Aloha Friday v8

When I was a little girl my Dad was really into Slack Key Guitar.  To be fair, most people in Hawaii are into Slack Key.  We used to go to the annual Slack Key Guitar Festival in Hilo every year.  Lets be clear, I was bored out of my mind, I was a little kid a guitar festival.  That being said, I have a crystal clear memory of Sonny Chillingworth performing.  He just seemed like 'the real deal'.  Old Hawaii Charm.  

Slack Key Guitar originated in Hawaii - the original phrase was:  ki ho'alu (translation- loosen the tuning key).  You can grab the specifics from the link above but basically, you de-tune the guitar.  

You would never guess but Hawaii (and specifically Hawaii Island where I'm from) is full of cowboys.  We at one time had the United State's largest privately owned ranch (up until just a few years ago!) - Mexican Cowboys brought their skills to the Islands along with their guitars and music.  Paniolo - a Hawaiian Cowboy sounds an awful lot like 'espanioles'.  The Hawaiians ended up taking what they learned from the Paniolo's and then developing their own style.  

Sonny Chillingworth is definitely one of my favorites but, this song can't be played without connecting a few more dots.

Hi'ilawe was written by Gabby Pahinui (in fact it was Gabby's first recording) a legend.  I'm sure you've all heard the Israel Kamakawiwo'ole song Somewhere Over the Rainbow / What a Wonderful World - you know in the beginning when he says, 'kay, this one's for Gabby' - that is Gabby Pahinui!  He influenced so many Hawaiian Artists.

This is old school Chillingworth.  I hope you enjoy!

http://dancingcat.com iTunes - http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/sonny-solo/id345766341?uo=4 Order online - https://shop.dancingcat.com/ http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/sonny-solo/id345766341?uo=4 Hi'ilawe (vocal) -- C Wahine (C-G-D-G-B-D). A true Slack Key standard closely associated with Sonny's beloved friend and frequent playing companion, Pops Gabby Pahinui (1921-1980), Hi'ilawe poetically discusses a love affair that took place in the beautiful Waipi'o Valley on the Big Island of Hawai'i.

Mettle Maker :: A Plan

I am constantly planning.  I write notes in my day planner, I write on post its that I stick into my day planner, I have lists on my phone, I plan.  My plan changes a lot.  Some of that is due to my shipping schedule and some of that is due to my personality but, I'm rarely without a plan.

As you dive into 2015 make a plan to actualize those goals!  

Just a friendly reminder:  every other week a Mettle Maker can land in your inbox!  Subscribe here.

Sunset Off Monterey

I mentioned yesterday that we drifted off Monterey before getting into our berth in Oakland.  This sunset was the absolutely gorgeous.  It was definitely a perk in the delay.

There is a pretty large part of me that wants to rant nonsensically about the Longshoreman and the current situation but, instead I'm going to post photos of a sunset. 

But wait!  There are more!

Feel free to click through at your leisure!

HAPPY ALOHA FRIDAY!

A Reader Survey

Nautie Friends,

Do you know what's hard to believe?  I've been blogging here for over 4 years!

In that time I've lived in Hawaii, Maine, Texas and, have winged it with no home.  I've sailed on 5 different ships.  I've travelled, coffee'd, wine sipped, birthday'd, sailed, mused, promoted, demoted, dolphin spotted, sunrise watched and blogged my little heart out.

This blog has solidified relationships, provided a creative release, been a last ditch effort for friends and family to figure out where I am and, has kept me grounded through all the changes.

My life is in transition and, I can't help but just tug this blog along with me.  As I freshen things up in my own life I think it's only fair to freshen things up here on the blog.

Will you please take the time to complete this Reader Survey?  I'd love hear what you have to say!  I think it's only fair you all have a say in the freshening process!

Thank you for taking the time to complete this Reader Survey!  This survey should only take about 5 minutes.  Your responses will absolutely remain anonymous and drum roll please....

If you complete the Survey you will be entered to win a $10 gift card!  Win!

*embarassing editors note:  I created the Survey without a way to know who was taking it!  I want to follow through on the $10 gift card!  Would you please take one small extra step to drop your name in the comments section - or if you'd like to stay anonymous shoot me a quick email: nautiemermate@gmail.com - again, apologies!

Create your free online surveys with SurveyMonkey , the world's leading questionnaire tool.

Shoreside.

I'm shoreside once more.  I took an early vacation from work - because I've got something up my sleeve.

The Longshoreman 'slowdown' (i.e. inability to finalize their contract which now requires a federal mediator to prevent a strike) (here's a secondary i.e. Hawaii residents get your toilet paper, rice and spam now before it starts getting rationed) really slowed us down as we came up the coast.  There were about ten container ships drifting off the coast of Monterey....including us.  For the record that's a very, very strange thing to see.  Please note:  I'm glossing over this Longshoreman business because they're one of those things that can get me ranting and raving and frothing at the mouth...kinda like my pirate rants...

The good news is the weather was lovely.  There were gorgeous sunrises and sunsets, misty mornings, quiet islands and gorgeous bay views.  

I'm now sipping a coffee while I snuggle with Chihuahua's which basically means I'm at my California bliss point.

Hope you're all reaching your own bliss points!

NAVIGATING 2015 - TODAY

I spend a lot of my time thinking about things that have already happened and worrying about things that haven’t happened yet.  In other words, I spend a lot of time in my head.  I’m currently worried about whether or not to sell my house, what my job will be when I quit shipping, where I should live to maximize my career opportunities, whether or not I should put not being in a relationship on my priority list…you get the picture.  None of these things will happen in the next year!  They're long term goals...really long term goals!

What 2014 taught me is that sometimes you work really, really hard and make sacrifices for things that don’t work out…..and it doesn’t mean that the hard work or sacrifices were for nothing.  2014 also taught me that you should have a little fun sometimes because, you might work really, really hard and make sacrifices and things still might not work out.

I believe in having one little word to guide me through the year - I always choose a word and sometimes I take it seriously and sometimes I blow it off.

This year I’m going to try to do something a little different.  I’m choosing a word and I’m also choosing a project.

This year I’m using the phrase NAVIGATING 2015 and combining it with the word TODAY.

I’m choosing the word TODAY to remind myself that I can take things one day at a time.  If I make today count it counts for a lot.  There are 86,400 seconds in a day and I think some of my seconds could be more wisely used.  Small chunks of time put to better use.

I’m choosing the word TODAY to remind myself that tomorrow and yesterday don’t matter.  When I’m feeling overwhelmed all I need to do is the next thing that has to happen…today.  I’m tired of being so worried about tomorrow that I waste my todays.

I’m choosing the word TODAY to remind myself that I should just get it done.  If I say, ‘I’ll exercise tomorrow’ every day then it won’t ever happen (duh).  Get done what you need to get done today.

I’m choosing the word TODAY to remind myself to stay flexible.  While it may seem that my life is incredibly flexible and that I’m quite impulsive that couldn’t be further from the truth.  I spend a lot of my time calculating my next move and giving in to self imposed obligations.  The most impulsive thing I’ve done in years is invite myself to Nepal. 

NAVIGATING 2015 is my plan to help stay on track.  I’ve divided up my year into months and seasons.  Each month will have a word that I’ll use in conjunction with TODAY.  Each season will have a goal.  For example (this is just an example):  January:  Today I’ll do yoga  Winter:  Be 10 pounds lighter.

My plan is to choose my words and goals as the year evolves - I mean, don’t you think it’s counterintuitive to focus on being in the moment of today while planning a full year?

You’ll be hearing so much more about this as the project starts to take on some shape.

Sometimes the blog gets stuck - normally because I have a blog idea that I’d like to make official and can’t move past until it’s up.  This was my sticking point.  I had to share my plans for 2015!