Post #655430 by pablus on Sat, Oct 13, 2012 9:00 PM

Nearly ten years later, I have to say - here on the eve of my birthday - that TC continues to enrich my life. I've made lifelong friends and have learned to play the ukulele and have recorded a couple of records that were birthed from this website and have traveled to places described here to my delight and to the delight of countless others I brought with me.

I remember back in 2003, when the site was only one forum, posting something called Neubies R Us or something like that I couldn't find on the search. That night I spent the whole evening reading every single thread that was here. There's so much information here now and so many more carvers (my passion is the carving even though I will never wield a chisel) and so many great tiki bars and so many home bars and so much music and crafts and art that reflect not only the tiki culture but the polynesian culture as well. It's overwhelming how great this site is for those of us who enjoy the genre and the various satellites that spin around it. A truly remarkable body of work here. I wish I had more time to view all of the input here as I did back then.

The Mai Kai is now a second home to me. I walk in the back door and get to stay way past closing every time I visit. I've actually played it many times now and have enjoyed the back room insights that a true "insider" gets to see. All because of TC.

I just wanted to say Mahalo to all who contribute and question and argue and leave and come back and lurk. This is my favorite place on the internet as it has been for many years. I mean - last weekend I hung out with Flounder on the beach for a day. And I hate that guy.

Too many others to mention but other countries and people who I will never stop loving and opportunities I couldn't have imagined when I first visited Tiki Central. Mahalo again and especially to Hanford and the members of that Yahoo club that hooked us all up with what was going on in California, Ohio, Florida and everywhere else.