Changes Update

The Enterprise® CarShare account was finally activated upon speaking with a service representative on the telephone. The associated “app” was installed on the iPhone XR. So, the next step will be a trial run of the service. Incidentally, the application and membership fees were waived as part of an on-line promotion. And, a $20 credit was also a part of the deal.

Nissan® Quest Minivan

The hard part, now, will be the divestiture of the minivan. The reasons for divestiture far outweigh any rationale for keeping it. However, there has been a tremendous amount of waffling. Lots of confusion ensued as a result. The worst part is that one month of the two-month “grace period” has already elapsed. Time is rapidly running out.

The decision to finally taper the intake of psyllium as a dietary supplement has been made. Any kind of dependency must be mummified, especially if the supply of the latter is extremely limited. In addition, the real prospect of motorhomelessness in the near future necessitates the reduction of cumbersome activities.

Addendum: The list of approved Web sites on the Net continues to whittle down. And, the availability of wireless hotspots has decreased the need for an expensive “smartphone” data plan. Unfortunately, a better option than the current $30 prepaid plan has not presented itself.

Saturnalia 2018

The Eve of Saturnalia proved uneventful as always. The gym closed early, which allowed for time to complete the dreaded laundry chores. There are still no coin-operated washers and dryers in the new building at the “old folks home” in Waikiki. Of course, there’s no way to enter the older building unless one of its tenants enter or exit.

The bus ride to and from Waikiki has become tedious. There is a dynamic strategy in play to use the routes with minimal passengers. Often, the strategy fails insofar as time constraints are concerned. However, extremely full buses must be avoided at all costs.

Ala Moana Center closed at 6pm. Therefore, dinner was procured at an exorbitant cost of $10 at the fast food joint on Ke’eaumoku Street. There were numerous homeless as well as the usual poorly behaved customers (read: “deplorables”). Dinner was substandard, but expectations were low to begin with.

International Market Place

The evening ended with the usual extended visit to the new International Market Place. The mall has essentially become a surrogate “living room.” The chairs on the second floor are comfortable. There’s no air conditioning, so the ambient temperature is tolerable. And, there’s free wireless Net access. Needless to say, most of the time there is spent viewing various RT streaming programs on the trusty iPhone XR. Incidentally, one advantage of being in Waikiki is that very few venues are closed during the holidays.

A circuitous bus ride was made to finally arrive at Kahala Mall on the morning of Saturnalia. Coffee time was courtesy the fast food joint in Kahala. The primary reason for the excursion to Kahala Mall was availability of restrooms. There were, by the way, myriad senior citizens (mostly “little old ladies”) riding the buses in town and at Kahala Mall.

Upon return to Waikiki at 2pm, a quick stop was made at the Enterprise® office at the Island Colony hotel. The membership in the CarShare program has been stalled because there is no way to log in with the current account information. The member card was obtained last week at the office in Kaka’ako. Attempts to use the on-line contact options has yielded no results.

The rest of the afternoon was a waste of time, including a useless excursion by bus to Ala Moana Center and returning to Waikiki to attend to personal chores. Then, another excursion was made to the fast food joint on Ke’eaumoku Street for dinner and back to Waikiki for an evening in the surrogate “living room” (i.e., International Market Place).

All of the aforementioned events spell out P-A-R-I-A-H ... a ridiculous waste of time in defiance of the status quo. There is no escape from the ramifications of the consumerist and “ownership” society. What is the difference between the listed itinerary and the typical itinerary of the homeless? Nothing!

Centenarian Overload

“Japan's centenarian population hit a record-high 69,785 as of September, with women accounting for 88.1 percent of the total, on the back of medical advances and greater health consciousness, the welfare ministry said Friday.” - from the article, “Centenarians in Japan hit record 69,785, nearly 90% of them women” in The Jakarta Post

Senior citizens over 65 years of age comprise 25% of the population in Japan. The number is increasing every year while the general population is declining. The centenarian trend is also increasing annually. Soon, the majority of the population will be “little old ladies.”

The quoted article is of interest because the same phenomenon has been observed in Hawai’i. Of particular interest is that moms fall into that category. Thus, the previously projected longevity estimate of 105 to 110 years of age for moms was realistic.

The issue is recurring because nearly all current decisions, from the possible divestiture of the minivan to continued residency, all hinge on moms. As it becomes much clearer that moms will continue on for at least 8 to 13 years, any kind of planning becomes difficult.

What is even worse is that another financial crash in empire is inevitable, but the ramifications will be global. The “Western” central banks will follow the same formulaic monetary policies (i.e., ZIRP and QE). However, the “recovery” time will be even longer, possibly approaching 20 years. There will be no choice but to embrace motorhomelessness when that time comes. Otherwise, money will deplete to nothing within a few short years.

Addendum: There are a barrage of articles concerning the booming senior citizen population in Japan, many of which chronicled the tragedy of old age, decrepitude, and death. The crux of the matter is that the issue isn’t limited to Japan. Nearly all “developed” nations will be experiencing the same in due time.

Homeless Memorial

There was some deliberation about attending the memorial service at the Atherton Chapel in Central Union Church this evening for 68 homeless people who passed on this year either on the streets or at homeless shelters. Sadly, attendance never came to fruition.

The homeless population continues to rise unabated, even though the last “point in time” count allegedly indicated otherwise. Actually, both the homeless and undocumented immigrant populations in Hawai’i are soaring while the “official” population is decreasing.

There’s been a lot more talk about funding more programs for the homeless, but talk is cheap. Years have gone by, but the proposed “safe zones” have never come about. There’s always talk about more homeless shelters and “affordable” housing. Again, talk is cheap.

The “safe zones” are the most cost effective program because homelessness has no solutions in “casino capitalism.” As long as economic inequality keeps growing, there will be more and more homeless. The “safe zone” has also been highly anticipated in order to “green light” the cargo van camper conversion plan. Only disappointment was the result. Just more lips flapping. Blah, blah, blah, blah ...

A Long Ridiculous Life

There’s really no need to elaborate on the ludicrous 63+ years that have passed. Much of that foolishness (since 1996) has been chronicled in the legacy journal and recent “blogs.” The senior citizen years are a time to reflect on the imbecility of the younger years. What else is there to do upon retirement?

One observation worth noting is that human stupidity repeats itself endlessly with each successive generation. Lessons are never learned. Instead, arrogance (coupled with opioids) have created an even greater mess. However, that is neither here or there.

The senior citizen years bring even more stupidity, often exacerbated by senility. Yet, there is always one fact that remains crystal clear - death is drawing closer and closer. The truth of a non-existent redemption becomes clear. Then, a severe existential crisis erupts. Who knew that the Great Prophet, Ernest Becker, had predicted the universal human malaise eons ago?

On a side note, the process to join the local Enterprise® CarShare program has been initiated. The plan, of course, is to divest the minivan. Notable is the difficulty in the deconstruction of life-style in the midst of aging. There is always great reluctance to such a drastic change.

Addendum: There have been some considerations about setting up a new on-line account similar to Twitter®, the idea being gearing it toward more photos taken in real life. Of course, taking photos has not been much of a priority. So, the project may be doomed from the start.

Waikiki Update - 2

The decision to move to the “old folks home” in Waikiki has now been conclusively established as a major failure. Waikiki has degenerated into an even more horrid form of grotesquerie than it was several years ago. Of course, there is no place on the entire island that has actually improved.

Mausoleum

The “old folks home” in Waikiki is ... well, an “old folks home.” It is a mausoleum containing people who are barely alive. The rented unit in the new tower is, as expected, new. The entire unit is fairly pristine but severely underutilized by the current tenant. None of the appliances are being used. The closet and cabinets are empty. All of the tenant’s belongings are on the floor next to the only closet. The air bed and dilapidated sheets are the same ones inherited from the Sand Island homeless shelter. The entire unit is kept meticulously clean.

There will be no attempt to add any “creature comforts” to the spartan mausoleum. Why bother? There really is no need to make the mausoleum more habitable. During the era of wage slavery and a brief indoctrination into the “ownership society,” an attempt was made to create a domicile, a self-contained mausoleum. In retrospect, the creation was, in effect, a prison cell. There is no reason to “stay at home.” Laying around, watching the tube, eating junk food, and consuming cheap booze is utter foolishness.

There was an attempt to placate the “soul,” as it were, utilizing the iPhone XR. A streaming music account was created and several music channels were added. Very boring. Mummified! The free streaming flicks site on the Net was sampled. Flicks were ancient. Very mundane. Mummified! So, RT News is now the sole source of streaming content. Sheesh!

Typical Waikiki Hotties

Of course, Waikiki is a place for young and affluent. Lots of young hotties are running amuck. An old codger with an atrophying Vienna Sausage has no interest in babes, young or old, and vice versa. Yet, the “old folks home” is a somewhat premature step in the current timeline toward death. Overpriced rental units are for the younger crowd. An old codger just needs a homeless motorhome, a cargo van camper conversion. Nothing more, nothing less.

Addendum: There has been no attempt at an evening excursion to Waikiki Beach. The weather and ambient temperature have not been agreeable as of late. No doubt, though, the beach has most likely degenerated into another horrid form of grotesquerie.

Update: Divestiture of useless junk continues unabated. The “stuff” pictured at the beginning of this Note will be minimized in anticipation of motorhomelessness.

Tales From The Crypt

An encounter with another resident in the “old folks home” in Waikiki on Monday during the dreaded laundry chores has, in effect, tainted the decision about continued residency there. The tenant, a 70+ year old “little old lady” was in the community room of the old tower, although she resides in the new tower. The resident provided a brief autobiography, most notably mentioning that she is a “cancer survivor.”

The resident moved from the old tower to the new tower about a week ago. So, she knows people to allow her access to the old building. The security fobs for both buildings are different. She said that she “downsized” before the move, jettisoning a lot of allegedly useless possessions. The impetus for “downsizing” was the result of the sad fate of another tenant. An elderly “little old lady” was apparently conspicuously absent from public view for a few days. Other residents noticed a pungent odor emanating from the mausoleum (i.e., apartment). Apparently, she had been deceased for several days. The deceased left the mausoleum full of “stuff” with no apparent heir(s) to the “estate.”

The resident also discussed a few religious topics, obviously being some kind of devout Judeo-Christian “believer.” She confidently mentioned that she knew exactly where she was going in the future, that is, “Heaven.” Obviously, death and its denial run deep at the “old folks home.”

Addendum: At this point in time, the decision to remain in the “old folks home” in Waikiki beyond the one-year lease term appears to be slanted toward termination. The cargo van camper conversion is becoming more attractive as an alternative by the day.

Home on Wheels

As mentioned in the previous Notes, a homeless motorhome was spotted while making the rounds during the usual Hawai’i Kai visit on Monday. The vehicle was spotted in the Hawai’i Kai Towne Center parking lot. Roof vents quickly raised suspicions about the beat-up Dodge® Sprinter cargo van (similar to the model below).

Dodge® Sprinter

Fortunately, before departure, the owner-occupant of the cargo van exited via the rear sliding door. From what could be ascertained, the interior sports a full camper conversion (possibly including a portable toilet). Nice, very nice.

Things Fall Apart 2018

The latest bad news is that the fast food joint in Ala Moana Center is closing on December 21st. After the move to the “old folks home” in Waikiki, that particular fast food joint location became essential for the morning coffee “fix.” Purchasing coffee at the lowest possible cost became imperative after the discovery that there were no accommodations for preparing instant coffee at the “old folks home.” An inquiry revealed that the cause of the closure is an exorbitant increase in rent.

Fast Food Joint in Ala Moana Center

The dreaded laundry chores were performed only because entry to the older tower of the “old folks home” was facilitated by sneaking in while the automatic door was open after a resident exited. There is no telling when the laundry appliances will be installed in the new tower of the “old folks home.”

A couple of “budget” automobile rental venues were discovered on-line. However, the latter venues appear to be questionable insofar as integrity is concerned. There is no sense in taking a risk with “fly by night” operations. Better to pay more than be scammed. The vehicle sharing option is yet to be investigated.

As the entire senior citizen situation approaches a collapse scenario, there is one contingency available. Yes, the cargo van camper conversion. A short wheelbase, high roof model is currently available for about $37,500 new. Incidentally, an older cargo van converted to a homeless motorhome was spotted in Hawai’i Kai on Monday.

Warm Milk

The move to Waikiki has, so far, been a regrettable experience, not that the “old folks home” in Makiki was so much better. The real problem is that the quality of life in the islands has “hit rock bottom.” Hawai’i is a “shithole,” plain and simple. People, locals and tourists alike, are shitheads. The whole place is essentially a big and shitty shopping mall. And, it just keeps getting more shitty by the day. Shit!

None of the homeless have been loitering in the Apple® Store as of one week ago. Even the infamous Reggie only made one appearance. Little wonder why. The store “security” guards have been blatantly eyeing any loiterers. The new Draconian policies are probably a backlash given the barrage of “bad press” that recently forced the stock price downward. Is it time to dump the iPhone XR?

Typical Waikiki Hotties

The only redeeming factor about Waikiki is the sheer number of gorgeous young hotties dressed in skimpy tight dresses on Friday night after 10pm. They are all going out to the night clubs, of course. Meanwhile, the senior citizens at the “old folks home” have already retired for the evening after consuming a mug of nice warm milk.

The new driver’s license arrived with the now defunct address of the “old folks home” in Makiki. That particular address had to be submitted because of the required documentation of proof of residency. By law, the new address of the “old folks home” in Waikiki must be submitted in writing within 30 days of activation. Fat chance! In any case, the new driver’s license overcomes the final obstacle to selling the minivan and seeking alternative forms of transportation for the usual Hawai’i Kia visits.

Denial & Other Tales

Brief conversations with Marshall at the gym are both enlightening and unnerving. On the topic of residing in the “old folks home, he said, “That’s like living in a hospital.” Well, more like an intensive care unit (ICU). Interest in working out regularly at the gym has waned for Marshall. He attributes the latter to old age. Fortunately, he has a spouse and two adult offspring. So, there is at least a good support network for him. Marshall may have already passed the stage of denial.

The need to scrimp and save money at this point in time is the act of denial in action. Estimates indicate that there is enough money to draw about $25,000 per annum for 20 years until zero balance. Family antecedents indicate a life expectancy of only 15 years. A new policy is needed to countermand the current austerity measures.

There really is no place for senior citizens as the entire global life-style is aimed toward the younger generations. Senior citizens can only hobble around while waiting for death. For the more affluent senior citizens, the home (read: mausoleum) can provide all of the “creature comforts” within easy reach. The senior citizen life-style can then be isolated to the “recliner.” Unfortunately, such a life-style only contributes to a rapid decline into decrepitude. Recline and decline.

There are myriad gorgeous young hotties residing in Waikiki, a lot of whom were spotted in the area of the “old folks home.” The rent for apartments, most of them being dumps, is extremely high. Yet, the young hotties appear to have more than enough money to survive.

On a darker note, the fast food joint on Kuhio Ave has turned into a major dump since the last visit a couple of years ago during the one-month stay in Waikiki. Myriad teenaged delinquents, some possibly homeless, loiter there in the late evening. That particular location was also the scene of the fatal shooting of a local guy during an altercation with an agent of empire. Lots of muggings also occur in the immediate vicinity, again attributed to the aforementioned delinquents.

Addendum: Another encounter with an alumnus of the Sand Island homeless shelter occurred at Ala Moana Center this afternoon. She was one of the many people who were “shipped off to Barber’s Point.” Apparently, the transitional shelter there is not too bad aside from the distance to town. The converted military barracks are now self-contained apartments. Rent is fairly low and maximum residency is three years. Encounters with people from the Sand Island homeless shelter have been nice. When people have next to nothing, they become more human and humane.

Waikiki Update - 1

The mobile senior citizen mobile command center (read: Nissan® Quest minivan) has been stripped of its status, albeit prematurely. Everything, including the small safe, has been removed from the vehicle and placed in the studio mausoleum at the “old folks home” in Waikiki. The vehicle will remain parked at the Waikiki Banyan for six (out of seven) days per week.

Typical Mausoleum

The divestiture of the minivan has been stalled by the stupidity of the driver’s license renewal fiasco. Until the new license arrives, there is no way to utilize vehicle rental or sharing services. The temporary paper license will not suffice.

The experience in Waikiki becomes more surreal in old age. What was once exciting just a few years ago is now nauseatingly blasé. The “old folks home” in Waikiki is no different from the one in Makiki or anywhere else for that matter. There are myriad decrepit senior citizens residing there. Ambulances are frequently sighted outside the facility. It is the first stopover before death. For some, it’s the final stop. The homeless motorhome (read: cargo van camper conversion) is looking more attractive all the time.

The two medium-rise towers of the “old folks home” in Waikiki are surrounded by a hodgepodge of old walk-up apartments and older high-rise condominiums. At best, the area is similar to Makiki ... a ghetto.There is, of course, no escape from the waste disposal trucks. The OSHA beeping reverse alarms are heard echoing through the slum continuously from 6am daily.

The laundry rooms in the new tower of the “old folks home” have no washers or dryers. Occupancy commenced in August, but there are still no sign of the necessary appliances in December. The protocol now involves lugging dirty laundry to the old tower and requesting access from the resident manager.

A new gym bag was procured last night at Ross® in order to organize and store personal “junks.” Plastic bag storage is a “done deal.” No effort is being made to store anything in the closets or cabinets of the studio mausoleum. At this point in time, motorhomelessness is becoming a very viable option.

Dead End

The move to the “old folks home” in Waikiki was executed with no associated problems. The move could have been further expedited were it not for the “junks” stuffed in numerous plastic bags. Another gym bag would have been ideal. Some amount of time had to be expended to clean the studio apartment. The minivan was parked in its new home at the Waikiki Banyan.

The new routine calls for a commute to Ala Moana Center on the bus in the morning. Coffee will be procured at the fast food joint since there is no microwave oven in the community room at the “old folks home” to properly prepare instant coffee. The rest of the day’s itinerary will remain the same except that all commuting will be to and from Waikiki.

Waikiki

The evening itinerary will differ slightly. An extended amount of time can be spent at Ala Moana Center because there are buses running to Waikiki fairly late. The new Saturnalia hours are in effect, too. So, all of the stores and eateries are open until 10pm. That’s about the only advantage of Saturnalia.

Lots of paperwork was affixed to the door of the new studio mausoleum. The paperwork was completed and deposited in the requested location. The paperwork included the usual release for financial documentation. And, there was a specific document that had to be signed disclosing absolutely no ownership of a vehicle. Obviously, several steps must be taken to insure that finances and vehicle ownership are hidden.

The future one-year tenure at the “old folks home” in Waikiki is the “end of the line.” If the difficulties adjusting to the unsustainable life-style of empire continues, there will be no other option but procuring a homeless motorhome (read: cargo van camper conversion). In the meantime, many preparations will be made for the latter possibility including the divestiture of the minivan as soon as possible. Any surplus money will be saved for the drastic contingency.

Addendum: The evening itinerary that was tested during the one-month “vacation” in Waikiki, courtesy the former landlord in ‘Nalo, has been resurrected. The new International Marketplace is definitely the place to relax and enjoy free wireless Net access. Free flicks on the The Roku Channel on the Web appear to play flawlessly. A music “app” may be downloaded and used for more “free” fun in Waikiki,