2007 Year in Review

HAPPY NEW YEARS EVERYONE!!!

Hard to believe that 2007 has come and gone. Like for many, 2007 was a year full of highs and lows. Business-wise, things improved over last year (as we always hope!) and we were able to increase our clientele and reach a wider audience. Personally, it was a year of personal growth and development.

2007 began with one of the one of the most difficult situations of my life. Late in January, my best friend, Keith Higashi passed away due to complications with renal failure. He battled through his illness heroically for at least 4 years and was able to make the decision on his own with the love and support from his friends and family. I was able to see him everyday til his passing (just three days before his 34th birthday) and was able to honor him by speaking on his behalf at his funeral. His passing made me value my time with my friends and family and to appreciate things I used to take for granted. I was hard then, and it's still difficult now when I think about the fact that it was close to this time last year when his mom called me to tell me about his decision. I miss Keith. I miss just talking to him.

During April of the year, Rolando and I decided to continue Ka Hale Ola Massage Therapy. It took some deep discussion and some compromising, but we signed the lease to re-up for the next three years. Doing this, allayed some fears, at least for me in the next three years, but brings up other stuff down the road.

Also in April, Sommer gave birth to her first child!

In June, I turned 30. Coupled with the passing of my best friend, it was a landmark birthday for me. There was a lot of reflection done on my birthday: looking back at what I'd accomplished to this point, what was going on currently, and what I have to look forward to in the future. While I realized that where I am now is nowhere near what my plans were 10 years, or even 5 years ago, I don't regret anything that happened to get me to this point in time.

Come football time, I was in need for some good news, and fortunately University of Hawaii was able to bring some levity and good news in this difficult year. I was able to go to the Boise State game which locked up Hawaii's first outright WAC title in a long time and saw UH complete their undefeated 12-0 season by coming back to beat UW (a nail biter, see my previous post). Unfortunately, the Hawaii run ended at the Sugar Bowl this New Years, but you can be nothing but proud for the underdogs despite their lopsided loss. The had us all believing and really, that's all you can ask for!

Also in December, Cybil got her Master's degree from UH (in what, I forget... SORRY!) So congrats to that. AND she was able to get tickets to the Sugar Bowl (pictures maybe coming!) She's lost her voice and has a cold, but she is none the worse for wear.

So 2008 is here and here's some of the news after only 3 days into the new year...

*Sommer, her husband, and baby are moving into a new home in Mililani (ok, they got the keys in December, but they're ACTUALLY only moving in now)!!!

*Sadly, Katie will be leaving Hawaii in mid-January with her husband to Turkey, so she will no longer be doing massages with us at Ka Hale Ola Massage. Hawaii does have a way with pulling people back, so you never know if/when she'll come back. But in addition, she also is PREGNANT!!! So congrats to that as well!

*Cybil will be returning to massage status after her hiatus due to grad school!

*Cindy will also be doing massages too... not really by her choice though! :P

*We may have a new therapist joining our ohana as well, so be on the look out for that too!

*One of my friends, Brice will be getting married (tentatively) in August!

*I may be headed back to Oregon State for their grudge match game with Hawaii in September!!!

It's only January 3rd... I'm hoping for an awesome 2008!