MidWeek Column

Flustered folks who sometimes just can’t get things done lament, “I didn’t have time”. Which seems a tinge ironic, because the only thing we really do have- is time. When we officially run out of time, well, the ballgame’s over. How we choose to allocate our time- aaah, there’s the rub.

COVID-19 has changed a lot of things, including how we think about allocating our precious time, our irretrievable time. Spending time with family/friends, staying engaged as our kids grow up, just taking time to breathe fully. Some people thought they’d go stir crazy but found out that being in some control with idle time (forced by issues beyond their control) led to self-reflection, recalibration, and a realignment of personal priorities.

Monster.com tells us that of 650 people recently surveyed, 95% said they were considering a job change. OK, but that’s info coming from a job platform site. Microsoft Work Trend says that 40% of people want to change jobs. If everyone simply opts for some other job, one that someone else abandoned, won’t people end up unhappy again later? If a chunk of workers are disenchanted, will the grass really be greener on the other side, where others appear equally disenfranchised?? Many appear ready to find out.

Four million Americans quit their jobs in April, the highest monthly total in 20-years. Accommodation and food sector workers paved the way, but many industries have suffered. Post-coronavirus, some have decided that for health, drudgery, and/or sanity reasons, they simply don’t want to go back where they were. And for those who rationalize that government-offered, $300 per week checks are luring droves of people away from the workplace, have you thought about surviving locally on $15,600 annually? Not a well-advised retirement path.

Thoughts now focus on quality of life (rather than just quantity of life), making one’s time count, making a difference, being a part of whatever it is that enlightens you or gives more meaning to your existence. The working world is morphing big time. Two years ago we talked about possibly driving hybrids, and now we’re returning to workplaces that are hybrid (without needing to drive to work in a hybrid). Akamai bosses and companies here and elsewhere must adapt and become more empathetic, realistic, encouraging, strategic, and engaged with employees than ever before. Maybe that’s actually a good thing to come out of this pitiful pandemic.

Think about it…

40 years ago, Pat Metheny & Lyle Mays collorated on “As Falls Wichita, So Falls Wichita Falls”, an ambient jazz album. As an homage, this editorial’s called “As Falls Maunawili, So Falls Maunawili Falls”. After all, there’ve been lots of falls lately around Maunawili Falls… but that might be ending for now.

“Might” because people who really want to go somewhere, explore, climb, take pictures, and even muck it up, have found a way to do so for years. For reference, please see the Ko`olau Stairway to Heaven as another prime example.

Maunawili Falls is officially closed for two years; let’s watch how obedient visitors and locals alike are to this edict. Over the past month, the site has seen a serious back injury, a right knee injury require airlifting, and a young man seriously injured after falling from the Maunawili Trail. Add the repeated tales of trash being left behind, flora being crushed, parking issues, visitors availing themselves of residents’ outdoor hoses, and well, you can see that something had to give.

And “give” is a vital concept here, as tourism officials are talking about ways of giving education to visitors, asking people to be respectful of those many places and sites that make Hawai`i such a travel magnet. Thus, the next question might be: will anyone (or everyone) listen to these sincere requests, which will undoubtedly be handled local style- with aloha.

Or will the response be: “hey, I forked over thousands of dollars and flew thousands of miles, so I’ll do what I want, how I want.” Sound harsh? Reference the response to requests for people to wear masks and get vaccinated over the past 18-months. All that was meant to do was save lives. And still, angry people felt provoked, have avoided complying, and thus deaths plus long-term COVID-19 ailments (unnecessary with the advent of vaccinations) continue to pile up.

In “Dirty Dancing”, Patrick Swayze reminded Jennifer Grey’s stern father that, “nobody puts Baby (Grey) in a corner”, as he escorts her onto the stage. It seems like nowadays far too many feel cornered or scolded, even when facts and reality appear to be on the side of those doing the asking. Hopefully, the environs of Maunawili, its trails, and pool will heal over time. Even with kapu signs, compliance will require dutiful restraint from self-anointed freedom-seekers for this plan to work.

Think about it… 

Remember kinder, gentler times, when the biggest medical decision many people faced heading into autumn was whether or not to get a flu vaccination? Well, if you go by statistics from this past flu season (October, 2020 through March, 2021) the numbers in this country are staggering… in a good way. 

Since 2010, the annual U.S. flu death toll is about 35,000-40,000 people. The estimates from the 2020/2021 season that just ended? Under 1,000 total flu deaths. Surely our hibernation due to COVID-19 helped, but so did the fact that everybody’s worn masks for so long. And while some view masks as an affront to their personal rights, COVID knows no boundaries, shows no mercy, and hasn’t heard that the ballgame’s over. 

You might argue that your chance of surviving COVID-19 is 98% or so. But an estimated 30% of people who get COVID-19 in any form (mild or major) end up with some long-term ailment- breathing issues, dizziness, fatigue, headaches, depression, hair loss, stomach pains, nausea, brain fog, loss of taste/smell… the number of ailments identified now totals well over 50. The 30% figure (collateral damage?) means that over 12-million post-acute COVID-19 syndrome Americans still suffer regularly. 

It would be tough to be 25-years old and suffer stomach, brain or lung problems for the next 60 years when you realize it probably could have been prevented by getting a vaccination and wearing a mask just a little while longer. Tired of hearing about this? Me, too. But celebrations are premature.

Wearing a mask has been an accepted custom, not a statement, for decades in Asia. To protect others at the first sign of a sniffle, many conscientious people wear masks in major East Asian cities. Air quality issues also factor into masking decisions in some cities, but the point is- it’s not just about “me”, it’s about the collective “us”. As things loosen up post-COVID, it’s not about being so over this mask-charade, it’s about accepting responsibility. Want proof? Talk to the 12-million collateral damage cases.

As many uncover (and haven’t vaccinated) in celebration of our newly won semi-freedom, also remember that flu season starts soon. Keeping safe from COVID-19 with masks could also prevent many of the 500+ flu deaths we see annually right here in Hawai`i. The germ war is being won by smart, action-oriented people, but it’s not over until it’s over…

Think about it.

In late-May the Associated Press reported that California’s legislature is looking to allow developers to build housing units on commercial sites without necessarily changing zoning laws. As many retailers see potentially perilous times ahead (and as Amazon gets ready to put its first warehouse on a 14-acre lot in Sand Island), the time has come to think out of the box- as in the retail store and office building box.

Ala Moana Center has already shown that (pricy) housing and shopping centers can coexist. So as more big box retailers cut their footage in Hawai`i, is it time to consider reasonably-priced apartment buildings on site? While “affordable housing” is a relative term, with parking and existing structures already in place in many neighborhood malls, maybe high-priced infrastructure and material cost reductions would allow for units to be a reality for the “average” household in Hawai’i, perhaps costing under $500,000?

We can’t keep asking rhetorically and waxing poetic about emigration, brain drain, lack of higher paying jobs, homelessness, and the growing at-risk population here. Aloha United Way’s ALICE household acronym stands for Asset-Limited, Income-Constrained, Employed. It’s estimated that fully half of our local population is now in the ALICE category, families barely getting by month to month. That number stood at a staggering 595,000 local residents pre-pandemic in January, 2020. These are neighbors, relatives, and friends; working hard, getting by, but without much in the way of savings, retirement funds, or good options if a car or refrigerator breaks down… or if paychecks become unavailable due to economic cutbacks.

Let’s go big or, as they say, let’s just go home; how best to now utilize struggling structures and retail sites? Let’s consolidate under-utilized government buildings and office buildings; let’s retrofit vacated buildings into affordable rentals or apartments. A possible legislative roadblock (in California) is that retail sales taxes provide cities/states with more money than would residential taxes on owned units. OK, figure that into the mix, but it’s a given that emptier office buildings and shrinking retail malls will require new thinking. 

Health clinics, homeless shelters, public/transitional housing, community centers, retail fulfillment locations, schools, job training sites, child care, remote offices, off-price retailers, and resident-owned units- the “what if” list must be explored as we considered how best to utilize limited, existing, quality locations in neighborhoods and perhaps near rapid transit. What’s in store? Maybe your next apartment.

Think about it… 

A lot of talk locally over a lot of years has focused on finding alternate, vibrant economic options to tourism. Things really ramped up last summer when we realized that not only was no one coming for a while, but we didn’t have a lot to fall back on to ease that pain. It came as no surprise, as the talk, for decades has been just that- talk.

Now that the tourists are coming back in increasing numbers, can we take that talk to the next level with plans, ideas, partnerships, and/or public/private entrepreneurial ventures? Could we become home to an East/West medical hub, boast of a space exploration site (on a spacious Neighbor Island plot)? Can we entertain cyber security entities in conjunction with our large military presence or possibly harness alternative energy options here to become leaders in that valuable sector?

Or… will we continue to just talk- about economic options, affordable housing, re-training employees now bumped out of jobs, and how education matters because the “keiki are our future” (which they are, whether we say it or not)? Let’s strive for bold initiatives with specifics, substance, research, and capital? As overcrowding becomes a bigger issue, will nerves get frayed further here and thus will our local population continue its recent emigration surge eastward?

So let’s get crazy (as Prince would say) and embrace successful tactics deployed elsewhere to help change things for our future. Maybe start by retrofitting under-utilized government or office buildings into temporary housing shelters. Or taking problematic, under-visited shopping centers and re-shaping them into fulfillment centers or kupuna apartments, perhaps even creating “affordable” (a squishy term at best) housing by going up ten stories high and giving tax breaks as incentives. After all, as a builder/business entity, why build $400,000 living units today when the $950,000 ones sell out immediately?

Let’s acknowledge that every bold move won’t be met with resounding applause and encouragement, but let’s start mapping out and then acting upon strategies to get us through the next pandemic, hurricane, airline strike, or economic slump without facing the huge indigestion that’s occurs every time our hotels (and restaurants) aren’t full. Let’s look outside at other isolated tourist communities around the world to see how they’ve managed to lessen the weight that tourism plays on far too many aspects of local life, while we still welcome respectful visitors who frequent our shores.

Think about it…

Two months ago, the Center for Disease Control said that about 15% of Hawai`i’s adults remained “unsure” or “hesitant” about getting a COVID-19 vaccination. That “wait and see” attitude is still in play, even with positive vaccine results worldwide and widespread incentives locally being dangled for anyone who gets a shot. And we know that Hawai`i people love to gamble. But not getting vaccinated- gambling with your life (or the lives of those around you)? Not so much fun. That 15% figure represents over 120,000 adults here- a lot of still cautious and/or doubting vacci-waiters.

So exactly when will “wait and see” morph into “OK, now I feel comfortable”? After all, it’s been six months since the first mass vaccines were given, and things seem to be working out quite well. Need more proof? How come. We’ve had proof for decades about the value of avoiding cigarettes, alcohol, drugs, fried food, processed food, and sugar drinks, yet many ignore good science and keep right on trucking. 

Aside from the ridiculous political overtones the vaccination concept originally took, some people are probably tired of “the man” telling them what to do, what to put or not put into their bodies. I get it. When the world seems reduced to eating just kale, blueberries, and walnuts, it’s not much fun. But vaccinations are more than just about “me”. They’re about everyone you come in contact with, love, like, or hope to see again.

How sad would it be, after 16-months, to get a wicked case of COVID with possible lifelong complications? After all, you’ve managed to get by… so far. Some don’t have the wherewithal to get to vaccination sites due to schedules, economics, or a true understanding of the situation. The state is doing a lot to help those people through convenient community and mobile sites, working with ethnic elders to spread the word, etc.

Some avoiders here also still don’t believe the COVID threat. Not sure what part of millions of COVID deaths or tens of millions incapacitated in some way (possibly for life) sounds phony or conspiratorial, but I hope you don’t find out the truth the hard way. 

Let’s push beyond the so-called “herd immunity” threshold soon here. Let’s be #1 in saving lives and avoiding COVID-19 spread; it sure beats being #1 in cost of living, housing, milk, Spam consumption, and doing business.

Think about it…

While we certainly can’t chuckle about the “bad old days” of COVID-19 yet, we can see a light at the end of the prolonged, dark tunnel. So let’s plant our tongues firmly in cheek,  jump ahead a couple of years, and look back at some terms that have morphed in meaning, as it’s never too early to smile:

• “Antibodies”- it was what we all wanted to help fight off a stealthy invader, but now it simply defines people we just don’t want as homies
• “Cluster”- a place to avoid in the COVID era; now it can be seen daily at Leonard’s as malasada-craving tourists have re-appeared
• “Community spread”- that was when someone got COVID some place that couldn’t be easily identified; now, it’s just another AYSO soccer potluck on Saturday
• “Convalescent plasma”- an antibody donation made by community heroes who’d beaten the disease; now, it’s that 77”, $4,000, 4K, OLED TV you can’t possibly afford, unless you saved your government stimulus check (yeh, right)
• “False positive result”- was when you didn’t have COVID but thought you did; now it’s what you say when you didn’t like a presidential election result, despite facts
• “Herd Immunity”- that which we wanted so badly as a species that we bribed people to get vaccinated; now, it’s just a term for a bunch of mad cow disease-free cattle in Kamuela
• “Long-Hauler”- in 2022, this was one of the many millions still suffering COVID aftereffects; now, it’s just Bob, the guy trucking your Tesla to Long Beach for shipping here
• “PPE”- was the vital equipment that hospital first responders couldn’t get enough of during dire times; now, it’s Twitter shorthand for a renown, North Shore surfing spot
• “mRNA”- the single strand, molecular magical meanderer that helped fight off the dastardly pandemic, courtesy of Pfizer/Moderna vaccines; now, it’s the miracle medical breakthrough in our fight against cancer, HIV, sickle cell anemia, Ebola, Zika, influenza, etc. No joke here.
• “Social distancing”- was what we did to keep the virus away; now, it just refers to the mandated, awkward rule during slow dances at junior’s 8^th grade social
• “Super-spreader”- formerly a human to avoid, super-spreader now merely indicates a benign, but wide, butter knife
• “Zoom”- a human zoo inside transparent boxes where we all used to congregate to be seen far too often; now, it’s what we all aspire to see our lives do, post-COVID-19.

Think about it…

While the focus rightfully remains on how many people choose to get (or not get) the vaccination, there is another silent, yet vital, initiative at play as the battle continues against COVID-19. It’s often not visible, but it’s there, much like the viral particles themselves.

I’m talking about mental health. Six months ago, the Center for Disease Control said that 44% of Americans were in the throes of depression or anxiety. Parents report pressing concerns like the loss of regular child care, insurance uncertainty, food availability issues, and the possibility of housing problems, before the rent eviction moratorium ends. Where do you go if you can’t pay your rent and a landlord’s patience runs out? There is no shame, no stigma in reaching out. It’s OK to admit that you’re simply not OK. Access mental health help or share your story with a trusted friend, elder, or family member. You’re not alone; this has been tough on everybody. Mental health professionals are exceedingly busy, but you can go to https://bit.ly/3yGjJdN for a quick Mental Health America online mental health screening.

Young adults, teens, and even young children report anxiety, eating disorders, PTSD, or even worse feelings. We must promote mental health help available locally so people can better deal with these very real issues today and into next year. When we need help, we must open up and ask for it- and that takes strength.

One-third of all COVID-19 survivors have “long COVID”, suffering six months beyond the onset of their coronavirus. More than 11-million Americans today still have headaches, body aches, nausea, loss of taste and/or smell, dizziness, lung damage, lethargy, brain fog… the parade of horribles goes on and on. Acute physical maladies often precede mental duress. Now is the time to seek help, before a defeatist mindset sinks in. 

“Howzit?” goes from being seen as just a casual greeting when you really care and want to help others. An executive I know recently commented on a well-attended Zoom call that he didn’t like what he “had become” due to the daily toll of the pandemic. He was short with both co-workers and family, so he bravely told us that he got help. He saw despair, acted upon it and is now in a much better place mentally. That’s a great start. So, how’s your mental health? Get ahead by helping your head.

Think about it…

You sense, feel, and see it. Change is finally upon us, as (some)things get back to normal. We all wanted it; we all asked for it. Well, actually we wanted all the things we really missed, but not the rest.

Last year’s secluded beaches- no longer secluded. Brisk, weekday drives to and from town- not so brisk now. Shopping, as we kept our masks up and our mileage down, was a breeze- now lines form at many spots. Great for retail, not so great for us, or at least our mindsets which evolved during the deepest, darkest days of the damn-demic. 

We couldn’t really visit anyone, yet the quiet turned out to be quite refreshing at times. We couldn’t go to movies, restaurants, and crowded live events, but we still found ways to entertain ourselves or even better, focus on our families (after all, they were stuck home, too). We’re now at an inflection point, as we start choosing how to go forward, assuming vaccination numbers continue to climb and COVID cases fall. 

We must again accept longer wait times, more people, cars, and items sold out at stores. Get re-acquainted with circling parking lots in search of a space. We must accept (at some level) that tourism is the big engine that drives our economic train. Can it morph, become more sustainable, encourage greater empathy on both sides- local and tourist? Perhaps, but that’s not happening this month…  

Real changes to how we interact as a species might be a vestige of this COVID-19 era, but those will be left up to each individual. Will you remain responsive at home to loved ones or disappear, as perhaps you used to do on weekends? Will you work in a home/office hybrid world (if your job permits) to allow for a better work/life balance? Will your presumed workplace be accommodating, or might you soon ply your trade elsewhere?

And remember, thousands still suffer from the pandemic shutdown- poverty, lack of food, rent moratorium end date concerns, and other difficulties. The pandemic intensified needs for many who struggled even before March, 2020. This, too, will be part of the post-pandemic legacy. This will a remnant, a ripple effect from a pandemic that the entire human race. How will the “new” you rebound and carry on- with your family and community? What have we learned?

Think about it…

It’s subtle, but perhaps you sense it too. We’ve been detached, away, not present for so long now, we’re going to have to re-learn how to interact. A prolonged crisis will do that to some people- make them defensive, self-absorbed, even oblivious. It was about survival for many, and it makes some sense. 

But now, let’s remember to stay interested and involved with conversations. Let’s not allow our minds to wander so quickly. Let’s ask questions like interested people used to. The sun did shine over the past 16-months, but maybe just now we’re seeing the light of optimism and can thus start to act accordingly, again.

People have been caught up in their own worlds, melodramas, daily statistics, and fears- understandably so. As hybrid workplaces begin to flourish, perhaps the effects of being Zoom zombies will wear away. Some might’ve lost a bit of that knack for simply being involved with others but will now venture forth into a morphed world that we displaced while in our universal timeouts. We’ve been cooped up for far too long, and we understand why, but we’re now realizing a gradual reclamation of normalcy ahead, with our strong, local belief system steeped in values of pono, mālama, laulima, ha’aha’a, and aloha.

It’s time (post-vaccine, sans masks) to breathe more freely and reconnect with co-workers, friends, family, neighbors, and associates. We can (carefully) move beyond the staid realm of distancing, vaccination discussions, COVID protocols, tiers of acceptable socialization, and start behaving like our old selves by re-engaging the world beyond our own bubbles. 

You’re still here; you’ve survived the worst communal threat to our species in modern times. While safety precautions remain in place for an undetermined amount of time, the vital vaccines offer hope and a gradual return to pre-COVID civility and focus.

Many people here still struggle; we must continue supporting and volunteering to help those less fortunate. We must open up our empathetic souls as we emerge from our caves after 16-months of hunkering down.

The sometimes innocuous, mundane, daily conversations we put on hiatus as we all dealt with an insidious and invisible foe can reappear. Pandemic panic is abating here as people get antibodies and act less antisocial. So yes, I promise to be fully engaged now as you regale me with hyperbolic banter about that incredible par save you made on the 15^th hole last Saturday!

Think about it…