Why I am Leaving Puna and Hawaii.

[Green]

Anagami, Much of what you say may be true, but in my opinion its worse on the mainland, Even more violence there, more homeless, more drugs, more traffic, more desperate people, more strip malls, the people there are pissed off will flip you off or honk, higher real estate prices and rent there. I feel that we live on the edge of america here which in my opinion is better than living closer to the center. Want to go to the beach, some beaches there you got to pay, want to go to a community swimming pool if there is even one open, well pay again, need to go to the dump get your wallet out again. This may not be paradise, but much of the mainland is a wasteland of human desperation and some of the people here may be running from that.

[Anagami]

Yes Punafish, It is very easy to seclude yourself in Hawaiian Shores in a $200K+ house with your kids going to HAAS which is 75% white and not have any problems with the other side of Puna.

I guess we will disagree, but I will not agree on why.

Do not follow a life of evil; do not live heedlessly; do not have false views; do not value worldly things. In this way one can get rid of suffering. - The Dhammapada

[Anagami]

Wow, if you guys think it is better in Puna then most places on the mainland you need to travel a bit more. Yes, I would take Hawaii over Berkeley and SF in a heartbeat. That is another pace that was infested with drugs and deluded people look what it turned into. I worked there for a year. Was nearly killed in an attempted car jacking in Richmond.

Oh, I forgot to mention the lack of health care here. []

Do not follow a life of evil; do not live heedlessly; do not have false views; do not value worldly things. In this way one can get rid of suffering. - The Dhammapada

[loffelkopffl]

please tell your story to everyone you meet when you leave here

[Anagami]

quote:

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Originally posted by loffelkopffl

please tell your story to everyone you meet when you leave here

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HAH! See the welcoming attitude!

Do not follow a life of evil; do not live heedlessly; do not have false views; do not value worldly things. In this way one can get rid of suffering. - The Dhammapada

[Kelena]

Thank you for taking the time to share your viewpoint. I don't think anyone is trying to sell Puna as a paradise. Quite the opposite. The abiding message is "Don't come". Puna is considered by many to be the armpit of Hawaii. But if the armpit is on Angelina Jolie (or I guess to my taste, Junior Seau), then maybe resting there a moment in perfect stillness (if you can stay still) is not such a bad thing.

I have a different list of negatives than yours: frogs, larceny, catchment and contractors top my list.

All of Hawaii has meth problem. All of America has a meth problem, although there are, of course, pockets of protection. For years, my home, San Diego County, was the center of the meth manufacturing business. Meth makers would occasionally blow up their own children trying to make the stuff. Of course, now the market is international, as is production. It is very sad. Each of us can be part of the solution, wherever we go. I have an unwanted ability to spot people who are high on meth. I have seen them right here in Oceanside. Last week, I was at a pet store and the cashier was using. She made it through the transaction and the closest person behind me was a few feet away so I leaned over and said as sincerely as I could "Thank you for your help. Meth will kill you if you let it. Quit if you can." She was shocked but grabbed my hand (hers was ice cold), and nodded. You can be the person that speaks to the 12 year olds getting high on Kehena Beach.

The deluded young hippies. God bless deluded youth everywhere. Being somewhat deluded is, to me, the very essence of youth.

Seeing youth in dreadlocks has never made me suicidal. It has reminded me that bad taste is timeless, but never suicidal.

I met a young man in New Orleans, just outside the Quarter, who played, quite improbably, the digiridoo. It requires a very special mouth technique. He was very adept at it. To say I was mesmerized would be an understatement. It is probably one of the few musical instruments that can withstand the weather in Hawaii. I have pretty much abandoned the idea of bringing over my piano, or of even playing it again.

True, one doesn't need to come to Hawaii to find oneself. I find that Hawaii is actually better for getting away from yourself -- the self you brought with you, and for becoming more integrated with the natural world beyond oneself. But you have a point. Wherever you go, there you are.

The economic price for living in Hawaii is high because it is an island, dependent on oil, and "leaders" have done nothing to promote energy independence. Hawaii is, however, one of the best places to try disengaging from the economy at large and to practice sustainability. A difficult goal, but worth trying for. Our "economy" is not sustainable.

Pahoa and Hilo run down? Definetely in the eye of the beholder. As an ex-Orleanian, I can tell you that some people would come to New Orleans and say "This is the filthiest town I have ever seen and the buildings are so run down". Others would come and see a sensuous, slightly dilapidated old beauty with a few tricks up her silky sleeves. I love the way Hilo looks, although I have spoken to people who share your viewpoint. As much as I love the West side, I much prefer the look of Hilo to Kona.

The staph problem is real. Thank you for pointing it out. We need to do a better job of keeping our water clean.

I think you are right about the volcano and mental illness in Puna. No one is really addressing the needs of the mentally ill in Puna, which would be all of us. You do have to be slightly off to live in Puna, as you are perched on the flanks of a living creature. And we name her. And talk about her as if she is alive, deliberating, sleeping fitfully and must be pacified. We are afraid of her. On the second night I spent in Puna, the house I was staying in belched sulfur from beneath it. That brought it home for me.

But then, there is great mana in the volcano and for some people, that is addictive, too. When you go somewhere else, where there is no mana, life seems dull, less vibrant, and certainly less colorful.

There are people living happy lives in Puna, and there are people in whom hell resides. It think it is true everywhere. But most people are just living, as they do elsewhere, but against a stunning backdrop in warm, if often wet, weather.

I finally read the book by the guy that lived down in south Puna whose name shall not be repeated here. Like you, he had a very negative view of Puna and couldn't wait to get back to a desert. He was very concerned that the closest shoe store was 35 miles away. Many things he said were comical, and many of them had the ring of truth. But in the final analysis, this was a guy who had to take two Xanax to get on a plane to fly to Hawaii. For some, like me, Hawaii is the narcotic and when I get on the plane I sit down and say to myself "Hawaii starts here".

And so perhaps he brought it with him.

Sometimes we bring it with us.

Take it in, take it out. Leave no footprints, unless you are suddenly covered in hot lava and have no choice.

Mahalo for sharing! I am sorry that you didn't hang around long enough for a lilikoi margarita! Don't forget to write!

[Bob Orts]

Yes, everything you mentioned is as or more prevalent on the mainland. It's just that the comfort of "back home" makes people willing to accept or ignore it. I've spoken to many people who moved to Hawaii and moved back. In almost all cases, it didn't work because they just couldn't accept where they were as being home. They compared everything to what they left behind. They wanted the vacation experience, without the reality of residing, but all the comforts of what they left behind. Everything negative they saw or experience was flagged to justify their need to return to the mainland. They can't admit they didn't have what it takes, so the blame everything else.

They could complain about the VOG, yet would say boo about the deadly Smog in LA. They would complain about the meth on Hawaii, yet think nothing of the cocaine abuse by their nanny when on the mainland. They would talk about the kids of Hawaii using drugs, yet ignore the Oxicodine pills missing from their own prescription bottles when they got back to the mainland. They talk about the drunk drivers on Hawaii, but think their boozing it up at a social function on the mainland is acceptable civilized behavior. How they can't help mentioning the homeless on Hawaii as they pass families sleeping under the overpass on I-5. Everything from the mentally ill to deteriorating buildings and communities is part of Mainland USA, but since it's "home", it's not a real problem because it's so easily hidden behind a facade of "Americanism".

By far Hawaii and Puna are not perfect, that's if your looking for your perfect. If you’re looking at it from the perspective of an area with it's own character and feel, it may be perfect for a person accepting that character and feel. But if you’re only passing through with some notion of seeing if it will work, maybe what you need was never this place. If it didn't fit your individual needs doesn't make the things you experienced the character and soul of the area.

Of course, there are those who just can't make it. Not that Hawaii isn't offering them all she can, they just don't have the self confidence to make it on Hawaii. For that type of person, they need to go because Hawaii sure doesn’t need them.

[StillHope]

I think recently we were talking about the individuals on this forum who crave attention and desire to spit their negative energy on everyone around.Replying is useless.He is not listening.It's endless.

[Noel M2]

quote:

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Originally posted by StillHope

I think recently we were talking about the individuals on this forum who crave attention and desire to spit their negative energy on everyone around.Replying is useless.He is not listening.It's endless.

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I totally agree. There are more productive things to discuss.


Noel
http://HiloParadise.com

[Kahunascott]

Don't move to the NY/NJ metro area, my father in law just died from MRSA. He had the finest doctors and medical facilities in the world.
Oh, and you have to pay a toll every 25 miles.
Uep, paradise it is...........[]
We bought a 4 brm house for cash and our taxes are under $500 a year.
Uep, paradise it is...........[]
My wife retired at 52.
Uep, paradise it is...........[]
I got a great job with great coworkers
Uep, paradise it is...........[]
My neighbors are great and we love it here
Uep, paradise it is...........[]
The friends we met on this web site are invaluable.
Uep, paradise it is...........[].
I guess it's all about what your lookin' for...we found it.

"Many dreams come true and some have silver linings, I look for my dreams and a pocket full of gold" Led Zeppelin