Today was a fun, exciting, and full Saturday.  I woke up this morning when I woke up instead of an alarm doing the waking.  Nicole and I decided to go to Polly’s on the Pier for breakfast before going out to do a few much needed upgrades.  This morning was a bit on the overcast and misty side by the beach.  We decided to sit outside and enjoy breakfast by the fishermen and pelicans.  We sat and talked about anything that came up and had a wonderful time.  There is something about having breakfast out that makes me get all excited about the day ahead.  I haven’t had a Saturday off in a while so I wanted to make sure and enjoy this one.  With no sun and the threat of rain (figures) I decided that it was time to go upgrade my six year old laptop computer, so we made a trek to Costco.  We got a great deal but I am here to tell you that the monetary discount is paid with parts of your soul after being in that hell hole for an hour.  Anyway, I came home with a wonderful new tool to assist with my passion, writing, and I am happily writing this blog on the very tool now.  This whole day is framed by the breakfast and the pier this morning.  That is one great way to start the day.

Since I have been working longer hours I have found that to make a big change, I have to start with slight adjustments, not unlike steering a boat.  To me, life and work reminds me a lot of steering a boat.  If you turn the wheel to sharply, too fast, when the boat finally reacts you have to quickly steer the other direction, and so on.  This can be exhausting and it slows the boat down and wastes energy.  It is better to let the boat go where it is going all the while you are making slow, steady, and slight adjustments.  Seeds are small but can produce something the size of a redwood tree (for those of you that are not boaters).  I have been making slight adjustments at work to some processes so that eventually they will get things going in the direction I need them to go.  You will see how they are coming by my blogs and pics coming in earlier than sunset wink, wink.  In the meantime, let me show you what an “office distraction” looks like. #Aloha #MyAumakua

Sometimes you have to take stock of things in your life and make some tough decisions.  Let’s face it, sometimes you just have to bite the bullet and cut things loose.  I sold something today that has been a fun part of my life for the past several years.  I was sure this day would come but I was doing my best to avoid it.  Sometimes you have to look deep into your life though and rate the value you receive from this person or thing.  In my case, I decided to sell my beloved 1969 VW Baja buggy to the first person willing to pay my asking price.  It was a tough decision made easier only by the knowledge that I just didn’t have the time to devote to a project car.  I have had a lot of fun with it over the years and am sure to miss it but now, someone else can enjoy it even more.  It is important, I think, to do your spring cleaning and make those tough decisions.  I heard an idea at the beginning of the year which said to turn all your clothes hangers around inside your closet.  If by the end of march you haven’t turned the hanger around on some items, take them out and donate them as you are not wearing them anymore.  I thought this was a great idea.  I didn’t do it, but I still thought it a great idea.  Maybe next year.  Same thing I have been saying about my buggy for the last two years.  Maybe next year I will get it painted and get all the cool little things done to it I have been dreaming about since I first droove it home.  Well, next year never came and I decided to make the smart, yet difficult decision to let her go.  I am going to miss my little buggy, but its departure just might have made room for something else just as, if not more fun.

Have you ever been laying on the couch watching television and thought “Man, I really need to get off my ass and finish such and so?”  Yeah, me too.  Well what are you waiting for?  Get up and go do it.  Peel yourself away from the how to cook show and go create a killer meal or desert.  Click the power button right in the middle of “Alaska Bush People” and go find a place to hike.  Better yet, grab a book and read.  Whatever you  do with your time, make sure it involves learning something new or getting better at something you like to do already.  I feel the key to life is to never stop learning and creating.  Get a bunch of paints and brushes and go make some mistakes.  A year or so ago, I was watching a show about moonshine and one of the moonshine makers said “Nobody knows how to do nothing anymore.  Kids think bread comes from the store cause they moma don’t know how to make it no more.”  Well, that got me to thinking about how I had no idea how to make bread.  I went to the store, grabbed a bag of flour and there it was, the recipe.  I bought it and a few other ingredients, took them home and baked an awesome loaf of bread.  I was so proud of myself.  Creativity gets you pumped up and wanting more.  I have always believed if you don’t use it, it will start to rust.  “It” is whatever you want it to be.  Once something starts to rust it is very difficult to slow or stop the process.  Now, go surprise yourself.

All the hullabaloo surrounding the Oscars got me to thinking. Back in the 90’s the rock band “Pearl Jam” was given a Grammy award.  The whole band went up on stage to accept the award and the lead singer, Eddie Vedder, looked at the trophy quite confused.  He then said into the microphone that he thought this process of judging someones art against someone else’s art didn’t make any sense.  I have to agree with him.  It has been said that beauty is in the eye of the beer holder, I mean beholder.   That being the case, especially with art, I really don’t see the point of these award shows anymore.  They seem to be one big party for people who need their egos massaged even more than they already are.  I think the Oscar has now been completely depreciated to nothing more then a fashion show.  I have said this before, give everyone a trophy and let’s move on.  Who know’s, maybe it was all a rouse so the show would get better ratings, after all, I’m talking about it and I haven’t cared about an award show since I was a kid.  Oh well, guess they got me.  Guess I’ll have to get this off my mind with the best medicine I know of…A walk on the beach.  #Aloha