”Keep trying Nick, it’s bound to work someday…” Andrew, the bald Englishman slapped Nick on the back. The fog of cigarette and marijuana smoke in the air brought a stale cloying scent that somehow conveyed the feeling of a party in the works.
Nick sat down, slightly embarrassed by his own sudden outburst. After a moment of examining the half empty bud light bottle in his hand he lifted his shaggy head and laughed with everyone else. Sipping his beer with his right hand and pushing his bangs back with his left, he revealed his slightly acne scarred face. Early twenties, not too tall, he wasn’t a bad looking kid. He just had bad lines.
An assortment of odd characters sat around him on the ramshackle furniture in the parking garage. They weren’t any odder than him, but then he wasn’t any odder than them either and who would ever believe that this group would even exist. There was Andrew, a 28-year-old real estate broker from London. His girlfriend, Kirsten, a Georgia peach who still looked good but must of been pushing 40. Locky, an Australian mining engineer seeking a better life in America. Ludwig, the German importer. Tokyo Joe, a retired Japanese schoolteacher from Osaka. And the cast kept going in a never ending stream of new faces, names, careers and countries.
It wasn’t just an ordinary parking garage they were in. It held a coke machine, picnic tables, payphones, and laundry facilities. Above it were the fifteen split units that made up the studios, dorms, and semi private rooms of the Polynesian Hostel Beach Club in Waikiki, Hawaii. A constant maelstrom in perpetual flux housing a hundred people that were almost certainly going to be a different group the next night. A place where strangers become friends, friends become lovers, and exotic destinations got exchanged like laundry gossip.
Hostels are usually interesting places, but the Polynesian was something different. It brought the people it wanted, forced them to interact, and brought significant change into the lives of nearly everyone fortunate enough to be touched by it.
It was born when the manager of another hostel, Tina, was accused of stealing. She was a Vietnamese refugee who had landed there after several years of voyaging with the poverty jet set. She landed there with nothing, saved, and planned on staying forever…then she was accused out of the blue. She quit and started the Polynesian Hostel Beach Club. She got the ball rolling and tried handing it off unsuccessfully to a series of managers who maintained the status quo until the right person was ready.
When I was ready, whatever spirit was in charge brought me to Hawai’i. Right on time. I didn’t know what I was supposed to be doing until I was handed the keys to the Polynesian. What were the odds of a homeless anarchist being given an opportunity like this..miniscule unless something else were at play. Something else was definitely at play.
”You must say Kunbanwa…” this came from one of the tiny Japanese girls sitting with everyone else. "It mean good evening." Everyone laughed again.
A young Japanese-American with a Texas drawl came around the corner laughing to himself. ” Oh maaan, y’all ain’t gonna believe what just happened in the staff room.” His laughter was uncontrollable. "Grant just took a sleepwalk and pissed all over Jason and Allison while they were laying in bed. Fuck man, I can’t believe I just saw that shit."Again, laughter filled the garage and echoed down the block to Waikiki beach.
”He peesed on theeem?” Daniel, the 20-year-old Polish guy stood up.
"Hey man, those are my shorts you’re wearing!" Nick stood up too pointing at the blue surf shorts Daniel wore. ”Why are you wearing my clothes?”
”I think it’s okay because all my clothes dirty and I have no money. ..okay?” ”What?” Nick’s voice got higher in pitch. ”You can’t just wear my clothes man…those are my clothes. Aw fuck it, just make sure you give em back.”
APPENDIX 1: SMART QUESTIONS
The following are some questions you can ask yourself to figure out where you are going or what you want to do. I like to use these questions periodically to check up on myself or to inspire myself to write or learn something…..
1) What is my provocation? Why am I doing what I do?
2) What do I need?
3) What are my abilities?
4) What are my accumulations?
5) What kind of access do I have?
6) Who are my major influences?
7) How do I get cash?
8) What do I want?
9) What do I always have?
10) Where do I want to be in a week, month, and year?
11) Is this the best use of my time?
12) What seems like it might work?
13) What isn’t working?
14) What is working?
15) What makes me happy?
16) Why?
17) What do I love to do?
18) How do I define success?
19) Who am I doing what I do for?
20) What is my standard for success?
21) What are my three Mojo daily dos?
22) What are my three daily don’t’s? (Mojo killers)
23) What are three ambitions I feel good about?
24) What do I do?
25) What am I doing here?
26) What is my mission?
27) What is my biggest life failure?
28) What can I learn from that?
29) What three tools make my life easier?
30) Is my vision moving me?
31) What do other people think I do?
32) What do I think I do?
33) What do I really do?
34) What can I do to take the next leap?
35) What do I want to accomplish next?
36) What are my top three short term goals?
37) What are my top three long term goals?
38) What can I do instead of worry or complain?
39) What is the most important to me?
40) How can I focus on that (#39)?
APPENDIX 2: ROUGH RECIPES
Here are some of my favorite recipes using a variety of cooking methods. Most of them can be prepared anywhere. They are simple and easy to make. I’m not a Top Chef, but I’ve eaten a meal made by a couple of runner’s up.
This is my favorite breakfast recipe. Like all of the recipes in this section, most of the ingredients can be whatever you find or have handy. Use your imagination or your host’s pantry to fill in the blanks.
Ingredients
4 eggs
2 large potatoes
3 tbsp cooking oil
garlic
small onion
various vegetables and herbs (whatever you can find)
shredded cheese
spices
Directions
Cut the potatoes into small cubes (1/4 inch) while you allow the oil (or butter) to melt in a skillet. Drop the potatoes in and cook on high heat for 5-10 minutes allowing them to brown and or burn slightly. Mince garlic, onion, vegetables, and herbs. Pour off the excess oil. Drop in your minced goods and cook 3-5 minutes adding spices (like a pinch of cinnamon, salt, pepper, and cayenne). Beat the eggs in a small dish. Pour eggs over the top and cook 1-2 minutes before flipping the entire thing. If you fail to flip it in one piece,just scramble the whole thing until all the egg is cooked. Put shredded cheese on top, cover for 1 minute, and serve it up.