Introduce yourself

[mella l]

Aloha Mika and MO, love your humor Mo on other forums!

As wanderers you will find your favorite spot quick enough. There is always room for
two more wandering souls on the island!

Be prepared to fall hopelessly in want of a new home as you wander east to west! Hope you have enough time to spend on each side, beaches, markets and hiking and such. I believe this island is a magical spot on Longitude 19*N. Aloha


mella l

[mella l]

For one I just wanted to say Aloha to Cindy B who has been posting on the KW for sometime. Welcome the the dark, I mean East side Cindy! LOL I enjoyed your post and thought I'd put my welcome to you and Jordan and your three kitties on this thread as it is one year old this month and most of the people on this thread are still currently posting. I would not want this thread to time out so to speak.

I hope your relocation goes smoothly and your search for a new home is successful if not flawless. Personally we are stuck on the mainland now as the AG dept has delisted our domestic pet bengals, otherwise known as puddy tats, per HADave, LOL, who were accepted previously since 1991 thru 7/05. We're working on it!

Aaron posts with us also and is an invaluable assett to both forums!

So welcome to a New Punatic in spirit if not in physical presence, and if you email me your address I'll send you a Puantic sticker for your bumper, so you can proclaim the title for yourself! A Punatic sticker on a hybrid car would be awesome, hope they don't delist the hybrid car in Hawaii! LOL sorry I'm possessed about the hybrids!

Aloha Nui Loa, Mella L



mella l

Edited by - mella l on 07/09/2006 03:56:29

[Wordchaser]

Hello, from Tijeras, New Mexico, a little mountain hamlet about 35 miles east of Albuquerque. My name is Cindy and I am a fulltime legal secretary and freelance legal transcriptionist. My husband, Henry is a drug and alcohol rehab counselor by training, but more recently works with the critically brain injured for a community agency that assists developmentally disabled adults.
We were raised in California but for the last few years have lived here in the mountains near Albuquerque.

We are currently making plans to move to Puna. As I write, my husband is painting the kitchen cabinets, sprucing up for putting our house on sale.

Moving to a small village like this taught us about living with septic systems, propane gas, monsoon rains in summer, small town neighbors, and a slower paced life. I think our experience here will come in valuable for a move to the Puna area. We have chicken and geese. Dogs run free in the area. Most people wave hello as they drive down the road.

Finances dictate that we buy land in Puna first, and build a small bungalow later. We are researching areas, and are looking at Eden Roc, or Fern Acres, or areas close by.
We have not yet contacted a real estate agent, as we are waiting on the sale of our home here. The market is soft up here in the mountains. People think a 45-minute commute to Albuquerque is outrageous. We, originally from L.A. think the commute is nothing [except during a bad snow storm, lol].

Hopefully at my age, 49 I can find job with a lawyer in Hilo, or perhaps go out on my own, doing freelance legal or transcription work for attorneys in the area. That is the main think I worry about. Re-starting over, looking for work. But my husband and I are ready to "carve out" any job we can get, even if it means doing housecleaning [he used to run his own cleaning business], or whatever is needed to get by. Did any of you recently transplanted Punatics have to change your career into something new, or "carve out" a new, unexpected job that you never thought you would do, or could do, previous to moving? I am curious.


I hope there is much call for work regarding drug and alcohol counselling in Hawaii. Here in New Mexico they have a very serious DWI/DUI problem. How would you classify the situation on the Big Island?

Growing up in Los Angeles, I am used to a cosmopolitan and varied mix of nationalities. I used to frequent Japanese and Chinese supermarkets as I lived in an Asian community. My husband and I are both Mexican-Americans but like Vietnamese, Thai, and Japanese foods. Although in town [Albuquerque] there are a few Asian restaurants, Henry and I still miss good sushi and especially Poke', which we ate with great gusto on our honeymoon in Maui.

At the present, we are doing a lot of homework, reading, websearching, house repairs. Our children are grown, and we are free to travel.

We miss the ocean, love the peacefulness of the islands, the culture of Hawaii, and hope that early next year we can sell this house, everything that we own, and make the bold step to step off the plane with nothing but our bags, our dreams, and our smiles.

Cindy

wordchaser

[Cindy B]

Aloha Cindy!

Looks like we're the two newbies in the introductions (I posted about 3 a.m today in
the Intro 2). I grew up in L.A. too and like you, moved to a small town. Just a quick reply to a couple of your questions - since I've been away for 5 years, I'll let the true Punatics give you updates. When I lived there, drug counselors were always in need. For example, I worked at Big Island Substance Abuse (90's) where there was a huge turnover in staff - something to do with counselor burn-out and issues with the management. It looks like there's some sort of treatment center in Keauu area now. I don't know about the job market for legal secretaries. It may be happening too. If you can do paralegal work, maybe you could carve out a business for yourself. I've also seen on the Internet telecommuting work for transcribers and other freelancers. I was tied to Oregon by my newspaper writing, but now all of my work is online (save a few phone interviews). You and your husband have the adventurous pioneer spirit that will do you well. Before my first move to the BI, I'd sent my resume and application ahead (DOE). So I had an interview just after arriving. Worked for a temp agency through the summer, doing whatever I could - Big Island Candies, KTA, etc. My first husband was a carpenter, salesman, artist, you name it. He didn't know what he was going to do when we moved there so we came with a small nest egg for the first couple months. He was a people person and wouldn't you know it - he met a fellow at Hilo Airport who was moving back to the mainland and selling his water catchment cleaning business in Puna. Frank bought the business right there and went to work our first week in Hawaii Nei. Oh, and I wanted to comment on housecleaing. Again, I'm out of touch with the market, but when I was teaching at at the treatment center, I had a couple houses and an office I cleaned on weekends to make ends meet (single mom with two keiki). I looked at rates others charged and went for the middle. For your legal writing, I may have a couple Websites to point you too. Email me with the type of writing, legal work you do - if that calls to you. And the dogs lol I used to walk with a big stick. Lots of pit bulls. Most are chained, but that's the worst kind. Sorry for the negativity. I actually never had to use my stick, never had any dog problems, and we lived in Fern Acres for a short while too where there's lots of big dawgs. No problems.

A hui hou,

Cindy B

[1 STOP MAIL SHOP]

quote:

---

ALOHA
MY NAME IS KEVIN AND WE JUST OPENED A MAILBOX RENTAL AND SHIPPING STORE IN PAHOA ACROSS FROM 7-11 THE 1 STOP MAILSHOP IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FEEL FREE TO CALL US AT 965-1111
MAHALO PLENTY
this thread to introduce yourself. We have all been posting here a while so it might be interesting to know where everyone is from, when they are making the move, building plans etc. If you see a new person posting encourage them to enter a quick greeting on this thread.

Atlanta/Pahoa

---

KEVIN COSTELLO

[Wordchaser]

Cindy B -thank you for your reply to my question about being able to "carve" out a job for yourself when you move to the BI. Sounds like you came up with really creative and inventive ways to re-invent yourself and to support your family.
Thanks again for the reply! Cindy the wordchaser.

wordchaser

[mella l]

Aloha Kevin I've seen lots of positives response about your new business and wish you luck.

Fancy Flyover here is the introduct yourself thread so you might enlighten us as to your use of phsycic powers and explain why the absurd handle. With Aloha mellA L

mella l

[Carolann R]

HeeHeeHee...Mella I love you. LOL! El Toro!!



Carrie

"The opportunities to reach into the lives of others in an inspiring way arise in countless ways every single day..." Dr. Wayne W. Dyer

http://www.cafepress.com/dreamhawaii
http://www.hellophoenix.com/art

[Big_Island]

Hello Yo :-)

My name is Beau, I was born and raised in Houston Texas. Worked as an RN at Herman Hospitals Trauma Center for 7 years then decided to take a vacation to Maui :-)
Ive been on Vacation now, for over 15 years..... LOL

After deciding not to return to Houston, I quickly found a Job at Maui Memorial Hospital making about 1/2 the money I was making back in Houston. Quickly became overwelmed by the whole situation and picked up a night time job as a Bartender on front street at Lahaina's Blue Tropics Night-Club making 3 times what Nursing at Maui Memorial was paying me. After watching Maui's land prices, I came to the conclusion, I was on the wrong island..... Maui was wonderfull but too overcrowded for me. I did meet a wonderfull young lady on Maui's Big Beach one sunny afternoon. We have been together for around 15 years now, and have 3 kids (ages 14, 4, and 6 months).
After making it to the Big Island in the early 90's, we both found jobs and quickly saved for a down payment on a piece of property in Orchidland with a small house.

Been swinging a hammer for a small construction company the whole time
I've been on the island and Love it!
We love living here in Puna and I cant see us living anywhere else... ever

Well it looks like the rain is clearing up and I have to get to work...


Your Orchidland Nieghbor,
Beau S.

[mella l]

El Toro the bull?? LOL Carrie

Beau and family great story you shared with us! Glad to hear that Puna is the place for you! With all your experiences it seems you'd be one to lend a learned voice to all of the questions, we wannabees come up with. Thanks for joining our Puna Family, aka Punatics, as we are crazy for the place it's openness, it's tolerance, as in live and let live, and it's playfulness when it isn't testing us. Aloha Mella L

mella l