HomeSnoloha

Since I’ve been addicted to this Chesney song, “The Life” (see blog post below), for the last couple days, it made me think back to our sailing trip in the British Virgin Islands earlier this year.

We spent some time at Ivan’s Stress Free Bar on Jost Van Dyke. Hanging in the corner next to a pay phone was a framed story. I took a photo (and yes that is a Snoloha sticker on the wall), so I could go back and read this. It has a similar feel and message as the Chesney song…one that I think is important to remind ourselves of now and then.

A boat docked in a tiny island village.

An American tourist complimented the fisherman on the quality of his find and asked how long it took him to catch them. “Not very long,” answered the fisherman.

“But then, why didn’t you stay out longer and catch more?” asked the American. The fisherman explained that his small catch was sufficient to meet his need and those of his family.

The American asked, “But what do you do with the rest of your time?”

“I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children and take a siesta with my wife. In the evenings, I go into the village to see my friends, play the guitar, and sing a few songs…I have a full life.”

The American interrupted, “I have an MBA from Harvard, and I can help you! You should start by fishing longer everyday. You can then sell the extra fish you catch. With the extra revenue, you can buy a bigger boat.”

“And after that?” asked the fisherman. “With the extra money the larger boat will bring, you can buy a second one and a third one and so on until you have an entire fleet of trawlers. Instead of selling your fish to a middle man, you can then negotiate directly with the processing plants and maybe even open your own plant. You can then leave this little village and move to Atlanta, Los Angeles, or even New York City! From there you can direct your huge new enterprise.”

“How long would that take?” asked the fisherman. “Twenty, perhaps twenty-five years,” replied the American.

“And after that?” “Afterwards? Well my Friend. That’s when it gets really interesting,” answered the American, laughing. “When your business gets really big, you can start selling stocks and make millions!”

“Millions? Really? And after that?” said the fisherman. “After that you’ll be able to retire, live in a tiny little village near the coast, sleep late, play with your children, catch a few fish, take a siesta with your wife and spend your evenings doing what you like and enjoying your friends.”

And the morale is: Know where you’re going in life…you may already be there.

Share This

It’s been awhile since I posted a few favorite lyrics. Normally, I try and keep it to just a few lines or one full verse. But this song needs to be read in its entirety.

It’s called “The Life”, from Kenny Chesney’s new album - “Lucky Old Sun”.

It was early one mornin’
Playa del Carmen
That’s when I first met Jose
He had a 12 foot Schooner
A 3 foot cooler
Full of the catch of the day
And he was wrinkled from grinnin’
From all of the sun he had been in
He was barefoot, cerveza in hand
He said “Gracias senor”, when I paid him too much for
All of the Snapper he had
Now I told him my friend it ain’t nothin’
In the best broken Spanish I knew
I said I make a good livin’
Back home where I’m from
He smiled and said Amigo me too

He said I fish and I play my guitar
I laugh at the bar with my friends
I go home to my wife
I pray every night
I can do it all over again

Somewhere over Texas
I thought of my Lexus
And all the stuff I work so hard for
And all the things that I’ve gathered
From climbing that ladder
Didn’t make much sense anymore
They say my nest egg ain’t ready to hatch yet
They keep holding my feet to the fire
They call it paying the price
So that one day in life
I’ll have what I need to retire

And just fish
And play my guitar
And laugh at the bar with my friends
And go home to my wife
And pray every night
I can do it all over again

And to think that I thought for a while there that I had it made
When the truth is I’m really just dying
To live like Jose

And just fish
Play my guitar
Laugh at the bar with my friends
Go home to my wife
Pray every night
I can do it all over again

Wouldn’t that be the life?
Wouldn’t that be the life?

Share This

A good dose of Buffett, in my opinion, is always a good thing now and then. Even if you’re not a Buffett fan, his words, music and story usually puts things into perspective…especially with what’s happening in the world these days.

USA Weekend had a feature story this summer, “Jimmy Buffett: No trouble in paradise”. I particularly enjoyed this quote:

“If it all went away tomorrow, I’d be happy living on an island fishing. And there are times I thought it would be that — in the ’70s and ’80s. I had enough money to buy a boat and play in a bar. That wouldn’t have been bad.”

USA Weekend also held a Margaritaville lyric contest. They asked readers to add a verse to the Jimmy Buffett classic “Margaritaville,” and more than 14,000 people responded.

The winner was Jack Honey, from Salem, Oregon, and here are his winning lyrics:

A glass of perfection
Headed my direction
Givin’ my mind a chance to be free
Head’s still reelin’
Sunburn’s still peelin’
Finding sand where sand shouldn’t be

I also dug this one:

I threw my agenda
Into the blender
Got nothin’ to work on except for my tan
The only job hazard
Is gettin’ too hammered
But, then again, that’s kinda the plan
– Tracy McCarthy, Mount Sinai, N.Y.

“I had enough money to buy a boat and play in a bar”. He’s right, that’s not too bad.

Share This

I’ve written several times about one of my favorite bands, The Boat Drunks. Well, one of their members, Mike Miller, has recently departed the band to do something many of us will only ever dream about, he’s going sailing! Heading through the Eastern Great Lakes, down the ICW and to the Bahamas for starters. “Then”, he says, “…we’ll see.”

He was also the guy who penned “Hollow Man”, on the disc “Wahine Man”. Not only did he write a brilliant song, but now he’ll be living it.

If you’d like to follow Mike’s travels, check out his “Next Verse” blog.

Safe travels Mike.

“I wanna take your boat as far as it goes, feel Jamaican sand between my toes
I wanna ride on the wind just as far as I can
I won’t be any trouble to haul- I can sleep anywhere at all
And I don’t eat very much for a hollow man “

Share This

I turned on The Today Show this Monday morning to start a new week. Here’s the top stories - U.S. brewer Anheuser-Busch Inc accepts a sweetened $52 billion takeover bid from Belgium-based InBev, Gas hits a high average of $4.11 per gallon, The Federal Reserve and the Treasury Department announced steps to brace slumping mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, 9 Americans killed in attack in Afghanistan. …and those are just the ones that I can remember.

I’m sure there are plenty of folks out there who will not agree with the title of this post, “Escapism is a good thing”.

But with the constant coverage and happening of bad news, I say “why not?” Why not escape? Even if it’s for a few moments of forgetting about what’s going on in the world. If it’ll help make the day brighter, or your attitude more positive, then I think that’s a good thing.

With the 24/7 news coverage these days, all we hear is all the bad things that are happening in the world. So take a moment to escape, It’s easier to do that you may think.

Close your eyes, and think about that last vacation (or the one coming up). Throw on some Jimmy Buffett and listen to the lyrics. Go to the store specifically to buy your favorite candy bar (and nothing else). Take a look at a photo that instantly takes you back to where you were at the time…and stay in that moment for a few minutes. Refill your coffee cup, but this time take the time to smell the aroma and enjoy the taste (versus just using it as a wake-me-up), or crack a cold one after a long day at work. Smile.

Have any that you’d like to share? Shoot me an email.

Share This

In honor of George Carlin, the first one seems fitting (since I’m getting married this weekend):

“‘I am’ is reportedly the shortest sentence in the English language. Could it be that ‘I do’ is the longest sentence?”

“Most people work just hard enough not to get fired and get paid just enough money not to quit.”

“One tequila, two tequila, three tequila, floor. “

“When someone is impatient and says, ‘I haven’t got all day,’ I always wonder, How can that be? How can you not have all day? “

Share This

It’s been one of those weeks. Hectic. Crazy. Scattered. Busy. Ah, the life of a small business owner trying to juggle building a laid-back, slacker-friendly brand by working extremely hard…but trying to fit in the laid-back and slacker-friendly part. It’s difficult.

As usual, I’m working through it while listening to Radio Margaritaville. Music is calming, and lyrics often times have an uncanny ability to speak directly to you when you need to hear it most. I just heard a great John Prine song and these lyrics are worth sharing:

“Ah but fortunately I have the key to escape reality
And you may see me tonight with an illegal smile
It don’t cost very much, but it lasts a long while”
~ John Prine, “Illegal Smile”

I like that line, “fortunately I have the key to escape reality”. That is really the premise behind Snoloha. The ability to escape from the daily grind to wherever and whatever it is that inspires you, energizes you, or relaxes you.

Have a great Memorial Day Weekend. I’m going sailing this weekend…just what a laid-back, slacker should be doing!

Share This

“Gettin’ stuck sure would be easy
In this palm tree paradise
Ambition fades with every wave
For the finer things in life
Maybe I’ll just hang around here
Go home later next year

I wanna go where I can lighten up the load
Drive a little while on the wrong side of the road
Get this laying low off to a flying start
Play my guitar in the Caribbean sun
Hang with the locals at the Quiet Mon
Where you can be a tourist, a beach bum, or a star
And be as you are”

~ Kenny Chesney “Be as you are”

Share This

Short & simple…sometimes that’s all it takes.

“In the mornin’ when you rise
Aren’t you glad to be alive
Oh oh put on your barefoot shoes
When you dance beneath the moon rainbow”
~Jimmy Buffett, “Why The Things We Do“

Share This

This one’s for Jimmy D…Thanks~

Jimmy Buffett, “Breathe In, Breathe Out, Move On”

I bought a cheap watch from the crazy man
Floating down Canal
It doesn’t use numbers or moving hands
It always just says now
Now you may be thinking that I was had
But this watch is never wrong
And if I have trouble the warranty said
Breathe in breathe out move on

According to my watch the time is now
The past is dead and gone
Don’t try to shake it just nod your head
Breathe in breathe out move on
Don’t try to explain it just bow your head
Breathe in breathe out move on

Share This