Paradise, What are they thinking? USAT elections!

For some reason when I visit Hawaii I feel like I am cheating time. The reason being is that with the five hour(behind) time difference in Texas my body automatically wakes up at 3:00 a.m. or so, and starts functioning. So, I get up and start the day with 4 or 5 hours more time, it seems, and by 8:00 a.m. I have accomplished a lot and still have the rest of the day. Of course, reality sets in about 8:00 p.m. and something has to give. Generally the first day in paradise the wake up is at 2:30 a.m., so I really get a bonus that day. Yesterday I got in a 7 mile run and really enjoyed it and felt athletic all day. After coming over here for the past 13 years I have found that when you get off the airplane, no matter what, it is just the same each time. A warm feeling, humidity in the air, a slight breeze and consistent laid back attitude. Of course flowered shirts, sandles and baggy shorts are the order of the day for clothing, and you are guaranteed of getting lei'd. But you really come back to reality when you get ready to buy something, meaning dig deep because it cost to be in paradise. For the most part the natives are very friendly and appreciate the money you are spending while being here. There are exceptions, of course, like yesterday the waitress in the hotel was exremely un-cool, so she was given an un-cool tip. Since I am here to attend a self help seminar, Liberty League, I am recommending that this waitress attend the next session I am also around a bunch of motivated rah rah type people who are already motivated. With two more days left I am sure I will be jumping though my shorts before it is over. With a black tie deal ending all of the happenings that should be real weird. Fact is, it might be so weird I won't even go, even though they are serving an already paid for dinner that I will probably want to experience. The other thing I always notice is that everything you want is available at these real plush hotels, but they each cost extra, i.e. internet $14.95 for 24 hours, the goody bar in your room, beer, $6.00, chips $4.00, and on and on! Yesterday a less than average snack type lunch for the three of us at the table cost $62.00 with small tip for sorry service. So, the thing to do is save your money for 10 years and then go to Cancun, Panama City, FL or Costa Rica. Better beaches and lots less money. So, gear up your loins and save a little if you are flying to the islands any time soon.

Sorry, but I have been thinking about the next subject for about a week and haven't written anything on it. But, it really bugs the hell out of me to keep hearing about the poor Katrina victims(and I do feel for what they went through)and then see that they have spent $185 million to repair the Superdome so the New Orleans Saints football team can play their home games in it for the 2006 season. What bugs me is that there are still neighborhoods in New Orleans that are not "fixed" for liveable conditions, there are still people without homes, there are still misplaced people and crime galore, but lo and behold the Dome is repaired and they can play their almighty NFL games. To make it even worse the cameras caught the crowd and they were over joyed that they could come to the game and sit in their beloved Superdome, that just some short time ago they had used as a public john and wanted no part of it. What is this world coming to and where are our priorities. It doesn't fit well with me and I am not even directly affected by it, except for being aggravated by it when I see reports on it. Oh, and I forgot to mention that the people of New Orleans also had the opportunity to have another party after the game(since they won for a change). Without being a real "the good book" thumper here I think this type of priority is covered very well throughout and time will tell, I guess.

The final tabs are now being added up on the USAT board elections. I am told by a reliable source that the results will be posted by October 15. Funny, it only takes a few days to elect and count the votes for the president of the USA(yes, I remember the last election, but that was a fluke, kind of like the Presidency of the Bush Administration)but it takes 60 days to vote and then 15 days to count the votes. Oh well, time will fly and we will know soon enough. I've got work to do for the Kinkyman!!!

Back to the sun, beaches, high cost of being here and new thoughts for the next post. I just checked this morning and found that I have been receiving nearly 4,000 hits per month on the fasttwitchmind site. Many thanks to all of you readers out there, and to think I thought only 5 were reading it. Now I have to come up with some real new stuff to keep you interested and informed.

Hot news off the press: There appears to be a new Ironman race for Louisville, Kentucky, to be announced on Wednesday of this week. Should be interesting since WTC and not IMNA will be putting the race on.

greerman