I believe if you really want something to be successful or for dreams and aspirations to come true, you have to work at it all the time.  I have been relying on social media and other assorted outlets to promote and sell my book “My Aumakua”.  This has proven to be the same thing as buying a diet pill to take without changing my diet or exercising at all.  In other words, it hasn’t produced the results I had hoped for.  So Saturday morning came around and I decided to hit the beach with my beautiful fiance’ Nicole.  She came up with a great idea to promote my book the old fashioned way, hang up a shingle and talk to people enjoying the beautiful weather at the beach.  We stopped at the dollar store and bought some poster board, markers, a little basket that matched the color of the cover and even some lei’s to give anyone that bought a book.  We made it to the beach and set up shop (see pic).  Before long, we had some interest.  One gentleman rode his bicycle past while looking very intently at the sign.  He stopped, turned around and came back.  “Hey, what is that?” I described the book in short as well as the meaning of Aumakua to him.  Like most who I explain this to, he had stories of Aumakua’s in his life.  We talked for about twenty minutes when he asked me how much my book cost.  He was so pleasant that I was considering giving him a copy for free when he said “How about $10?”  “Deal!” I said with an ear to ear smile.  There was others that seemed interested but didn’t want to make eye contact so we just handed out my Author card to them and asked them to look it up on Amazon.  It was a very strange feeling bringing something I created purely out of my imagination to the public from the bed of my pickup truck.  We had a blast.  Some lessons were learned for certain but I will be out there again.  I think I am gonna get a wagon and hit the bricks along Venice Beach next time.  #MyAumakua @aloha #motivation

Don’t you just love it when someone says that to you?  I mean, how does that just wipe off all the trickiness and probable harshness of the comment to come?  “No offense but, your kid is really ugly.”  Oh, well good thing you started with that all encompassing disclaimer, otherwise I might have been offended and a bit upset.  Here’s a good idea.  If you are thinking of telling somebody something, and the first thing your brain tells you to say is “No offense, but” I recommend not saying anything and moving on in your wrinkle free world. Let’s try being nice to each other and tie up the high horse for a while.

Happy Friday.

Its Wednesday today, but it sure feels like this week has been two weeks long already.  So much terrible news, sadness, anger, hatred, fear, impatience, pretentiousness,  and disgust everywhere you turn.  It seems so many people are riding around on some imaginary high horse acting like they are more important than the other people in line, in traffic, at work, and sometimes, at home.  Where does this come from?  Is it in the upbringing of the past couple generations where everyone grows up being told they are special and if you aren’t treated the way you feel you should be treated all you have to do is throw a temper tantrum and you will get your way, after all, the customer is ALWAYS right, right?  Disgusted over McDonald’s giving you a hamburger instead of a filet-o-fish?  Check yourself your Majesty, smile and ask for the other sandwich. You have no idea what kind of things may be happening in that persons life right now.

Listen folks, and listen carefully, nobody is any better than anyone else, we are all just different from one another, that is all.  Now, before you start pestering me about that statement, allow me to expound.  If my basketball skills were compared to Michael Jordan, everyone would agree that he is better than me.  If I grew up with the same grit, determination and work ethic as Mr. Jordan to become the greatest basketball player ever and did nothing but hone my craft, well, who knows.  I don’t like the game of basketball very much however so I decided to work on different things.  I don’t fault anyone who happens to like basketball, nor do I go out and knock on doors telling people that baseball is better so you should watch that instead.  No, because what I choose to do is mind my own business.  I am constantly asked at work about my competition and whether they are busy or not, told how they do things different, better, or worse.  The truth is, I really don’t care what they are doing different, better, or worse, and if they are busy or not.  Nope, because I choose to mind the very business I have been charged to run and give every ounce of energy I have to making sure we are doing the very best we can for our customers.  It seems people today spend way too much time sniffing around in other peoples business when they really should be minding their own.  The most important thing we have in this world is time, so use your time wisely and mind your own business, help those who are having a tough go of things and be a positive role model. Maybe try “Roadhouse Rule #1” and be nice, always be nice.   You may end up a happier person.  #prayfororlando #nobodyforpresident #livealoha @aloha

I might have a rough way of showing it, but I do love music.  I guess it may be because I am a complex guy, but I do love the complex songs and bands.  A song from the “Dave Matthews Band” is a good example.  My favorite is “#41”.  Listen to it and you will understand my like of complexity.  One of my other favorite bands is “Rush”.  Listen to their music and realize that all that sound is coming from three members. Amazing.   Whatever music you love, classical, country, rap, blues, creole, pop, bluegrass, rock and roll, jazz, battchata, hip hop, or salsa …we all have music we love…listen to it as often as you can because it is all amazing. #AMsucks #FMRadio #donttrustthemedia #isthereanotherchoice

There is no shortage of advice out there on how to successfully market yourself, your business, your book, and your abilities.  “All you have to do is…” Is what?  You are worth me listening to you because why?  “All I have to pay you is, how much and you’ll make my book a best seller?”  As each day goes by, post publish, I am learning more and more about navigating the dangerous waters of social media and communication.  When my copyright came through, I was virtually attacked by publishing companies to sign up with, all promising they will make me famous, best selling author.  I got myself this fancy website, okay, maybe not so fancy, but a cool one nonetheless.  I’ve been blogging as much as my “tired from a long day at work” brain will allow me.  Heck, I even have almost seven hundred Twitter followers, close to a thousand on Linkedin, Facebook and Instagram, and eight solid reviews on Amazon for my book “My Aumakua”.

 Somewhere, however, there is a magic button or hidden code I am not seeing as my book sales are flat.  I guess I need to figure out exactly what it is I am hoping to do with this book.  Do I want to be published by a reputable publisher?  Yes, I do.  Do I want to be approached by  some big, Hollywood movie producer about turning this story into a movie?  Yes, I do.  Do I want my book to start selling more so I know my story is liked and being enjoyed all over the world?  Yes, I do.  I guess what I really need to ask myself is; how long I plan on waiting before I get off my ass and make all this happen?  It took me a long time to write and publish my first book “My Aumakua” and frankly, I don’t have that kind of time to wait around for it, or my next one, to be successful.  It is time to hit the bricks, hard, and start pounding the pavement and make something happen.

#myaumakua @aloha @myaumakuabyjasondolson #readmybook #hawaii #letsdowork #getbusy @mikeroweworks @TheRock

Man, I had a heck of a time falling asleep last night.  All-in-all I think I logged about ten real minutes of sleep.  Have you ever had one of those nights where your mind just wouldn’t shut down long enough for you to conk out?  My wheels were turning all night it seemed.  Initially, while watching “Bobs Burgers”, I began to think how fun a career doing voice overs must be.  I wonder if they drive home from work deep in thought about their day like I do?  That morphed into me thinking about my book “My Aumakua” and my new work beginning  on the audio-book version.  I was wondering if I had enough range to bring my characters to life the way they deserve to be.  That, then brought me into my new world being scribbled onto paper from my imagination called “Scraping Bottom” which had me finding some paper and a pen to jot down some notes.  At that point, I decided to pick up my trusty Kindle and read someone else’s writing for a bit in the hopes I could get a bit drowsy.  Not to say the story I am into is boring or anything, just that sometimes reading helps me fall asleep.  Well, not this time.  I am reading about the 1966, 24 Hour of Le Mans auto race, which somehow got me thinking about all the little tinkering projects I have been wanting to tackle on my reliable ol’ Ranger.  Cut to 1:30 in the morning.  That damn alarm is going to go off in two and a half hours.  Ridiculous!  Stagger out the door, coffee in hand, “Where the hell did I park the car?”  Almost time to try again tonight.  Wish me luck.  #countingsheep #melitonin #myaumakua

Some of you are aware that I had to visit the emergency room at my local hospital the week before last.  While working out and taking part in a challenge from a dear friend to do twenty two push-ups a day for twenty two days, I tore an abdominal muscle.  It was painful enough for me to go see a doctor which, if you know me, is not my favorite thing to do.  This brings me to insurance, something I must admit, I completely do not understand.  I’m not looking for help in understanding how I pay and pay and pay and when its time to use it, I pay again.  No, what I want to mention is how a certain company that has a duck or goose for their mascot managed to impress the heck out of me.  After my visit, while lying there thinking about how bummed I was that I have to “take it easy for a while”, I remembered that I have “supplemental insurance”.  The television ads make it sound so simple I just had to give it a try.  It took me about ten minutes to file the claim and a bout forty eight hours for a check to arrive with not only the amount of my co-pay, but a bit more for other things.  I was so happy there was no surprises at all with this transaction and that they do what they say they are going to do.  I recommend to everyone reading this to look up the duck and get that supplemental insurance, it is so worth it.  @aflac #greatdeal #doitoryourdumb

Have you ever watched a news report about a robbery or other crime where they include clear video of the incident?  They narrate the video with words like “alleged”  and “suspected” so all of us watching do not presume guilt of the person who is in the video, clearly breaking the law.  In America we are lucky in that we are presumed innocent until proven guilty.  Usually, a few days later, this individual will go into court and plead “not guilty”.  Is it just me or does that sound completely absurd?  Our world could be a much different place if we didn’t teach shortcuts and loopholes.  Create a personal rule to take responsibility for your actions.  If you mess up…fess up.  The legal system is so polluted with loopholes and administrative defenses that it is even possible today to get away with something, even when you have been filmed doing it.  After a while, the guy or gal in the video will begin to believe their innocence.  Crazy world we live in, right?  Someone should sell tickets.  It is very easy to make mistakes, the hardest part is admitting it.  #tuesdaysgonewiththewind