MMTT4S - The Jungle Drums Are Beating...

Communication is ridiculous.

How we communicate nowadays is mind boggling. My daughter communicates with her friends through photo streaks. My son uses any and all forms of social media and usually includes memes with his messages, or in place of them. My wife is a Facebook fanatic. I tend to tweet.

If that last paragraph made no sense to you, don't worry - we use our phones to send text messages and check email, too. "Talk," you say? I guess. When all else fails.

Cell phones. The greek root word "phon" means "sound." Think telephone, saxophone, phonograph. "Phon" is a unit of measurement of the loudness of sound. Most audio on cell phones today is not from a caller on the other end of the line (wait, nix that - there is no line now), but instead is something recorded - video, streaming music, etc. I guess in this sense, the word "phone" might be appropriate. As far as communication goes, though, text, photo, and video outweigh the audio uses of our cell phones.

Think about how fast and significantly communication has changed. Letter writing is soon to join antiquated practices of sending telegraphs, posting on MySpace, and using proper grammar in text messages. How quickly we've gone from cave paintings and smoke signals to online help chats and video conferencing. #ThanksGutenburg #YouTooAGBell

While technology offers us immediate connection in high definition to practically anywhere around the globe and is improving and upgrading these possibilities at near lightspeed, is it all good? I'll let you ponder that question. I don't have time this summer to talk through the many facets of that debate. Suffice it to say that I am often a slave to technology and I don't mind. I actually love it most of the time. Still, do I treasure my disconnected moments? Do I notice a serious lack of face-to-face communication skills in the youth of today? Most definitely.

So, let's use our time this summer (or at least today) to go to an island and go back to an earlier time where communication was crude but effective. "Coconut Telegraph" is a song from Jimmy Buffett's 1981 album by the same name. The tune pays tribute to how island gossip travels by mouth, possibly referencing the mode of communication of a dedicated radio channel for boaters around the islands. The messages get noticeably quieter as the week progresses. On Tuesday, the jungle drums are alive with tales from the weekend parties, but by Thursday the lines go silent. Never fear, though, because Buffett reminds us that a new batch of visitors will be arriving on Friday and the ensuing parties will produce plenty of gossip-worthy news for the coconut telegraph. He also lets us know that there are very few, if any secrets too. Now that sounds familiar to the communication methods of today, huh? It's just that today, our coconut telegraph broadcasts communication across a slightly bigger island called Earth (and beyond).

If you're on your phone right now, dial up "Coconut Telegraph" then put the phone down and let yourself be transported to the islands. Consider it communicating with your inner beach bum or island dweller. You should really talk more often.

Image courtesy of Amazon.com

MMTT4S - Sunday Afternoon Kahanamoku Edition

I've never visited Hawai'i. I've been told by my mother-in-law that I'm not allowed to go - because I wouldn't come back. I should probably heed her advice. This is the same woman who endured me absconding from Abilene, Texas with her daughter (my wife), who was 8 months pregnant, to Columbia, South Carolina. Not only did I take her only daughter, but also the only grandchild on either side of the family at the time...over 1150 miles away. Somehow, she still loves me. At least she's convinced me that she does. I am incredibly blessed to have married into my wife's family. I could not ask for better in-laws. We are able to see each other at different intervals throughout the year - Christmas and a summer trip are nearly guaranteed annual events. So, while the distance is certainly less than ideal, it's somewhat manageable with a little planning and traveling fortitude.

Hawai'i would be a different story.

Logistically problematic, face-to-face visits with family in Texas would be much more rare if one party had to cross the south Pacific. First, it would be over 3x as far mileage-wise. Plus, you can't just hop in your car and go, stopping at a Cracker Barrel for food and a Hampton Inn when you need a quick overnight break. Most of the journey is across the ocean. That typically requires airline travel, and all the money and layovers and money and delays and money and lost luggage and money and rental cars and money and long lines and money and hassles and money that often accompanies it.

Basically, my mother-in-law is saying, "South Carolina is far enough." She's probably right, too.

Walaka

Don't get me wrong. Hawai'i is a bucket list destination of mine, but so is just about any place I've never been. I want to see the world. Still, Hawai'i is...well...Hawai'i. It seems to fit my tropical persona pretty well. Visit there? By all means. Never leave? Likely. Would my extended family love to visit us in the 50th state of the union? You bet! Would it happen often? Nope - not even often enough. It's just not reasonable. My mother-in-law is wise.

Still, I go there as often as I can in my mind. My imagination takes me to the islands in the south Pacific, or at least how I envision them to be. Trust me, it's glorious. While seclusion is high on my list in these tropical destinations, so are local customs, history, and tradition. There are even a few places and events that are popular among tourists that I would like to experience. One of those is Duke's on Sunday.

Image courtesy of HenryKapono.com

Henry Kapono is a legendary Hawaiian singer/songwriter, among other things, who was born near Waikiki. He is a staple in Hawaiian culture and the music scene on the islands. He has garnered fame, acclaim and fans worldwide. He wrote a song about the Sunday scene at Duke's Canoe Club at the Outrigger Waikiki Beach Resort, a place with which Kapono is quite familiar. Duke's on Sunday is an institution. During the week, it's a beachfront tourist lounge looking out on surfriders of all types framed by iconic Diamond Head in the distance. On Sunday, however, locals roll in and actually outnumber the tourists, sometimes quadrupling the venue's population. The party ratchets up a little and Kapono and his band usually entertain the crowd from 4pm until sunset. I've discovered that anywhere locals hang out to be well worth the experience.

It's a party. With outstanding music. On the beach. In Hawai'i. Need I say more?

Image courtesy of Hawaiimagazine.com

I would be damaging my surfer soul if I didn't mention the story behind the name "Duke's." Duke Kahanamoku, a native Hawaiian of royal Hawaiian lineage, pretty much introduced surfing to the Atlantic coast, Australia and New Zealand. He was an olympic gold medalist and surfing and swimming hall-of-famer. He's said to have ridden the longest wave in modern history - a Waikiki monster for 1 1/8 miles. Duke is considered the "Ambassador of Aloha." My kind of guy. Since Waikiki was his playground, a statue of Duke stands on the beach there and his name accompanies the restaurant and bar found nearby.

After pondering all of this, I wonder if sneaking off to Hawai'i might be worth upsetting my mother-in-law after all. Hmm...

In the meantime, I'll enjoy today's tune "Duke's on Sunday" - Jimmy Buffett's take on the Henry Kapono gem - and hang ten and hang out there vicariously. You should do the same. It's a great Sunday afternoon excursion.

Image courtesy of Amazon.com