Location, Location, Location!
It sure is fun to see everybodies houses and talk about what our individual paradise is. While I sound like a member of the Maui Chamber of Commerce, I really advocate finding what it is you love and LIVE IT! One of the things we heard over and over again from people before we moved was "Isn't Hawaii awfully expensive?" Well, yah it is, but last time I checked, you only get 1 shot at living your life. To us, Hawai'i isn't expensive, its priceless (thank you mastercard!)
This isn't for everybody either. Statistics show that 65-70 percent of the people who move to Hawai'i return within a year. Housing here is the big killer. We rent a tiny 1 bedroom for $900 a month-all utils are included, so folks here consider that a good deal. We couldn't even LOOK at houses that compare to Bethanns, Roberts or Ricks. Home ownerships is a dream of mine, but a distant dream. This is the price of paradise. The other thing is that things are not always available here. One time Dennis walked into Safeway and there was not one single roll of T.P. to be had in the entire store! Another time we need condensed milk for a recipe. We went to FOUR stores and there was none to be had at the time. Parcel Post takes up to 6 weeks to get here. Sometimes we buy a brand or product that we don't like all that much just because it is available. If you special order something, you had better be patient. Brett, the guy who owns the business next to mine, says this is nothing but a third world country that a bunch of rich kids moved to. He is right-this looks like America and belongs to the US, but its really a foreign country.
In spite of these drawbacks, we love every day here. We did go to the beach yesterday, sunbathed, went swimming and bodysurfing and saw the whales spouting and breaching. Drunk with Beauty? Guilty as charged!
We gave up a lot of THINGS to live here, but when I had everything I wasn't all that happy. Dennis was at a Dilbert type cubicle job, on antidepressant and high blood pressure meds (because the antidepressants raised his blood pressure-nice huh?). I've seen too many people who seemed to have everything but arn't really happy. I've come to value experiences over things. Possesions can tie you down sometimes.
Davids Philosify 101 is now dismissed!