Have you ever wondered why people don’t lose weight even though they drink so called “Diet Drinks”? Sylvia Booth Hubbard explains in the article below, and when you read how damaging “Diet Drinks” are, I think you’ll stop drinking them. Your body is the Temple of Your Soul. Treat it with respect.

Ditch Colas and Other Soft Drinks Now!  By Sylvia Booth Hubbard

Monday, February 6, 2012 4:42 PM  © 2012 Newsmax. All rights reserved. http://www.newsmaxhealth.com/headline_health/colas_soft_drinks/2012/02/06/432182.html

If you love soft drinks but have switched to diet versions because of health fears, well, put down that diet drink — now! A new study found that a single can of diet soda a day increases the risk of heart disease by 43 percent and can cause liver damage similar to that seen in alcoholics.

It’s obvious that as a nation, we are addicted to soft drinks. Consumption is approaching a quart each day for every man, woman, and child, according to the National Soft Drink Association. And it’s taking a tremendous toll on our health. The most obvious effect, in the opinion of many experts, is the soaring rate of obesity.

The latest research, conducted the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine and Columbia University Medical Center, is only the latest in a long string of studies showing that carbonated soft drinks — both sugar-sweetened and sugar-free — are ruining our health.

Health problems linked to soft drinks include:

• Obesity. Researchers at the University of Texas Health Science Center found that every can or bottle of soft drink a person drinks each day increases their risk of being overweight by 41 percent. Children are at special risk: A British study found that if fructose is present in a child’s body, it will cause more cells to mature into belly fat cells when the child’s fat cells mature.

High-fructose corn syrup seems to be more at fault for weight gain than regular sugar: Researchers at Princeton University found that rats who were fed high-fructose corn syrup gained 47 percent more weight than rats who were fed an equal number of calories, but without corn syrup. And switching from sugar-sweetened to diet soft drinks doesn’t provide protection from weight gain, either. The researchers from the University of Texas Health Science Center found that people who drink diet soft drinks don’t lose weight; they gain. Their risk of obesity was even higher than those who drank sugary sodas.

• Diabetes. Women who drink one sugary soda a day double their risk of developing Type 2 diabetes when compare with women who drank less than one a month, suggests a study from Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. And research from the Framingham Heart Study found that drinking one or more sodas a day, whether regular or diet, increases the risk of metabolic syndrome, a group of risk factors which increases the odds of both diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Rutgers researchers point the finger at high-fructose corn syrup, an ingredient in most sugar-sweetened sodas, believing it may initiate a series of events in the body that leads to diabetes.

• Pancreatic cancer: Drinking two or more soft drinks a week almost doubles the risk of developing pancreatic cancer compared to people who do not drink them. Senior author Mark Pereira and colleagues followed 60,524 men and women in the Singapore Chinese Health Study for 14 years. They found that those who consumed two or more soft drinks per week (averaging five per week) had an 87 percent increased risk compared with individuals who did not drink sodas. The researchers found no link between fruit juice consumption and pancreatic cancer. “The high levels of sugar in soft drinks may be increasing the level of insulin in the body, which we think contributes to pancreatic cancer cell growth,” said Pereira.

• Premature aging. The phosphates in colas and other soft drinks that give them their tangy bite can cause premature aging, according to researchers at Harvard University who found that sodas upset the balance of phosphate in the body and accelerate aging by causing skin and muscles to shrivel. They also damage the heart and kidneys. “Soda is the caffeine delivery vehicle of choice for millions of people worldwide, but comes with phosphorous as a passenger,” said Dr. Gerald Weissmann, editor in chief of the FASEB Journal. “This research suggests that our phosphorous balance influences the aging process, so don’t tip it.”

• Osteoporosis. Phosphoric acid, which give drinks their “bite,” leaches calcium from bones, and diet sodas are just as much at fault as those sweetened with sugar. Researchers at Walter Reed Medical Center found that diet sodas drain both calcium and phosphorous from the bones of healthy women, putting them at risk for osteoporosis. And several studies have found a strong association between bone fractures and the amount of colas consumed by teen girls.

• Dental problems. In addition to the increased risk of cavities by the sugar in soft drinks, phosphoric acid — present in all “fizzy” drinks — causes tooth enamel to erode by changing the pH of saliva, leaving yellow teeth that are more prone to decay. Dr. Judith Valentine told the Weston A. Price Foundation that dentists from all over the country were reporting teen patients whose front teeth had been completely eroded by the acids in sodas.

• Fertility. Danish researchers found that men who were heavy cola drinkers — a quart or more a day — lowered their sperm counts by 30 percent when compared to those men who didn’t drink cola. And a study funded by the European Union found that just one diet cola a day increased the risk of miscarriage by 38 percent. Moms who drank four or more colas a day raised their risk by up to 78 percent.

• Esophageal cancer. When sodium benzoate, used for mold prevention in many soft drinks, is mixed with vitamin C, it creates a carcinogenic substance called benzene. Researchers at India’s Tata Memorial Hospital found a “very significant correlation” between soft drinks and an increased risk of esophageal cancer.

• Kidney stones. The same phosphate that rots teeth and leaches calcium from the body has been proposed as a contributing factor in the formation of kidney stones. And a study published in the journal Epidemiology found that drinking two or more colas daily — regular or artificially sweetened — doubled the risk of chronic kidney disease.

• GI problems. Studies have shown that people who drink sodas suffer more from gastroesophageal reflux disease than those people who didn’t drink sodas. Sodas boost acid levels and often require medication. Sodas also cause other gastrointestinal problems. “Sodas contain an array of chemical acids as additives, such as acetic, fumaric, gluconic, and phosphoric acids, all of them synthetically produced,” Dr. Judith Valentine told the Global Healing Center. “Drinking sodas, especially on an empty stomach, can upset the fragile acid-alkaline balance of the stomach and other gastric linings, creating a continuous acid environment. This prolonged acid environment can lead to inflammation of the stomach and duodenal lining which becomes quite painful. Over the long term, it can lead to gastric lining erosion.”

• Cholesterol. A study published in Circulation, the journal of the American Heart Association, found that people who drank one or more soft drinks each day were 25 percent more likely to develop high blood triglycerides (a type of fat linked to cardiovascular disease), and 32 percent more likely to have low levels of “good” cholesterol.

• Gout. Researchers from the University of British Columbia in Vancouver and Harvard Medical School in Boston found that men who consumed the highest levels of fructose, which is found in large amounts in sugar-sweetened cola, more than doubled their chances of getting gout.

• High blood pressure. Researchers from the University of Colorado in Denver found that drinking the equivalent of 2.5 soft drinks a day increased the risk of having a systolic blood pressure reading of 160 or higher by 77 percent. Another study of volunteers who consumed 74 grams of fructose daily, the equivalent amount found in four soft drinks, showed that a third of them had borderline high blood pressure, and 8 percent had hypertension, even though none had experienced blood pressure problems.

• Brain disorders. More than 92 side effects are associated with aspartame, a sugar substitute used in diet sodas. They include brain tumors, emotional disorders, and epileptic seizures. In addition, sodium benzoate has the ability to switch off vital parts of a person’s DNA, according to research from a British university. The result could eventually cause cirrhosis of the liver and other degenerative diseases, such as Parkinson’s. A study at Georgia State University found that a diet high in fructose impaired the memory of rats.

• Liver damage. An Israeli study found that people who drink more than four cups of sweetened beverages a day increase their odds of developing fatty liver disease by 500 percent. According to researchers, fructose is the culprit. Fatty liver disease can lead to cirrhosis of the liver and liver cancer. © 2012 Newsmax. All rights reserved. From: http://www.newsmaxhealth.com/headline_health/colas_soft_drinks/2012/02/06/432182.html

I remember a very successful business person, when asked his philosophy of life, answered, “work hard, play harder!”

And that’s what we do… We work hard throughout the year. And play harder after the end of the year.

If you are a small business owner, you know that you have the toughest boss in the whole world… yourself. My dad owned a hardware store when we were kids and the two strongest memories are #1 All of us waiting outside the store on Sunday for him to run into the store so a regular customer could get a bag of nails or a pipe to fix a leak, before we could go out to Sunday dinner.

The #2 strongest memory was that we went out to Sunday dinner a lot, so it must have paid off for my dad to help out a customer on Sunday before going to dinner! I guess my dad subscribed to the “work hard, play harder!” ethic, too.

So… when February comes around and it’s rainy and gloomy and cold in San Francisco, our bags are already packed for Hawaii! We have been just about everywhere in the islands. Oahu, Kauai, The Big Island, Lanai… We love all the islands and our current favorite, Maui. After all, Kathryn and I were Mauied… married on Maui.

And in 2011, we found our “home away from home” Konea Oe, our fabulous 2 bedroom 8th floor condo, right on the ocean! And… it was ON SALE! So… we bought it! Couldn’t pass up a great Sale!

And what do we do when we get there? Well… the first few days after stocking up the refrigerator, we SLEEP a lot! Sometimes 10 or 12 hours at a stretch… get up, have a snack, maybe a walk on the beach at sunset and then it’s back to SLEEP, making up for all the sleep we missed while working so hard during the year passed.

Then the “Play Harder” part starts. This year, we are REALLY going to learn how to navigate on the stand up paddle boards. We said we were last year, but it was only a New Years Resolution… we didn’t commit to it. I have found that unless I commit to something… it often doesn’t happen. Commitment gets the Providence on your side working with you. This year I am committed to do stand up paddle boarding.

Do you have a list of “100 Heart’s Desires you want to do before you die”? That’s a great place to start for your list of “Play Harder” activities. If you don’t have a list of 100, start with a list of 10. Oh… and here is the game… every time you achieve one of the 100 Heart’s Desires on your list, you add another.

That way, you’ll always have 100 Heart’s Desires to do before you die. What a great incentive to live a long healthy life!

And, by having them on a written list, there is really no need to make New Years Resolutions. All you have to do is choose the 3 or 4 that you will focus on in the coming year and Commit to them!

So, what do we do when we’re in Hawaii, besides relax and have FUN? Well.. our time in Hawaii is recreation, we like to think of it as re-creation. We re-create ourselves for the New Year. After a hard day of “Playing Harder” we reflect on what we accomplished in the past year that was meaningful to us. And we start to create and plan the New Year.

We don’t bother with New Years Resolutions. Those are usually things you (or someone else) thinks you SHOULD be doing, like “I should lose weight” or I shouldn’t have a 4th glass of wine.” Wayne Dyer and Tony Robbins both say, “Stop Shoulding on yourself ;>)”

If you have a list of 100 Heart’s Desires you want to do before you die, that EXCITE you, REALLY EXCITE you, that you have powerful reasons for WHY you want to do them, you won’t need those UnFUN New Years Resolutions. Everything you do to accomplish the things on your list are easier to do since they are bringing you closer to your “Heart’s Desires”

The feeling of Success comes from the moment by moment noticing of your ability to produce results. Another way of saying that is that the feeling of Success comes from the moment by moment noticing of your ability to give and keep your word, to yourself and others, because the ability to produce results is directly proportional to your ability to give and keep your word and manage that others do the same with you.

So… whatever you do, don’t make New Years Resolutions that you likely won’t keep. You won’t feel successful. Instead, say what you absolutely WILL do. Give your word and keep it and you will feel amazingly successful.

Make 2012 your most amazing, most awesome, most inspiring, most FUN, most exciting year ever!

PS Do me a favor and make “Owning 200 pair of Harry Mason Designer Jewelry earrings” one of your 100 Heart’s Desires on YOUR list! ;>)

PPS Remember as you are putting your list of 100 Heart’s Desires together, be sure to write BIG at the top of the page, “What would you do if you knew you could not fail?”

Samuel Beckett wrote a play, “Waiting for Godot” In it they are waiting for Godot. But… Godot never comes.

Waiting for Happiness?

When I am fed, then I will be Happy

When I get a new toy, then I will be Happy

When I get out of school and go play, then I will be Happy

When they notice me, then I will be Happy

When I get a girl/boyfriend, then I will be Happy

When I go away to college, then I will be Happy

When I am 21, then I will be Happy

When I get a job, then I will be Happy

When I get a cool car, then I will be Happy

When I discover my right livelihood, then I will be Happy

When I find my soul mate, then I will be Happy

When I have children, then I will be Happy

When I have a beautiful home, then I will be Happy

When I have a home in the country, then I will be Happy

When my kids are old enough to move out, then I will be Happy

When I have grandchildren, then I will be Happy

When I take a round the world trip, then I will be Happy

When I am financially independent, then I will be Happy

When I beat this illness, then I will be Happy

When I retire, then I will be Happy

When I leave this old and worn out body, then I will be Happy

The lesson… What are YOU waiting for to be Happy?

Be Happy Now, don’t wait for it. Happiness is a Journey, not a Destination.

Here’s a process to uncover all the reasons why you aren’t Happy all the time. Remember… You can be Happy or you can have the reasons why you’re not Happy!

Write this, filling in all the people, places, experiences and things in your life that you have been waiting for to make you Happy.

When I  (fill in the blank), then I will be Happy.

After you have written them all out, draw a line through each and say, I am Happy, NOW!

Ask yourself, How does “Happy” feel? Remember a time when you were extremely Happy. How did it FEEL? How did you hold your body? What were you thinking about? What were you saying to yourself and others?

Then, hold your body that way. Think those thoughts and Speak those words. You’ll start feeling Happy!

Before I remembered this, for a while I panicked. I couldn’t see a future for myself. It was only when I remembered that I am authoring my life that I could own that I had authored it to be the way it is. And most importantly, that I can author it to be the way I want it to be.

I did a “rewrite” from, “I had it all and by not paying attention to it and honoring it, I lost it all.” to, “I am learning how to create a future that calls me forth.”

Never Give Up… Always Keep Going! Happiness is a journey, not a destination. Sometimes it’s a rollercoaster ride… when it is, hold on tight, smile and yell “Wahoo” at the top of your lungs… and remember a time you felt extremely Happy and… Rewrite Your Future and… BE Happy ;>)

What would you do in Life if you knew you could not fail?

What a great question to ask yourself as you prepare for the New Year. 2012 has been played up in the media as the Mayan “end time” a period of cataclysmic, catastrophic change.

I prefer to think of it as a period of the birth of a new conscious. We have been going through the birthing pangs. We have experienced many Breakdowns over the past 5 years. We have all experienced, too, that we are all more connected than ever. What happens half way around the globe is communicated almost instantly via social media, twitter, facebook and others. We have truly become a global community.

2012 has the potential to be a year of Breakthroughs.

However… I believe it will take a conscious effort to realistically look at what got us into the mess we are in and what is keeping us in it and move in a new direction.

And when we look, ask let’s ask ourselves… “Did the person I voted for keep their word?” “Did they take responsibility for the course of events or did they blame others?

Then, vote for people who have a record of keeping their word.

When enough of us do that, we will have a Breakthrough.

June 21st is the 41st Anniversary of Harry Mason Designer Jewelry.  If you read this post last year, bear with me, I thought I would add a little more this year, (red color text) because in looking back, we have all “come a long way Baby!”

It didn’t start as Harry Mason Designer Jewelry, it started with me living in the back of my store, HM Sunrise down the street from the “No Exit Coffee House” in Rogers Park, Chicago, IL and I was a HIPPIE! The store hours were 3PM to 3AM same as the Coffee House, since most of my customers were late night frequenters of that establishment.

When Kathryn looked at this photo from my Hippie days, she said, “SCARY!” I wasn’t scary. I wasn’t even Harry then. Everyone knew me as ACE. I won my first speed ice skating race and my friends gave me that nickname and it stuck for years, until I moved to California in the 80′s to begin a new life.

Whew! I do look kind of scary! But back in 1970, a lot of people looked SCARY! Peace Love, Man, Far Out!

I actually started doing tie dye. You name it, I tie dyed it. T-Shirts, Bed Sheets, Pants, I even made a tie dyed flag. It was pretty cool.

But along the way I got attracted to metal work, first mobiles, then jewelry.

When I moved to California, I packed up my samples of the tie dye and the mobiles and the jewelry from those days and embarked on a new career. There are probably only a few of you who know that when I arrived in San Francisco, I decided to become a dance instructor! Disco was hot, hot, hot… Saturday Night fever caused that and within a short time, I was teaching Disco, Ballroom and New Wave dance. (Remember New Wave music?)

While doing that, I got connected up with some other dance instructors who were also Performance Artists (remember Performance Artists?) They were putting on shows in clubs doing a dance/theatre/comedy review of the 50′s, 60′s, 70′s and 80′s. They invited me and “The Rhythm Methods” (remember the rhythm method?) put on shows all over San Francisco.

That’s me and Suzy Miller, one of the founders of the group dancing our 50′s style jitterbug.

And that’s me on stage as a Hippie in the 60′s along with my “bombed” friends, David, Gus, Jose and Diane.

And me as “Secret Agent Man” (remember that song”) with Christie, Suzy and Shanda, the other founder of “The Rhythm Methods”.

Of course Kathryn and I were going out dancing then… after all, that’s how we met… at “The Rhythm Methods” photographer’s party for his clients. Kathryn was a client, too, she had a modeling school then.

It was a wild and crazy time. One of our shows was called “It’s My Party” (remember that song?)

And… it was a party! Here was the whole group, Shanda, Diane, Peter, Jose, Christie, David, Gus, Suzy and me… and what a party it was!

 

Here are some more photos from that era: “The Rhythm Method” Photos.

 

 

 

 

So… how did I get from dance instructor and performance artist to Harry Mason Designer Jewelry? Well… (remember designer jeans?) To be continued…

What else do you remember from the 80′s? Tell me what you were doing? New Wave dancer? Urban Cowboy or Cowgirl? Were you a punk rocker? Or did you look at them and shake your head in wonder?

Be sure to add a comment here and I’ll send you a surprise gift! Won’t that be FUN! What were you doing in the early 1980′s?

That was over 30 years ago, so we may as well celebrate! We have some very Special Offers on our Web site www.harrymason.com to put you in high spirits. We have come a long way… Baby!

Harry (aka Hippie Harry, Secret Agent Man, The Robot (remember “We are the Robots”?)

Harry Mason Designer Jewelry

When my friend Bea LLuen, called my I CAN WIN earrings “Survivor earrings”, it got me thinking. I have never been comfortable thinking of myself as a “Survivor”. When you face cancer and the consequences of it, you do far more than survive. It is a life altering experience. You learn things about yourself and others that you didn’t even know you didn’t know.

I didn’t know exactly how to describe it, until I got inspired by Bea’s compliment about the I CAN WIN earrings. It applies to all of us who were touched by cancer and who went on to Thrive. Here’s how it is for me:

“You did it! You and your team… family, friends, nurses, doctors… YOU Won! cancer Lost!

Who are you now? You are not just a Survivor. To survive implies to just get by.

YOU are a Thriver. Didn’t you learn more about yourself and your hidden strengths? This experience made you stronger, more resilient, more aware of your abilities to look death in the eye and say, not yet! I’ve got more to live and more to give.

YOU are a More Aliver. This experience woke you up! Don’t you feel More Alive? Aren’t you more aware of this precious moment. You are no longer just living in the past and no longer just living for the future. Now, YOU are grateful for and make the most of this Blessed Moment.

Now, that you are Thriving and feeling More Alive, ask yourself, ‘What would you do in life if you knew you couldn’t fail?’ And… before you answer, remember, ‘Life is supposed to be FUN!’”

Love,

Harry Mason

There is just one official day a year to celebrate our Mothers. But who says it has to be that way? Why not tell her we love her every time we see her, every time we speak with her on the phone and every time we write a letter.

My mom passed many years ago, but she is with me every day. I see her in the young mother teaching her baby how to walk. I see her in wise mother teaching her child to behave. I see her in the hard working mother who is determined that her child will have a better education and a better life than she had.

I see her in every Mother.

And so in wishing you a Happy Mother’s Day, I am sending my wish to her, too. Happy Mother’s Day, Mom! Thank you for who you are for me. I love you.

If not Now, WHEN?

What Would YOU Do in Life if You Knew You Could Not Fail?

I asked myself those two questions all last year and… I have the answers!

We’ve always wanted a home in Hawaii. One that we could share with our friends. Now, Kathryn and I have one… and you’re invited! It’s on Maui,  just North of the world famous Ka’anapali Beach.

I’ll tell you the amazing story of how it came about that we were able to get the home of our dreams in a top notch resort, Honua Kai, later, but first, I want to describe some of it and the extraordinary location to you.

Imagine a beautiful golden sand beach over 1-1/2 miles long, with sand so soft it feels like you re walking  on foam. The sea foam waves washing over your bare feet feel like warm sparkling champagne bubbling between your toes. The softly blowing trade winds cause the palm trees to gently sway and keep the temperature comfortably warm, but not too hot, year round. Swimsuit weather.

On this beach is a luxurious resort. Yours and our “home away from home” and away from the cares of the world is on the 8^th floor of the Konea building with a sweeping view of the West Maui Mountains and the Sunrise over them. It also has a small view of the Ocean and the island of Moloka’i, just enough to beckon you down to the awesome beach to take a plunge in the azure waters.

If you’re already soooo ready for a fabulous Hawaiian Vacation, email Harry at harrymason@harrymason.com He’ll get you complete information on availability and your Preferred Customer Discounted rates. It’s available beginning May 1, 2011.

Not sure, yet? Read some more…

Your day starts with the morning sun streaming in your bedroom window, inviting you to have breakfast at the table on your private lanai with the sun warming you. You can sit there in your jammies because, unlike some vacation rentals, there is no one across the way or right next door to see you! The closest building is ½ mile away!

As you start your day with a Fit and Healthy breakfast that includes fresh tropical fruits, pineapples, papayas, mangoes… from the market that is a 5 minute walk away, you think about what appeals to you, today? A walk on the beach? A swim? Snorkeling with the fish and sea turtles? Boogie boarding? Laps in the pool? A

Relaxing by the pool.

mile run on the boardwalk?

Or, perhaps resting by the pool on a lounge chair with a book. Or a nap on the soft sandy beach.

So many choices, right outside your door! So, you choose and after breakfast, you go down to the spacious, elegant lobby and walk a short meandering path, past lava rock waterfalls, swimming pools, and past the swaying palms and you are standing on golden sands that stretch over one mile to the South and 1/2 mile to a mile to the North depending on whether it is low or high tide.

To the left, the island of Lana’i and to the right the island of Moloka’i loom on the horizon. Walk the golden sands in either direction. Let the turquoise waters caress your bare feet and splash up your legs and… laugh with delight. This is how life was meant to be, joyous, relaxing and FUN! Did someone forget to tell you, Life is supposed to be FUN!

The sandy beach stretches unbroken for over 1-1/2 miles. Directly off shore are coral reefs with colorful fish and Sea Turtles. When you are ready to swim, stroll 100 yards to the left and a break in the reef and a sandy bottom invite you to jump in and swim..

Just put on your mask, snorkel and fins and swim out a short way where the fish are feeding on the coral reefs. Be sure to look for the colorful Humahumanukunukuapua’a, the Hawaiian state fish and many others. And keep an eye out for the sea turtles. They tend to be shy and rest on the bottom during the day.

If you like full sun, any place along the beach is great to get a tan… but… even on cloudy days, wear Alba Natural sunscreen and Maui Babe tanning lotion and you’ll go home with an outstanding tan and no sunburn. (Maui Babe has coffee in it. it smells luscious and makes your skin glow and gives even a burn and peel kind of person like me a good lasting tan!)

If you prefer shade, use a beach umbrella or walk to a grove of Kiawe trees 100 yards to the left. They will keep you shaded. And find a branch to “Hang Loose” on… we did, it’s great exercise and most important… FUN!

Konea Oe, your “home away from home” has 2 Bedrooms, each with a King Bed and 2 Bathrooms, both with glass enclosed tile showers and marble topped double sinks, one with a deep tub, good for a hot soak after an active day, not one of those shallow hotel tubs, that barely cover your knees. And outdoors by the pools are Jacuzzi hot tubs, where you can immerse yourself neck deep in the soothing hot bubbling waters.

You can grill on gas grills outdoors near the beach as you watch the sunset or cook in your fully equipped gourmet Kitchen with Bosch appliances and marble counters.

Don’t feel like cooking? Eat at Duke’s restaurant, right in the resort.  And the photo’s of Duke, Hawaii’s best know surfboarder are an inspiration to live a Fit and Healthy Lifestyle.

It’s more affordable than many restaurants in the area and has excellent food.  Or you can take out gourmet food from the the friendly staff at the Aina Market with fresh grown organic produce from the O’o farm high on the slopes of Haleakala. And the Times Market, a full service grocery store is a 5 minute walk across a grassy field.

Plus… we have prepared an mp3 for you with Distant Ocean Sounds that lull you to sleep and allow you to sleep soundly through the whole night. (I use it all the time, now. It reminds me of Hawaii and puts me in the best mood!) And you can take it home with you!

There are Flat panel TV’s in the living room and in each Bedroom. Personally, I leave them off. The cares of the world will be there when you return home, so why not take a break from them and think only about having a FABULOUS vacation.

Are you ready to come, now, for a fabulous Hawaiian Vacation?  Email Harry at harrymason@harrymason.com. He’ll get you complete information on availability and your Preferred Customer Discounted rates.

Still not sure or are you curious about what else it looks like? You can see more photos at:

http://tinyurl.com/Konea-Oe

But… DON’T WAIT! It will get booked fast, especially at the discounted price we are offering our Preferred Customers.

Do you want to see more photos of the beautiful area around Konea Oe? There are hundreds of the area around Konea Oe and many of us enjoying the Fit and Healthy Lifestyle we enjoy so much in Hawaii. When you can be outdoors in a swimsuit or shorts and top all day and into the night, in such a beautiful environment, you, like us will start to desire to become more Fit and Healthy to fully enjoy life. “Life is supposed to be FUN!”

Harry & Kathryn’s Fabulous Hawaiian Holiday

Oh! I got so excited telling you about how wonderful it is that I almost forgot I was going to tell you how it came about, how Providence was working for us to make our dreams come true.

Remember, I was asking myself,  “What Would You Do in Life if You Knew You Could Not Fail?” and “If not NOW, WHEN? If not me, who?”

The economic crisis of the last few years has put a dent in many people’s plans, including ours. Last year we were able to take a vacation by redeeming reward points. We knew it would be a challenge this year, so year before last, we reduced the number of exemptions on our paychecks, so more would be taken out in taxes. This way, we knew that when we filed our returns, we would get money back and we would put it away for our vacation.

And… also due to the economic downturn, airfares and the rate for the place we wanted to stay were lower than usual. We learned from Zig Ziglar, years ago that when you are given lemons, make lemonade. And so we did.

Oh… and Alaska Airlines offered a roundtrip companion fare for $99 when you apply for an Alaska Airlines credit card. (I told you Providence was looking out for us!) And I am looking out for you, so here is where you can get the same great deal!

https://wwwa.applyonlinenow.com/us/alaska-allproducts/index.html

Even if you aren’t coming to Hawaii, now, it’s worth getting the $99 round trip companion ticket for when you do come. Kathryn and I each applied for the Alaska Airlines Credit Card, so we have two $99 round trip companion tickets!!! We love saving money… I’m sure you do, too!

We wanted to stay again at Honua Kai. The name means Earth and Sea in Hawaiian. We had stayed there in 2010 and fell in love with the beautiful sandy beach, the azure water and the green rainbow draped mountains. We had looked at buying a unit there, but it was way way out of our budget.

So, when we arrived in January 2011, we spent the first few weeks enjoying our favorite beach. From Morning into the Evening. (That’s a real Sunset in the photo. It’s not a painting.)

Then we went looking at other places that might be in our budget. Nothing had the charm, location and sheer beauty of Honua Kai.

And then once again, Providence stepped in. We decided to ask again and we were very surprised and extremely pleased that the prices had come down substantially. They were still out of our budget, but not so far that we couldn’t consider it.

We looked at three different units and as we prepared to put in offers, each one was purchased by someone, just before our offer was in. Was our dream slipping away?

We asked the realtor, what else was there available? We had specific criteria, many units looked across the courtyard into other units; many were in the full sun and were so hot that you needed air conditioning on all through the day; many had no view of the ocean.

One week before we were due to leave, we found “Konea Oe”. That’s our name for our little piece of Hawaiian Heaven. Konea Oe means, “You… Restored to Health” in Hawaiian! And… here’s where Providence worked two more miracles. It met all our criteria and it was priced LOWER than any of the others we had looked at!

It was still a little above our budget, but, here’s where the questions, “What Would You Do in Life, if You Knew You Could Not Fail” and “If not NOW, WHEN?” had us step up and step out, “get out of our Box” and “Take the Leap!”

We knew we loved it and we knew that this same opportunity would be gone, next year, so we did it.

It’s thanks to you, our wonderful customer that we have “lived our dreams” working in our business doing things we love, designing our jewelry and then helping you find a piece of jewelry you love that is an expression of who you are. We are so appreciative. Some of you have known us since we sold on Beach St. in San Francisco as Street Artists with a card table and a glass aquarium turned on it’s side for a display. Others may have only found us recently at our PIER 39 store, online or even on Amazon.

We are grateful to all of you. And that’s why we want to share it with you.

It’s a Magical place, you see. In one direction, the beach, a beautiful sunny day, waves lapping on the sands, dolphins, fish and sea turtles in the waves. Look to the East and  distant mountains rise with rainbows arched across fields of pineapple, sugar cane and coffee trees, all made vibrant green by passing showers from moisture laden trade wind clouds that billow up against the ancient peaks and spill their live sustaining rain on the verdant slopes.

Konea Oe

You Restored to Health! We thought Konea meant a feminine woman, but in researching, we found that it really means “restored to health” a fitting name for a place where you can rest, relax, explore, grow and be restored to health… a healthy mind… a healthy body… a healthy lifestyle and a healthy spirit.

Hawaii and the Hawaiian language have a soft nurturing feminine feeling. We’ll leave you with these words in Hawaiian, Aloha au ia’ oe… they mean, I love you.

We do!

Love, Harry and Kathryn

Harry Mason Designer Jewelry

www.harrymason.com

PS Are you ready to come, now? Email Harry if you have questions and for rates and reservation requests at harrymason@harrymason.com

Remember DON’T WAIT! It will get booked fast, especially at the discounted price we are offering YOU, one of our Preferred Customers.

PPS make it a Fit and Healthy Lifestyle Adventure

It’s no longer sufficient to just “vacate” on a vacation. How about being “restored to health”. That’s what “Konea Oe” means in Hawaiian… “You… Restored to Health”.

And this is our commitment to you.

• First of all to provide you with a place that inspires you to want to be Fit and Healthy.

• And then to be an example, a Guide and Guidess™ on your journey, your adventure to a Fit and Healthy Lifestyle. The great thing about it, is it will work for you, whatever your current condition. Take is as slow or as fast as you want. Get exercise by doing something you enjoy, walking along golden sands through azure surf. Nourish yourself by learning to prepare healthy tasty REAL food alternatives that heal your body.

• And to help you learn and develop the practices that will have you return home more Fit and Healthy than when you came. So, you will be able to recreate at home and can continue your Fit and Healthy Lifestyle Adventure.

I’m not your average 65 year old… that’s me, last summer swinging on that pole. I believe we can live Fit and Healthy lives far beyond what people now believe is possible.

I just read about an 80 year old woman who participates in Iron Man events!!! Her name is Sister Madonna Buder, she’s a nun! Now that’s living full out! That would be a goal for me!

“What would you do in life if you knew you could not fail?”

Come stay at Konea Oe Email Harry at harrymason@harrymason.com.

In my July 2010 post, I mentioned that Tony Robbins asks in his courses, “What would you do in life, if you knew you could not fail?”

Have you asked yourself that, yet?

Kathryn and I are on vacation in Hawaii for six weeks. That’s a long time! How can we do that? Well… it all started in the 1980′s when I created my motto, “Design Your Life… Live Your Dreams!”And along the way we learned how to make priorities, keep our focus and when the going gets tough, ask ourselves, “How can I?”

What does Design Your Life… Live Your Dreams mean? Well… it means first of all, Dream and if you are going to Dream, Dream BIG! Then, once you have created your Dreams, put together a Design, a plan, for how you are going to achieve them. Make sure to add “by whens” and then keep your focus on your Dreams as you work your plans.

Now, life has a way of placing little roadblocks that take you off course from the path towards your Dreams, but how I see them is as challenges to learn from and to overcome as you continue to move toward your Dreams.

So, for example, the whole USA and the world is experiencing an economic slowdown. Our business has been effected, too. But… we have a commitment to ourselves to lead a Fit and Healthy life. The exercise, healthy eating, re-creating, relaxing and studying we do on our vacation in Hawaii is a big part of maintaining our physical, emotional and mental well-being.

With that commitment, we reordered our priorities. Taking that vacation became #1. So, we cut back on everything else. Less eating out, we only went to one movie, Toy Story 3, we just stopped watching TV (too much negativity) and ended the monthly cable bill. We wear washable clothes, so no dry cleaning bills. And everywhere we could, we cut back. I still don’t have a cell phone, so that alone saves me $30 to $100 per month.

Jack Canfield states, The 3 reasons for not realizing our dreams

• We don’t properly set our goals.
• We don’t develop a plan for achieving our goals.
• We don’t have a system for keeping track of our progress.

So, Design Your Life… Live Your Dreams

• Dream BIG! And tell your Dreams to others so they can support you in achieving them.
• Set your step by step Goals to achieve that Dream.
• Commit to them.
• Develop a workable plan and take immediate action.
• Set up and maintain a system for tracking whether you are on course or off course.
• Don’t make yourself wrong. Function like an auto-pilot on an airplane, just point out how much you are off course and which direction to go to get back on course.
• Keep getting back on course until you reach your Dream.

We applied this step by step process to having our vacation, this year, in spite of the circumstances, and we have used this process to build our business, purchase our home, study with masters and achieve results in all areas of our lives.

Design Your Life… Live Your Dreams! Now it’s time to ask yourself, “What would you do in life, if you knew you could not fail?”

When you discover your answer, post it as a comment here.

Love, Harry and Kathryn

Harry Mason Designer Jewelry

…Because You’re Special!…

www.harrymason.com

facebook :: http://tinyurl.com/harrymason-facebook

What do Hawaii and New Years Resolutions have to do with each other?

I remember a very successful business person, when asked his philosophy of life, answered, “work hard, play harder!”

And that’s what we do… We work hard throughout the year. And play harder after the end of the year.

If you are a small business owner, you know that you have the toughest boss in the whole world… yourself. My dad owned a hardware store when we were kids and the two strongest memories are #1 us waiting outside the store on Sunday for him to run into the store so a regular customer could get a bag of nails or a pipe to fix a leak, before we could go out to Sunday dinner.

The #2 strongest memory was that we went out to Sunday dinner a lot, so it must have paid off for my dad to help out a customer on Sunday before going to dinner! I guess my dad subscribed to the “work hard, play harder!” ethic, too.

So… when January comes around and it’s rainy and gloomy and cold in San Francisco, our bags are already packed for Hawaii! We have been just about everywhere in the islands. Oahu, Kauai, The Big Island, Lanai… We love all the islands and our current favorite, Maui. After all, Kathryn and I were Mauied… married on Maui.

We have stayed in cheap hotels, deluxe hotels (Mauied at the Ritz Carlton), we’ve rented homes and condos and are still looking for OUR little piece of paradise… our “little grass shack”.

And what do we do when we get there? Well… the first few days after stocking up the refrigerator in our condo, we SLEEP a lot! Sometimes 10 or 12 hours at a stretch… get up, have a snack, maybe a walk on the beach at sunset and then it’s back to SLEEP, making up for all the sleep we missed while working so hard during the year passed.

Then the “Play Harder” part starts. This year, we are going to learn how to navigate on the stand up paddle boards. If you haven’t seen one, it’s an oversize surfboard that you stand on. You have a long paddle and use it to move around. I’ve seen tourists on them on calm days (from a distance, it looks like they are walking on water!) and I’ve seen Hawaiian Big Kahuna’s surfing on them riding the BIG waves using the paddle as a rudder.

The plan is to start in “tourist” mode and graduate to Big Kahuna… Play Harder!

Do you have a list of “100 things you want to do before you die”? That’s a great place to start for your list of “Play Harder” activities. If you don’t have a list of 100, start with a list of 10. Oh… and here is the game… every time you achieve one of the 100 things on your list, you add another.

That way, you’ll always have 100 things to do before you die. what an incentive to live a long healthy life!

And, by having them on a written list, there is really no need to make New Years Resolutions. All you have to do is choose the 3 or 4 that you will focus on in the coming year.

So, what does all this have to do with Hawaii? Well.. our time in Hawaii is recreation, we like to think of it as re-creation. We re-create ourselves for the New Year. After a hard day of “Playing Harder” we reflect on what we accomplished in the past year that was meaningful to us. And we start to create and plan the New Year.

We don’t bother with New Years Resolutions. Those are usually things you (or someone else) thinks you SHOULD be doing. Wayne Dyer and Tony Robbins both say, “Stop Shoulding on yourself ;>)”

If you have a list of 100 things you want to do before you die, that EXCITE you, REALLY EXCITE you, that you have powerful reasons for WHY you want to do them, you won’t need those UnFUN New Years Resolutions. Everything you do to accomplish the things on your list are easier to do since they are bringing you closer to your “Heart’s Desires”

The feeling of Success comes from the moment by moment noticing of your ability to produce results. Another way of saying that is that the feeling of Success comes from the moment by moment noticing of your ability to give and keep your word, to yourself and others.

So… whatever you do, don’t make New Years Resolutions that you likely won’t keep. You won’t feel successful. Instead, say what you absolutely WILL do. Give your word and keep it and you will feel amazingly successful.

Make 2011 your most amazing, most awesome, most inspiring, most FUN, most exciting year ever!

PS Do me a favor and make “Owning 200 pair of Harry Mason Designer Jewelry earrings” one of the 100 things to do on YOUR list!

PPS Remember as you are putting your list together, be sure to write BIG at the top of the page, “What would you do if you know you could not fail?”