How much fun did I have during this Voyage LEG 320 on the JOIDES Resolution (visit: www.IODP.org)?

It was an incredible experience, meeting lots of really cool people on the ship, and - well, with lots of hard labor, but yet: GREAT FUN!

And should you ever have the chance to visit the ship traveling around the world, take your chance and seek for a visitation tour - it is really worthwhile!

In best spirits and good faith for the betterment of the world through a positive mindset, compassion & Love ~ Aloha~

T

PS: The young whale shark (about 10 feet in length) as photographed by our star photographer on the ship, Mr. Bill Crawford. He did really a phenomenal job throughout this journey, and you can see his work from this voyage under: http://iodp.tamu.edu/scienceops/gallery/exp320/

Thank you, Bill!

PS#2: Me… after 7 weeks of “Mud Drilling”… I purposely did not wash my NEON-REFLEX UV-Protective shirt to see how dirty it gets & how durable it is. It is VERY durable (and so is the mud…) But it was truly great fun!

You can get the shirt on this website at:
http://amakuavideo.com/store
(Pssst: Scroll down to the NEON REFLEX shirt section)

OI-OI-OI-OI ~ When is ENOUGH too much? We can’t stop it, and we ask: Are we unstoppable? Well…hold your horses, Amigo!…but even I admit: It’s been a whirlwind tour with no end in sight…

1) Last month into February: Completing our Promo-Video Campaign with & for SOS on Kauai (www.SaveOurSeas.org), resulting in fund attraction (=$$$ for the organization!) & air-time on a new Cable TV Station (OceanNetwork.TV) — WO-HOO! — a FIRST for SOS to be visible on TV across the State of Hawaii (so, hopefully there will be more of that in the near future…)

2) March to May: A spontaneous invitation to participate in a prestigious research expedition (http://iodp.tamu.edu/scienceops/expeditions/equatorial_pacific.html) - mmmh, call it “The Adult Version of boys playing in a giant sandbox…” ~ but seriously: This is a pretty big deal when we drill into the seafloor, literally “un-earthing” past climate events on our Planet (all imprinted into the micro-structure and layers of those seabeds…)

3) May to Summer/Fall: New & exciting video projects coming up after this expedition, one possibly on Kauai (Wo-Hoo!), and others through a company in CA in other parts of this Grand Nation and elsewhere…(we’ll keep you posted…)

Meanwhile AMAKUA VIDEO develops more and more contacts to various Non-Profit org’s where education (especially of our kids) leads to a healthier Planet through fostering “Ocean-related skills, Positive Attitudes & Good Habits”, “Leadership” & “Fun!”

Our next goal is to support the “Aquatic Adventure” Crew in Southern California, which does magnificent adventure tours with local school kids. Another “org” attracting us at this point is on the Big Island, primarily focusing on the observation & protection of our beloved Manta Ray populations.

So - lot’s of good stuff coming together. And - AAH! - talking about “Wellness”:

As “Planetary Wellness Product Providers” we are now establishing distribution channels for really cool & brand-new products from Europe (Austria & Germany): SHOE INSOLES from GECKO-MOTION TECHNOLOGY (www.GECKO-MOTION.com). The products are scientifically-tested and approved by top-athletes (Bennie Raich, Olympic Champion in Ski Alpine; Heidi Neuruer, World Champion in Snowboarding; Martina Eberl, PGA Golfer; Reinhold Humbold, World & IRONMAN Champion in his age class).

So: Why SHOE INSOLES for Golfers, Soccer Players, Alpine Skiers, Snowboarders, Inline Skaters, Runners, Walkers, Hikers/Trekkers…? Try & test them! See how much of a difference you experience between “WITH” and “without”…

Also watch our 3-min. video clip showcasing the products, and let us know when you are interested to receive one or several of those products on your own!

GECKO-MOTION TECHNOLOGY Shoe Insoles for Walkers, Runners, Hikers/Trekkers, Golf & Soccer Players, Ski Alpine & Snowboard Enthusiasts, Inline Skaters, and MORE!

We are THE prime contact for GECKO-MOTION TECHNOLOGY in the US, and are VERY happy to receive & answer all questions & concerns, deal with requests & suggestions from our dear audience!

Fill out the form below and send us your comments, and/or pre-order your product (To all vendors, retailers, and buyers of merchants: You receive FREE SAMPLES as long as shipping is covered! To all other purchasers: You - of course - enjoy 100% Satisfaction Guarantee, or receive your money back.)

LIFE IS GOOD, so enjoy & give us a buzz!!!! We always like to hear from you…

In Service to you with Aloha ~ Thomas

To all of us a VERY BLESSED, healthy, prosperous and super-successful 2009!

First day in the New Year was a test for us right there when our Super-Dog Bodhi ripped off a toe nail during a walk, leaving him shivering & trembling in pain and loosing blood…poor thing… but rescue was there right away from his Mommy’s golden hand and Daddy & Kids helping as much as possible!

Our Love to you all!

Thomas & Families

PS: BIG THINGS are happening on our end already ~ now back in Hawaii ~ with and around our non-profit organization SOS.

Check out our new website:
http://www.saveourseas.org/saveourseas/aloha.html

ALSO CHECK OUT OUR NEW VIDEOS at:
http://www.saveourseas.org/saveourseas/seasurge.html

Donations are most welcome to keep our marine education program (OCEAN PULSE) going & growing!

HOORAY! ~ Happy Holidays to you all!…

Enjoy yourself and life to the fullest ~~ Life is short, sweet and full of great surprises, just like “Christmas Under the Tree” should be…and the “Day of Faith, Hope & Belief” can continue forever when accepted as reality on our daily path…

But whatever you believe or whomever you follow, enjoy the journey as that what it is: “The School of Life”…

Aloha from the Middle of the Pacific!

Thomas

PS: ~ bytw: We are at the point to receive DONATIONS for our new MARINE EDUCATION CENTER (the new “Savings Account” is in place)!

To learn more about this project how we serve the general public through our growing “SOS” marine education program (”Ocean Pulse”), contact us via this form below (or call our “Serve Our Seas” President Paul Clark at: 808.651.3452):

We are very, very close to cut a deal with a successful business man on Kauai to get a head start with a facility! So, this is the time to show support and to promote this enormously important education project!

Join us today and see what we can do for you to have more fun in life, enriched by the goods and services we can offer ~ all tied into “Sea Love” & “Planetary Wellness”…

You can join SOS as a new member or donate to this great, great organization at: http://www.saveourseas.org/saveourseas/join.html

Meanwhile we continue our quest for public exposure of our marine education & monitoring program, and have produced 3-4 videos for TV & Internet presentations since November (we expect “Air Time ” soon in 2009).

With this, once more we wish everyone a happy “Mele Kalikimaka” ~~”Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays” (…”from the Mountains to the Oceans…we do it the Hawaiian Style…”)

Paul Clark's SOS~Assistant enjoying Sea~Love time with a Honu

HOORAY! ~ Our new President BARACK OBAMA is from HAWAII (sorta…)! – …and so are we, bytw (sorta)…

Paul Clark, SOS-President (SaveOurSeas.org) recently visited with the famous local artist – Patrick Ching, owner of the “Naturally Hawaiian Art Gallery” in Waimanalo (Oahu) — AAAAND now also in Princeville, Kauai.

Patrick offered a secret glimpse into his rich life — full of art, animals, love and more…Patrick Ching, Master of the “Funner Art…” – and “funner IS a word…!” (Patrick Ching, Waimanalo, 2008).

Click here to watch our video on VIMIO:

Save Our Seas & Art Biologist Patrick Ching in Princeville and Waimanalo from Save Our Seas on Vimeo.

CLICK HERE to order the full-resolution DVD:

“Talk story with Patrick (Ka)Ching”

- Naturally Hawaiian Art Gallery -

10% of all DVD proceeds go to SOS (SaveOurSeas.org) in support of our growing marine education program, called “OCEAN PULSE” - where marine education, conservation AND fun are key! Stay tuned and watch soon our up-coming OCEAN PULSE VIDEO on this and on other websites…

You can also DONATE NOW! to this exciting and rapidly growing non-profit marine education program - simply by CLICKING THIS LINK NOW!

MAHALO for your kind (and tax-deductible!) contributions, and, of course, to PATRICK CHING for the most “funner” activity we had in a LONG time!

Thomas

PS: A majority of the FISH & TURTLE HDV footage for this piece was contributed by TERRY LILLEY, marine biologist with and for “SOS”. Thank you, Terry, for making it SO easy this time to get all the footage we needed. Brilliant work! (All HDV Stock footage can be acquired through SOS…)