near You, God

O, God of Second Chances
and New Beginings

Here I am again....

by Nancy Speigelberg

Yes...this is me...again and again and again...for He is new every morning...Great is His Faithfulness to me.

January 18, 2004

Four Feet from History

I am not a sports follower. I follow sports so that I can make contact with my sports nut husband, Woody and to try to make up for not being one of the guys, or one of his childhood buddies that he left on the mainland. We also don't have a TV and the reception is lousy here for the box or the radio, so Woody goes to a venue like Charlie's in Keaau, or Cronies in Hilo near the store, For the wide screen TV, and social interaction with others of his kind. Now that these places are non smoking, I might join him once in a while.

This week and previous weeks really since last year, I have been following the amateur career of the extraordinarily talented young golf sensation from Honolulu, Michelle Wei. At 14, she has the golf swing of a man 3 times her age and a steadiness that everyone on the PGA tour has now recognized as extraordinary. If you have ever seen this freshman from the prestigious Punahou School belt a golf ball into next week, you know that this isn't going to be your average lady on the LPGA. She gets them on the green in regulation from the mens tees, and then putts like she's been doing it for 20 years. Tiger Woods said that he was taken aback by her height...(dis wahine nui is 6 feet and growing) and "her drive is exceptionally strong" Playing at the Sony Open this week on an exemption requested by our govenor, Linda Lingle, Michelle had a chance at something a rare few women golfers let alone a young girl get to do, play at a PGA Tour event, on her home course, with many of the sports greats.

And she played there like she belonged in the company... Her first round was two over par, and she was playing with the defending champ Ernie Ells, who in a photo that I saw, was beaming at her as she made a great putt. Commenting later, Ells remarked that " He really wouldnt be surprised if Michelle, should she keep up like this, be carrying a PGA Tour card in her pocket..." That would be history made for sure.

In her second round, she shot an even 72 along with fellow Hawaii golfer Dean Wilson... But it was not to be as she missed the cut by one shot. There was one hole that everyone agreed that had she hit the ball another four feet (and into the cup) she would have made the cut and history as the youngest woman to play against the men and make the cut. As it stands, she has the lowest score by a woman in a mens event where the woman missed the cut. By the way had the leader been off one shot, all of those that ended even that day would have made the cut including Michelle. She finished 80th ahead of 47 guys...Imagine how it must feel for those pros to get beaten by a 14 year old girl...

Why do I blog about this...this girl is a hero here. I live on an island where more often than not the women are used as punching bags and girls in school don't see anyway for them to be a success in life... Michelle has many advantages that is true, but she is"a local girl" making headlines and people are talking about it.

I hope that Michelle can keep up with her studies, (shes no slouch in the books dept either) and continues to enjoy her particular gifts in the golf dept. None of this seems not have gone to her head yet and I think that speaks well of her parents and of her attitude about life.

Way to go, Michelle... Watch out guys..."She'll be Back...."

This weeks FridayFive

1. What does it say in the signature line of your emails?
My real name and my credentails from the Gemological Institute of America, Store name addy and phone, email and website

2. Did you have a senior quote in your high school yearbook? What was it? If you haven't graduated yet, what would you like your quote to be?

I dont remember but likely it was "See you at the wedding..." mine...

3. If you had vanity plates on your car, what would they read? If you already have them, what do they say?
I Do... they read PSM9012. "So teach us to number our days that we might gain a heart of wisdom..." Psalm 90:12

4. Have you received any gifts with messages engraved upon them? What did the inscription say?

My wedding ring. It has a biblical incsription Pvb 31:11-12. That verse reads..."she does him good and not evil all the days of her life therefore his heart can fully trust her..." I need to be reminded that I have that on my finger when I blog.

5. What would you like your epitaph to be?

Again from the Psalms.. Psalm 23:5 "You(God) prepare a banquet table for me in the presence of my enemies, You have annointed my head with oil (honoring me) and my cup overflows..(with undeserved blessings).

or Psalm 90:12 . I have it on my car,with the way I have to drive to avoid the crazy people here, likely that will end up on my grave stone.

January 17, 2004

Update

Been a long couple of days and I think Id best post something to let you all know that we have not died or been swept away in the Kona Wind.

First the projected high surf did not materialized but the winds were pretty fierce in the northern islands with heavy damage on Kauai and Oahu. We had power outages here and there and that is why I have been slow to post as I do it from home. There was a big problem out at the Geo Thermal Generating station in Pohiki, where our subdivision gets most of its juice..Who said volcanoes weren't good for anything.

Woody has had a very bad week. First none of the jobs have materialized and he is going to have to get out there and break new ground to find long term work. Then Tuesday, he had to play "Leadfoot Larry" through the school zone on Kilauea Ave at Kawalani. Radar trap got him at 42 in a posted 25 zone....275 buckaroos. See the DancingRainGirl stuff a shriek and turn five shades of purple. Such waste.

Then yesterday, I had a meeting with my mentor, Kathy Hammes at the Small Business Development Network Center. All afternoon. When I get back at 5:30pm, Woody is sitting dejectedly in the store..."We were robbed..." What happened was a female came in after I left and it looks like she swiped a set of keys for the store. Cases and the doors... Didn't have the sense to call me, or the cops, or a locksmith. I flipped. He wants to be a part of things and a"partner" but has no clue as to what to do. If this were a real job he'd call the manager, right??? Hello, that's ME! Get it? It was 8:30pm before the locksmith gets there. 11PM before we get home. And while the bill was a very reasonable $115.00, I wish that I could have spent it on something else. We made the police report and Woody's description matched one for a gal that lifted a bunch of stuff at the Orchidland Surf Shop that afternoon. Busy Chick. Then the husband of said chick came into the store and denies the whole thing says that Woody is wrong and that he is a pastor or something. Perhaps Mr. Pastor doesn't know that his old lady is a klepto...Tell it to the judge.
We have had some steady business and things are going right along at the store. We did our inventory and had only one thing that we may have issue with, Shrinkage of one small item when over 3500 items have passed through your hands in our neighborhood is not bad at all. A dream for most stores.
I interviewed at a psychologist's office today, and was hired to do general office on a very part time flexible hours basis. I liked the lady and her receptionist is a client of ours. I wish that this job had come along sooner, but I'm glad of it. Woody...I don't know what he thinks. I interview once and get the job...Life is not fair.
I have another post that I started that I will finish soon. I am beat. I also have been struggling with a tooth ache that will require a root canal and crown. $1500.00 for that little bit of self preservation. I woke up with royal "ache face" and the beastly thing is right on the main nerve...Oh joy... I am very thankful that the dentist saw me even though I put on my intake form that I have no visible means of support. Technically both Woody and I are unemployed as I do not draw any salary from ASJ. Not enough money to do that yet. Many many doctors, dentist and other professionals no longer take indigent, Medicare, or Medi-Qwest( welfare) patients. That is good for another days blogging. They don't get paid enough to cover the services rendered. The Dr. That hired me today says that she is averaging .35 cents paid for every $1.00 billed. That is a crime. Little wonder that we cant keep Professional Medical people on this rock... You gotta live...Thank God Woody has VA Medical... I will get by some how.
Going to go have dinner and time for bed... Aloha Nui!

January 15, 2004

No Aloha For The Weakest

We hear the word "Aloha" a lot. I don't casually use it as it means more than" Love" "Hello" or "Good-Bye". It is a literal blessing from God to us, and each of us to the other, It signifies a longing to care for the other persons well being. Respect and honor to that other person. It applies to all living things, Humans, animals and the Aina the land that we live on...

If Aloha is the unwritten law of the land, why do we lead the nation per capita in child abuse and domestic violence? No Aloha for the women and children of Hawaii.
I will be writing about that another day and I want to really speak about it as it is so important to me.

I say that to preface this post about pets. Women and children are way way ahead of pets, and I am not posting this ahead of those issues, but this poem was in the paper and it made me cry as I had just had this conversation with a lady about her 14 year old dog and how she was dreading the soon and coming day of her fur baby's departure from this world of care... She and I also talked of the amount of animal abuse and neglect here. Dogs are routinely chained in the front yards, no shelter, exposed to all of the elements for the simple reason that fences are so expensive to build and maintain, and "everybody knows that you need a watch dog" is what i am told...The truth is that no one cares about their kids and they care about their pets less. They don't realize that the dog needs his or her people and should be a companion, not a yard ornament, staked out in the rain...We see dozens of dead animals, dogs and cats on the Highway 130 into Hilo every month. Its a crime. Weekly there are reports of abuse and neglect and people being arrested for it. Our police are doing a great job, no question, but it sickens them to see a loving animal in such torments as we hear about.

We adopted our cats Mak and Nani from the former owners of our home. They were born to a mother kitty that had been abandoned on their construction site. The four tiny kittens came into this world sometime during the terrible events of 9-11. They could have been destroyed or neglected but those people were kind and loved them, fostered them, and socialized them so that eight weeks later they were ready to go to nice homes. The two middle kittens went to a family and we took the eldest and the runt. They were a great gift. Ours stayed and extra 6 weeks with the mom and I think that was extra good for them. They could have been a statistic, but instead have added extra life to our home and made it a better place. Sadly the mother cat was not able to ajust to being inside her new home and was killed in a accident on the road, She had been wild too long. Our cats never go out and they are just fine.

This poem is for that lady who is waiting for the day her dog "no longer wants to be a dog and is weary of living..." so she can take her to the vet for the last goodbye... and its for all the neglected animals, especially dogs and cats that were meant to be our companions, and so often are the refuse of our apathy.


A DOG'S PRAYER

by Beth Norman Harris

Treat me kindly, my beloved master, for no heart in all the world is more grateful for kindness than the loving heart of mine.

Do not break my spirit with a stick, for though I should lick your hand between the blows, your patience and understanding will more quickly teach me the things you would have me do.

Speak to me often, for your voice is the world's sweetest music, as you must know by the fierce wagging of my tail when your footstep falls upon my waiting ear.

When it is cold and wet, please take me inside, for I am now a domesticated animal, no longer used to bitter elements. And I ask no greater glory than the privilege of sitting at your feet beside the hearth. Though you had no home, I would rather follow you through ice and snow than rest upon the softest pillow in the warmest home in all the land, for you are my god and I am your devoted worshipper.

Keep my pan filled with fresh water, for although I should not reproach you were it dry, I cannot tell you when I suffer thirst. Feed me clean food, that I may stay well, to romp and play and do your bidding, to walk by your side, and stand ready, willing and able to protect you with my life should your life be in danger.

And, beloved master, should the great Master see fit to deprive me of my health or sight, do not turn me away from you. Rather hold me gently in your arms as skilled hands grant me the merciful boon of eternal rest -- and I will leave you knowing with the last breath I drew, my fate was ever safest in your hands.

January 14, 2004

The Kona Winds

We got the word this morning from the Civil Defense Guy that we are in the midst of the Kona(Wind blowing from the south west in Hawaiian) Winds and can expect 20 to 35 foot surf on the west side of the island for the next few days. We had surf like this over the past month or so but not with the driving winds...This is the first time I have experienced this here and I am intrigued, and irritated by it, at least my sinuses are...I think that this is the first time since we moved into the house that the humidity has been below 50%.

World over, the "South"wind is viewed as a destructive force, and the Northern Hemisphere seems to experience this phenomena universally in some form, In Europe its called "Feine"sic the wind from the south and is thought to bring malaise and depression... Spring fever...It also brings avalanches to the Alps, and flooding as it can quickly melt winter snow, in a few days it will freeze over again, causing even more trouble. In Saharan Africa and the Middle East it is "Scirocco"sic the Devils wind, Its whips up dirt and sand and can drive it at speeds of 100 miles per hour. It can last for weeks making travel impossible. Prolonged, it causes changes in weather patterns and presages famines...Our Troops in Iraq got a taste of this quite literally last year and will again, Im sure. Wear a face mask, better yet, stay under cover.

The south wind I am most familiar with is the "Santa Ana" winds famous for their ability to dry out the entire region of Southern California in a matter of hours, leaving it vounerable to the least bit of spark, a broken bottle on dry grass, a careless cigarette butt, and turn neighborhoods into infernos like we saw last October. It is said that the name Santa Ana is derived from the Mexican General Santa Ana, that swept through the region with his armies in the war of 1848 burning what wasn't looted. I rather think the name comes from the Spanish word "Santana". Satan, the Devil...

All I know is that prior to coming to Hawaii I was like a living barometer, as the air pressure would rise, I would get a screaming headache and be ill from the dust and pollen that would blow around during the Santa Anas. I also could tell within minutes when it was going to rain, and feel a relief akin to the way one feels when one sneezes. My skin would tingle. I love rainy Hilo...and HATE the Kona winds.

When this wind blows it does a terrible thing. It blows the fumes and VOG (volcanic originating gases, ie sulfur dioxide, and other fun stuff) north right into Puna and Hilo. Its the worst smog you can imagine, smells like the pits of Hell, and gives everyone the cough... As I type this the wind has picked up and I can smell Kilauea belching. uggh!

I am hoping that the rain will return soon, and wash the air. I am back on meds and I hate it as it makes me grumpy, which makes Woody's life a load of laughs. Snapped at him all day...Maybe it was that speeding ticket he got this morning when I asked him to slow down before we get to the speed trap by the school. Oh well...

We had a lovely couple in the shop, from Mass. escaping the cold. They were heading for Hapuna Beach on the West side. I asked them to please be careful, and told them the story...

Three years ago a young woman and her companion went out into the water there during the Kona wind. Its a very flat beach, white sand and shallow, good for kids... usually... Not that day. Waves were rolling in and being from SoCal, they thought nothing of it. They had their backs turned...( a HUGE mistake, Never Never...NEVER turn your back on the water here anywhere in Hawaii, waves come out of nowhere, and did that day.) They were smashed flat by a huge wave, the one girl was paralyzed from the neck down... She sued the County of Hawaii last year and lost, as it is posted as a risk to swim at Hapuna, and Hawaii doesn't have lifeguards at beaches... She also admitted that she turned her back on the incoming surf. So very sad. We lose experienced "Watermen" all the time. Fishermen , Opihi pickers (little shellfish like mussels, very popular here) and surfers drown all the time. The Hawaiians say that Moana the seaspirit claims humans to enlarge her kingdom under the seas...I say a devil by any other name is still the devil...

Just like this wind....

A side note; please forgive the spelling errors. The spell check on Blogger doesnt speak Hawaiian any better than it does English. I spell neither well so we are both a piece of work...

I want to welcome my cousin Lyn Kauffman to the world of Blogdom, we have reconnected via internet. I love it. Aloha Nui Loa....

January 13, 2004

One Day At A Time

I am an Adult child of an alcoholic. My father was a brilliant but angry man who allowed his inner rage to swallow his soul... He was Manic Depresive to the extreme. Fortunatly for us he was never violent, just never "there" for us when we needed a husband or father.... He worked himself into brokeness at age 42. Spent the next 18 years struggling with ill health compounded by the bottle, and died at 60. Here was a guy that according to NASA friends "could solve problems we hadnt discovered that we had yet..." but he was never able to deal with his own issues in a constructive way. So he suffered and so did the rest of us in the family.

We "lived around" him, as my Mother used to say...classically co-dependent, she didnt see that she was giving up her right to "a life" for the sake of the situation. That was her way of dealing with it and all problems... She "lived around" her problems until she could no longer and was forced to go to the nursing home...

My brother and I left home the same week. I married the son of a wealthy man, My brother married "Mother Marine" lol... That was our way of "living around" the problems...A few years later, a bombing, and a discharge from active duty... an affair (or three of four I am ashamed to say) left us with the understanding that all of those things we tried to do to cope with the problems were not for the best. We look back on it with the mixed feelings and the wisdom gained by 20-20 hindsight. "Living Around" the situation isnt the answer. Rather meeting the challenge head on and saying "Can I live with things as they are or not...?" and have the courage to make the changes needed. I also need to ask God for the strength to meet the changes and wait on Him for the best way forward. I am slowly learning this, its a hard road but the right road.

12 Steps works... It can be a sort of religion for some but the principles work.I am not in program anymore, but a pen pal of mine sent me a little card with their ODAT (one day at a time) slogan in a verse that I liked and I keep it handy to remind myself to slow down and take a deep breath and look at things for what they are...

One Day at a Time (Psalm 28:7)

One day at a time, with its problems and tasks
One day at a time, is all that God asks
One day at a time, with work or its rest
There's no need to question, He'll send which is best

One day at a time, with its joy and its sorrow.
Look not to the part nor fear the tomorrow.
You Surely can trust Him His will is sublime
God asks you to live, One Day at a Time.


I need to really try to do this, and let go of the things that I cant change and deal with what I can do... Good advice...

Thanks Smooth~~ of Smoothstone Blog, for your comment about my writing, it made my day...

January 12, 2004

Starry, Starry Night

I grew up in southern California and spent my whole life there until moving to Hawaii in 2001. Tonight I did something that as a child I only dreamed of...

I walked outside and saw the expanse of the Night Sky...Filled with stars...

We have some of the cleanest air in the nation right here in the Puna District. That's one of the reasons that we moved here. I have very bad adult onset asthma, and "acute environmental allergy syndrome". No single allergen triggers me, but rather a whole host of them, in combination. All the tests came back negative but one could not ignore the horrible reactions, the chronic cough, hives the size of dinner plates...I nearly died several times, and may have actually died once... But that is for another post...

The inky blue black sky of Hawaii. We so often have rain at night that it is still a treat to go out and see it. The Moon has been very full and late in rising so you can really see the stars in their glory...I stand in wonder...

I take a full deep breath and wonder....

To some it must sound silly, after all its is just the sky and it is always there... But my friends that is not true. Sometimes my vision is hindered by forces out of my control, these days mostly clouds and that is another wonderful thing in and of its self, the glorious rain...

I am so glad to be here and will fight everyday to stay here and be a part of the beauty of my Hawaii. Its worth it.

Had a wonderful time reading "The Foxfire Diaries" I added this beautiful blog to my "blogosphere" last week and I am continually impressed by the quality of her writing and the beauty of the site. I studied Middle Eastern dance prior to coming to Hawaii and love the Turkish "odalesques" on the antique postcards depicted there. ( hate to break it to you that those pretty "ladies" were usually men photographed for those postcards, as Islam forbids photographing women...) Her posts for the last few days were about a journey that she took to New York. So many of her thoughts and feelings about the trip resonated with me as I took a similar journey 10 years ago and saw many of the same sights. Since 9-11, New York is a much different place. I was there just a few weeks after the first attack on the WTC and wondered then how foolish these guys were to try to take down such huge buildings... Yah...It was a practice run. We just didn't know it.

I was learning at that time to be myself. To depend on myself, and to trust myself. I went alone. I saw the sights and found that in my heart I was always longing to be there. Like my longing to see the stars as a little girl, I had longed to stand on the top of the Empire State Building. I did so at night and saw the starry expanse, as it was a very clear cold April night.

It was all beyond my wildest dreams. Walking in Central Park, sitting on Liberty Island looking at the Manhattan skyline, dominated by the WTC, then I saw it as a whole. Now my memory lingers on what is no longer there. But as I read Aimee's story I could smell the coffee and strawberries that I had that morning at the side walk cafe near Lexington and 38th, Midtown, where I stayed. It was misting as I walked on Broadway later that day. Another dream for this music student that gave it up for love then divorce had sent her on this new journey.

A journey that was to ultimately lead to today. Sitting in a room, in a place as far as one can be from anywhere... On land so new its still hot deep down and the active volcano that made it rumbles and makes still more every day only 12 miles away. In a kingdom far across My Wide Blue Seas....

Starry Nights are meant for dreams.... Good Night

January 10, 2004

Disappointment is the Bastard Child of Misplaced Expectations.....

Another famous quote of Elisabeth Elliot. The last few days have been full of such disappointments and raised hopes yet we are seeing good things too and I am not sure what to think...Other than the ONE SURE THING... God is watching over us.

First and foremost, both locations decided to go with the other prospective tenants as "they asked first". With the trashed location it was a "local" thing. We know this for sure, from a good source. Yet another antique store is going in there... a hobby business for a bored wife. Sort of like how Margaret of Phoenix Rising (see last months posts) got started. OK... But, Mr Baker, the land lord of the site on Keawe St. Decided "out of fairness" to rent that prime "perfect for me" space to a couple of guys that will put in a "Payday Loan" place... If you don't know what these things are... a payday loan is when you borrow against a paycheck that you have not earned yet at a very high rate of interest. If you miss your payback the interest goes up and up and up. People have gone in and shot people that deal in these"loans"out of frustration and despair. There have been suicides in the offices of these loan sharks of the new millennium. Its also a way to launder drug money and it attracts a really bad element into the area. These businesses are unregulated, unlike pawn shops and the like... We need this like we need a dirty bomb attack in Downtown Hilo and frankly if Mr. Baker really understood what these people do, I believe he wouldn't go in this direction. Its bad for his property values and for the community at large. The lady that owns the book shop next door is livid, as is the little restaurant in the same block. So the tenants are protesting and it might not happen, but I am not holding my breath.

I cried a bit yesterday about it. I wanted that so badly. We have had an uptick in sales that have held strong for the first week of January and its tourist based. I actually have the funds in place to make the move... Into that nearly ready place...

I have to trust God that He will place my business in a place that will allow it to thrive. That could be here in the Cunningham. I have actually done as much business in one not quite full week as i have done in some full months. I need to rejoice and be glad. Be glad that the free advertising I was given for 4 months in the Hawaii Drive Guide have brought people to my door. We start paying for that in March. Be glad that we have had spontaneous events that have led to sales and more.

I faxed resumes for Woody and I to Paradise Yellow pages for part time temp jobs and not only did we pick up the jobs, ( will post about that when we have the details, but Woody will be working 7 days a week for 6 to 8 weeks at a good wage and I will be making calls 4-6 hours a day from the store and be paid by the hour for that. Yippee!) The lady then comes into the store and spends 600.00.

We went that night to Don's Grill and saw a lady we see there once in a while and in the course of talking story, she mentions that she loves moonstone and alexandrite. Well, we just happen to have a few lovely pieces with those gems and one that has them in combination. She bought both of those large pieces. Then she asks for my resume for casual help in the office which is just around the corner form the shop. I interview next Friday.

If Woody and I can get enough casual work to pay the bills then that will solve a lot of anxiety. Woody has been faithfully interviewing, but nothing is breaking his way and we wonder if he does need to be involved part time with the store, as I have so much to do with the paperwork end of things.

We are also aware that the Cunningham is for sale and I met with one of the prospective buyers yesterday. He was very nice, a local man and his wife that want to turn this into a hostel, with some long term units in the back. The price for this crumbling termite infested pile is a cool million dollars. I am not holding my breath that the place will sell but if it does we might see some great new business develop here and this will still be a cheap place to be.

Then there is Jo, of Big Island Massage Academy. She is a client of ours and a friend too. She is in the process of trying to buy the Holt Building, another dream of mine. (I had thought to buy it and build a loft home on the second floor. ) The building has two store fronts. She wants one and has offered us the other. I don't know about the foot traffic but that will be improving as Hilo improves. Advantages...Space nice frontage and we are on the proper side of the one way street. Parking lot next door. Security will be better. Nice land lord. Drawbacks are that New Hope Church, Hilo, has a soup kitchen three doors down that serves breakfast every morning and attracts the lowlife to the area. The city wishes they would close up but no one has the nerve to tell them to do it. I think that eventually someone will buy that building too and that will be that. Woody offered to sign a Intent to Lease for Jo if that would help her get the building. I am game for that.

But I have learned my lesson to not get ahead of God and let my desires go too crazy, I only get disappointed. And I have too much to be thankful for right now to be bummed about anything

January 09, 2004

Anger Is Like A Volcano

I got this in an email from my friend Monica... I thought that it was cool. She wrote this poem as part of a small group project

"Anger is like a Volcano",
by Monica Vogelbacher, from her experience 12/03 Volcanoes National Park, Big Island of Hawaii

(Recite rather pithily)

A churning, burning, yearning
seething deep within
The red hot molten lava
brewing into sin
Liquid lava spilling over
covering all in its way
What's left is an empty crater
that looks akin to an ashtray.

Yeah...it really does look like that with yellow sulphur marks here and there and sulphur dioxide steam rising from cracks in the ground. It the closest visual aid to Hell that I can think of. And surrounded by Paradise yet... Check out my link to Volcanoes National Park in my links to see this wonder of nature...

Think of it... I only live 12 miles from a living active spewing lava volcano...Cool...

I need to have this poem tatooed on the inside of my eyelids, as I sort of have this anger problem and am reduced to the screaming stage quite a bit... Been much better lately, thank you God!

January 07, 2004

Just When You Thought You'd Heard It All... There's Dr. AYC (ace)

I didn't have much to say tonight so I went to fresh blogs for a bit'o reading before retiring and found this gem, Iraq at a Glance If you think that what you see on the news is the truth about Iraq, read this guy's blog. New to Blogdom, Dr A.Y.C., is insightful, interesting, sincere and downright funny at times. A Dentist in Baghdad, he sees it all from the ridiculous to the sublime. I read his whole blog and from the "freedom" loving wrong way drivers, to the mixed up ultra religious types, to the thieving bums he chases out of his office, the narrative is a scream. I love this guy and want to have him over for dinner. I know our troops see a lot of mean people there in Iraq, but the good doctor gives me hope that the future will be better for these people.

The Mars pics today were stunning and I took some ribbing from people here that know that I have an axe to grind with the Hawaii Tribune Herald... They wanted to publish a story about our store and also wanted to tell the whole darn world where we, as owners, live. With all the druggies and thievery that goes on in East Hawaii, due to the "Ice" problem, that would have been like painting a target on my back. WE are not even the owners, but rather a corporation we set up is the true owner, so it was all a bunch of hogwash anyway... So I pulled the article and my advertising...

Oh well, now that I have given a full disclosure I will retire. Good Night one and all and may God save the Blog!

January 06, 2004

Welcome To My Planet

On the frontpage of the Hawaii Tribune Herald (named in the rest of this post as the Trib) today was a giant picture of Mars... the reason that is was there was...
1. The editors (snork..) find it wonderful that a piece of the rover thingy has "Hokuulu" on it which means "Red Star" in Hawaiian.. A tribute to ancient navigators and the techies on Mauna Kea freezing their collective buns off looking at the stars...
2. They don't know how to report the news...
3. And it was a slow news day
There is a dearth of reliable information here on the Big Island. The local "News and Talk" station does its morning drive local news by reading copy off the Trib. Sometimes a several days old copy. Its embarrassing. The Trib is full of syndicated columns of schlock, a few photos and sometimes letters, all leaning to the left. Very little original reporting and most of that has retractions and corrections in a day or two. One of the most interesting columns is a " Arrest Report" Anyone that gets picked up by the cops gets his or her name on this list for the crimes they have been charged with...but there is never anything written to say if they were guilty of the charge... So a persons reputation can be ruined in this town for a false charge... This has happened and I wait for the day the paper gets sued for defamation of character so that column gets removed...

Often times the writers of local news use pidgin English so the grammar is a bit odd, and as I said no editor to speak of...The most original content is the sports pages , two thirds of which are devoted to High School sport.

Last week, when we were trying to celebrate the holidays all the paper could report on was "MAD COW IN HAWAII" Pure sensationalism as none of the tainted meat ever got here and we don't import live cattle except for breeding, about 100 or so a year... It was just a story.

In fact, I am a bit surprised that the reporting today was "LANDING ON MARS A SUCCESS>>>PHOTOS LOVELY>>" With the pidgin and the bad grammar it could have easily been "THE MARS LANDING, ON EARTH, CONSIDERED SUCESSFUL< GREAT PICS..." Wee'd have had a replay of the "War of the Worlds" in Hilo with that headline and the huge planet on the front page.

I wonder what Martians would think of Hawaii? So much water and so warm. I can see and hear in my mind's eye one of the drinking Cunningham Crazies saying

"Hey, jus look at da guy ovah dere, he dah kine tourist from where..? You know da mainland they done use da sunblock get cancer like dat kine guy ya... Mebbe he from Minnis-ota or place like dat.." "You, Junior go sey Aloha to dah tourist ya dat guy der, dont want him think we not like him, give him da "stink eye..." Yeh say "Hey Mon, Welcome to My Planet..."

they would accept the little green men... after all they see them all the time


Im teasing a bit. So serious on the last post. Going into work tomorrow. Have a ton to do. Maybe make a sale or two...

January 04, 2004

The Time Is Now....

I spoke to Mom today. She seems to be ajusting to life at the nursing home. She no longer complains that she is a prisoner of the place... She realizes that she is a prisoner of her own body. That's what Parkinsons does to you... The people at Bel Tooren Villa (ie the facility) are there to try to make you as comfortable and safe as possible.

I'd rather be dead...oh God spare me this...

As she recounts her days in faltering speech that I know will finally be denied her as the disease progresses. I shudder inwardly. We all age at different rates. I know that even with the best of care, we cant slow down the process very much. Yes we are what we eat.. (see post above) and exercise is a huge help. However there are a lot of things that we just don't know about the process and ones genes are a big factor.

I was surprised to hear that my brother, Steve, had been to see her. Steve is not the most demonstrative person, and he is well known for taking the easy way out of most everything, with the exception of his military service as a US Marine (all stand please...) Steve has raised a son more or less to a maturity that I wasn't sure was possible under the circumstances that David was reared in... The boys mother being somewhat unbalanced and immature. David seems to be doing well and Steve...Well I don't know as I have not spoken to him since coming to Hawaii in 2001...Emails go unanswered and the phone is never connected due to unpaid bills.

What he thinks of the situation I do not know... I know that its got to bother him.

My mother favored Steve above me... She acknowledges this now, when she didn't before I left for Hawaii. Steve almost always got the best of everything and only in cases when my being a female and eldest allowed me certain priviledges, did I get first choice in anything. It left me bitter and really until I became a Believer did that bitterness fade at all. Woody would be incensed when the many things I would do for her would be some how depreciated in light of Steve showing up for some minor detail. I know that Steve never understood, as was true for most of my family, the incredible suffering that I went through in 1995-1998 with my illness and my continued recovery today. No one in my family understands that to facilitate that recovery I needed to get out of polluted, stress filled LA, and Hawaii was the best choice for relocation. I also needed to be free of pain filled memories, and people that never understood me and make my own life... Remake myself in a way... and this was the way....

That meant leaving Mom when I knew she was going to need me everyday. I couldn't have withstood it, and feel ashamed at my weakness and lack of familial loyalty now. The depth of my commitment is a weekly phone call. I don't have the funds for a visit even and fear going back to the poisonous air and over chlorinated water and all of the unknown allergens that made my life a living hell.

I am a coward...

As we were talking, Mom mentioned that she had a wonderful Christmas. Friends came by and brought her a burger lunch that she loved and a little gift. I called... and later, Steve came by..."and as he left he told me that he loved me... Imagine that..." Mom said...I know how she feels... I wish that Woody would break down and say that to me once in a while too. We shouldnt let this go on...

I remebered a poem that I saw in Dear Abbey a number of years ago. I went to my journals, and found it in volume 27 Jan 1998 to july 1998...I am going to write and request that she reprint this again as it is so good. At the time we were doing a lot of traveling and stuff and people said "wait till you retire and can enjoy it" People didnt want to deal with the fact that I could be dying...This was prior to 9-11 and all that means... We are all dying a bit everyday and we should never procrastinate in doing what is good and right today...

THE TIME IS NOW authour unknown

If you are ever going to love me,
Love me now, while I can know
The sweet and tender feelings
Which from true affection flow
Love me now
While I am living.
Do not wait until I'm gone
And then have it chiseled into marble,
Sweet words on ice cold stone.
If you have tender thoughts of me
Please tell me now.
If you wait until I am sleeping
Never to awaken,
There will be death between us,
And I won't hear you then.
So, if you love me , even a little bit,
Let me know it while I am living
So I can treasure it.

Wise words... dont wait...tomorrow may be too late


later.... I went to put the clipping back into the journal page that I had removed it from, and read the entry. It froze me and sent me spinning back in time...It was the day in March 1998 that my dear friend Gail Gonzales died of a massive heart attack at age 49 leaving a pastor husband whom she had been with since they were teenagers, and a young son that they had adopted, who had never spent a day out of his mother's care. Dave was remmarried less than a year later to another friend of mine... Its been nearly 5 years and the pain is still fresh... Gail I miss you still...see you in heaven....

The Kama'aina Discount

We had another great day today... Tourists came and bought a bunch of stuff. I love it when tourists come in as
1. They usually have a bit of cash in their pockets, and
2. They don't ask for the "Kama'aina Discount."

Kama'aina means "child of the land" in Hawaiian. Its means" Hey I live here, I'm as local...ect" In a tourist driven economy its a big distinction. The Kama'aina pay taxes and have to live with the visitors that come here for a few days or in the case of military or folks that work for the university or the observatory, years. Because so much of the goods and services were once based on tourists paying the big bucks to buy and do things a custom developed that the locals would get a discount from the local merchants. This can be just paying the excise tax of 4.167% for your customer, to a percentage off the whole amount. Most hotels, resorts, golf courses and other attractions give large discounts to those who hold a Hawaii Drivers License...(does the DancingRainGirl have her HDL...No, she likes the wonderful photo on her California one and hasn't given it up yet...Vanity has its costs, sister...) The jewelry shop that I worked for prior to opening my own store gave 15% off...When pressed I do the same on all but a few of my items.

The trouble is that I don't mark up my items like my former employers did. They had at least a 8 to 10 time markup on their stuff. I have a 3 to 5 at the most. So that 15% takes a huge chunk out of my profits. Kama'aina see us as rich haoles from the mainland so they think that we are greedy if we don't offer the discount... That is one reason that we don't get as much repeat business as we'd like. Well, trust me,even with the kama'aina discount, BPG got almost no local business, and local business accounts for about 2/3rd of my total volume. People seem to really like our stuff so maybe its a matter of time before we get our name out and about.

A local market has one of those "rewards" cards. Turns out you can show it at all sorts of places like Hilo Hatties and other stores for a Kamaaina discount of up to 20%. I was really surprised. Also, they are giving away Hagen Daz Ice Cream for the little rewards coupons you get for so many dollars spent. I had my discount for supper. Mocha Almond Fudge. Yummy. I was ok about it until I saw the calorie content and realized that I had eaten enough calories for a month in one sitting...But it was free so maybe those calories don't count.... What do you think.

There is no such thing as a free lunch... This one is bound to stick with me for a long time. On my hips...

I wonder if the "Curves for Women" gym has a Kama'aina Discount???

January 03, 2004

The Paradoxical Commandments

Seems like they fixed Blogger I was able to get right on tonight. Had a Very Crazy Day at the store....First we were "crazy" busy, kaaa-ching! Second, the Cunningham Crazies were out in force. Thought about calling the cops a few times. Had people buzzing the doorfor the silliest reasons. ( we have this buzz-in security door. Keeps out silliness mostly like someone kleping a Wolf Design Bag ect...)"Please let us in the gate, we don't have a key...(its a security building dimwit, if you don't have a key perhaps you shouldn't be in there..) Can we rent a room from you?...Use your phone? Borrow a pen, paper and phone book??? Sometimes like today I am with a customer and ignore them as if they don't exist. Woody went out and said to one guy, "Hey do I look like the manager?" Much laughing ensued as the manager Darryl is a rather large black man and Woody is a rather small white guy. A huge contingent of street folk roosted on the steps of the Central Christian Church all day long including assorted drunks still partying for New Years, Four hookers working, a known drug dealer working his trade, and a guy we call "Turtle Man" for his interest in the large turtle pendant by Steven Lee Designs that we keep in the window. ( that all sounded like the 12 days of Christmas... oh oh let me try..)

At the Central Christian Church a vision caught my eye...
5 piles of trash...................!
4 hookers hooking,
3 drug pushers,
2 sloppy drunks,
and a long haired guy we call the Turtle Man!

Not bad eh...

I wish the pastor would deal with the attractive nuisance that the vestibule of the church creates. Its the local hangout for these folks that really should get a life. Sorry if that sounds like "Gee, so sad to be you..."

But I was "them" once....

We really need to move the shop... Even one block up will help...

I've been following a story here in town that is so typically Hilo I cant believe it. A local man live up in the Kaumana Farmlots. This is up on the slopes of Mauna Kea, above Hilotown. There are many levees and berms along the roads as the rains don't have time to soak in on the steep slopes so the channels provide a safe drainage ditch. 20 years ago a man named Mr. Paulos decided to spruce up his street that bordered one of those ugly berms and so he planted coconut palms along the berm. For years he tended them, trimmed them. In turn, not only did they provide greenery and shade, as well as coconuts, the roots held the soils in place on the berm. A month ago for reasons known only to God as the County Public works will not say who ordered it, all of the trees were cut down, to the outrage of the people of Kaumana. "The road is ugly again!" was the cry of the old people. Those that knew that Mr. Paulos was the care taker were angry beyond words... "How dare they do this to an old man!" The civil engineers thought that the roots might undermine the berm, but the trees have been there so long that really they might have been holding the thing to gether! So if a flood ensues who will be blamed? I guess Mr. Paulos...Brother...

One of the Akolea Road residents placed a thank you letter in the paper and added this poem. I copy it for you and for all of those who do good and get no thanks for it. This includes our brave men and women in uniform, police, and other public servants. Thank you from me as well...

The Paradoxical Commandments

1. People are illogical, unreasonable, and self centered...love them anyway.

2. If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives... Do good anyway.

3. If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies... Succeed anyway.

4. The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow... Do good anyway.

5. Honesty and kindness make you venerable... Be honest and frank anyway.

6.The biggest men and the women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds...Think Big anyway.

7.People favor the underdog, but follow the Top Dog. Fight for a few underdogs anyway...

8. What you spend a lifetime building can be destroyed overnight... Build anyway....

9. People really need your help, but may attack you if you do help them... Help people anyway.

10. Give the world the best you have and you'll get kicked in the teeth... Give the world your best anyway....

If you have read my blog before, you will see a poem scrolling at the end. It is one that I wrote after hearing Keola Bemer playing at a lunch I attended. He spoke about how "Aloha" is about "Honoring" someone. I think that the commandments above are about that concept. If you do them you also honor yourself. You can look yourself in the eye and say, "well done." The peace that come from not second guessing yourself is great. Give your best and you never have to worry about what ifs... I like it.

Reading new blogs will add a few more to my "blogdom" Thanks to Lauren of "pink post-its-online" for her great review of My Wide Blue Seas. Check out her blog and the others that I have up great reading.

January 01, 2004

Happy New Year

I have been trying to log in on Blogger now for much of the day, to no avail. Don't know what is up with the system but I am glad that I was able to get on...Not that I have a lot to say but then that's ok too.

Woody and I are recovering from last night. We suffer terribly with the fireworks thing that people so enjoy here. Its an Asian thing I guess, fireworks scaring off evil spirits ect. Don't participate in that nonsense, what a waste of money. Just light your money on fire and let it burn that is what you are doing with that sort of trash. It frightened Makoa and Nani pretty badly. Had both of the kitties on the bed all night with us. Been cold and after 2 am a storm blew in and its been windy and cold. You all will laugh but 50 is cold here...When you are used to it being 75 all the time, 50 is a big shock. So the cold, the cats, the conflagration, kept me awake till the wee hours.

No big heavy thoughts on 2003 or 2004... I just hope that life will settle into a comfortable pattern somehow. Woody getting work. My store doing better...Moving to a new location. Making a new friend or two...
I don't make resolutions, I just try everyday to do justly, love mercy and to walk humbly with my God...(Micah 6:8) Sing a song and make someone smile.

Been very sensitive to others emotions and that is hard. I know its a gift and can be used for good but for me just now I feel the burden of it and its hard...The anger of the girls at the Cunningham. The disappointment when Woody doesn't get hired, My Mothers despair at being in the nursing home. Yet I know that God knows each thing and is working all of it out. I need to pray and believe.

Will be ending this early tonight. God Bless you all in this new year!

The Return of the King

I love The Lord of the Rings trilogy. I love the complexity, the language, and the tale itself... of how good can overcome evil, how loyalty, even when one has been betrayed in the past is a noble thing. The story is not new, yet it is ever new and rich filled with images that linger in the mind's eye...

So, when it was announced several years ago that LOTR was to be adapted to film I was thrilled and repulsed at the same time. Could the splendor of Middle Earth be captured and not demeaned? I will say that Peter Jackson did a wonderful job of bringing Middle Earth to life. The places like Helm's Deep, Gondor, and Mount Doom, were depicted how I always imagined them. The peoples of Middle Earth...Elvish, Dwarf, Hobbit, Ent, Orc and Man, again not disappointed in the least....

Our hero, a Hobbit named Frodo Baggins, is dispatched to take the object of ultimate evil, the Ring, to its birth place the fires of Mt. Doom, and destroy it by returning it to those flames. a really impossible journey. It is accomplished with the help of a few friends a bit of magic and long suffering...but he couldn't have even begun the journey on his magnificent quest if he had lacked one thing...Frodo had a pure heart, with pure motives. Because of this he could be the Bearer of the Ring of Power, semi immune to its corrupting influences.... Telling more of the story will spoil it for the few that may have not seen the movie yet.... We went to see the final installment of the trilogy today and while i felt it spent way too much time on a certain spider, and far too little time on the Elves and their role in restoring the King to the throne of Men, I liked the movie very much...

In 2001 and again in 2002 when I saw the first two installments, I found myself asking the question upon leaving the theatre..." Where is Frodo Baggins?" Where is the leader with the pure motive that it will take to sort out the messes we have in the world. Want to know the truth..(as I see it) I think the our President Mr. George W Bush is that man. You can laugh if you want. But I think that he does have pure motives for much of what he does and that the spin doctors really twist things. His focus on terrorism is that sort of quest that I am talking about. Its almost a tunnel vision, I think he is a nice man and means well even if I don't agree with him all the time. He certainly cares about what he does and takes every resposibility to heart. I am very glad that we have him to lead us. He may not solve much...But his heart is in the right place.

Very tired. Have a lot to do on the inventory tomorrow. Have a great New Year's Day.....