Tiki Central / Home Tiki Bars
Hula Sue's South Seas Hideaway
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Mr. Pupu Pants
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Sat, Apr 2, 2011 12:06 AM
Thanks ESP182, Several of you asked what I do in my day job. Part of that is Video production for Microsoft. Some is fun stuff, some of it is pretty dry. In the snippet below, from my earlier post, is a link to one of the videos I did outside of work for fun. (It's essentially a no-budget home movie but its the kind of thing I love to do and I thought you might get a kick out of it). Back in the mid-90's on a trip to L.A. to shoot some stuff for work, I was able to take a day off to hang out with my brother. We just goofed around with the camera while he spent that day working from home (back when he worked on Ren and Stimpy). I later waded through all the random footage and put together this little slice of who he is (at the time). These days, he's the same great guy but making much bigger budget stuff these days. I'm planning to make a part 2 of this video soon. It's long overdue :) Anyway, I thought you might get a kick out of it -- he's an incredibly creative guy who also loves to make all kinds of cool stuff like the people on this forum.
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MPP
Mr. Pupu Pants
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Wed, Apr 6, 2011 6:22 PM
Sorry, there was no Tiki in that last post. [ Edited by: Mr. Pupu Pants 2011-04-06 18:23 ] |
QK
Queen Kamehameha
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Thu, Apr 7, 2011 11:05 PM
Wow, another great project! I am glad you are getting back on your feet!MDM finished a diorama for my Mojave bar using the light system he told you about, I will be posting pictures in the next few days. I cant wait to see how yous come out, you bar is an inspiration! |
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MadDogMike
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Fri, Apr 8, 2011 8:02 AM
"Perpetual flushing toilet" :lol: That's funny, but it seems like he might feel that in the water bill! :o |
MPP
Mr. Pupu Pants
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Mon, Apr 11, 2011 7:17 PM
Thanks Amy :) Can't wait to see what Mike has come up with for your diorama. He's a very creative guy and I'm sure it'll be awesome! He lives in a much nicer (and environmentally friendly) place these days, Mike. :) |
MPP
Mr. Pupu Pants
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Tue, Apr 12, 2011 12:40 AM
**I just want to add right off the top that I am moooooooost certainly no expert on any of this stuff and learned most of what I've been doing from just picking up the tools and experimenting. Some of it turned out well, some I wish I could have done better. There are many people on this site who just awe me with their talent and I take alot of inspiration from them and try to put my own twist in things. The 'tips' below are just what I arrived at when working on my bar and are only based on my subjective taste. That said.....blah, blah, blah :) Since I've been down and out for a bit, it's given me time to read around the site alittle more than I usually have time for. After treating/aging/'colorizing' what seemed like miles of bamboo for my own bar, I thought I would offer a few tips from experience. Obviously this type of thing can be very subjective but I thought I'd contribute alittle info that may help others who are just starting out. It may also just seem like a great Here's what I did when burnishing the bamboo for Hula Sue's and it seemed to result, for the most part, in a rich and naturally aged looking patina.
Work your way around and down each pole, slightly overlapping until the whole thing has a nice warm 'Base Coat' of an aged, golden tone. For the nodes do mini-versions of the same technique but go for slightly more feathered darkening on the node. Be careful to remain SUBTLE here and don't 'toast' the wood because the differences in contrast will be even more dramatic in a dimly lit room and you want it to look like natural aging, and varying degrees of wood tone --- not as though someone just spray painted the nodes black or burned periodic rings around each one. Naturally aged bamboo doesn't generally look like that and I think most of us want the warm golden-brown , 'years of nicotine' look of the classic tiki bars. Also---you can't unburn wood. Build up a desired tone in steps and layers. If you do end up overdoing a bit here and there, you can take some steel wool and polish off some of the 'carbonized' wood to smooth out the tone of the finish. The idea here again is to do some subtle tonal blending so it looks more natural To create an overall blended feeling and pull the contrasting tones of the pole together, I lightly burnish or exaggerate an imperfection or unusual vertical grain(character)in the bamboo -- especially ones that run through more than one 'node section'. All this stuff helps to pull the effect you're creating together. The trick is subtlety and graduated realism and not something that looks manufactured and too stark. Additional ways to warm up the look are amber varnish or varnich mixed with stain. I'm sure similar info (and many more ideas) have probably been posted in other places on the site but, since I can't work on my own bar at the moment, I thought I'd try to contribute in other ways. SPECIAL NOTE: when working out the tonal values and level of contrast between all the architectural elements you are creating for your bar, it's obviously also important to consider the lighting levels of the finished room, and how that will combine with what you've created to provide a unified design with the right balance of definition, detail and contrast and shading of all your materials. It really can make a huge difference in the overall look to consider the th relationships of 'cool' vs. 'warm' values with the colors you use and the range of tones of what invariably ends up being a majority of browns and beiges. It's great if you can pick a group of complimentary tones and then work them in around the bar via your various materials and textures. It will really give you a pulled together, 'professional' look. blah, blah, blah...what the hell do I know. :) [ Edited by: Mr. Pupu Pants 2011-12-28 08:00 ] |
MPP
Mr. Pupu Pants
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Mon, Apr 25, 2011 2:30 AM
Hi Guys, as I look for things to do until I am physically able to get back to work on Hula Sue's, Here's an idea I've been planning to do for a long time and thought I'd mock up for my TC pals Over the years, I've collected several of the old motion lamps that have fish The illustrations below are just quick Photoshop mock-ups but the actual effect does work pretty nicely In the Glass float, you can also use some 'actual fake' undersea foliage to camouflage the physical base of the motion lamp Just in case there is anyone unfamiliar with these cool old lamps, they basically work by using the air movement Hope you like them and hope you all had a great weekend, |
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jokeiii
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Mon, Apr 25, 2011 10:06 AM
OMG. That just gave me a (minimally) related idea for lampness. |
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Queen Kamehameha
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Tue, Apr 26, 2011 2:11 PM
Hey John good to see you up and around. Your lamp Ideas are cool! I actually have that motion lamp sitting in a box, great use of another item...... I love everthing you have done... amy |
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Slacks Ferret
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Tue, Apr 26, 2011 2:34 PM
Cool idea John! I actually have one of those fish motion lamps set up in my tiki lounge (as you can see in the lower mid-right hand side of this photo...it looks bright white): But I really like your idea! I may have to use that one. Always a pleasure to peruse this thread. It's so awesome. |
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DawnTiki
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Tue, Apr 26, 2011 6:39 PM
Brilliant! I love this idea! Such fun! |
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freddiefreelance
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Fri, Apr 29, 2011 5:03 PM
I really like the idea and how it looks in the mock-up of the fishing float, but I can think of one major stumbling block to it working in a fishing float: you need an air inlet at the bottom for cool air to come in & be heated by the lamp, and an outlet at the top to let out hot air. I think turning speed is affected by the amount of airflow, too, so the inlet & outlet holes can't be too small. Thinking out loud, a possible way to disguise these needed holes (besides using the aforementioned real fake undersea foliage at top & bottom) could be to make the fishing float/motion fish lamp the central float in a vertical trio of fish floats, with the needed air holes camouflaged by the knot work securing the three floats in line. Taking this direction in disguising the air holes for the lamp also affords you the possibility of using red & green "floats" above & below the motion lamp and putting flicker lamps in them for added atmosphere, or using frosted "floats" and putting an RGB LED, a randomizing driver, & a battery in each to make a color changing light, like the new Mickey Balloons at Disneyland (only slower in their color changing I'd think). [EDIT]I distracted myself too much there and forgot that I wanted to say I hope you're making great strides in getting better! PT can be a bear, and improvements can be small in the short term, but keep working at it and you'll continue to get better in the long run. Rev. Dr. Frederick J. Freelance, Ph.D., Th.D., D.F.S [ Edited by: freddiefreelance 2011-04-29 17:18 ] |
MPP
Mr. Pupu Pants
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Sat, Apr 30, 2011 1:35 AM
Thanks Freddie :) |
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freddiefreelance
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Mon, May 2, 2011 8:58 AM
Those little ones that plug into the Christmas light sockets? I think the lamps that rotate on heat from the lamp need at least a Nightlight lamp to generate enough heat, but with a plug in rotator you could use a smaller, cooler light, like a 1-3 LED lamp; more mood, less lighting. Less heat from the lamp means smaller access holes and less possibility of damage to the rotating shade. Smart! |
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ESP182
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Thu, Jul 7, 2011 1:53 PM
Hey Mr Pants - Any updates on the bar? |
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Pele Paul
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Fri, Jul 8, 2011 8:41 AM
wow sooo so cool!!!! I love the booth and the relief map of Hawaii behind it!! You've given me some great ideas!!! keep up the great work paul |
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tiki-riviera
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Fri, Jul 8, 2011 4:00 PM
Wow! Your bar is truly amazing and you are an excellent craftsman. Are you available for hire:) Perhaps sometime this summer some of the Seattle TC'ers could make a pilgrimage up to view the bar? If you would be open to the idea let me know and I'll try to organize a few of us coming up. I promise I'll bring some good rum to leave behind! Cheers! |
MPP
Mr. Pupu Pants
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Sat, Jul 30, 2011 2:53 AM
Hello my friends, thanks so much for the kinds words. I appreciate them more than you know. Mr. Pupu's Surgical Adventure: I jumped right into the scheduled activities. Two days later, I was invited by the Surgical Activities Director to take a second ride on the romantic Unfortunately, no improvement to the shoulder or arm was had. I'm glad I didn't take any video of the trip. Even though I'm home now, I'm still taking additional 'trips' and the Oxycocktails they serve are great -- if a bit strong. I just look forward to letting go of all the baggage and seeing some (or maybe even all) of the function return to Whatever happened to those good, old-fashioned 'weekend getaways' to be bled by leeches? Thanks again for the encouragement. I'll still be working on the little stuff until I can work on the big stuff. :) [ Edited by: mr. pupu pants 2011-10-11 16:57 ] |
CTIT
Chuck Tatum is Tiki
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Sat, Jul 30, 2011 3:20 AM
Oh Man, not great news, but you hang in there, get better CTiT |
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jokeiii
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Sat, Jul 30, 2011 4:18 AM
Hang in there, man. |
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WestADad
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Sat, Jul 30, 2011 8:18 AM
Get better soon Pupu, I miss seing updates to your cool space. Mahalo! Chris http://www.westadad.blogspot.com [ Edited by: WestADad 2011-07-30 08:18 ] |
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ErkNoLikeFire
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Sat, Jul 30, 2011 7:37 PM
Whoa, that's rough. The psychical therapy is gonna be harsh, but keep at it sir! The end will definitely justify the means. |
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harro
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Sat, Jul 30, 2011 8:08 PM
whoa, that sounds like a bad trip, here's hoping your adventures take a turn for the better soon. We're all eagerly awaiting our next virtual tour through your wild imagination / home bar. but for now just take it easy. |
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MadDogMike
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Sat, Jul 30, 2011 8:28 PM
Well John, at least you haven't lost your sense of humor or your writing ability! Keep a stiff upper lip, thus too shall pass - hope you recover rapidly and completely. |
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Trader Mitch
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Sun, Jul 31, 2011 8:07 AM
Very sorry to hear that John. Hang in there, it has to get better. right? I suggest keeping a notebook handy when you are on your Oxycocktail "trips". You will probably come up with more fantastic ideas for Hula Sue's! |
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Kon-Hemsby
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Mon, Aug 1, 2011 5:00 AM
Sounds like you're having a rough time, but nice to see you're posting with great humour. Wishing you a speedy recovery. |
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drawitbetter
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Wed, Aug 3, 2011 11:48 AM
I just found this thread a couple of days ago and finally made it from the start to the current posts. I was very excited to see such a cool build in the local Seattle area, and I was hoping to hit the end and see the completion of this amazing project ... but it seems the story had a bit of a twist. I am very sorry to hear about your accident and I hope you are recovering as quickly and as comfortably as possible after your surgery. If you ever need a hand on this project, even if it is just lifting heavy objects or shaking up some Mai Tais, let me know. I'd love to pitch in and help with whatever I can. Finally I just want to say how impressive Hula Sue's is. I love the unique details like the airplane section, the diorama and the hole in the roof. You are really setting the bar (so to speak) for Tiki Central. It's an inspired build and I can't wait to see more. |
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ESP182
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Wed, Aug 3, 2011 11:49 AM
Dear Mr. Pupu Pants - Hang tough!! We're all rooting for you to get better! |
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tigertail777
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Thu, Aug 4, 2011 11:30 PM
I too just got through the entire thread. I am absolutely gob-smacked with your creativity and talent! There is just so much to love about your tiki room project, but being a big Disney fan I cannot wait to see the talking tiki poles. I really hope you make a video of the place when you are done for us all to see. Meanwhile I am very sorry to hear about the accident and the difficulties in recovery. I will keep you in my thoughts and hope for a speedy recovery. Hang in there mr. pu pu. :) |
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tiki-riviera
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Fri, Aug 5, 2011 4:19 PM
Wishing you a speedy and healthy recovery. It's a bummer to get sidelined, hope you will have the vigor needed to again unleash your amazing craftsmanship soon! |
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Angry Idol
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Tue, Sep 13, 2011 6:55 AM
Pu(2), |
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castaway17
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Tue, Oct 4, 2011 6:03 PM
Dear Mr. Pupupants. I just came across this thread and was blown away not only by your mad creative genius, but the enregy and craftsmanship to make it all happen. This is totally amazing! You are truly a gifted individual. Like so many others here on TC I wish you the best in your recovery. Know that you have many well wishers who may be strangers to you on the street, but are kindred spirits at heart. Cheers & Mahalo. |
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Q-tiki
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Thu, Oct 13, 2011 4:02 PM
Sir PuPu Pants, THANK YOU, Mahalo and my best wishes for your recovery! PUPU Pants... PUPU Pants... PUPU Pants... PUPU Pants... PUPU Pants... PUPU Pants!!! :) |
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RevBambooBen
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Sat, Oct 15, 2011 7:41 AM
Aloha PuPu, Need any help on the big stuff? BB |
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CarvingBike
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Sun, Dec 18, 2011 4:18 PM
Mr PuPu Pants, I just discovered Tiki Central within the last couple of days and your post earlier today. I read through the entire thread & really got the feeling that I grew to know you to a very small extent. I just wanted to say that I hope you are feeling much better! I respect and admire the glimpse of yourself that was shared on this thread. I will be keeping my eye out for any updates & hoping that your next post will be filled with good news about your recovery. Best wishes! Get well soon! |
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hang10tiki
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Tue, Dec 20, 2011 7:06 PM
Awesome |
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uncle trav
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Tue, Jan 17, 2012 3:32 PM
Aloha John. I have been reading a great book lately. Escape Of The Pacific Clipper. It is a great read about a Pan Am clipper stuck in New Zealand when Pearl Harbor happens and their journey home running from the invading Japanese and Germans the whole way. The book reminded me of your fantastic clipper diorama project and how great the progress photos look. Thanks for sharing your talents with all of us. |
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Nirre
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Sat, Mar 17, 2012 1:20 AM
Awesome bar!! Really nice! Hope you doing well John! |
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VampiressRN
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Sun, Mar 18, 2012 11:41 AM
Hi John...I can certainly sympathize with you, my back is a mess and I need to have surgery, just trying to shed pounds and get to a normal size before I go under the blade. Hope you are doing better. Keep us posted. hugshugs Vamp |
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Tiki-ESP
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Mon, Apr 23, 2012 11:21 AM
Hope you are doing well John! Hopefully you will surprise us one day with tons of new photos of the bar! |
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jokeiii
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Mon, Apr 23, 2012 12:36 PM
Ditto! You were the subject of much reverential comment at Hukilau 2012. |
MPP
Mr. Pupu Pants
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Tue, Apr 24, 2012 4:56 PM
Thanks so much to all of you. |
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Big Kahuna
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Tue, Apr 24, 2012 5:31 PM
Hooray! Good to hear from you, John. Take care of yourself & please keep us updated on your wonderful room. |
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jokeiii
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Tue, Apr 24, 2012 5:45 PM
Excellent to hear from you, and know that progress is, er, progressing...even at a slow pace. |
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Tiki-ESP
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Tue, Apr 24, 2012 6:31 PM
John - I was sharing this with some coworkers, and they were awestruck to say the least! Happy thoughts on recovering to 100%! Looking forward to your next post and update! Mahalo and Aloha! |
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GuayaTiki
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Thu, Apr 26, 2012 9:41 PM
Amazing work. Followed the thread back to the beginning. Love the concepting. When you are done with it (probably will never be officially complete) you should collect your sketches and images and create a little book to show your guests. Speedy recovery and looking forward to seeing more!!! |
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Queen Kamehameha
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Mon, Apr 30, 2012 2:54 PM
John, Glad to hear fro0m you, Hope things get better, cant wait to see the new pics! Amy |
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pwest71
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Tue, May 1, 2012 7:11 AM
Aloha John, Great to hear from you, but not that things aren't progressing on your recovery as well as could be hoped. Please be sure to take care of yourself, many of us like to use your work for inspiration. Malama Pono. Paul |