HAWAI'I LIFE5 Reasons Why I Love Living in Hawaii
I was going to write a blog about a great, energy efficient home that caught my interest…until the listing was canceled. Instead, I can write about the next best thing, waking up in the most heavenly spot on Earth…Hawaii!
I lived in Los Angeles for 25 years and I’d always get my feathers ruffled when I’d hear weather reporters say that Southern California has the best weather in the nation. NOT! We have the best weather here in Hawaii all day, every day.
Done venting, now here are a few very simple reasons why I had to move back home:
5. I can hang my clothes up to dry on a clothes line. I always hated to dry my clothes in a dryer. They always shrunk, faded, and wore-out quickly. My clothes smell so nice and fresh, and I use the few minutes that it takes me to hang them up as meditation time. I’m still anal about organizing them though!
4. I can always see and smell flowers wherever I go, all year round. I never lived where leaves drop and it snows, so when I see scenes like that, it’s cool looking for a while, but living like that for 4 or 5 months must be hard. I don’t remember a day that I didn’t see a flower. How can you not be in a good mood with all the flowers around us?!
3. I can go to the beach any day of the year and not have to take a jacket. Call me a snob, but a beach is not a beach if you have to wear a jacket and long pants. I remember the first time I went to the beach in Santa Monica; it was very warm where I lived (Wilshire & LaBrea), so I thought it would be warmer at the beach. As the bus let me off at Ocean Ave., the fog was so thick that by the time I got to the beach, the fog got my shirt wet…and there were people in speedos and bikinis laying out.
2. The sun helps me reduce my electricity bill. Having a solar water heating unit is wonderful. I can go 3 cloudy days and still have hot water. I’m looking forward to installing a full photovoltaic system that will allow me to charge the electric car that I plan on purchasing sometime soon. I refuse to be a slave to oil.
1. I will never again have that sinking, depressing feeling of heading to the airport for my flight back to LA. My vacations would go by so fast and I would feel so sad on the drive back to the airport. I sometimes see tourists loading up their cars in the KMart parking lot. I feel sad for them, but I mostly giggle and think, better you than me. Let’s not forget the week of depression after the vacation. I don’t ever want to go there.
I love this quote from a friend who has been living here for a while. He sometimes thinks to himself, “My life is better than your vacation.” For me, it is…because I don’t have to go home…I am home!
Share with me some of your simple reasons why you love living in Hawaii, or why you can’t wait to live in Hawaii.
Ken Molina, R(S)
ken@hawaiilife.com
808.344.6421
I love this post, the pictures and the good feelings it brings up! Mahalo! I always hang my clothes, too! and my electricity bill, (for average of 4 people) went from $350-$375 per month to $125-150 after instaling solar hot water!!!!! Sun powers us in many ways!
Ken, you belong here! I love it here too; 30 years of beautiful experiences and living the Hawaii Life. There is so much beauty here, it surrounds us every day and it’s vital to pay attention and enjoy it. Yes, solar is the way to go too. We too are considering photo voltaic although just a solar water helps a lot.
Ken; you put the feelings we all share about living in paradise into words nicely! You give back to the aina just with the little things you are already doing…so yes, you do belong here!
LOVE this!
Thanks for all the great responses. I love living here and I love working with other wonderful locals and the amazing company that we are all with.
Aloha Ken. #1 is my favorite! Before we moved to Hawaii, I used to get on the plane heading “home” to CA, and literally bawl my eyes out to be leaving. Now, when I’m done with vacation and going “home” to HI, I giggle and laugh all the way… know why? Not just because I live in Hawaii, but because a plane full of happy, laughing, excited tourists heading for Hawaii might just be the very best way to spend every last vacation day for the rest of my life. It’s hard to be depressed when everyone around you is thrilled to be going to paradise… and then I giggle because I’m going home. To live. I love my Hawaii Life!!!
Aloha Ken, my wife and I have been spending our vacations in the Islands for the past 15 years. We were married on Kauai and have always dreamed of Hawaii being our home. Last summer our dream became a reality with the excellent team effort by Annie Mendoza, Jan Nores and Katie Minkus. Since my employment is overseas, I have a very long commute to/from work, but there is no better feeling than to come home (like Katie mentioned) and live our Hawaii life! We also installed a solar water heater and have realized a significant reduction (saving 45-50%) on our electric bill.
@Katie & Rob – Hawaii is such a special place and it’s great that others get to experience it and eventually make that special place home. It took me leaving it to make me appreciate it even more!
What a great article…makes me think how truly lucky we are that we can call Hawaii home. Many people spend an entire lifetime planning their 2 week vacation to Hawaii. Blessed we are. Lucy
I do miss Hawai’i, I was lucky to spend a semester there and it was the best time of my life. Something about Hawai’i just makes it home and lifts my spirit.
@maja – I was gone for 25 years and have been back for 2. I don’t think I’ll move anywhere else. I love it here so much. It sounds corny but true. Hope you can come back some time. Aloha! Mele Kalikimaka