Time during the pandemic is a strange thing. It is fast and slow. The past 6 months have gone by very fast for me for the most part. But other things are painstakingly slow. It Is the middle of September right now and the thought during the beginning of the pandemic was that we we would be somewhat back to normal near fall. Now as we approach Fall, things have not returned back to normal in the slightest and I think we are getting more accustomed to living within the confines of the pandemic. We moved back to California a little over 6 months ago. 2 weeks before the lockdowns. I am so glad we moved when we did. I can’t imagine what it would be like things were altered even by a little bit. People tell me, quite often, that I am the luckiest guy they know. I still firmly believe that you create your own luck by being prepared, staying ahead of circumstances, remaining adaptable and leaving yourself open to opportunity. But in this case, some real luck was at hand most certainly.

I have to say I really love living here at the southern part of the Central Coast of California. I miss Hawaii. I really do, but being here for quarantine is pretty ideal. I mean. if I am going have to be stuck somewhere, why not be in a beautiful spot, by the ocean, with temperate weather and low amounts of COVID cases. It has it all. We were supposed to be back in Hawaii this month for vacation but the current quarantine and lockdown measures on the islands have stopped that from happening. Santa Barbara is really the Hawaii of California. Even at the gas station the attendant greeted me with a “Howzit” and I was instantly taken back to Hawaii. My wife and I have had moments where the scenery, the vibe, the people almost was an exact fit to Hawaii, although I will admit I do love the weather here quite a bit more. As much as I miss Hawaii, being closer to family and friends has been really nice. We have been having friends use our place to get away from LA for the weekends. It has been nice to have friends come up and visit that is for sure. And things are pretty open here. A lot of outside dining, people are respectful of the mask wearing and there doesn’t seem to be this sense of anxiety that I have noticed in Los Angeles.

The one thing I do miss is DJing. One of the main motivators to move back to CA was to have more opportunities to DJ. Well that evaporated. Since the pandemic started I have DJed twice. Once was in June at a private party in Orange County and the other at a Beach Party in August. I have taken the mandatory measures at and after these events to feel safe (masks, getting tested, etc). I know there is a lot of controversy going on regarding events during these times and after my beach gig last month I decided that I would take the rest of the year off and just focus on other musical endeavors. As much as I miss performing it just doesn’t make sense at the moment (at least for me). The gigs will come back eventually and right now I am trying to use this time to focus on other things (to various degrees of success).

My last and almost only gig of 2020. Was fun while it lasted.

So despite all that is going on in the world, I feel blessed. Blessed to be in Santa Barbara. Blessed for my family and I to be healthy in these trying times. Blessed that I have been able to continue working. Blessed to be a part of the UC system as an employee. Blessed to be close to the ocean. I could go on and on. Yeah 2020 has sucked, but it has also brought with it a reframing of what is important to me. I really have everything I need and more. I am blessed to be here. I am glad that this opportunity was provided at just the right time when I needed. The turnout could have been a lot worst. The universe has bestowed me the most trying 2 years of my life and I came out of the other side better for it. I hope you are doing well where you are at. I hope this whole thing isn’t bogging you down too much. Remember to breathe…

6 Months Back Mainland