So, I’ve been going to the gym pretty regularly lately and there is something bugging me there I really need to get off my chest.  I change into my workout clothes at work just before I leave, mainly to extinguish any excuses I may conjure up while battling LA traffic on my way to the gym.  When I finally arrive, I go inside to find the place pretty crowded.  This however, does not bother me.  What does bother me is the large number of people on any one of the many torture devices casually talking on their phone, or emailing/texting, or reading a book, having a conversation with their pal next to them.  Here’s the thing, I don’t want to be there, I need to be there, so I don’t go to this place for a social engagement or to catch up on social media, I go to workout.  I get it, we all lead very busy lives and sometimes they colide.  Well, when they do, get off the machine someone else is waiting to use and go do your business someplace else!  When I leave the place I can literally wring the sweat out of my shirt.  Pushing that hard after a long day at the office is not easy, but it is the only way to get the results I want to achieve.  So, if you are reading this, do me a favor and show a bit of courtesy.  If you want to read your book, go to the library.  (Whiney Baby Rant complete) #YouCanReadMyBookAtTheGym #MyAumakua #ItsCalledAWorkoutForAReason

I find it funny that just about every news show parades some puppies around once a day trying to find a home for them.  I guess that its their way of saying “Hey, the world is going completely off its med’s, and we know that, but here’s some puppies, isn’t that special”.  Wonder why they never bring any kids from the local orphanage onto the show and do the same thing?  #Monday

I once heard that the first casualty of stress is ones creativity.  I believe this to be true.  Any one of the five of you that follow these occasional posts can attest that you haven’t heard from me in a while.  The reason, or my excuse, has everything to do with stress.  Anyone that knows me, knows that I like to live under a veil of “no stress” in a very Bodhi from the movie “Point Break” way.  The truth is, just like Bodhi, when the going get’s tough, everyone feels stress that has an impact on their life and lifestyle.  Mistakes begin to happen more often.  You complain a lot more about things that used to not matter or were too small for issue.  The worst part, in my opinion, you begin to stress about the things that truly bring you pleasure, and sometimes, find reasons to avoid those things altogether.  Stress, stress, stress, then the weekend… Try to cram a life into one and a half days.  “Hey, writer guy, um, yeah you, the “author”, so uh, when is that new book coming out?”    That is an excellent question that I myself, the aforementioned “author” is hoping to be able to answer soon.  I just need to get my whiny butt up off the ground, brush off and get back to the things that make me who I am.  Time to dig, and deep.  #myaumakua #LifeIsGood #LiveAloha #GetBusy

I have to admit, a blank piece of paper, a blank page, a blank canvas, all excite me.  In the same way the vastness of the ocean or the desert do.  It’s not like the mountains.  They speak loudly and clearly.  The desert and the ocean tend to speak much softer.  Why do the masses flock to the ocean, but not so much to the desert, Las Vegas excluded.  I myself, am drawn toward these blank, open places that are open and new.  I see a composition book and immediately get excited.  Must be the “I want to be a writer” in me.  It could be that I live in a very densely populated area.  Either way, I love open space, open land, open and free thought and expressiveness.  After all, life is begun as a blank piece of paper…so write your story.

Went to beautiful, Ventura, CA yesterday to enjoy one of my absolute favorite pastimes, surfing.  Surfing is where I go to get away for a couple hours.  It’s like a mini-vacation for my mind.  When I surf, I don’t think of anything except surfing.  It was a cold, rainy morning and the surf was rather small but no mind, I went out anyway.  After about two hours I paddled back in to the beach dragging my arms as I had no muscle left.  I showered off and loaded everything back into the van.  I felt like I just got off the couch of a Shrink.  Amazing.  If I could bottle this feeling up I would be rich and the whole world would be at peace.  Great way to start off the week.  (No Copyright infringement was intended with the use of music in this video. “California Love” Tu Pak Shakur)

I had an older customer come in the other day holding a blank check in his hand.  He rattled off a list of material he needed in the best English he could muster.  I then told him the total amount of the purchase.  I looked up to see him holding the blank check in outstretched hand, over the counter, for payment with a worried smile on his leathery face.  I looked long and hard at this man, then the check, then back up to him.  I was able to notice some fear and possible embarrassment deep in his eyes.  “Identification” I said, to which he happily pulled out his drivers license and handed that to me.  I confirmed his address was the same as the one on the check, so I proceeded to fill out the the check for him. I have been down this lonely road before.  “Telephono” I asked in my best Espanol.  “Cinco, zero, quattro.” I wrote it out on the top of the check as he said the numbers, then ran the check through our trusty little scam scanner, which is procedure.  Everything was approved and in order so I handed him the invoice and pointed him toward the warehouse to get his items.  “Gracias, gracias, gracias” he thanked me as we shook hands.

I cannot imagine how difficult it must be in this day and age to not be able to read and/or write.  I do not know for sure that he cannot read, but the two usually go hand-in-hand.  How many times has someone taken advantage of him, I wonder?  That thought making me a bit angry.  It never fails to give me pause as to how this is even possible?  I am truly thankful that I grew up in a place with opportunities to become who I am today.  In that mans eyes and on his face I could see so many things, like pain, struggle, thankfulness, and a passion for life.  His hands were hard and course like only a man who has fought his entire life just to “get by” could be.  While others his age are probably thinking about retirement, or, where to go on vacation with the family, he is struggling to find his next job.  His next unbelievably hard and underpaid job that will help him continue to “get-by”.   I know I should probably mind my business, but I wish I could figure out a way to help.  I can’t hand him a pamphlet or a phone number to call…can I?  I mean, the overwhelming thoughts in my head all center around “How the heck can I help?”

I’ve had several of these types of encounters in the past few years, which never fail to make me sad.  If you are ever in a situation like the one I just described, please, please, be as respectful and kind as you can. There is no need to squash someones dignity just because you can do something, but they can’t.  Oh, and those few warts out there that think of this as a good time to screw someone, you had better be very, very careful…karma will rear it’s ugly head at your worst possible time, I promise you.

I have a feeling that I have gained a regular customer…Let’s call it a hunch.

Anyway, I sure hope so.

Living this close to Hollywood starts out very exciting, but like all things, can lose its luster over time.  My drive into work brings me down a road where I look directly at the sign on the hillside.  It would bring a smile to my face every morning.  It hasn’t been that long and I already can’t remember the last time I realized this happening.  Today I was given a notice about some filming that will be going on at the end of the week around my office.  The production crew has been coming in to advise us of all the parking issues as well as road closures.  It made me think how funny it is that if its a movie or television show closing the road, it becomes this exciting thing, but what if it were the utility company or water department?  Well, we would all probably have some form of distaste about that even though its the same road being closed.  Maybe the water department should just tell people they are filming something so nobody would complain.  Anyway, I was reminded of how much I enjoy living here what with all of the many things we can complain about when it comes to Southern California, I can honestly say, there is no place I would rather be.  #redondobeach #hollywood #makemybookamovie #myaumakua

Let’s use the automobile insurance industry for an example.  I recently had the unfortunate circumstance where I have to use the service I have been paying for and NOT using for over six years.  In that time frame I have seen thousands of television, print, road media and even airplane banners advertising the nearly perfect customer service ratings.  All this time thinking how “I sure am glad I am with them.”  I am now second guessing that comforting feeling with that of worry and uneasiness, all because of one contact, with one person, over the phone who, so far, has been less than caring and more of a robot.  “This is not the way this is supposed to go!” I holler at the television while it shows yet another commercial, in a prime slot, pointing out how great they are.  The truth is, you can spend millions, and millions of dollars advertising how wonderful your service is and how much you care, but if you have one employee having an off day, week, month, year, or career, they can destroy your business.  Let’s face it, disease spreads over time, unlike a bus that will spread you all over the road.  If you advertise and market that you are the best, above all others, like every business does except for “Dicks Last Resort” where you know you will be treated poorly walking in the door, you owe it to your customers to do whatever it takes to make darn positive they have an award winning experience.  I’ve already told multiple people about my disappointment and level of inconvenience in this situation.  I wonder how many more I’ll tell?  “HEY! HEY!  Let’s be careful out there.”  (HSB 80’s) #heyflo #poortruck #notmyfault #writingcareer

Man, I sure love to learn.  I wish I would have known this when I was a kid not paying attention in school, but hey, it is never too late.  So I sat down yesterday to do like people do when they want to learn something new these days. I opened up You Tube on my PC and searched “screenplays”because, let’s face it, it’s not going to write itself.  What came up was, as usual, a ton of “how to” videos showing how easy the process is.  Not one of the people in the videos I watched was anyone I had heard of, but that doesn’t mean they were not informative.  I was really searching on how to format it properly as I have heard so often that many amazing stories have not been heard because they weren’t formatted correctly.  While searching this, I uncovered a gem.  It is a free screenwriting and production software application that has me  typing away like a madman.  So much so in fact that short of taking a break to write this, I may end up having a first draft done by the end of this week.  I’ve been using the hashtag #makemybookamovie in the hopes someone within the industry would find it cute and pick up my book “My Aumakua” and start the process.  Finally done waiting and hoping, I am doing it myself and will be sending it out in a few weeks to anyone who will take it.  After I sit down and search “How to sell a screenplay” on You Tube, of course.  If anyone out there knows someone looking for an original idea for a movie, tell em how to find me.  www.ventsurfer.com I finished my book and published it, time to make a movie.  #YOLO #myaumakua

What would happen if you decided to take one twenty four hour period and avoided all technology?  The only information you allowed yourself was primitive, like a newspaper.  The only entertainment would be physical, like reading, exercise, hiking, people watching, catching up with your family.  What would happen if you tried this with your whole family?  Would there be a revolt?  Mutiny? Would they recommend you be committed?  Has technology become that important?  Can you do it?  I am of the opinion that everyone should try.  Put it all down and step away, see how it feels.  Turn off the news and read a book.  Trust me when I tell you that whatever news you miss today, it will be just as bad and bleak tomorrow.  Leave your phone at home on purpose and see how foolish so many people look and act staring down at their phone while the beauties of life pass them by, or they walk into a pole.  I’m not saying it’s not an important part of modern life, I’m just wondering if it’s THAT important.   #myaumakua #makemybookamovie #aloha #noneoftheabove