Author Archives: Aunty

About Aunty

Aunty is a new senior citizen and loving this phase of her life. Less responsibilities, less fear of being weird, able to do more of the things that I want to do! Older, yes, slower, yes, but life is even more wonderful in my golden years and I look forward to even goldener ones.

Rich Dads say, so Aunty listens

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2013-10-04_13-03-14Aunty’s favorite Rich Dad is Robert Kiyosaki.  He had this to say about the recent US government shutdown:

“The U.S. Government, due to partisan finger pointing and squabbling, has shut down.   Neither side could reach an agreement on a spending plan for the government.  Mail will still be delivered, the military will still be active, Congress will still get paid, but there are those many other services that will stop, affecting over 800,000 Americans – who will be out of work.  Focusing on what will or won’t change with the shutdown will not matter.   Instead, learn the lesson and message that lies within this mess.

This Government shutdown should ultimately remind us that we are in charge of our own financial future and we can’t depend on any government to take care of us.   Even if the shutdown is only temporary, even when they are “open for business,” the Government will still be faced with a mess, one that they created.   Their limiting solutions are:  a) pay the national debt, b) default on the debt, or c) continue with “Quantitative Easing” by printing more money. The problem is that any of these options will eventually lead to an economic crash.

And here lies the lesson that many can’t—or won’t—see:

Looking to the Government for financial solutions is like closing your eyes in traffic and hoping you don’t get hit.  You want to make sure that you and your family are prepared regardless of what happens with our economy or our government.  Understand what the rich already know and do what they do.  It’s never too late to get started.” 

Many people have their eyes closed and have not gotten hit – yet.  I truly hope they never do.  I hope that government subsidies for the needy never ends, that retirement benefits continue to be paid, that we do not encounter an economic crash, hyper-inflation, deflation, etc.

But, what if it does happen?

Are you doing what you need to do to safeguard, grow, be independent?  Aunty may not recommend that you run out and sign up for Rich Dad classes (see Aunty’s review), but if you do take control and start to save, invest, protect, and grow your own financial picture of well being, you will be better off – even if you count on your company’s or the government’s programs for retirement.  Start learning in chunks, little pieces, whatever way you can.  Robert Kiyosaki even has his own Rich Dad blog – highly recommended, and it’s free!

Do, or don’t?

Jeff Olson & AuntyJeff Olson, in an audio recording for Nerium distributors, talks about the price of neglect.  “The price of neglect is far more painful than the price of discipline.”

Please take the time to really think about this quote and actually weigh the consequences of inaction over action.  Candy Crush Saga or taking a seminar?

I consider Jeff Olson a Rich Dad because of his leadership, success, and his heart.  His book, The Slight Edge, has 10 simple rules that anyone can incorporate in their lives, to better their lives.

“Whether you think you can, or think you can’t – you’re right.”  Henry Ford

From time to time, I listen to words of wisdom from Bob Procter.  He also learns from “Rich Dads”, one of them being Napoleon Hill.  To quote Bob Procter:

In his best selling book, Think and Grow Rich, Napoleon Hill wrote, “You will never have a definite purpose in life; you will never have self confidence; you will never have initiative and leadership unless you first create these qualities in your imagination and see yourself in possession of them.” He went on to say that, “… imagination is the most marvelous, miraculous, inconceivably powerful force the world has ever known.”

Have you ever thought of what your perfect life would be like?  Just that thought is the start of the process and fulfillment.  Write it down, draw it, dream board it, or post it here in a comment!  Brick by brick, step by step, build that perfect life.

Think it, learn it, do it

Sounds simple?  It really is.

Thinking it is the easiest part of it.  What does your ideal life look like?  Dream big.  Dream ENORMOUS!  Dream for real – do you REALLY want to have 15 cars that you won’t drive in a huge mansion that you get lost in?  Is your dream a nice little small house near a beach park with cash flowing rental real estate and a dividend paying stock portfolio with someone else who cooks and cleans for you?  (ahem, that’s also Aunty’s dream…)

Learning it means turning off the tv or limiting Candy Crush saga and picking up a book, a course, a seminar.  Be careful how much you pay – even though coaching gurus will tell you that they are worth every cent.  The world wide web has made it possible to advance your knowledge at your speed, whenever you want, however you want it, for free or for a fee.  Learn, digest, learn, digest.

Doing it – now this is what takes focus, commitment, and not listening to those who care about you.  I don’t know if Einstein would be considered a Rich Dad, but his definition of insanity was doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.  Walk a different path.  It will not be an easy one (price of discipline), but it sure beats going nowhere (price of neglect).

Mahalo Robert, Jeff, Henry, Bob, Napoleon, Albert

To all the Rich Dads that I know, and even the ones that I have yet to discover, mahalo.  If you know of any others, please share it with us in the comments section along with what a summary of what you have learned from them.  Also, please share your dreams – if not with Aunty, with somebody else.  Build your brick house just in case the straw houses crash.

Broke da ALS Team and the Magic Slate

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Less than half the team, just before clean-up

 

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, or ALS, is more commonly known as the Lou Gehrig’s disease.

Our friend Gary, aka “Black”, was diagnosed with ALS last year after he had slow speech pattern and difficulty swallowing.  Aunty and his wife are friends from hanabata days (hanabata days = long long time ago).  This weekend was the very 1st annual ALS walk in Hawaii, and over 300 people gathered at Kapiolani Park, to donate and walk for ALS awareness and research.  We were part of Black’s “Broke da ALS” team.

ALS shows up in different ways.  Some people are wheelchair bound, some cannot move their arms.  Black looks good, still very mobile, and is always busy with chores, surfing and going on snowboarding trips.  He doesn’t talk anymore, so he communicates by writing on his iPad, taking it out of his bag whenever he has something to say.  Black was always on the quiet side, especially since his wife talks enough for 10 people and he hardly had a chance to be heard anyway.  The iPad is now his voice and his most useful assistant.

Black had google searched for an iPad app that he could use, since typing took too long and was also too small to read.  Googling “etch a sketch” brought him to find a French developer’s free app, Magic Slate.  What a great find that was!  The entire iPad screen looks like a used blackboard, and your fingers become the chalk.  It is so easy to write out any message for anyone to read.  Shaking will clear the board so that a new message can be written and shared.  Black has become very adept at writing, clearing the iPad board with a shake, and then writing more, making for good and easy conversation.

Towards the end of the event, after the walk was over and tents and tables were being broken down, a good looking woman from another group came to Black and gave him a box of poi malasadas from Kamehameha Bakery (yum, yum, yum) and I asked him who she was.  Black whips out his iPad and writes, “her husband has ALS” and points to a group.

I looked over to where he was pointing and saw a man in a wheelchair, so I asked if he cannot walk.  “He just tired” was Black’s answer.  I asked about his condition, and Black writes, “he cannot lift his arms anymore.”  He adds, “he also used to surf.”

Then, with a chuckle, Black writes, “He said he like challenge me – to karaoke!”  That was pretty funny.

Black then clears the board with a shake and writes, “So I told him I like challenge him – to arm wrestling!”  Nyuk, nyuk, nyuk!  That was really funny!

Becoming part of Black’s support team is not only rewarding and appreciated by Black and his family, it is also rewarding and appreciated by us.  Seeing old friends, meeting new ones, talking story, and coming together as an impressive group with a common desire of beating this affliction felt good.  There is hope, and magic happens every day.

We all have magic in our lives, every second, with every heartbeat, with every sunrise, with every person we meet.  It is just a matter of realizing it, that our lives are transformed from humdrum to wondrous.

Black can attest to having magic every day.  Every time he goes out to surf, he is living life to the fullest and ALS doesn’t exist in those instants of feeling the power of the wave take over under his board.  Mingling with each of us, giving and receiving bear hugs, knowing how much love is shared – that’s magic.

Every message written on his iPad is limited only by the speed of his fingers.  For the first time in his married life, he can convey what he wants to say, regardless of his wife’s nonstop talking mouth.  That, too ……… is magic.

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Cookie and Black

 

Aunty will be a millionaire for how much?

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2013-09-20_15-52-42Aunty just signed up for another newsletter – couldn’t help myself – the copy was that good, and the information that I was promised was going to be awesome….

It is a “field manual” survival book and a 12 month newsletter by Dr. David Eifrig (I know, his name could be a joke if you switch around a couple of letters) that will let me know how to get silver coins super duper cheap (no worries Paul, that one I promised you I wouldn’t post), a device that will purify water and fits in your pocket, and a defense mechanism that will repel attackers, available for cheap on Amazon!*

All this and more for an annual subscription fee of $39!  Such a deal, such a deal, with SO much more valuable information .  Aunty is such a soft sell, so I figure, “why not?”  And if it is worth the $39, Aunty will review and let you know so you can get in the deal too.

However, immediately after putting in the numbers of Aunty’s corporate dedicated credit card (note to Aunty:  write a post about the stupendous advantages of having a C Corp), another super duper special offer popped up, with 6(!) expert newsletter people and all kinds of goodies that will make Aunty rich(!), happy(!), secure(!) and all that good stuff came, worth at least $12,000, with no annual renewal fee and a time sensitive super duper special of $1000, period, good for Aunty’s lifetime!!

$39 with annual renewal or $1000 without?

$1000 is a lot of money, even if it is for 6 experts that I really don’t know, sending me newsletters and tips.  This is much more than $39 to find out how to purify water and repel bad guys.  The publisher of all those newsletters putting this deal together is a master of newsletter affiliate marketing.  A master almost to the point of being annoying.  AND, this $1000 lifetime guaranteed deal is not just $1000, because there IS an annual fee of $149 for something that isn’t called an annual renewal.  So now it is confusing – there is an annual fee?

Okay, that was a turnoff.  Maybe the information and lessons are worth thousands IF Aunty practices it.  Maybe Aunty will become a millionairess overnight or in the next year.  Maybe Aunty will be retired with Uncle with no cares or worries, living a lifestyle that is perfect for us.  Maybe it will be so, but da buggah stay lie [translation:  the publisher/marketer was being deceptive.]

Auwe!

First, he says “no annual renewal fee” and then he says “small fee of $149 charged annually.”

This publisher – Stansberry Porter whatever – might be a good guy, but he really should be more ethical, IAO (in Aunty’s opinion), or at least not talk through both sides of his mouth with different stories.

Has Aunty ever paid a lot of money for a subscription/service?

Yup.  In fact one of the most recent ones is The Wealth Builders Club by Mark Ford.  This one cost $1500, paid with Aunty’s corporate account, and is worth more than $1500, IAO (in Aunty’s opinion).  Lessons are unfolded like peeling layers off an onion.  Each layer is delicious, rich with content, and done with sensitivity to those of us with moderate income wanting to improve our lives.  Recently (IAO) it spends a bit too much emphasis on the paid in additional riders of mutual whole life insurance, even though it IS an awesome way to save and use money.   Several strategies for income and investment are broken down and taught, all very possible, all well researched and even tested.  Membership does cost a lot of money, but Aunty feels that she is getting her monies’ worth and even has an affiliate relationship with them.

Aunty recommends this “Club” only if you are serious about investing and have the means to do so.  If you are not yet financially solvent or just starting off, then Mark Ford’s Palm Beach Letter is a less expensive option and rich with content, just not as frequent and detailed as the Wealth Builders Club.  It is one of my favorite, and is a bargain.  The Palm Beach Letter is $39 annually.  Aunty highly recommends this newsletter and also has an affiliate relationship with them.  If you click on The Palm Beach Letter, you will have access to their rather long (and excellent) sales copy and subscription button to join.

However, subscriber, be aware!

Be Aware, not necessarily Beware.  ALL of these self help, financial, be better, etc. newsletters are in the business of affiliate marketing.  EVERY one of them, especially the free ones.  You will get a LOT of invites to view other products/newsletters/secrets/strategies. They all have appeal and urgency with impending doom.  One thing almost all financial and investment newsletter like to do is bash the President in office, and that is kinda overdone.  In this day and age, in our current crisis/non-crisis, it doesn’t matter who is in office.  We have to take charge of our own finances, growth, retirement.

Subscribing to newsletters is a good start, just be careful who’s opinion (it is all opinion until history proves it to be fact) you want to adopt as your own, and be ready for a lot of emails pitching this newsletter service and product or that service and product.  Your email address and contact name has been melded into “THE” list of potential buyers, and the campaigns will begin.

Some of them are fantastic, some are pretty good, some of them are not so good.  Aunty reads them all to get a general bigger perspective and then either forgets about it or bookmarks it in one of the 35+ email folders for newsletters on my laptop.  Penny stocks, mortgage updates, recipes, gloom and doomers, silver bugs, investment advisories, yada yada yada.   Yep, Aunty gets daily emails from subscriptions, and because of them, the number of newsletter and offers keeps growing.

Just a heads up to be aware that others will send enticing sales promotions to you.  Be choosy in what you do buy or subscribe to.

Aunty also affiliates

Aunty is starting to monetize her website, and Aunty also has affiliate marketing relationships.  However, the affiliate markets that Aunty has are those that are tried and true, tested and used by Aunty.

The google adsense ads that pop up are not of Aunty’s choosing but those are monetized by Aunty’s content and people clicking on those ads, and so far…….drum roll please………over the last 2 months……….Aunty has made…………$14.11!  It’s a start, thank you very much.

Future lessons about how that is going as well as more of Aunty’s journey into websiting will be covered as time goes on.  If you ever had an inkling or itch to start your own blog/website, just go for it.  Aunty’s “Website” page walks you through the process.  For less than $50, you can start your own blog without having to hire a designer/programmer/expert.  It will be a learn as you go experience.  In the beginning, just post content.  Later on, you can start to monetize with google ads or other affiliate ways and when you make over $14 like Aunty, please let Aunty know so we can celebrate together!

Aunty the millionairess

It will happen, and it’s not because Aunty sits around meditating and focusing on a dream board (Aunty still doesn’t have a dream board and lacks the discipline of meditation).  Warren Buffet, the brains and heart behind the super successful Berkshire Hathaway fund/company said, “Be greedy with others are fearful, and fearful when others are greedy.”  In other words, don’t necessarily do what everybody else is doing or says to do.

Instead, read, learn, listen, then form your own conclusions.  Determine your path and take the steps, one by one, inch by inch (“NIAGARA FALLS!!!….” lol – sorry, I digress).

If you have any questions or want Aunty’s take on something, please comment below.  Just let Aunty know in your comment if you want it to be private and Aunty won’t approve it for posting.

*[Update:  the manual is pretty good, lots of useful information.  The water filter that was hyped and can be bought on Amazon for around $20 is called LifeStraw.  The device that will repel people and animals is an airhorn, the louder the better.]

Tired of Teeth

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Aunty loves to visit Jalna’s photo blog site because it is such a delightful slice of Hawaii local-ness with great photos and links to her photographer friends’ sites.

I know Jalna, kinda, through our mutual pal Fay, so I post comments from time to time.  Like the last time when she had the very funny clip of the Three Stooges on stage doing “NIAGARA FALLS!!!……Sloooowly I turn………Step by Step…….Inch by Inch….” and Aunty had to laugh because I also cannot hear anyone mentioning Niagara Falls and not do the head swivel, stomp, and “NIAGARA FALLS!!!!”…….  Those knuckleheads used to keep me in stitches when I was a young kid, and they still do when I get treated to a clip from the past.  (click on video above to enjoy!)

Recently, Jalna wailed about her ingrown toenail and the very nice and gentle doctor that she went to see.  I could relate, because I was undergoing a root canal, followed up with a new crown and long sits in the dental chair with a mouth full of numbing shots, gizmos, drilling, and suction.  It seemed like it would never end.  For days after, there was a pervading sense of pain from the wounded gums, and Aunty was flat out tired of teeth.  Tired of flossing, tired of brushing, even tired of chewing.

Aunty’s teeth are finally returning to normal.  That means nothing is going wrong with them, so I just take them for granted.

Isn’t it weird, the way our thoughts are wired?  Our attention is focused on the junk stuff and the wonderful everyday miracles are taken for granted.  Why is that?  Please comment below if you have the answer, or better yet, a solution.

Meanwhile, here’s something I found from Kevin Elliott:

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What do you think? Have something else? Please share!

Revving up for Real Estate

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2013-09-15_11-24-23In the beginning….

Aunty initially began this info/website because of real estate investing.  After spending thousands of dollars on workshops, some excellent, some mediocre, we took the plunge and began to purchase real estate in Las Vegas.  Why Vegas?  Because it was on sale at the time.

We used a legal team that was savvy, proficient, and trustworthy.  We found the best real estate agent who understood investing.  We had cash flow because of good tenants.

Good tenants are like golden eggs.  They are wonderful and valuable.  However, for the most part, they are also stuck.  Stuck in the rat race, living from paycheck to paycheck, not having additional sources of income, not knowing what can be possible.  Aunty wanted to give each of them the “Rich Dad, Poor Dad” book by Robert Kiyosaki, or write up a little brochure so they could begin to get a handle on their situation.  The little brochure was begun, but soon ditched because there was just too much information to share, and printing it all out would be cumbersome, and perhaps, unread.

With #1 Son home for the summer, HonoluluAunty.com (started as a .info site) was born as a means to publish knowledge.  Everyday, Aunty reads investment, financial, personal development newsletters.  There are some gloom and doomers, some Pollyannas, and some really down to earth practical bloggers out there.  From all of these, golden nuggets of information and techniques can be found, and Aunty shares them here in one way or another.

Here is a golden nugget that came into Aunty’s webmail today, regarding joint venture investing.  This is a great way to invest if 1) you have money, 2) you know people with money, or 3) you don’t have money but you have good credit (perfect for people who are renters).  Mahalo to Julie Broad of Rev N You, a Canadian based real estate investor that often times has strategies that can work for people who are willing to work together.

Enjoy!

Bank of Hawaii loans on sale, Oh My!

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Boy, when it rains, it pours!  So much news to share, 3 posts in one day!

Just in from my absolute favorite banker, Israel Avilla over at the Kahala Bank of Hawaii:

Home Equity Lines at 1.00% for 12 months or 1.75% for 24 months.  Some of the criteria include that you must have a Bankohana Level II or Level III with us in order to qualify for this promo.  Anything below $250,000 does not require an appraisal and if the individual is not self employed, we do not need to collect financials if the request is under $75,000.

This is a GREAT deal, and it sounds easy – finally!

Prior to, Bank of Hawaii made borrowing very difficult – so many hoops to go through and a long dragged out process that had us wringing our hands and wanting to give up.

If your home has a lot of equity in it, use it, or at least have a Equity Line of Credit set up in advance just in case you do decide to invest or spend wisely on a necessity.  These loans usually have very low (if any) fees, especially with no appraisal!

Also, if your home is totally paid off and unencumbered with a mortgage, you could be a luscious target for lawsuit hungry dirt bags that will sue you if they trip and fall on your property.  Having a HELOC (Home Equity Line of Credit) is reflected on your record of ownership EVEN if you are not drawing on it at all.  It just looks like you have a loan, and thus, less equity for the dirt bags to win.

Anywho, my favorite “nephew” banker’s contact info is:  Israel Avilla at the Waialae Kahala branch of Bank of Hawaii, phone (808) 694-7471, or email Israel.Avilla@boh.com.  Tell him “Aunty” sent you, so Aunty gets brownie points, and lunch!

 

Aunty's favorite local banker!

Aunty’s favorite local banker!

Stock Storm signals – to watch & ponder

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Aunty subscribes to over 30 newsletters – YIKES!  Didn’t realize how many until I counted today, but they takes the place of me watching the news on TV or reading a daily newspaper.  Most of them are opinions, and many of those opinions are based on facts or a series of facts, and some are just guesses based on je ne sais quoi (the dunnos).  The way I figure, these people are very very smart and study financials, wealth strategies, personal development, etc. on a full time basis, so getting their newsletters is like picking their brains, and then make my own decisions.

This morning, a short video was delivered to me about the recent downturn in the stock market, so for any of you who trade stocks or options, here’s a good one to ponder – up or down?:

Storm Watch

Update, September 15, 2013:  The stock market in the eyes of the S&P 500 dropped a few days later, and has since recovered to 1687, and seemingly on an uptrend.  Which goes to show – the market is like the roulette wheel – no one really knows and you just place a bet and cross your fingers for the best.  Here is a snapshot of the S&P on September 13 with the green arrow pointing to the corresponding point of 8-28-13:

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Root canals and Crocs

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View from Dr. Chun's 14th floor root canal chair

View from Dr. Chun’s 14th floor root canal chair

Today, Aunty saw the bestest dentist in Honolulu, Dr. Hideki Kurokawa (1060 Young Street, phone (808) 538-0047) because I could barely eat my morning cereal today due to extreme pain from my #19 tooth.

He looked and immediately sent me to Dr. Kimo Chun to get a root canal.  Dr. Chun’s office is in the Ala Moana Building and overlooks the Ala Moana Shopping Center, the Yacht Harbor, and the site of the soon to be completed luxury condo, ONE Ala Moana.

Aunty had a couple of root canals done before by other endodontists, and root canals are really not fun.  However, the view from Dr. Chun’s chair and the modern contraptions made this root canal almost pleasant!  First he stuck a soft rubber like thing into the side of my mouth which kept my mouth open – how easy and no problem with biting doctor’s hand or getting lockjaw!  Then, a little trampoline looking thing that fit over my lower jaw.  Nifty!  No yucky stuff even with all the drilling, vacuuming, rinsing, etc.  It was uncomfortable only when the numbing shots were administered – like a sting, and then blissful numbness.

I don’t know what Dr. Chun was doing, but his hands were busy for the entire hour and when it was over, Aunty realized what a great root canal it was, partly because of the view, and partly because of how he set up his workspace and my mouth!

A few instructions about not chewing on that side, pain control with aspirin or tylenol, and antibiotics just in case, which Aunty has declined.

Aunty does not like antibiotics because they wipe out the good with the bad, i.e. the infection is killed but so is the immune system.  Granted, if Aunty does come down with swollen infection from the root canal, then perhaps she will reconsider, but for now, no thank you.

Unexplainably, with numb mouth and lips that felt like they were huge, Aunty had a hankering for some Crocs and Aunty headed toward the Food Court of the Ala Moana Shopping Center to get some.

Crocs are these rubber shoes that were all the rage a few years ago, supposedly made so your feet don’t smell.  They used to be all the same, just in different colors and sizes.  Kind of like Dutch clogs without the noise.  Now, they have a lot of different styles, heel heights, textures, etc., and Aunty fell in love with some leopard print ones that were kinda on sale.

LONG ago, Pal Cookie told me about getting a 20% discount at Crocs Stores with a AAA card.  I think that was a long time ago, because the nice people working at the Ala Moana Center store didn’t know about that, and instead offered me a coupon deal for 20% off 2 pairs.  So what’s a gal to do?

Aunty now has 2 new pairs of Crocs, one in leopard print because Aunty is a leopard kind of person.  rrrrrRuffff!

Aunty also happens to own Crocs stock and have watched  it rocket, then drop like a rock, and now the stock is just meandering around.  Maybe after today, the price of the stock will go up.  Buy some Crocs shoes so the stock goes up!

Which reminds me, must do a lesson on options trading the right way.  Took me years to finally get it, and it may soon be time to open to sell Crocs call options if it does bump up.

I end this rather rambling post with a picture of Aunty’s newest pair of Crocs slip ons which are almost indestructible.

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Sassy, eh?

 

 

Aunty’s back with $30 more in her pocket, kinda.

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welcome to VegasAunty just got back from a 4 day trip to Vegas – mostly to learn techniques and projects from the best of the best in the polymer clay world at the 10th annual Clay Carnival headed by my buddy Donna Kato.  It was so wonderful to see old friends there and meet new ones, and get to play with clay!!

Aunty combined this trip with business – attending a Nerium Real Results Party hosted by Teuila in her beautiful new home and meeting up with Martin Fajardo, the premiere bestest real estate and property manager in Las Vegas.  [note:  this trip was a tax writeoff, the entire airfare and hotel bill because crafting, Nerium, and real estate are Aunty’s business ventures.]

Although this was a busyness trip, Aunty had 3 opportunities to donate money in Vegas, i.e. gamble.

Aunty’s Lessons about Gambling

The first opportunity was at the Main Street Casino in Downtown Las Vegas.  Aces with No Faces is a 25¢ machine that pays you for aces if you don’t have any picture cards in the dealt hand, and also for poker hands after you change and draw cards.  I bugged Donna about it and she plopped in $50, lost about $3, and decided to cash out.

The problem with this machine is that it cashes out with quarters dropping out into a trough – cling, clang, bang, bang! until all 185 quarters were dispensed, and we scooped them up into a plastic bucket.  I gave Donna $47 for the contents of her bucket and told her I would play on her machine.  After all,  I was the one who raved about it and insisted she play.

The lesson of Sitting

Aunty sat and put in one quarter and pushed spin, another quarter and pushed spin, very very occasionally winning a quarter, sometimes winning a few credits, but nothing big was happening.  Meanwhile the nice formerly-from-Kauai lady next to me was getting 4 of a kinds and scratch cards, and the one on the other side of me was getting 4 of a kinds and some triple aces with no faces and I was getting a bit hu-hu (steamed) because not much was happening for me on “my” machine.

My new found neighboring machine friend told me that I have to play max bet, which is 5 quarters, so I started doing that, but still, only dinky hands with a few aces.  Playing max bets might mean you get bigger payoffs but it also means your money doesn’t last as long, so after about an hour or two of plopping in quarters and using up the measly credits that I had acquired, I stood up and talked story with my machine neighbor because I was wiped out and lost my entire $47.

One man swoops in, sits on “my” chair and “ka-ching, ka-ching”, starts winning with 4 of a kinds and some aces without faces in a matter of minutes!  “Eh!”, I said, “I warmed that machine up for you!”

You know, that buggah never even say thanks.  How rude.

So, the lesson Aunty learned is to sit little bit longer on a machine if it didn’t pay out, or else, just cash in the bucket of quarters.

No craps

After that, Aunty didn’t feel so good and wasn’t in the mood for craps.  Our party headed back to The Quad – the revamped old Imperial Palace on the Strip where we were staying, and Aunty found a nice Pai Gow table.

Lesson of the Candy

Pai Gow is Aunty’s favorite table game.  It is played with 7 dealt cards and you make 2 hands, one with 2 cards, and the other with 5 cards.  The dealer also has 7 cards and plays 2 hands.  The goal of the game is to beat both of the dealer’s hands for a winning payoff, or at least one of them for a push, or tie.  The bonus bet will payoff if you have a triples or better hand regardless of how well or poorly you did against the dealer.

Unlike Black Jack (apologies to Black Jack players), Pai Gow people are usually a friendlier bunch because we all have a more communal wish that the dealer has Pai Gow – both hands being poor – no pairs, nothing but a bunch of cards that can only boast of a high card.  Players’s actions do not affect the outcome of anyone else’s chances.  The dealer is our common enemy.  Our neighbors on the table become fellow supporters and cheer leaders.

Power in little gifts

Aunty always brings Hawaiian goodies in the form of little packages of macadamia nuts in bars or smaller snack packs.  Aunty passed everyone on the Pai Gow table a pack of pistachio crunch (ono!), including the dealer.  Aunty lost the first few games, and was going to leave the table but there was a dealer change.  The new dealer saw the pistachio crunch package in the departing dealer’s hand and said that she wanted one too.

“Only if you are good to us” is what we told her.

And you know what?  She dealt us rather decent hands, and a pack of pistachio nuts was tossed to her.  Every few deals, when we needed boosting, another pack of pistachio would be tossed to her.  We struck a deal that if everyone lost on the table (kinda rare), then she would have to give a pack back.  This only happened twice.

Meanwhile, my neighbors were winning pretty good hands and I had some decent ones, but not terrific.

That’s when Aunty brought out the bomb – Hawaiian Host chocolate macadamia nut 2 piece packs that Costco sells.  “Really good hands, please!” and a toss to the dealer, who by now had a pile of pistachio nut packs and a few chips for tips.

“Ka Pow!”  Aunty had 2 sets of 3 of a kind, which meant winning the bonus spot and beating the dealer very easily.  This happened again, the very next hand!  Everyone else was also getting pretty good hands and won too!  By the end of the hour (Aunty had to leave since classes began early the next day), Aunty had made back her losses, and even after tips and drink tips, left the table breaking even, making up for the earlier losses.  The dealer was very happy with a pile of goodies.

The lesson here is to purposefully give candy to the dealer and make friends with your neighbors.  It creates a synergy of something bordering love, and brings out winning blessings for everyone.

The lesson of taking the small victory

The flight back to Honolulu was delayed, and it was really boring waiting at the gates, so Aunty sat at a Wheel of Fortune 25¢ machine, put in $20, and played for a little while, alternating single credit bets with max bets.  Pay attention to what the max bet is on the machines – some were 5 credits, and some were 3.  Better to play the machines that have 3 credit max (Aunty found out the fast way to lose is 5 credit machines).

The loudest machine in the place is the Wheel of Fortune machine because when you earn the right to spin the wheel, it sounds like a big bunch of people are shouting, “WHEEL….. OF……. FORTUNE!!!”,  the wheel turns and the clicker clicks until it stops on a number, the bigger the number the better because that is how many credits you will get.  After one of those, Aunty was winning, and cashed out her big $38 ticket!

However, that was not a rounded off number, so Aunty got brave and now that $20 had turned into $38, the $1 Wheel of Fortune machine was played.  After a few spins (alternating between single credit and max credit bets because Aunty is a bit chicken), Aunty got another chance to spin the “WHEEL……OF……..FORTUNE!!!”   Then, Aunty cashed out $50, so the final outcome of the trip was a very sweet $30 ($50 win – $20 initial buy in).  Could Aunty have won more playing the $1 machine since Aunty now had more ammo?  Perhaps, perhaps, but I will never know.

The lesson here is, be happy with small victories.  They are twice as nice as a small loss.

As always, the best part of any trip is coming home and sleeping on our own bed.  Funny though, how I can still hear people shouting, “WHEEL…..OF…….FORTUNE!!!”  It is pleasantly haunting, kinda.

2013-08-26_21-16-25

 

 

Closing Cycles = Wowza!

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2013-08-19_10-34-36Aunty was going to title this latest post, “Closing Cycles = Zounds!” but changed it after Aunty looked up the word.  “Zounds” is an abbreviated version of “God’s wounds”, or a mild oath.  Not very pleasant stuff.   “Wowza” a better word in this situation, interpreted as surprisingly amazing or oh my gosh.

In this weekend’s seminar with Meir Ezra (review coming soon), we were constantly challenged to define the meaning of words – simple words that we all thought we knew.  Truth, Ethics, Statistics, Product, Spirit, Money, and on and on.  It was amazing how most of us were not able to verbalize definitions, or had a very wrong definition of a word in the data base of our brain.  An example:  do you know the meaning of the word “peruse?”  Using the Webster dictionary clarifies a lot of misunderstood words.

Another powerful insight that Aunty got from this weekend’s seminar was the cycle of action:  Start, Change, Stop.

I had heard it before:  everything in life has a beginning, an evolution, and an end.  Everything we do has the same cycle.  Every task, idea, feeling has that same cycle.  Example:  if someone (or you) does something that causes you to resent them (the start), the feeling in that relationship simmers, bothers, bugs you (the change), until you can either forgive or let go (the stop).  Open cycles of action are when you are stuck in the change phase – the simmering, the bothering, the bugging.

Aunty has a LOT of open cycles in her life

Because of this, Aunty feels stressed.  Uncle has far less, and thus, he is a very happy man.  The more open cycles we have, the more problems we have.

One of the exercises from Meir’s first workshop was to write down a list of all the open cycles in our lives.  In our jobs, we have daily, weekly cycles of actions that we must complete, i.e. send out an email to employees re: reduction in hours (start), think about, get clarification, push it on the side, or format the email  (change), send the email (stop).  Students have assignments (start), they do research, start typing, leave it until the last minute (change), they turn in their assignments or don’t turn in their assignments and get an “F” (stop).

Aunty did the exercise, but poorly and without intention.  It was not until this morning, when Aunty awoke, that Aunty really got it.

You see, there was a set of invoices that needed to be recalculated and go out to a customer for Uncle’s business.  Because it was a bit of a headache to deal with, Aunty buried it under a pile of papers.  This was an open cycle.  Granted, it was a small open cycle, but it was open and causing a problem  – we were not getting paid.  It was also causing Aunty to have anxiety because they had to be processed.

Aunty’s Wowza

You may think, “duh”, Aunty should just finish up those invoices and send them out.  Well, that makes you far smarter than Aunty because Aunty just finally realized that and took 10 minutes to complete the task, address it and pop it in the mail.

It felt SO good to close that paper sized cycle!!

That small cycle closing made Aunty feel terrific, and Aunty now has a lot more locomotive steam to tackle her other open cycles, one by one.  Some of them are also small (pack bag for trip), some are huge (downsize belongings).  Some are relationships – big constant weights on Aunty that will take some time to clear, but just by writing them down, the problem starts to go away.

Many cycles are not problems because Aunty is great at closing them out, such as paying off credit card balances every month before the due date.  The difference is that Aunty can give those a “Wowza!” each time they are done.  Closing open cycles makes the problem go away.

Your open cycles

Look at your problems, your hurts, the things that cause you stress in your life, and find their open cycles.  Sometimes it is a word said in anger that keeps eating away at your insides, sometimes it is an idea that you can’t stop thinking about.

Write down as many open cycles that you have and work on one of them at a time.

Turn your personal “zounds” into closed cycles and let Aunty know so that Aunty can “Wowza” you!!