16. DRESS UP AS SANTA CLAUSE

Tis the most wonderful time of the year!

Last year I scored when I was asked to dress as Santa Clause for work for Christmas. Last year, after the holiday season had passed, I was delighted to hear that there was an overwhelming positive response to the way I “did” Santa. I was delighted to have been asked if I could be Santa once again this year. Though I had the opportunity to do it once, I still jumped at the chance. Based on the crowd’s response, it seemed as if I did a pretty good job.

This year instead of centering this post on the guests at our hotel, which again was a great experience, I instead am going to revolve it around Santa Clause surprising my niece Ashanti. Like most children, my niece loves the holiday season. Not necessarily because of all the gifts, but because it’s one of those times when the entire family comes together to spend time with each other. She loves seeing everyone.

This year my family and I decided to open gifts on Christmas evening. I kind of planned everything out so I brought my Santa suit home from work. While the action was going on outside, I snuck off to the side into a bedroom to get changed. I asked my cousin, Ashanti’s mom, to bring me one of her gifts so I can put it in my Santa sack. Because I got dressed up the day before, putting the suit back on correctly was literally done in a second. I went thru the back and snuck around to the front as my cousin got my entrance song ready to go.

With everyone together and Ashanti not knowing, “Santa Clause is Coming to Town” played. She looked outside at the figure that was coming towards the house. I weaved my way through the driveway and started dancing. Our family was cheering along. It was rather hard trying to dance and entertain while trying to keep everything together, i.e. the hat, the beard, and making sure the pants don’t fall.

The moment went by like a blur. After everything was done and I transformed back into Brandon, I went back into the house. Ashanti was ecstatic telling me I just missed out on seeing Santa. Seeing her smiling ear to ear made this Christmas one of the best ever. This moment was the personification of the holidays. I can only hope I’ll be able to not just surprise her, but take Santa Clause island wide.

The George Lopez Story

Sometimes you need to gun it!

Anabelle, myself, my cousin Ashley, and her boyfriend Ray made it a semi double date night attending the George Lopez comedy concert.  On our way to the show, Ashley, being all decked out, took picture.  After picture after picture after picture of herself to post on Facebook.  She had taken so many picture retakes she had my battery in the red before we had arrived at the venue.  Thinking that I didn’t necessarily need my phone, I turned it off but I did keep it on me.  I mean hey, don’t you feel naked without your phone, even if it’s dead.

About 3/4 through the set, George Lopez had mentioned how his schedule had worked out in his favor.  He shared with the audience that he’d be able to spend his birthday at his house on the island of Lanai because the day after this concert, April 23^rd is his birthday, which is also my birthday.  I didn’t pay much attention the rest of the show, I was too busy plotting. I kept telling myself to “Think…. Think of how I may be able to meet George Lopez for my Birthday.” Then it hit.  It was a long shot but it was worth a shot.

As the show ended, I turned my phone on and Anabelle and I began walking downstairs while it booted up.  With barely any juice left, I jumped online and googled George Lopez’ twitter name, which simple enough was @GeorgeLopez, racing against both time and battery, I tweeted him faster than a belieber tweeting Justin.  I tweeted:@GeorgeLopez.. Just seen your show at the MACC… You killed it. Heard we have the same B-day… Can I meet you for my b-day??

By then phone was on the brink of dying.  I maybe had 2-3 minutes max left before my phone dies.  Anabelle and I met back up with Ashley and Ray.  Everyone asked why I was sitting down and not leaving like the droves of other people were.  I told them about my Hail Mary plan and could see their thoughts of absurdity painted on their faces.  As crazy as it seemed, I asked them if they could give me until my phone dies, which was bound to happen at any moment.  I knew it was a long shot but sometimes you need to gun it.  Within a minute of sending the tweet, my phone vibrated with a notification.  It was a response from George Lopez telling me to ask for someone named Bruce.  The 4 of us were ecstatic, we were no on the hunt.

Shortly after some questioning and explaining our situation a few times, we found Bruce, who was looking for us as well.  Bruce had led Ray, Ashley, Anabelle, and I back through the amphitheater.  We were escorted onto the stage, then backstage, and towards the dressing rooms.

There he was waiting the most for us, George Lopez.  I was as in shock to have this “Plan” work as I was to meet him.  Anabelle, being an even bigger fan of him than I am was on cloud 9.  This dude was super cool and extremely cordial.  When meeting him, he gave me the pound and a big hug and did the same to Ray, plus and added kiss for both Anabelle and Ashley.  Needless to say , the 2 girls nearly melted.  He struck up conversation with each of us and answered all the groupie questions we threw at him.  We took pictures (with my camera, not a phone) and he even gave each of us a George Lopez shirt.  He was beyond awesome.

Leaving the amphitheater started reminiscing on how crazy an experience this was.  After getting home and posting the picture on facebook and pinterest, dozens of comments poured in.  There were many requests for a retelling of the story and of course I obliged.

Since this experience, I‘ve always took great pleasure in the sharing of this story.  The irony is that it’s not for my benefit or to boast but for the listener to get the lesson that’s behind his unharrowing tale.

What would have been the absolute worst thing that could have happened in the scenario?  It would be 1 of 2 things; George Lopez could have either said no or they could not have answered at all.  Sometimes you can’t be afraid of denial.  Sometimes you can’t be afraid of failing.  If an opportunity presents itself, no matter how far-fetched it may seem, you need to at least try to capitalize on it.  Sometimes you need to think outside the box.  Sometimes it won’t work.  Sometimes it will.  There’s only one way to find out.

Sometimes you need to gun it!

 

BOYZ II MEN CONCERT

My very first memory of Boyz II Men is about 20 years old. I remember listening to Motownphilly over and over and over, repeatedly while being in line at the car wash. I remember singing the “doom doom doom da da, da doom doom doom da da” part as if I sounded like them. Fast forward to 1992, I was in the 6^th grade and Boyz II Men ruled the airwaves. There wasn’t an hour that would pass by that you wouldn’t hear “End of the Road” on the radio. In 1993, when II came out, it was over. That was the year that solidified my love for them. I mean, I liked them during their earlier years, but after hearing hit after hit, “On Bended Knee”, “I’ll Make Love to You”, and “Water Runs Dry”, you couldn’t help but believe this group was an undeniable force. Years later, Evolution reintroduced me to BIIM with hits like “4 Seasons of Loneliness” and “Song for Mama”. After 5 long years, the trademarked Boyz II Men sound was back, and man, was it refreshing.

When I first seen that Boyz II Men was coming to Maui to perform, I instantly became excited. I couldn’t believe it. Could it be? Is my all time favorite music group really coming to my hometown to perform? I had to read the article twice to make sure there wasn’t another Boyz II Men out there parading around. I was so skeptical; I had to examine the words Boyz II Men to see that the spelling was correct. As the months turned to weeks and the weeks turned to days, the excitement went from overdrive to hyperspeed.

Anabelle and I got ready several hours in advance. We both tried our best to look absolutely perfect for this momentous occasion. As we took the right turn into the Maui Arts & Cultural Center, we were both hit with an overwhelming sensation. We were so excited to get in, we parked in the first stall we came across; and we were still about an hour early. In concerts past, we’ve always gotten to the venue with very little time to spare. This time, I wanted us to really capitalize on having a beautiful evening.

As we walked in, there was a table selling VIP passes. Anabelle asked about them. Basically, they were passes for a post concert meet and greet plus an autograph picture from the members. My main concern though was the price. When I found out it was $45/person, I was all over it. I thought what other time will there be in my life that I’ll be able to meet all 3 members of Boyz II Men at the same time and get them to pose for a picture with both Anabelle and myself. Without hesitation I dropped the money. Anabelle and I put on our new jewelry and continued on. As we were walking around, there were several concert goers asking us about the passes. In a way, it felt like we were the envy of many people. It was actually kind of weird.

Anabelle and I decided to grab something to eat. The dinners at the MACC are awesome. I ordered the chicken and Anabelle ordered the salmon. Man, they were delicious. We literally ate all our food within 5 minutes. I don’t know if we were just that hungry or if the food was just that good. I’m thinking the latter.

We started seeing a ton of people beginning to walk in so we finished our drinks and jumped in line. With the help of the many ushers the MACC has, we easily found our seats. We sat and quickly realized we were surrounded by fans that were as fanatically crazy for Boyz II Men as we were; we felt right at home. Our seats were on the 2^nd mezzanine level on the last row. We had a panoramic view of our teen idols without an interruption in sight. The seats were damn near perfect.

The countdown began. The venue was going berserk. The house lights dimmed. The backdrop graphic illuminated. Out came 3 silhouettes walking towards center stage. We immediately knew who it was. Each silhouette took its place onstage. Seconds later the stage came to life and there they were, Boyz II (f’n) Men. The amphitheater was louder than I’ve ever heard it be. The crowd was so loud you could barely hear the song that was being sung. It was mass hysteria. The females were acting like guys and the guys were screaming like girls, not me though ;) At that moment, I literally felt like a part of me came full circle. Here in front of me, in flesh and bone is the band that I’ve followed and listened to for as long as I can remember. This is the group that through thick and thin, no matter who’s “trending”, this is the group that no one can top. And here they are, here!

Once the noise dropped about a decibel, and you could hear the vocals, Boyz II Men made the place erupt with “On Bended Knee”. In an instant, each audience member of the Maui Arts & Cultural Center was transported back to their youth. Whether it be elementary, intermediate, or high school, everyone seemed to have that 1 undeniable nostalgic moment come over them. It was incredible. We were only one song in and I could see the tears glistening off of Anabelle’s face. I was in awe. You could feel the positive energy being exuded and flowing throughout the concert.

Boyz II Men also paid homage to their Motown ancestors; Earth, Wind, and Fire, The Temptations, and The Jackson 5. They had each person in each row in each seat on each level doing the 1950 scat. I’ve been to many concerts, and to have every doing the same dance in unison was one of a kind. They also sang a few of their chart topping hits like Water Runs Dry, 4 Seasons of Loneliness, and A Song for Mama. They performed “More Than You’ll Ever Know” off of their new album XX. As they were singing that song, there’s a certain part towards the end where Wanya pelts this incredible note, it sent goose bumps through me. Seriously, look up that song on youtube, you’ll agree.

Within seconds, another wave of screams filled the air as the first 3 instrumental notes from “I’ll Make Love to You” were played. The girls were going crazy. As BIIM continued to sing, they started to pass out red roses to all the females. Needless to say, there hundreds of girls that bum rushed the stage to fight for a chance to get a fresh rose by someone from their all time favorite band. Being that Anabelle and I were sandwiched in between two groups, we decided to stay put and watch the madness from above. In the time that they sang the song, they literally passed out over 100 roses and made the nights to its recipients.

Every classic was being done. But you could hear the audience beginning to whisper. What happened to MotownPhilly? Could it really happen? Is it possible that Boyz II Men can do a concert without doing MotownPhilly? Then Shawn screams “Maui, ARE YOU READY!” Once again, the place erupted into a frenzy. It’s been 20 long years since this track has come out, and still, the audience knew every word. This was probably the absolute best end that Boyz II Men could have given.

As the guys Shawn, Nate, and Wanya said their farewells and thank yous, the house lights came on. The audience started making their way out. There wasn’t a single soul in the MACC amphitheater that left disappointed. The concert was so good; it was a harsh reality that the night was coming to an end. It was at that moment that Anabelle and I remembered that we still had the backstage passes. Yes sir! Anabelle darted to the meet and greet line while I headed back into the venue, but on the first floor. I wanted to see if I can get a little souvenir. I walked over to the stage and asked one of the crew members if there was any way that I’d be able to get a bottle of water that one of the guys drank from. I know, it’s weird, but why not? The guy thought I was joking. Luckily he realized I was a “crazie” and obliged. I was ecstatic.

I ran outside to get in line with Anabelle and gave her the water. Everyone around us somehow impressed. It’s like there are more “crazies” than there are normal fans. As I told Anabelle about how I got the bottle, people were like, “wow, I should go get something”. It put a smile on my face.

The time was finally here where Anabelle and I were going to meet our childhood idols, Boyz II Men. As we walked into the hall to meet them, Anabelle quickly turned into a groupie. She was trying to rub them down, it was so funny. Though I was jumping like a little girl on the inside, I tried to maintain and give them a daps and a hug. All 3 guys were real. Not just real in the physical sense but real as in they all seemed genuinely happy to meet their fans. We all turned around and got a picture taken. Directly after, both Anabelle and I were outside admiring our new Facebook default. We couldn’t wait to get it up.

The entire night went by like a serious blur. There are so many things that happened that I can’t remember. As much of a blur that it was, it’s a blur that both of us will never, ever forget. Thank you Boyz II Men for visiting our island Maui. Thank you for making my evening special but an even bigger thank you for creating millions of long lasting memories for Anabelle. This concert helped both of us come full circle. Hopefully you’ll be back one day. Hopefully it’s one day soon. Please don’t let it be when you release XXXX. Daps.

GOOD DEED- I CAN

I enjoy putting gas at night. Not only is it easier for me to get in and out, but the station’s always emptier and the streets are a bit clearer, but I heard it’s also better for the vehicle.

While putting gas, I noticed an older lady digging through some trash cans looking for recyclables. I seen her take what she found and put it in her car which was filled from floorboard to ceiling with bags of cans and both plastic and glass bottles. Because I helped do some cleaning at Moku’ula a few days prior, I still had a medium sized trash bag in the back of my truck filled with recyclables. While pumping gas, I caught her down and asked her if she wanted my bag. She happily took what I had and mashed it in her car. Before pulling out, she said “Thank you and God bless you.” Who would’ve known you could still have a smile on your face even with today’s gas prices. 

PRAISE

24 HOUR GETAWAY- LAHAINA SHORES

Sometimes a mini vacation can come at a minutes notice. In this case, it did. I’ve mentioned before that we don’t travel that often anymore so we try to capitalize on what we call “24 hour getaways”.

Anabelle and my mom had a wedding to go to so they decided to get a room over at the Lahaina Shores on Front Street. My dad, Damien, and myself were invited slash asked if we could slash wanted to come to both getaway and do a little volunteering, or in this case, “volutourism”.

The Lahaina Shores has been around for quite some time. They’ve in fact been around for so long that they’re even in my earliest memories of Lahaina town. Being that I’ve seen the hotel from the outside all my life, I’ve always been curious about what the interior looks like. After 30 years, I got to find out. I heard awhile back that the Lahaina Shores was going under a major renovation so that added to my expectations.

After we got our keys, we made quick work walking to the room. I’m sad to say, the room was a bit of a letdown. Normally, when we get a room, we try to make it an effort to enjoy both the hotel room and the hotel’s amenities. However, because the room wasn’t really what we expected, Damien and I wanted to do something off property; have a small dude’s night out since Anabelle was busy.

Damien and I chose to eat at Kobe’s Steakhouse since he’s never been there and has never seen anything like it. I was really looking forward to his reaction. Once we got seated, I instantly noticed Damien’s eyes wandering around trying to watch the other cooks doing their little showcase. Shortly after ordering, our cook slash showman came out and started. There were only 2 kids seated with us so our cook really took care of them. Damien was in awe. Our cook was throwing, flipping, tossing, and twirling everything; food, cutlery, bowls; even the sauces were made into a prop. From time to time, I was watching Damien to see what his reactions were, and for the most part, he seemed overly intrigued. The night was also a success because not only did Damien get to finally experience a meal of this sort but he got to try fried shrimp tails for the first time. Neither of us had heard of it but he seemed to enjoy it. We both enjoyed our meals immensely. The cook was great. He was so entertaining and funny that we actually would have “waited” even longer if he did more of his culinary magic for us.

From there headed over to Barnes & Noble. I enjoy taking Damien there because it lets me see the different types of things that he’s into and curious about. Since we had such an awesome dinner, we didn’t stay there too long because were hit with a sudden jolt of food comatosis so we wanted to lie down and relax.

Saturday started at the crack of dawn. This is where Damien and I would earn our hotel stay. We checked out and headed over to Waine’e Church for the Royal Hawaiian Guard Ho’ike. The Ho’ike is ceremony that celebrated the 175^th birthday of King David Kalakaua. Along with a royal ceremony, event goers were also able to see the crafts of local artisans, try some “ono” (delicious) local food, and listen to some of Hawaii’s best musicians. Anabelle, Damien, and I, along with my parents had to help set up the Moku’ula booth and help wherever and however necessary. Judging by the amount of visitors the Moku’ula tent had and by how many people came to check out the festivities, it seemed like the event was a success.

As the sun went down and everyone was packed up, the Royal Hawaiian Guard Luau began. There were a lot of people that stayed throughout the Ho’ike but even more folks either came or came back for the luau. The luau was in fact so good that I wished I had known about it earlier so I could have promoted it at our hotel. The food was excellent and all you can eat. The musical program was great as was the hula performances. As good as the luau was, it was in actuality nice to see a local “society (?)” put on such a wonderful program for an equally wonderful cause.

Though Damien didn’t get the full experience because he missed out on the luau, I know for a fact that he had a good time. Being able to have such a good time with Anabelle while giving back to the community made this 24 hour getaway all the more better.

LOKELANI INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL BAND- CHRISTMAS MEDLEY 1

SORRY. I HAVENT POSTED IN A WHILE WHICH MAKES THIS VIDEO A FEW MONTHS OLD.

It’s been a while since I last got to attend one of Damien’s concerts. Unfortunately, because he tells me with a literal minute to spare, I don’t have enough time to change my schedule or take the day off. Luckily for me, this time Anabelle came through and told me about his holiday concert. I don’t think Damien expected me to be there but he seemed happy once he spotted me in the crowd. There was a big show of support for the band members from not only their families but by the community. It was a great way to bring in the holiday season and the students of Lokelani Intermediate School did great.

GOOD DEED- BET

Earlier in the day, I had lost a bet. Therefore, I had to play Damien’s chauffeur and drop him off to his grandma’s house. On my way home, I noticed a well dressed older Filipino woman standing on the corner looking for a ride. I don’t know where I had seen her but I knew her face. As I pulled up to the stop sign, she asked if I could take her down the street and drop her off. I didn’t think anything of it so I unlocked the door for her. After she jumped in, she thanked me because she needed a ride to church. We did a minutes worth of small talk before we arrived at her destination. She tried to give me $5 as a thank you but I declined. So in actuality, in this case, I won the bet. 

FLUFFY ROUND 3

It’s Black Friday night. In the last 36 hours, I’d be lucky if I had 2 hours of sleep. Having battled the retail elements along with the masses, I now am tired and fatigued. However, I have good reason to dig deep and fight to stay awake. Tonight we’re getting to watch Hispanic funnyman Gabriel Iglesias for a third straight year.

When I first seen online that Gabriel Iglesias aka Fluffy was returning to Maui, I was apprehensive about going. I figured because I’ve seen him perform live twice, watched his Comedy Central specials, and added to his 1,000,000+ views on YouTube, I probably heard majority of his schtick. I felt that because of his genuineness to his fans and how personable he always is, I’d definitely love to show some support. Also, my two boys Robin and Ray have always wanted to go in years past but never had the chance. Luckily, with the help of a hookup, I was able to change that.

Once again, Gabriel and crew killed it. I was expecting to hear the same jokes but Fluffy blew my mind by keeping us all in stitches with brand new material. From time to time, I was peeking at Robin and Ray to see what their facial expressions were and for the most part, they too thought Fluffy’s material was funny. I was looking at it as a mental getaway for them both. It was an awesome sight to see them having a good time.

Anabelle and I kept asking them if they’d be willing to stand in line to meet and take pictures with Fluffy after the show. Luckily for us, both Robin and Ray were down. The wait began. The line was a few hundred strong and it ran about a hundred yards long. At first glance, we knew that the wait would be daunting. Being that we had such a great time at the show, we had a lot to talk about and share, which made the wait go by that much quicker. Throughout the wait, Gabriel’s staff kept making fun of certain audience members; they were hilarious. As Anabelle and I started getting closer to our photo op, I suggested to her that she ask Fluffy if she’d be able to sit on his lap. She was hesitant but knew she didn’t want to pass up the opportunity. It was now our turn. With each step, I could tell that Anabelle wasn’t about to ask. I knew it was one of two things; she was either so star struck she either forgot or didn’t care because she was in his presence. I didn’t want her to regret not asking so I asked on her behalf. Fluffy happily accommodated. We had a quick chat and smiled. Once again, I was impressed with Gabriel because he asked us if the picture was okay with us or if we wanted to take another. As we walked off stage, we exchanged smiles, daps, kisses, and hugs. Robin and Ray were up next. As they approached Fluffy, Robin shook his hand and without hesitation, Gabriel asked Ray if he wanted to sit on Gabriel’s lap. There were still a ton of people waiting to get their pictures and everyone that heard erupted in laughter. I was sipping on a bottle of water and almost spit it out because it was so funny. Ray is probably as manly as you can get so to hear another MAN ask him such a question made it one heck of a moment.

Once again, Mr. Gabriel Iglesias along with his band of comedy legends came into Maui and put their stamp down. They absolutely rocked the 100% packed house. No seat was left empty. No body left any less than overly satisfied. And no spirit was left unlifted. I think I can speak not just for myself and Anabelle, but also for Robin and Ray and the legions of us Mauians who love and adore Gabriel Iglesias; please come back. Hana Hou!

PRAISE

KONY 2012

LEAP YEAR

considering itll be awhile till i'll be able to post something on february 29th, i may as well capitalize. post coming soon.

I'M A YELPER

I’ve heard of YELP a long time ago. I was familiar with the site but never spent much time on it. Over time, I came to know a lot of people that use the site’s reviews to help them make a decision on their next outing.

At the hotel, I get asked on a daily basis, where would I go, where do I recommend. The places that I like, I always refer business their way. If I had a negative experience at a certain place, I won’t recommend them; plain and simple. However, I’ll never tell the guest of my experience because I’d never want them thinking that I have a personal vendetta with a certain spot.

There were many different reasons why I finally joined the legions of “Yelpers”. One day I visited the site and read a random review on the Haleakala Zipline. My family and I had gone on their ziplines and I actually blogged about it. What the reviewer was saying seemed to be a flat out lie. I continued reading and it seemed there were a lot of people going to different Maui attractions with very different expectations than what the show is really about. That’s when I chose to take action. I figured since I already give reviews to our guests at work; why not share it over social media. I also wanted to clarify a few things considering several reviews seemed to be a bit misconstrued.

My goal with yelp is to not just review certain places, but inform the masses about the spots that the locals flock to; the diamonds in the rough. They may not be the most ideal looking places on the outside, but once found and experienced, you’re more than likely to come back.

Prior to this entry, I wanted to have a few reviews under my belt. In a week’s time, I’ve garnered 7 reviews with 2 USEFUL tags, 1 FUNNY tag, and 1 COOL tag. What I’m most proud of though is my first COMPLIMENT; Good Writer. Just when you think no one is reading what you’re saying, it all pays off when you’re being told you’re a good writer. I think I may have found another calling; Yelper!

MILESTONE

3 YEARS SOBER

INTERMISSION

Time has definitely flown by for me the past few months. Between the “rigors” of work, the joys of life, and this past year’s joyous holiday season, it’s been really tough to find the time to blog. It’s now January 2^nd and things are seeming as if they’re all falling back into place. It’s been about 2 months since my last post so hopefully I won’t miss any of the amazing things life has brought my way in that missed time. I’m just trying to consider this a brief intermission. Let’s carry on, shall we?

MILESTONE

32 MONTHS

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

For my Halloween post, I’m going to flex my K.I.S.S. muscle and keep everything short and simple. When it comes to Halloween, I’ve somehow been bitten by the Grinch bug. I can’t exactly pinpoint when, how, or why I’ve come to not like Halloween but that all changed. After seeing the ingenuity and brilliance both Anabelle and Damien had for Damien’s costume, I’m happy to say that I am now back in the positive with the final day of October.

Over the course of a week and a half, Anabelle would send me picture messages of portions of Damien’s upcoming costume. Picture by picture, I wondered what the heck they were up to. Finally, I got to see everything as a whole and it looked incredible. There before me was a near replica of a Deadmau5 helmet. I’m far from a craft person but if you looked good at it, Anabelle and Damien seemed to have used the old newspaper and balloon paper mache method. The most impressive aspect though from everything is that they had used those little click lights as the Deadmau5 eyes. When I had first seen the helmet, I was impressed. However, when Damien clicked the eyes on, I was beyond myself. They did a spectacular job.

For those not in the know, Deadmau5 is a world famous DJ whose sets have sold out some of the planet’s biggest venues. Deadmau5 has also made a name for himself with the help of his very ingenious and intricate Deadmau5 helmets. When I had seen that that is what Anabelle and Damien had made, I was in total awe. Simply said, I was just proud that they accomplished what they had set out for.

On Halloween night, as Damien brought out his helmet and showed it off to everyone at our family get together, there wasn’t one person that was not impressed. Everyone’s jaws dropped. As we began trick or treating, unfortunately, there were very few people that knew who Damien was supposed to be. However, the few that did know who Deadmau5 is were blown away. As the evening ended and I gave Anabelle a recap of the night (she was working and didn’t come), I told her the helmet was a smash.

As the evening winded down, I realized just how special Halloween is. I don’t think I realized just how much fun it would be to be someone or something else for an evening. I lost that spirit but fortunately I got it back; all thanks to the ingenuity of Anabelle and Damien, as usual. Happy Halloween.

THE REAL DEADMAU5

 

DAMIEN’S DEADMAU5

100TH POST

It has come to my attention that I’ve hit the century mark with my blog. I almost can’t believe it, 100 posts. Wow, 100 posts! Wait, what, 100 posts? I need to ask myself, did time fly or am I having that good a ride? I’m opting for the latter.

When I first started blogging, I first had another blog which is still up and running. I tried to delete it but never could. When I first started that one, I took great pride in it. I’d post everything that’s near and dear to me, externally. I spent many hours cutting, copying, and pasting images that I’d find lurking online and called it my own. Blogging back then was so much easier. As time went on, one day, I looked back on all those posts and realized that that blog really had nothing to do with me as an individual. As I surfed the web, I came to a harsh realization that my blog was no different from all the other blogs with similar content. I looked in the blogging mirror and knew it was time for a change.

I decided to (re)start from scratch. The absolute first thing that I needed my blog to be was my blog. Instead of looking for a cool layout with bright colors or animated graphics like the old blog, I wanted this one to be a mixture of user friendliness, be easy on the eyes, yet be catchy and of course, different. I copied over a few of the old entries, proofread them, and posted them. I stuck with the whole substance over style mantra and it hasn’t done me wrong thus far. I thought of a few more topics and tried to concentrate on that.

BUCKET LIST

The first thing that I wanted this blog to be about was my Bucket List. I firmly believe there are very few things that reflect a person and their passions more than a Bucket List. When I first heard the term Bucket List, it was on Oprah about 12-13 years ago. Like many people, I thought, “Ah, I got time”. Then I forgot about it. Fast forward about 10+ year. I once again heard the words “Bucket List”. I then realized that over 10 years had passed and I have very few things to show for it. On that very day, I started coming up with my list. It took me a lot of time and I still add to it ‘til this very day. I never realized how many childhood hobbies that I had that still linger with me today. Experiencing these things and crossing them off from my list is one of the greatest feelings. Being able to blog about them and share them with you makes it all the more gratifying. If you don’t already have a Bucket List, make one. Use MINES if you’d like for inspiration.

COOLNESS

Coolness is an amalgam of 2 words; obviously the word cool. The –ness comes from a word I’ve seen several bloggers use; randomness. Basically, this is where all the cool and random things kind of end. When I mention cool, you’ll see a few pictures of concerts we’ve gone to and celebrities we’ve been able to meet. As for the random part: it’s sort of like trends. For example, when planking became the phenomenon, I used to think only bored people with too much time on their hands would do. Low and behold, when I first tried it, it ended up being such a random burst of nothing but lying flat that it somehow became fun. Hence PLANKING.

G.O.A.L. GET OUT AND LIVE

This is the anti-couch potato thread. I too, enjoy sleeping in and watching TV all day. However, I also enjoy experiencing new things. At one point in time, I was very closed minded on what I wanted to do. If I thought I wasn’t going to have fun, I wasn’t doing it. I’m glad to say that things have changed. I now enjoy doing new things. I’m finding myself looking through the newspaper, through brochures, pamphlets, etc to see what events are going on around me. For the most part, it’s those very events that I have the most fun because I chose to get off of my rump and have fun. I chose to G.O.A.L.

GOOD DEED A DAY

As I go on through my daily rituals, I’ve been finding that doing good deeds are a dying trait. I’ve been finding it rare for people to do something courteous without having some type of recuperation attached to it. That’s where this thread comes in. I love to have that gratifying feeling within me when I do a good deed. Whether it be holding a door open (which I do but choose not to write about), returning something to its owner, or donating something, it all counts. I’ve been blessed with the opportunities to do the mentioned deeds and I love the feeling that I get. Through these good deeds and this blog, I hope I’ll be able to inspire someone to do something good. I know I’m only throwing a pebble in a very big pond but hopefully together we’ll cause waves that would make Poseidon jealous.

HOTEL LIFE

Working at a hotel, you never really have a dull day. As each person is different, so too are the days. With my old blog, I’d use it to rant about all the “idiocy” I’d have to deal with on a day to day basis. As a blog grows, so does the blogger. This time around I wanted to try and showcase some of the recognition that I’m lucky enough to get by people who mention me. In a way, hotel life is a sort of collection of notes and comments that remind me to continue to work hard.

MOVIE GUIDE

As I mentioned, I love movies. The best time of the year for movie buffs (which I like to consider myself) is the summertime. Basically, all this is, is a movie guide: for dudes, by dudes.

RE:ME

This thread is mainly me uncut. My goal here is to have these entries reflect me the best. Ideally, I don’t want it to be anywhere around the TMI zone but I still want it to have some gauge on who I am. Truthfully,  my goal with RE:ME is to show all the fun things that a person can do with a alcohol free state of mind.

THE LIST

My Bucket List. Check it out. Tell me what you think. Any ideas?

TRAVELS

This thread is pretty self explanatory. As a kid, I traveled a heck of a lot. The older I got, the less I traveled. Anabelle, Damien, and I have been to quite a few places but as I mentioned, I don’t want to post too many things about past experiences. And the way I see it, even if Maui is only an island, there’s still a ton of things we’re able to do here. So for the moment, we’re good. Besides, we’re good with the 24 hour getaways we try to do every so often.

I’m 100 posts deep with my blog and so far it’s been a great ride. From top to bottom, I’m extremely happy on how my blog is coming along. I had put in a counter a few months back to see how the traffic is and I’m seeing the number grow everyday. Hopefully my reader base will grow with each post and I’ll be able to get my first follower. And until then, I’ll continue to share all I can with you to live; a cooler life, a more enjoyable life, a more positive life. This is my life.. REANIMATED.

** ANY QUESTIONS, IDEAS, COMMENTS ON ANYTHING, PLEASE LET ME KNOW. I’M AN OPEN BOOK **

INSPIRED - THE LAST LECTURE

One day some time ago, I was flipping through channels and I landed on Oprah. There was some guy that I’ve never heard of named Randy Pausch talking about something called “The Last Lecture”. For some reason, I chose not to change the channel and I sat there listening to him, captivated. A few days later I searched for it on youtube and listed it as my first Favorite.

Over the last few months I’ve watched that video several dozen times. I found it on my droid app as an mp3 and downloaded just about everything that I could find referencing “The Last Lecture”. I’ve tried to use his lessons as a type of barometer for my life and lifestyle which brings me to this post.

Two Christmases ago, I bought Damien an AIRSOFT GUN. When he first got it, he'd beg on a weekly basis for me to go outside and play with him. I of course did and we'd have a blast. However, as time passed, we don't play too often and he hasn’t really touched his gun in awhile. A few weeks ago, he found the gun lying in the garage and chose to take it in back for a spin. Not long after, he brought the gun in the house and asked me if he could take it apart. I asked him, “What do you mean apart?” He said that he wanted to clean everything but also see if he’d be able to put everything back together. I instantly thought back to the lecture and referenced the part of letting your kids draw on the walls. I understand that Damien is taking apart a gun and not drawing on the walls but in essence the lessons are very similar. I told Damien he could and he began. As Damien started to take everything apart, I could see the little wheels in his head starting to spin. He got the cleaning part done but ran out of time and left the gun disassembled on the kitchen table. A few days later, my dad noticed the screws and asked why the gun was in shambles. I told him Damien wanted to do it and my dad told me that that was a bad idea and the gun is more than likely shot (Pun intended). I gave my dad a broad summary of The Last Lecture and explained to him that the gun is only a thing; how it’s only something of materialistic value. This past weekend as Damien and Anabelle came back; Damien was back on that table trying to reassemble everything. Again though, Damien ran out of time before we dropped him off at his grandparent’s house. I’m sure this weekend, if not next, with his determination, Damien will finish what he had started. Whether the gun works or not, I’m just glad that Damien had a chance to play engineer and mechanic. After all, it's just a thing.

BE INSPIRED

Thank you Randy Pausch for the lessons!

For the full lecture, click HERE

24 HOUR GETAWAY - WESTIN KOR

Every so often, Anabelle and I like to get away from the rest of the world and do nothing but enjoy the company of one another. Well, I can’t really say “do nothing”. We actually like to do as much as we possibly can in whatever amount of time, together.

I wanted to do something special for Anabelle for her 29^th birthday. We had an amazing dinner with a few of our loved one the night before but we definitely wanted our “us” time with Damien. We initially wanted to stay at the Sheraton Ka’anapali but they were unfortunately booked up. We instead decided to stay at the Westin Ka’anapali Ocean Resort.

On our drive to the hotel, we picked up Damien and his friend Noah from their several hour long ping-pong-a-thon. It seems that whenever we try to plan any type of getaway, time is always of the essence. However, our day was moving along quite well. We were making good time so far and we were now on our way to the Westin KOR.

As the boys and I were getting everything out of the car and giving it to valet, Anabelle got us checked in. We then made the (super) long journey from the desk to our room. It was a zigzagging maze of walkways, corridors, and elevators. On the upside, we got to see a lot of what the Westin had to offer us. Had our room been so close to the lobby, we wouldn’t have made the effort to really wander around. Once we found our room, Anabelle and I checked it out while both Damien and Noah changed into their swim clothes so they could attack the pool. The room was beautiful. From all the hotels that we’ve stayed at, the room at the Westin may vey well be one of the nicest if not the nicest we’ve stayed at. It was a one bedroom one bath condo with both an ocean view and garden view. The bathroom was equipped with both a hot tub jacuzzi and walk in shower. The décor was great; very welcoming but very modern. Both Anabelle and I were very impressed.

We eventually got changed and headed down to the pool to meet up with Damien and Noah. There were two towers which meant there were two pools. Each tower and pool seemed to have its own demographic. The pool that belonged to our tower, the North tower, had a lazy pool which the older crowd congregated around. Obviously, that’s not the one that we were wanting. Anabelle and I made our way to the South tower where the waterslide and basketball hoop were. It took us forever before we were able to find the pool attendant stand so we could get towels. After jumping in and soaking myself, I made my way up the stairs and decided to give the slide a try. As you can see in the video, though the slide was rather a quickie, it was still fun. From there, Anabelle, Damien, Noah, and I swam over to the basketball setup and played HORSE; man, that  was fun.

After a few hours in the pool, Anabelle ordered some food which was very much needed. We snacked on tortilla chips with salsa and furikake french fries. We were all so hungry almost each drop of furikake and every crumb of tortilla chips were consumed. It’s exactly what we needed. Moments later, we realized that the sun was about to drop and we needed to get the boys to their drop off points; Noah got picked up by his mom and Damien got picked up by his grandparents. Anabelle and I were now officially alone. And that meant one thing, relaxation.

Anabelle and I then got ready for a night on the town. We didn’t know where we were going to go or what we were about to do but we wanted to capitalize. We left the hotel around 8:30 Saturday night and were full aware that most restaurants close shop at 9. There were a few spots that we could have gone but we opted to wait for 10 p.m. so we could hit Maui’s best sushi spot, Sansei’s. At 10 o’clock, Sansei’s offers 50% of everything except alcohol. It was a win-win situation for all parties. We decided to kill some time at the Lahaina Gateway Center, Footlocker, Afterthoughts, and Barnes and Noble to be exact. Without knowing it, we killed 90 minutes with absolutely no problem. From there, we were Kapalua bound.

Arriving at Sansei’s was great. When we first got there, there were only about 15 people there. Normally, the Sansei’s in Kihei is flooded with people and you see more than 15 people waiting just to get a table. So that was definitely a nice change. I seen my boy there and gave him the pound as the doorman pretended he was checking our IDs. Once we got seated, the server quickly got our drinks for us. I stuck with my trademarked Diet Pepsi as Anabelle went for a lava flow, which she loved I might add. Once we decided on what to get, we gave our order. It literally took us a few minutes before each and every one of our dishes was on our table before us. Anabelle was seriously on cloud 9. She was in heaven being drowned in plate after plate of sushi at her disposal. I was in heaven just seeing her smile ear to ear. I love seeing her happy. In an instant, she went from being giddy with pure joy to being giddy with pure joy, with a mouthful of California Roll in her mouth. She was officially in her zone. There wasn’t anything I could really do but sit back and watch the plates of sushi dwindle down to a mere smearing of sauces on the plate. I can almost mean it, from that point on, it almost became a blur. The food was just that good. As we were eating, there were several karaoke singers to entertain us and they were all good. As our bellies began to bulge, we decided to put in one last order to go and use it for breakfast before we paid the bill and headed out.

I decided to be the driver back to the hotel so I greased my belly and the bottom of the steering wheel and slid into position. As we made our way back to the hotel, Anabelle and I recapped our amazing day and wobbled our way back to the room. We were both so pooped with everything that we both called it a night and went right to bed.

The following day was pretty uneventful. After packing up and loading up the car, we decided to take a few more pictures to remember this little getaway. I think we were both emanating the scent of “Check out” because the housekeepers were right there waiting for us to leave; it wasn’t even check out time yet. Anabelle took a quick minute to check us out at the front desk and we made our way back to civilization.

Man, oh man this was a great getaway. I really feel that we capitalized on almost everything that the Westin KOR had to offer. For the things we didn’t get a chance to do, it only gives us something to look forward to the next time we go there. Great hotel. Great stay. Great times. Great memories.