Final Day of Snorkeling, finally made it to Mauna Kea (Day 6)

Amazing snorkeling with tropical fish and sea turtles. Then we went to Mona Kea which was closed due to the 3 feet of snow they got overnight. Hawaii is an amazing place. Can Surf in the morning and ski at night.

Almost to Mauna Kea, Married Men Live Longer. (Day 5)

I read one time that married men live longer than unmarried ones do. Best to turn around when there is a flash flood even if your just 5 miles away from the turn off to the destination. Today, X-mas, is a rest day as it turns out. Santa even found his way here despite no chimney or tree! Isobel said we can try to go to Mona Kea again tomorrow after snorkeling. Nap time.

Winter Carpe Diem - The Turning Point

The solstice reminds us that after a time of darkness comes a turning point. Just when light appears to have completely vanished, it shows forth again. Still soft and weak at first, it begins to renew itself. And so, in similar situations in our lives, we must nurture the forces of recovery and renewal with tenderness in the beginning, so that the return may lead to a flowering.

This winter I will recover my brain. I am reading Dr Amen's new book, change your brain, change your life. Summer and Fall were very stressful and anxiety provoking. The hospitalization, the merger, the economy. This winter I will:

• Walk or otherwise be active daily.
  
• Eat every 3 hours.
• Sleep 8 hours a night.
• Think positive thoughts, meditate if I have to.
• Be productive and save. Measure with KPIs
  

Fall Bucket List (Sept 3rd - XMas) AN UPDATE

In Bold are things I ended up doing. It was a hell of a fall. Finished the merger, Isobel in the hospital for 14 days.

• People Not Stuff
• Help Dad with SpecialDSales.com and S-Wine and Mac Purchase
  
• Work on the Remodel
• Lose Weight, Walk, Lift Weights
• Soccer
• Skiing with Ben
• Sleding
• Ride Bike
• Read
• Blog
• Zen Garden
• Drive M @ PIR?
• Storm Watching
• Facebook
• Shanghai Tunnels
• China Garden
• Zoo Lights (we heard they sucked so we did not go)
  
• Shoot Baskets
• Burn Stuff in Fire Pit
• Kiva.org, Oregon Right To Life, Food Bank Donation
• Elect John McCain
• Date my Wife
• Play Pool one night without drinking
• CoHo
• Watch Less than 1 Hour of TV / Cancel Comcast
  
• See Em and use her Kayak
• Take Grandma on a Drive
• Go to Lincoln City, Pay Aaron Hansomly to Clean the M
• Install Wireless Router at CEOs Beach House
• Do a Hike with Ben and Sri
• Recruit Sumit
• Hit the Personal KPIs
• Follow the Children's progress on the Odyssey Website
• Play Soccer with Malvern
• Have Brad Jackson, Tim, Marc, Russ, The Anders, Markus and Bill over for dinner (NOT ALL AT THE SAME TIME!)
• Visit Mark Nylund
• Learn to play golf (at least hit bucket of balls) With Ben / With Jen P?
  
• See Live Footbal game
• Shop at Freeman Motor Co with Ben / Sumit
• Upload Ava Loves Daddy to AFHV
• Take Pictures of Alex with Marilyn
• Love and Logic
• Uwajimaya and World Market Shopping
• Memorize the Cremation of Sam McGee
  
• Take Ava / Helayna Rock Climbing
• Buy or at least investigate a farm share
• Helayna & Dad Salmon Fishing

Coral Reef and Jungle (Day 4)

Today we went on a submarine and explored the coral reef! AMAZING. Next we drove the east coast of the big island exploring extreme vista's and even more extreme waterfalls and plants. In the rain forest there are plants with leaves bigger than me. Most relaxing X-mas eve of my life.

Sleep In and Snorkel (Day 3)

Today we slept in and snorkeled. Just think, on those days when life is stressful, these beautiful tropical fish are just floating around in warm water and eating. So peaceful. Were going snorkeling again on X-mas!

Everything is so easy here (Day 2)

Woke up, 5 mile walk on Kona coffee. (Lost a pound on this trip so far....after 16 miles of walking.) If I lived in Hawaii and did not have a job I could lose a pound every 2 days. It's easy. I plan on exporting this easy life back home. I only took 1 picture today. I spent last night charging up all 4 other digital cameras we brought except MY camera. 1 picture, 1 good shot. The Volcano was hiding today anyway as the lava flow has headed east OUT of the National Park. Amazing place. Tomorrow we snorkel. Drove 270 miles today. Tired. Night Night.

A Perfect Day in Kona (Day 1)

Today was a perfect day (except for the Walmart Trip with the kids....that was hell)
I woke up at 7 AM (9 AM Portland time) and walked down to the ocean to find some breakfast. I shared some local fruit with some pretty little tropical birds while sipping on Kona coffee. Sitting 2 feet from crashing waves, sipping the most amazing coffee in my life, I got inspired. Yesterday we arrived and found out the 1) Taxi's are expensive and 2) You need a car to get around Kona, not to mention the BIG island. We were going to get one on Monday but we needed one now. It's 40 bucks back to the Airport, but I have 2 cups of Kona coffee in me and I feel GREAT. Why not just walk? 11 miles later (thank you Jen for the Techno music), I arrived at Kona International and picked up my Chrysler 300. Big Powerful engine, Beautiful....but what a piece of crap inside (20K miles and the door already makes noise, etc.) American car manufacturers have A LOT to learn, but I guess we all knew that. Anyway....I guess everyone in PDX is under a foot of snow because I got about 10 responses to my Facebook status post telling them I was enjoying the 77 degrees and cool breeze, but their responses were either I am so happy for you or F off. After I picked up the girls we went to the local farmers market. Like the rest of the country Hawaii is trying out this buy local thing. Picked up some fruit for tomorrow's breakfast and got a beautiful dress for Isobel and a Hawaiian shirt for me plus some trinkets. Next we went to Walmart to buy stuff from China (nearly everything is from China...Hawaiian shirts for 1/2 the price I bought from the local.) Anyway....couple hours in Walmart with kids is hell and everyone got frustrated and tired...funny thing is when we first got to Walmart Isobel noted how miserable everyone looked. Buy local. Tomorrow we go see the Volcano.