The Cresting Wave of Disney's Aulani

As I write this there are 103 days left until the opening of Aulani, A Disney Resort and Spa within the Ko Olina Resort in Kapolei, Hawaii. There has been a lot happening and as a local, activities to prepare for the opening are coming to a crescendo.

About a month ago I started to receive posts from friends on the mainland. Sam and Kimmy were making the circuit to appear on radio and TV stations to talk about Aulani as the locals would say "to activate the coconut wireless". He's in an aloha shirt and she's in lovely floral print dress. During the segment they would banter with the hosts. They would then end up with Sam playing Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride from the movie Lilo and Stitch with the title character, Stitch, coming out and dancing to the musical notes emanating from Sam's ukulele. Here's an example of when they visited the LA CBS affiliate KCAL9.

They have been working for sometime to staff the resort. Hiring for upper management positions has been going on for many months. Last November is when I saw them head out to the colleges. They were at a big local job fair which I posted back in January. They put posters onto the buses of Oahu's local bus service called TheBus about two months ago. I've been seeing posts on twitter and Facebook about people who have been applying online and getting to the next step of on-line interviews. Last week the BIG push has really started. The local TV stations and newspaper have been touting 800 job openings with the story even hitting Forbes and Business Week. Today had another Job Quest event in Honolulu at the Neil Blaisdell Center with Disney's Aulani as a big draw for the event.

I headed down and while the line outside was shorter than last time, the inside was still very crowded. You didn't see Aulani immediately as you went inside, but just off to the side once you got past the entry gallery. They used the same room and set up as last time for information sessions. This time the presentation was different. Upon finding a seat, Katie Mock, one of the recruiters came over and said Hi and thanked me for coming out. This time her and a returning local, Steve who has spent time with the company in Anaheim, Orlando and the past year at Disneyland Paris, gave the presentation. They didn't give much background information about the resort but almost went straight into the application process.

One item of note was the meaning of Aulani. When the resort was first announced Disney gave the translation of “the place that speaks for the great ones”. I noticed right away that when you look up aulani in the Hawaiian dictionary it says "messenger of the chief". The difference being place vs person. Steve gave the translation and he referenced person instead of place.

All in all, it was about a 10 minute presentation before we were dismissed and given a chance to get questions answered at the booth. Katie told me afterwards that the feedback from the last Job Quest was more pointed towards the application process and t was definitely evident this time! People interested in applying should go to Aulani.jobs.

Steve did mention that new cast members would have a traditions class to teach people about the company. I forgot to ask if the class would be a half day, full or two day class. They would also receive special training to relay the story of Aulani. As a trainer, I wouldn't be surprised if Steve would run them to combine his local background and 16 year Disney career to really help get locals ready to delivery the Disney experience.

There were about two dozen people there staffing the booth and presentation room. The booth itself was about twice the size as last time. They had what they used in January but they remodeled and added an extension. In the back was an area with about half a dozen or so computers with counselors set up to allow people to apply on-line right there at the event. During the presentation people were told that the whole process starts via their web site.

I met and talked with a couple of others, Karen and Kimi for questions. Even with the opening right around the corner there is still a lot up in the air and most of questions that I had about the resort they weren't able to answer since they were more of the resort operation and trivia sorts of questions rather than the HR/employment questions. Totally understandable.

One big question that did get answered was that of the Disney Grooming Guidelines. Disney is going to enforce the Disney Look meaning short hair and no tattoos for the guys. They will be making special options with long and short sleeves available to help cover any ink. BUT, on a case by case basis they may allow exceptions to the rules. Two areas that may have more leniency than others would be for entertainment and the Olelo Room which would make sense. Entertainment is a show and in the Olelo Room, the primary language will be Hawaiian.

One of my ongoing concerns is about the bus going into the property. They don't have that issue worked out yet. The Ko Olina Resort people were there hiring for the resort as a whole and even they didn't know about the buses. I wonder if public transportation is not allowed onto the resort and if someone gets injured going across Farrington highway if they would try to go after the resort for damages.

Koolina aerial view

Koolina drawing map

I asked about having local produce on site for people to buy for cooking in their rooms. They didn't know about that specifically, but they did say that the company has made a commitment to use local supplies for the resort especially for the resort food locations. Maybe they could include a few local type recipes in the rooms and even have packages available. The guests could order say the lomi lomi package. They then have a box delivered to the room with all the ingredients and instructions to complete the dish right there in their own kitchen (the Disney Vacation Club units have a kitchen). Or what about making haupia! I want credit for this idea if used!!

The spa, now called Laniwai, will have a workout center for resort guests besides the areas for massage, nails and other such treatments. Guests will be able to use the Ko Olina Golf Club but don't' know at this time if they will receive a discount for a round.

When I asked if Disney was going to have a luau like Ohana at Walt Disney World's Polynesian resort, I didn't get a clear cut yes or no just that Disney will be providing first class entertainment.

On one of the forums that I am a part of some questions came up and I thought that I would mention them here and share the information. How far is it for grocery shopping? Across the street at Ko Olina Crossing is an ABC convenience store. Internal to Aulani itself, they are supposed to have a convenience store as well but no details at this time. For ABC they have some fresh fruits and vegetables as well as hot food but the price is convenience store pricing. Going into Kapolei proper is where you will find Target, Costco, Safeway, Longs (known else where as CVS) and other shopping. It's about 4-5 miles between Aulani and the Kapolei shopping areas. Also, there is a farmer's market in Kapolei on Sundays as well.

Another question was on insects. Around the resort, you shouldn't have a problem with mosquitoes and such. If you go hiking into the Waianae or Koolau mountains, then bringing some sort of bug repellant with you couldn't hurt! Although, let me give you a warning. We have some cockroaches that we call the B-52 or 747 roaches. They are BIG and they fly. They are like beetles in that you generally don't find a whole bunch at one time. BUT, they aren't anything that a good shoe or slippah can't take care of!

In regards to rain and weather. The leeward side of the island is called that because under normal trade wind conditions, the winds blow from the north east to the south west. The Koolau mountains block the clouds forcing them to dump their moisture so they can rise up and over the ancient volcanic peaks. By the time the clouds get to the leeward areas most of the moisture is gone so that area remains dryer. Do they get rain? Yes, just not as often as some other areas on the island.

Could I surf at Aulani? Not really. Lagoon 1 or Koloha on which Aulani is located is a man made lagoon which has a narrow opening. This small entrance helps to control the natural wave action that would prevent anything rideable from coming into the lagoon. On the outside of the lagoon, well, it's the Pacific Ocean! In regards to Disney offering surfing lessons and board rentals to people, they are still working out contracts for vendors.

If all goes right, I'll be heading out tomorrow to the resort to get more update photos so keep an eye on my Flickr collection for those.

In the mean time if you are looking to book a room at Aulani to receive a Military or Kaamaina Discount, contact Lindsey and let her know that Joel sent you!

The rising tide of Disney approaching Hawaii

Today was a big day in the world of Disney. Over on the East Coast the Disney Dream was being christened and headed out for its inaugural cruise. Hopefully one day it will come to visit Hawaii. All over there is buzz of the plans announced last night about the Fantasyland expansion at the Magic Kingdom which includes the removal of Snow White's Scary Adventure and the opening to the Seven Dwarfs Mine ride. Meanwhile Honolulu is all atwitter about the jobs that are coming to Oahu courtesy of The Walt Disney Company via Aulani, a Disney Resort and Spa.

Huge line to get into Job Quest
where Disney's Aulani has a booth

Several times a year there are these big job fairs at the Neal Blaisdell Center. I've been attending them for the past couple of years looking at what is happening in the market. I was totally shocked at what I saw when I got there. To get into the event you needed to purchase a $3 ticket. The line from the ticket booth extended all the way to the parking structure (see the picture). I have not seen a line this long to purchase tickets for this type of event. The staff worked hard to keep the line organized and moving which they did.

With my ticket in hand I headed to the main entrance for the hall. Within just a few feet of the turnstiles inside there was another line of people. It was about 30ft in length and lead to the Aulani booth.

One of two lines to get into
Disney's Aulani booth

This line was going in the frontside. There was a second line about equally or slightly longer going in from the right side. The booth was staffed by about a dozen cast members wearing a mauve colored shirt with the Aulani logo and accented with their Aulani name badge. On the KITV 4 local news I had to chuckle at myself. They were showing the booth being set up the day before the show. The anchor said the booth was constructed at and shipped from Disneyland in Florida. As any good DF knows, Disneyland is in California; Walt Disney World is in Florida.

Nearby was a room set up for presenting Aulani to prospective cast members. In the program that people received when they entered Job Quest, Disney had a page informing people of the presentation times on the half hour mark while the show was open which was 10am to 3pm. The room had two large projection screens attached to a computer. There were about 80 seats set up. In the session I attended there were about 125 -150 people total in the room. Just moments before, these people were standing outside the presentation room. The talk was again given by Lianne Maeda and Katie Mock who I had seen last year at Leeward Community College. To start the conversation Lianne joked around about people standing in lines just like they would do if they were at Disneyland.

This session was not as detailed as the one that I saw at LCC. Katie and Lianne talked about the concept a little while. A couple of new points that emerged is that Elliot Mills is the Managing Director at the resort. The beach bar name mentioned was Off the Hook. Then Lianne made a big prediction. Since the last presentation that I saw, Disney hired Patrick Callarec as Executive Chef for the resort. This has peaked the interest of the foodies here locally. She didn't state Patrick's name, but predicted that 'Ama'ama will not only be THE restaurant at Aulani, but for Oahu as well. That's one exciting prediction!

Aulani employment flyer

The remainder of the presentation talked about the positions in general and the process that will be used. This is where a little confusion entered my mind. The news has been reporting 1100 jobs that will need to be filled. During the presentation the number 800 was given. In either case the web site www.aulani.jobs was plugged and explanation of the process followed. Disney was not accepting resumes at Job Quest. People will need to go online to submit their resume and to make sure that they outline their passions in it. If the applicants makes the first screening, they will get an on-line interview. If the individual is selected to go further in the process, they will then, in the third step, talk with a live individual. Pay scales or benefits were not brought up during the approximately 25 minutes used. Everyone who entered the room was given a flyer as shown on this page.

Afterwards I did have a chance to touch base with both Katie and Lianne. Both remember me and Katie was excited in that she googled her own name and came across my previous posting. I asked them about parking. Cast members will have onsite parking but if they would be charged was not determined. For The Bus (the name of Oahu's bus system) going into the resort that was still not clear at this point in time. I had gotten that far when Todd Apo, Aulani's Director of Public Affairs needed to pull the ladies aside. I asked another CM some questions. The issue of unions has not been determined. When I asked about Disney Grooming Standards for Aulani, I was also told that was under review at this point in time. With more of a cultural representation at the resort, people with longer hair or tattoos would be in alignment with the focus of the resort. With that, I accepted a pen topped by being bent into a Mickey Mouse shaped logo on it and went off to other show booths.

This job fair was different than others that I had been to recently. The first was the numbers. There just seemed to be more people in attendance at this one. For the numbers, I don't know if it had to do with Disney and Aulani or that many people are now completely out of unemployment benefits and really have to buckle down to get a job. I also noticed that there were more people dressed professionally. By that I mean there didn't seem to be as many people in slippahs (Mainland translation, flip flops), shorts and t-shirts. More people seemed dressed up. Guys with ties, aloha shirts, long pants and shoes and ladies with dresses or pant suits. In talking to one staffing agency, the person behind the desk thought that both the numbers and the dress were due to Disney.

I tweeted and posted pictures while I was there. I had several people ask me via Twitter and Facebook if I was looking to get hired by Disney. I want to start my own business and be my own boss, but at the same point, I would love to be part of the start up. Following Disney the way that I have and being a former CM, I understand the company and the philosophies they practice. My other skills lie in that I have been with other mainland start ups into the Hawaiian marketplace and understand that although you may have been hired to do X, during a start up you may be required to go above and beyond. In my past experiences I'm not afraid to get out and do what is necessary including working on temporary furniture or handing out flyers or moving a room of computer equipment. Heck, I've been a manager with budget and hiring/firing responsibilities and yet going out once a month to pick up trash and clean streets as part a neighborhood community effort. Disney is going to have a huge and long lasting impact on the market here. I would like to see them come in and be spectacularly successful from opening day because it will be good for both them and the people of Hawaii.

Pictures from Job Quest featuring Disney's Aulani

Preparing Hawaii for the coming wave of Disney

As I write this it's nine months until Aulani a Disney Resort and Spa is due to open in Kapolei at the Ko Olina Resort. To the best of my knowledge I'm the only Disney podcaster living on island and have been following the resort from the announcement back in the fall of 2007. This week I attended a presentation at Leeward Community College sponsored by their Job Prep Services people. So far just about everything that I've seen about the resort has been given by Disney management that's been from the mainland. Katie Mock from the College Program and Lianne Maeda the Aulani Recruitment Manager headed up the session. Lianne is a local and it was good to hear from and talk to her in person rather than just seeing a recorded face on a video screen.

One point that Katie and Lianne wanted to impart to the audience is Aulani will not be a theme park, but a luxury hotel that will be right up there in quality with the Contemporary, Polynesian or Grand Floridian at the Walt Disney World resort or the Grand Californian at the Disneyland Resort. This is reflected in the fact that the price point for a room will start at $399 per night. The 21 acre property will have 359 regular hotel rooms and 481 Disney Vacation Club villas. As they gave specifics to the resort, I was getting more excited. Many of the details for the resort are in place, but there is still some of the experience that needs to be ironed out.

The story of the resort starts as you come in off of Alii Nui Drive. The Kanaka Maoli, the indigenous Hawaiians, tell in the creation chant the story of how kalo (taro) came to be and how it has sustained them from the dawn of civilization. Kalo will be right there at the entrance in a lohi to begin the story of your stay. The main lobby will show Hawaii and Hawaiians via artwork created by local artists. Running water will be on each side of the lobby. The name of the lobby is meant to symbolize what they hope the guests will do: Maka'ala, eyes wide open, eyes to absorb the beauty and tales on display for all to see including a time line that will go from ancient to modern times.

The resort is laid out to represent the division of land given out in ancient times called an ahuapua'a. These divisions contained swaths of land from the mountains running down to the ocean that allowed the residents to live and thrive on what the natural resources provided to them. The rooms are laid out like the ridges on the side of the mountain extending mauka (mountain) to makai (sea) with the valley in between. Disney has named the valley Waikolohe meaning rascally waters. This relates to the lazy river and and other water activities within including a rainbow reef water diving experience where people can dive in and interact with live salt water animals. Seven acres will be devoted to the valley.

They stressed another area called Aunty's Beach House. Aunty's will be a place where kids can go to play. Who knows, maybe Stitch will show up there! Two weeks ago for the taping of a The Travel Channel's Bert the Conqueror at Wet'n'Wild Hawaii I met a person who had been hired by Disney for a Youth Activities Counselor role. He is going to head over to Florida in January to spend four or five months on a Disney cruise ship to get trained. I'm hoping he'll get to go on the new Disney Dream which is to have its inaugural cruise on January 26, 2011. Lianne pointed out how important these counselor roles will be.

Several food locations will be available for the guest to experience during their stay: Makahiki and 'Ama'ama. Makahiki is the time of the new year from the old harvest to the new planting. This restaurant will represent the bounty of the harvest time. 'Ama'ama is a type of mullet fish. This restaurant will be like an old fishing house that was found and renovated to bring in guests. The last location is called 'Olelo meaning language. During the session it was said that the style of the location could be changing but the idea of having items labeled in their Hawaiian terms will be accentuated to help guests with learning.

As part of the name people looking for a spa experience will not be disappointed. Guests could get a spa treatment in one of fifteen rooms or the outdoor hydrotherapy within the 18,000 square feet of the spa facility. The selection of services is still to be finalized. Something unique to this area of the resort will be the reflecting pool with water dripping into it from the ceiling reflecting the light off the surface of the water onto the walls and ceiling for visual excitement.

Something on my wish list which I hope they can put into the resort, especially since Imagineering Creative Senior Vice President Joe Rohde is involved with the project is an Adventurers Club like setting. To have a club where guests can interact with club members of a South Pacific adventuring society would be incredible. When the original Adventurers Club closed in 2008 it left a big hole in the heart of many in the Disney fan community. The devoted would come to Hawai'i to experience it again! Local talent could very well provide the improvisation and musical skills necessary to put together a great time for prospective club members. Having a South Pacific Adventurers Club here with Samoans yelling "chee whoo" and drinks being toasted with "okole maluna" would be a welcome addition to Aulani!

Integrated into the resort will be technology some of which has been talked about for the new Disney Dream cruise ship and the Fantasyland expansion at the Magic Kingdom in Lake Beuna Vista, Florida. Between the Mahakiki restaurant converting looks between lunch and dinner service to the use of specialized "windows" that will change to create an immersive experience, it will be unlike any other resort on the island of O'ahu.

Of course you'll find Mickey and Minnie with some of their friends. But keep in mind that they too will be enjoying their vacation time in Hawai'i. Aloha shirts and muumuus will probably be standard dress. I wonder if Mickey will be able to shed his shoes and wear rubbah slippahs around the resort?

For myself, I've heard from both locals and fellow Disney fans asking lots of questions about the property. One of the major concerns has been regarding what sort of vibe the resort will have. More so for the locals is will Aulani be like the Polynesian Resort or The Enchanted Tiki Room. The attraction and resort are based off of Polynesia as a whole, not focusing on one particular culture. The Enchanted Tiki Room when it was developed came at a time when the trend of Polynesian Pop was in vogue. Looking at the designs, seeing the videos and talking to Lianne in person it is very apparent that Disney is really looking to take the resort experience to a new level while showcasing the Hawaiian culture. I hope by my descriptions you can see the extreme distinctions between Aulani and anything that came prior.

To make this experience come fully alive, Disney is going to need people who embody the Aloha Spirit. The main purpose of the presentation was to talk to the two dozen people in attendance both about the resort and spa and what they are looking for in people that apply and at the same time pointing out some of the more unique positions that will be available. If you work for Disney you are not called an employee, but a cast member since you are part of a show. Ever since Disneyland opened in Anaheim in 1955 this has been the case.

Disney has been hiring management staff now for some time. According to Lianne, come January 2011 they will be at the Job Quest job fair. At that time they will start to accept resumes for hourly positions and general talking to people. Interviews, including web based interviews, will start in May and June with people starting in July and August with test runs on the resort and spa in August with the opening date of August 29, 2011 for phase one. Lianne talked about the hiring process and to make sure that you let them know more about yourself than just the work history. Let them know about your interests and hobbies. This goes against what you're normally told to do when you apply, those topics are usually reserved for the interview and when asked.

Both Lianne and Katie pointed out that because Aulani is not your typical resort, people with all sorts of varied skills and trades will be necessary for the resort to run properly. They will need entertainment people, seamstresses, youth counselors, marine scientists and water specialists in addition to your standard housekeepers, front desk, clerical and back office staff. Disney is looking to draw upon the local talent pool to fill these positions putting multiple hundreds of people to work. Eventually the resort will have an area dedicated for weddings and convention space in addition to the rooms and restaurants.

To see what jobs are currently available go to the Disney Careers website.

Walt Disney once said "You can design and create, and build the most wonderful place in the world. But it takes people to make the dream a reality." That is true of any Disney property anywhere on the globe but I think especially true here in Hawaii because of the intricate details and distinct location with language and culture to be embodied in and through Aulani.

Check out Aulani construction update photos here.

The Joys of Being Laid Off

Wow, hard to believe that it's been four months since I was laid off. I can't believe what this time has been like. It has been some of the best time of my life! I realize that I for lack of a better term had let myself go for the past number of years. I really hadn't done anything to improve myself. I got out of the habit of nightly reading and trying to improve myself, to be better than I was the day before.

With the release from the job came the opportunity of what doors are there available to me to open. One of the programs that I've started to take advantage of is called the Workforce Investment Act (WIA). It provided money for me to get training to upgrade my skills. I've been working with computers since 1978 when I started high school. Over the past decade plus years I had been using the PC but never took the time to really get into the nitty gritty of some of details. Been all around it, but never really got my hands dirty. WIA allowed me to go back to my old employer, this time as a student to take a certification class for Network+. On June 24th, I took the certification exam and passed. I'm waiting to hear about what the next step will be, hopefully I'll be attending a class for Security+ soon.

Being at the place where I worked, allowed me to make observations and hear comments. I really have to thank the person who let me go. She released me from worrying about "do I" or "don't I" have a job. Whether or not the bills will be paid, will they be able to make payroll, do they meet specs for various partnerships. All GONE, all lifted off my chest. I don't have to worry about that anymore. She's got to figure out if cutting expenses and not increasing revenue for what they are supposed to be doing and trying to move out of the training franchise model will keep them in business. So to that person I say MAHALO NUI!!

A few weeks earlier, I signed up for am in the middle of an adult ed creative writing class. This has been fun as I have met several people outside of my normal sphere. I am glad that I'm improving myself once again. Granted, it's not as stringent as taking a course at the university level, but I'm hoping that I can use the skills for a project that I have in mind in the not too distant future.

The timing of my release in one way couldn't have been better. Shortly after being laid off my cousin on the Big Island asked if I could help her. Since her husband passed away last year, she made the decision to move back to the mainland and be with her daughter and grand children. I spent two weeks over there helping sell items and be there during the day when calls came in or perspective buyers dropped by. I also got to explore and visit some of Kona. Had I been working, that wouldn't have happened. I went back at the end of May to visit Linda and my other cousins Joanne and Julie who flew in from MA for a day. It was good to see Joanne and Julie and say goodbye to Linda. Once she left Hawaii I have no immediate family in the state.

I ended up going to Disneyland for a week at the start of May. As part of the Disney Podcast Network we held our Westfest event at the Happiest Place on Earth. My annual pass that I bought back in December helped out immensely. I did manager to get cheap airfare and since I made hotel reservations last September, the room was cheap. It was a good time to see old friends and make new ones.

One of the most exciting parts is that I've had chances to explore where I live. I've taken my time walking in areas and really having a chance to see what's there. Walking down Kapahulu Ave and stopping in a bunch of mom and pop type places. Looking at the buildings to see what is new, what is old and what is modified. My own area, McCully-Moiliili...really taking the time to look and observe. Waikiki. going down and exploring. Seeing what is changed. Lots of construction destroying a lot of old and making way for new. Some of it good and some not so good. Visiting Kailua and see what's there stopping into some antique shops to see what some of old Hawaii might have been like by seeing the items that were now calling that store home.

Going on the tour at the Hawaii Theater, visiting the Honolulu Zoo, the Army Museum at Ft DeRussy are just some of the museums/exhibts. Checking out some fairs and farmers market to get a better pulse. I realize that I really need to make a list and start checking off items as I do them. I discovered today the Mighty Mo, the Battleship Missouri is going away for 3 months of dry dock starting in September. I need to make sure that I get there before it goes. I still have so much more to do!!

One of the side effects of all the exploring is that I've been going casual for months and now have a tan...of sorts. I'm not going to the beach and exposing my upper body to the sun, but my lower legs, face, arms and shoulders are all showing some good brown. I just have those funky lines on my feet from the rubbah slippahs and the brown, white, brown, white, brown pattern across my shoulders from the tank tops.

Due to some improvements that the landlord is making, I've been forced to deal with some cleaning that I haven't done in a long time. I did start doing some cleaning after getting back from Kona. Experiencing what it's like to handle items for a deceased person and help prepare for a move was enlightening. I've been in the same place since I moved to Hawaii in 1990. I came across things like the first Oahu Gold tourist magazine that I picked up the day that I arrived. Paperwork from a business that I owned back in the 1990's was still sitting in a file drawer. In my hall closet, I had 23 towels...why would a single male without a roommate need so many? Old computer parts, a Furby, clothes that don't fit, and magazines have all come to the surface. Looking at some of my Disney items and sharing them with my Disney friends has been fun.

Back in the early 90's I was exposed to the concepts of residual income and being debt free. While I don't have residual income, I am debt free. It's actually been six years this month since I paid off the last credit card. How do I know that? Because I've been shredding credit card statements from all those cards. At least the ones that don't show the zero balance. I'm going to hold onto those. To the various people that taught me and encouraged me to be debt free and with that to start a savings account, I can't say Mahalo enough. Not having to deal with the burden of debt and having that savings account has been truly AWESOME!!

Had I not been let go, I'd still be arguing with the boss and sales manager asking why are we dong that? You're giving that to them for how much? Do we have a signed contract? With the words, we have to let you go or we can't make payroll, my life changed. Not for the worse, but for the better. These words can't fully describe the liberation, excitement and joy that have become part of my life since March 4.

I still have so much more to do on many levels. Between planning some projects, cleaning and exploring more about the place that I call home, I'm super excited. Along the way I've been tweeting, plurking and hanging out on facebook and sharing thoughts and pictures with you of my explorations and adventures. I hope that you have enjoyed them and know that there will be more to come. One area that I have been severely lacking and owe apologies to people is with my podcasts. I haven't turned out anything for a while. I need to get on that. During the cleaning I came across a "For Better or Worse" comic strip from April 25, 1995 that I ripped out of the Sunday paper and saved. It shows the dad comforting the daughter after the passing of the family dog. She's blaming herself and wished that it hadn't happened. He responds with "We are temporary. Our lives are on loan to us. Just for a while. ....and nobody knows how long each life will be. That's why we have to take care of each other and to remember everyday, to appreciate the ones we love."

I really do want to say a heart felt thank you to those that have come along on the journey with me from the first day that I was told to clean out my desk until the moment you are reading this. I really do appreciate you!