A-ight y’all. Since I’ve been depressed and crying my eyes out over the lack of comments lately, I made this week’s pics supah duuuuuupah easy! Hopefully we can give the blog a little jolt this week. 🙂
We are super excited to announce that VH07V will have a booth at the uber popular Honolulu Night Market taking place from 6pm-11pm next Saturday, 6/15 in Kakaako (Auahi Street).
We’ll be fully stocked (including our new Tron and Racerback designs) at our booth, which will be located in the “Pinch of Salt” Warehouse during the event. Come on by for special, show only pricing!
My interview with bruddah Chad Owens (called “Chad Owens – A Born Fighter“) got posted to AroundHawaii earlier this week. Click the image below to check it out and watch the video as well.
Last week, the good people at Hawaii Self Storage recognized and awarded 10 local public school students with a 4 year renewable scholarship ($4000 annually) to a college or university of their choice. In attendance for the night was Hawaii Self Storage owner Mr. Mike Wood and his lovely wife Joanne, VP of Operations Tony Goulart, and VP of Marketing and Sales Shaun Salvador. Serving as the “Master of Ceremonies” for the night was one half of the Aloha Boyz on 93.1 The Paina, Mr. Kaleo Pilanca.
* VH07V Spotted!
This week’s “SPOTTED!” shot is of Tomo-san from one of my favorite eats in town: Yajima-Ya Lunch Wagon. He was wearing his Green/White VH07V tee when Guy Hagi and Augie T went to visit him for a recent episode of Cheap Eats. Click on the photo below to watch the clip.
[Big Jim]: Is pro football in Canada better than college football was in the WAC or high school football in Hawaii?
[Chad Owens]: Um, that’s a tough question. I don’t know if it’s better. I don’t know what he means, if he’s talking about the skill level… It’s football right? Anytime you get a chance to go out there and play the game, whether you’re here in Hawaii, high school, college, at the professional level: NFL, CFL, Arena (Football) League… You do this because it’s what you love to do. It doesn’t matter where you are, if you get a chance to go out there and strap it up and play the game, you’re gonna go out there and give it your all, and you’re gonna enjoy those moments and that’s really what I try and do. I try and enjoy that time when I’m out there because one day, it’s gonna be all over, it’s gonna be done, I’m not gonna be able to do it anymore, so yeah.
[Dean]: Hey Chad, been following you since the UH days. Congratulations on all your success! My question, what do you think are the most effective way to improve the lives of our keiki today and tomorrow through sports? Any plans on one day becoming a coach or mentor for children?
[Chad Owens]: I think the best thing that we can do as grown-ups, as mentors, as parents, is to just guide our children in the right way. And yes, sports is a great way to teach team concept and hard work and all those tools, but the children have to want to play sports. So one thing is you don’t want to force them into sports. If it’s something that they want to do then great, then you push them towards where they want to be, but the first thing and most important thing we can do for our children is to continue to be a great example for them first because growing up, they become what they see. They become what they’re surrounded by so as parents, as mentors, we can just be great examples. And if they do end up playing sports, just continue to encourage cause there’s a difference between criticizing, encouraging, disciplining, it’s all kind of a fine line with all those things, but keep it fun for them cause that’s always the number one thing for kids. They want to go out there and have fun so keep it fun, but keep them going and the main thing is that they work hard and they listen. And yes, maybe one day, down the road… Coach… I mean, we’ll see. Who knows? I don’t know what tomorrow is going to bring, so maybe one day. But thanks Dean (right?).
[rayboyjr]: Chad: Any possible re-entry back into the NFL?
[Chad Owens]: Um, if a crazy opportunity presented itself, possibly, but as of right now, my focus is on the Toronto Argonauts. It’s going into training camp (for) another year. This coming 2013 season and being the best that I can be for my team. If I finish my career in Canada, which I most likely will, it’ll be a great ride. The CFL has been great for me. I hope that answers the question.
[Debbie Bruce]: Aloha Chad, You are such a wonderful ambassador for Hawaii and such a positive influence on our youth. How do you feel about the Fan Aloha that follows you everywhere you go? Does it help feed your success?
[Chad Owens]: Well, this Fan Aloha that follows me everywhere I go… Debbie, that would be you! So thank you, mahalo, aloha. *blows kisses* We love you. It definitely helps. It goes back to the support that you get right? It makes you feel special. It really does. It makes you want to go out and work harder for the fans. That’s what it is. If there are no fans, what’s the sense of playing right? You go out there to entertain, you go out there to perform. We are performers in a way. In a professional way, we are entertainers. Although it’s about winning games and winning championships and those things, but if there’s no one in the stands watching, to me, it’s pointless. So (to) the fans, thank you guys so much. Debbie, again, Aloha, and I’ll see you in Toronto next week. I’m leaving on Sunday (5/26/13).
[@KsCollectables (Kevin)] : Hi Chad, as a child growing up did you fight in the back alleys, was it rough where you grew up? Did you always want to try MMA?
[Chad Owens]: I can’t say that I fought in the back alleys, but I was always the smallest kid so anytime the bigger kids tried to bully me around, I had to let them know real quick that “Hey, I’m not afraid of you, so what you wanna do?” And somehow, some way, I always became friends with these guys that tried to bully me. I was always a little scrappy kid who wasn’t afraid of anything, wasn’t afraid of anybody. But I’m not saying that’s how I decided to do MMA. MMA is a sport. It’s not a backyard fight. Hopefully everyone understands that. It’s not a backyard fight, it’s totally different. It is a sport, there’s techniques involved, you have to train. You can’t just go in there and close your eyes and throw haymakers and expect to win. That fight inside of me, it helps me on the football field, it helps me in life, it helps me with everything I do, but thank you. Great question.
…
* To read and watch my entire interview with Bruddah Chad, check out my article “Chad Owens: A Born Fighter“.
For whatever reason, these types of posts typically don’t get a lot of feedback below, so before I lose ya, just wanted to tell ya to stay tuned for another “Where In Hawaii?” game tomorrow (I hope!)! 😛 Shoooots!
Chad Owens is no stranger to competition. He came into this world fighting… Fighting for his life.
Weighing just 3 pounds, Owens (aka “Mighty Mouse”) was born a month and a half premature. It was the determination of his mother to never give up on him that became the driving force behind who he is today and how he approaches life’s daily challenges.
It is that same drive and determination – genetically ingrained within his DNA – that fueled Owens to find success in his life’s calling: sports. He lettered in 4 sports (football, basketball, baseball & track) at his Alma Mater: Roosevelt High, thrived under June Jones’ Run & Shoot offense during his time with the University of Hawaii Warrior football team, and has recently been named the Canadian Football League’s Most Outstanding Player while breaking records and becoming a world champion along the way (his Toronto Argonauts defeated the Calgary Stampeders 35-22 in the CFL championship game to take home the home the 100th Grey Cup).
Not bad for a guy who has always been told he’d never make it.
Chad Owens
I recently had the wonderful opportunity to chat with this local boy about his family, career, MMA debut, and more…
Chad Owens Interview
[Edward Sugimoto]: First off, congratulations on a HUUUUGE 2012 season! Let me see if I can list your accomplishments:
You broke the all-time, single season all-purpose yards record (previously held by “Pinball” Clemons) with 3,863 yards!
You became the first player in professional football history to record back to back to BACK seasons with 3,000+ combined all-purpose yards.
You won the league’s Most Outstanding Player award!
And on top of all that, your Toronto Argonauts defeated the Calgary Stampeders (35-22) in the CFL championship game to take home the home the 100th Grey Cup… (All with a broken thumb!!!)
[Chad Owens]: Yes sir! (smiles)
[Edward Sugimoto]: Safe to say, you had a decent year? 😛
[Chad Owens]: Yeah. It was a successful one, both individually and of course as a team we won the championship. But no, I had a lot of fun this year, and looking forward to doing it all over again this upcoming season.
[Edward Sugimoto]: What was your life like in the early days and how did you first get into athletics?
[Chad Owens]: Whoo, in the early days. How far back would that be? I’ve been playing sports my whole life, as far back as I can remember. I started off playing soccer, but I was always in sports. I think I needed sports. I was always a little active, scrappy, feisty little kid. I guess a rascal. That’s what my mom them would say, I was a little rascal. But sports kinda gave me a way to utilize that energy, and I’m thankful that my mom them put me in sports and allowed me to become who I am today.
[Edward Sugimoto]: During your time here at Roosevelt, you lettered and succeeded in three sports: Football, Basketball, & Track.
[Chad Owens]: And baseball, a couple years. My freshman year and my senior year.
[Edward Sugimoto]: Which did you enjoy the most and why?
[Chad Owens]: Obviously I love football, but basketball season was always you know, to me it was a lot of fun. I love playing basketball. But I just enjoy sports. It didn’t matter what I was doing, I just enjoyed the competition, and I enjoyed coming out here and competing and trying to be the best.
[Edward Sugimoto]: You also played for (what was known as the University of Hawaii) “Warriors” at the time… At what point did you know that the next level was a possibility?
[Chad Owens]: As far as being a professional? I think it probably struck me after my senior year. During my senior season because up until that point, I just wanted to be the best college player that I could be. Being at the Division I level was already a dream come true for me, so I just wanted to continue to be the best that I could be there and enjoy those years and that’s what I did. But it wasn’t until my senior year started coming to an end and I knew I was having a pretty good season and I started to think like man maybe this NFL thing or “professional” thing is really there for me you know? And again, I’m thankful that I had that opportunity.
[Edward Sugimoto]: You mentioned the NFL. You had a brief stint there but it seems you’ve really found your home in Canada in the CFL. Describe what your life is like there as a football star and what your family likes to do for fun.
[Chad Owens]: Life in Canada has been great. The CFL has given me the opportunity to be me and go out there and play ball and play the way I know I can play. The family enjoys it, we’ve made a lot of great friends up there and Toronto is really a nice city. It’s a great area, it’s got great people, and it is our home away from home. So it has definitely been an interesting transition you know, my career, but I do believe that I’m at the place where I belong now and I will 99% finish my career there, I’m pretty sure of that. I’m just taking it for what it is. I’m very fortunate and thankful that I was blessed with these opportunities and my family and I are just enjoying the moment.
[Edward Sugimoto]: You mentioned your family. You have a beautiful wife Rena and three beautiful kids (Chad Jr, Areana, & Sierra-Lynn). How are they adjusting to life outside of Hawaii?
[Chad Owens]: You know they’ve grown up around it. They’ve been to Jacksonville, they’ve been to Colorado, they’ve been to Montreal, you know, so they’ve traveled with me throughout my whole career and I think it’s the norm for them now, so they’re not afraid of change, they’re not afraid to travel so for them, they’re getting experiences that not much get to have and I think it’s gonna benefit them because when they get older, like I said, they’re not gonna be afraid of change. They’re not going to be afraid to go out and venture. Go to the mainland and maybe look for work, I don’t know. Go to school, go away from here because they’re used to it. So to me that’s a big positive for them.
[Edward Sugimoto]: Good life lessons for them huh?
[Chad Owens]: Great life lessons for them.
[Edward Sugimoto]: So this past April, you made your professional MMA debut against Junyah Tevaga. How was that experience for you and is this something you’d like to pursue again one day?
[Chad Owens]: The experience was awesome. It was definitely something that I’ve longed to do and I wondered how I’d be and if I trained and put my heart and soul into it how I’d do and I did just that. I trained hard and I was all in, 100% into MMA and I was fortunate enough to get that fight, and it was fun. But it was definitely a different type of adrenaline rush and I enjoyed it, so yes, I would definitely love to do it again, but for right now, my focus is on football and that’s where I’m at with that right now. *smiles*
[Edward Sugimoto]: Speaking of the fight though, ho, you were a beast man when you came out it was pretty nuts.
[Chad Owens]: It’s a really fast fight. Two three minute rounds. The normal I think is three fives. Five minutes is a long time, you can’t expect to go in there and just bang for five minutes straight, so there’s always those pacing moments, the feel out moments right? But three minutes it goes by so fast and I trained at such a high pace that that’s what we wanted to push, we wanted to push the pace and it was fun.
[Edward Sugimoto]: It showed.So you’re on Instagram (@chadowens2) and your feed shows a lot of workout related photos. How important is that to you as a part of your daily life.
[Chad Owens]: It’s very important because, yeah, granted I am a professional athlete so training… I say this kinda cliche-ish, training comes easy. Not all pros enjoy training, but I enjoy training. It’s a lifestyle that my family and I enjoy. It’s something that I hope… My kids see it. You know it’s an example for them so we just want to continue to share that with everyone. This is not just a once in a while thing. We live it. We live training, we love it. I tell my wife all the time, you only get to stay young for so long so you might as well get the most out of your body and work out, train and look the best that you can look while you got it. And it’s a healthy thing. Training and working out is healthy. And we’re all cognizant about what we eat, and again, it’s a great example for our children and the people of Hawaii and all our followers. We just want to continue to be an example that way as well.
[Edward Sugimoto]: You’re also on Twitter (@chadowens2) and other social media venues. Does that help you keep in touch with your fans pretty good?
[Chad Owens]: Yeah definitely. Twitter is a crazy world. When I first got on, I was on it avidly and with the Instagram, you could get caught up in it and get lost in it for hours, and I’d rather spend my time more wisely. There are times when I tweet stuff and Instagram and do those things and to me there are times and places for that, but I have to make sure I get done what I have to get done first before I start getting into the social media, but it is a great way for me to stay in contact with my fans and to keep them up to date with what I’m doing here in Hawaii and vice versa, when I go to Toronto, you know all the fans, friends, family that’s here in Hawaii gets to see what’s going on when we’re up in Toronto so it’s just an awesome tool
[Edward Sugimoto]: And the Toronto fans can keep in touch with you too.
[Chad Owens]: Yeah, yeah *smiles*
[Edward Sugimoto]: So do you have any words for your fans out there?
[Chad Owens]: I just want to say Mahalo and thank you for all the support throughout these years. It’s been an amazing ride. It’s you guys that keep me going. It’s the fans here in Hawaii that come out and tell me, “Hey I remember that BYU game”… It’s things like that that I really appreciate so thank you guys so much and you know… Aloha!
During my entire conversation with him, it was readily apparent that Owens has an inner fire that is unmatched and it became crystal clear as to why he has been so successful in a career where many have not.
Although he’s accomplished everything a professional athlete can possibly accomplish in their given sport, I have a feeling, he’s got something else up his tattooed sleeve for this season. Be sure to watch and support our local boy as he taps into that inner determination – passed on to him by his mom – as inspiration to continue that daily fight…
Chad Owens with Arthur Betts IV
Chad Owens with Edward Sugimoto
Special Mahalos to Arthur Betts IV for the Production assistance and Chris Avery for the editing assistance. And of course to Chad Owens himself for his time and Aloha!
VH07V Gear The latest in Hawaii lifestyle apparel. Check it out!
Probably the biggest (recent) news – at least here locally – is the name change (again) of our beloved University of Hawaii men’s programs. It went from the Rainbows to the Warriors/Rainbows/Rainbow Warriors to the Warriors and then back to the Rainbow Warriors, or something to that effect. What are your thoughts on this? Do you care one way or another? That’s just one of my many topics of conversation in the “Scoops” section below. Holla!
* Did you guys hear this ridiculous story about Amy’s Baking Company in Arizona? It is quite hilarious (they’re now saying they were hacked), but also kinda scary how the power (and misuse) of social media can have such an impacting influence.
* OKC (1) vs. MEM (3), SAS (3) vs. GSW (2), MIA (3) CHI (1), or NYK (1) vs. IND (3)? Who you got?
* Candice Glover and Kree Harrison compete for the American Idol Season 12 crown? Who do you want to win? Tonight at 7pm on KHON (Oceanic channel 3, 83 or 1003).
* Anyone watching UFC on FX 8 (Belfort vs. Rockhold) this Saturday? 3pm on FX (Oceanic channel 554 or HD 1554).
* Anyone watching the finale episode of The Office on Thursday night? 8pm on KHNL (Oceanic channel 8, 88 or HD 1008).
* Anyone going to the final UH Rainbow Warrior baseball series at home against UC Davis? FRI 5/17 @ 6:35pm, SAT 5/18 @ 6:35pm and SUN 5/19 @ 1:05pm.
* VH07V Spotted!
This week’s “SPOTTED!” shot includes my friend’s son in one of his favorite Blue/Green Keiki colorways! Buy it and others here: VH07V.
* Waimea Bay Cliff Jump Video!
In case you missed it last week, here’s a cool new video that local boy ShibbyStylee put together at one of Hawaii’s famous dives: The Waimea Bay Cliff Jump. If you’re at all familiar with the DevinSuperTramp Youtube channel, then you’ll love what this local boy is doing for Hawaii. Using the beauty of Hawaii as his backdrop, “Shibby’s” videos have one part thrill/adrenaline/athleticism and one part EYE CANDY, all with a hand-picked, catchy song and in HD quality to boot! Bruddah is putting Hawaii on the map and it’s only a matter of time before he’s a household name! Here’s our first project together, which already has over 6,000 views in less than two weeks! Click the image below to watch the epic vid!
* New stock
We’re still waiting on our re-order for everything we were low and sold out on. We’re hoping to get that in soon, so we should be fully stocked again in the next week or so. Apologies to those who have been trying to order online, but your size(s) were missing.
* Order Online!
Get all of the latest VH07V gear at:
Check out Hawaii Self Storage in Pearl City (98-138 Hila Place) next Wednesday, May 22nd at 10am (registration by 8am) for another exciting live storage auction! For more information, visit www.hawaiiselfstorage.com!
Yep, you heard right! $25 could be in your near future! Gone are the days of guessing on photos for the sheer glory of it all… Well, at least for this week. 😛 By voting on this week’s photos, you actually have a chance of winning some cold, hard cash in the form of a $25 Gift Card to the location below.
Gotta make um somewhat challenging though, so we’re gonna go old school on ya and bust out “da list”! Dun dun DUN! The person who guesses them all correctly (or the one with the most correct), wins the card!
Post Your Guesses Below
* Location: _______________________________________________________
* When did they open?: ____________________________________________
* Google Street View link: ________________________________________
* Exact Address: __________________________________________________
* Phone Number: ___________________________________________________
* Web Site URL: ___________________________________________________
* Facebook URL: ___________________________________________________
* Month photo was taken?: _________________________________________
* Day of the month photo was taken?: ______________________________
* Day of the week photo was taken?: _______________________________
* Year photo was taken?: __________________________________________
* Exact time photo was taken? (worth 3 points): ___________________
* Sticker on the phone?: __________________________________________
SCOOPS!
In case you missed it, I’m taking your questions for my future interview with local boy turned pro football beast Chad Owens. Much like we did for: BJ Penn (Your Questions / His Answers), Shane Victorino (Your Questions / His Answers), & Colbie Caillat (Your Questions / Her Answers), I’ll include some of your questions in my interview with him…
* VH07V was selected as one of only 10 crafters to get into this year’s SPAM Jam festival in Waikiki taking place next month (Saturday, April 27 @ 4pm-10pm). Come on down and visit us at da booth k?
I’m trying to work out an interview with pro football sensation Chad Owens in the coming days/weeks (depending on our schedules) and would love to include your questions. So in the comment area below, post the questions you’d like me to ask him.
Ummm… Ooohhhkay, so I took a shmall kine hiatus from this blog for the last couple weeks. Did anyone even reconotice? 😛 But actually July 4th was one holiday so technically, I only took one week off.
In any case, I apologize if you guys were just dying without your WIH Wednesday fix. Probably all four of you: mom, dad, wifey and bebe (if she could read). Actually, I don’t even know if any of them check this blog out. Sad no? Haha! Anyway, let’s get on with this week’s pics!
Points for Photo #1…
* Location: 2 points
* General area: 1 point
* Closest street(s)?: 1 point each
* Google Street View link (if get)?: 2 points
* First names of the two shadows in the reflection: 3 points each
* Month photo was taken?: 1 point
* Day of the month photo was taken?: 1 point
* Day of the week photo was taken?: 1 point
* Year photo was taken?: 1 point
* Exact time photo was taken?: 5 points
Points for Photo #2…
* Location: 2 points
* General area: 1 point
* Closest street(s)?: 1 point each
* Google Street View link (if get)?: 2 points
* First names of the peeps in the pic: 3 points each
* Month photo was taken?: 1 point
* Day of the month photo was taken?: 1 point
* Day of the week photo was taken?: 1 point
* Year photo was taken?: 1 point
* Exact time photo was taken?: 5 points
Points for Photo #3…
* Location: 2 points
* General area: 1 point
* Island: 2 points
* Closest street(s)?: 1 point each
* Google Street View link (if get)?: 2 points
* Name of the bruddah on the sign: 2 points
* Name of the guy he’s fighting next: 3 points
* Which UFC Card and when?:5 points
* Month photo was taken?: 1 point
* Day of the month photo was taken?: 1 point
* Day of the week photo was taken?: 1 point
* Year photo was taken?: 1 point
* Exact time photo was taken?: 5 points
Points for Photo #1
* Location: 2 points (Wakiki Beach Walk – carokun)
* General area: 1 point (Waikiki – carokun)
* Closest street(s)?: 1 point each (Kalakaua Ave – carokun, Lewers St – Paco)
* Google Street View link (if get)?: 2 points (Paco)
* Name each merchant here: 1 point each (Oasis, Ruth Chris, Yard house, ABC store, Folli Follie, Cheeseburger in Paradise, Crazy Shirts – Paco, Coffe Bean and Tea Leaf, Giovanni Pastrami – pink lady, Na Hoku, Island Heritage, Honolua Surf, Quiksiver, Wyland Galleries, Island Pearls, Malibu Shirts, Peter Lik Gallery, Alter Ego, Subway, Mahina, Coco Cove, Roy’s Waikiki, UPS Store, Kaiwa Waikiki, Prime Jewelry, Hawaiian Quilt Collection, Under the Koa Tree – Coconut Willy)
* Month photo was taken?: 1 point
* Day of the month photo was taken?: 1 point
* Day of the week photo was taken?: 1 point
* Year photo was taken?: 1 point
* Exact time photo was taken?: 5 points
I used to train with Sage at HMC Academy where his father Kevin (the co-founder of the school) would coach. Sage was the most humble and kindhearted guy you would ever meet, but when it came down to train and spar, bruddah was a beast! You could just see that fire in his eyes!
Here’s a picture of Sage and his dad Kevin on the flight to Japan and his caption from Instagram. Best of luck bruddah Sage. We are all pulling for you and know you will do us proud! WWE `ohana, please help me send some good vibes to him and his dad during this exciting time in their lives.
Sage and Kevin Yoshida on the plane to Deep – Tokyo Impact in Japan
“On our way to Japan! Thank you so much to everyone who has supported me, loved me, and pushed me through this throughout my lifetime. I feel so humbled by what everyone had done for me to help me accomplish one of the aspirations and goals I have dreamed about since I was a kid! I’ll be home soon too baby @mmhx3, just gotta do my best to hopefully get that win first 🙂 Love all you guys, God bless ! @kickboxerx5 #ThankYouJesus #Japan #ShootBoxing #DefendHawaii #WorkHardToWin #Humbled”
Put in another “replenishing” order of over 200 “fill-in” pieces for existing VH07V stock in addition to a new color combo. Stay tuned for that. Will also be looking into expanding into different styles/designs. More to come!
Aside from that, business has been picking up some MAYJAH steam (Mahalos for all of your support). I’ve been grabbing at least 50 pieces pretty regularly from storage every weekend while the other weekend had me going for 70+! Eek!
—
Where/When you can find VH07V in the coming weeks:
09/15/12: University of Hawaii Football game – Will likely be tailgating along the main walkway leading up to Aloha Stadium prior to the 6pm game vs. Lamar. Stop by and say hi.
09/22/12: University of Hawaii Football game – Will likely be tailgating along the main walkway leading up to Aloha Stadium prior to the 4:30pm game vs. Nevada. Stop by and say hi.
09/29/12: 3rd Annual Rice Fest – As a sponsor of the event, VH07V will also have a booth at this year’s Rice Fest where we will sell all of our VH07V shirts in addition to the custom event shirt! Come on down to the Ward Warehouse complex to visit our booth any time from 11am-7pm.
10/13/12: University of Hawaii Football game – Will likely be tailgating along the main walkway leading up to Aloha Stadium prior to the 6pm game vs. New Mexico. Stop by and say hi.
10/19/12-10/21/12: 48th Annual Food & New Products Show – Get your Christmas shopping done at the Blaisdell all weekend! Come visit us at our booth for a free gift!
11/10/12: University of Hawaii Football game – Will likely be tailgating along the main walkway leading up to Aloha Stadium prior to the 2pm game vs. Boise State. Stop by and say hi.
11/24/12: University of Hawaii Football game – Will likely be tailgating along the main walkway leading up to Aloha Stadium prior to the 6pm game vs. UNLV. Stop by and say hi.
12/01/12: University of Hawaii Football game – Will likely be tailgating along the main walkway leading up to Aloha Stadium prior to the 6pm game vs. South Alabama. Stop by and say hi.
See you there!
As always, a big mahalos to everyone for your support and for helping to spread the VH07V! 8)
Points for Photo #1…
* Location: 2 points
* General area: 1 point
* Closest street(s)?: 1 point each
* Google Street View link (if get)?: 2 points
* Month photo was taken?: 1 point
* Day of the month photo was taken?: 1 point
* Day of the week photo was taken?: 1 point
* Year photo was taken?: 1 point
* Exact time photo was taken?: 5 points
Points for Photo #2…
* Location: 2 points
* General area: 1 point
* Closest street(s)?: 1 point each
* Google Street View link (if get)?: 2 points
* Month photo was taken?: 1 point
* Day of the month photo was taken?: 1 point
* Day of the week photo was taken?: 1 point
* Year photo was taken?: 1 point
* Exact time photo was taken?: 5 points
Points for Photo #3…
* Location: 2 points
* General area: 1 point
* Closest street(s)?: 1 point each
* Google Street View link (if get)?: 2 points
* Month photo was taken?: 1 point
* Day of the month photo was taken?: 1 point
* Day of the week photo was taken?: 1 point
* Year photo was taken?: 1 point
* Exact time photo was taken?: 5 points
Had a great time at the Big Boys Toys & MMA Hawaii Expo this past weekend. I got to interact with a lot of new fans/customers of the growing VH07V brand, hang out and have a few laughs with friends who helped me at my booth (mahaloz Traci, Reid, Kelvin, Noelle, Lee, Leanne, Dave, Dawn, Evan, Lori, big sis and Kase!), and meet/see a lot of super awesome fellow vendors as well: Mark Pang of The Fighter’s Corner (and his wife Samantha and sister Lisa), Davis Kagawa of Rep Them All, Greg Yamamoto and Arnold from Ev’ryting Taste Betta Wit, Kalani Heatherly (and his loving `ohana) from Kentajes, Aaron Ching from Bikewerkx, Jason Antonio and Jesse Ebersole from P4P Sports, Damien Kahihikolo from Bangah’z Union, uncle and aunty from Green Tea Hawaii (sorry, I didn’t catch their names), and of course, the gang at the Oceanic Time Warner Cable booth! 🙂
This week’s “Spotted” shot for VH07V is from Saturday night, our busiest night at the expo.
OK, so the story I’m about to share is not as dramatic as my title suggests, but let’s be honest… for many of us TV fanatics, forgetting to set our DVR to record our favorite show(s) often does seem like life or death.
Let’s take a few steps back and talk about what Remote DVR is. In fact, maybe I should moonwalk a little further and talk about what DVR itself is because, believe it or not, I still get asked this question on the regular.
DVR, which stands for Digital Video Recorder, is the greatest thing since sliced bread. And I’m not just saying that because I work for the company. 😉 It’s basically a smarter, “nu skool”-ier version of the beloved VHS recorder. Instead of using tapes like the VHS, it uses an internal hard drive (like a computer). And instead of relying on you and your fading memory (let’s face it, we’re getting old) to check the guide in the daily paper and set your recordings manually, the DVR automatically syncs to the on-screen guide through which you can set all of your recordings. You can even set it to record a whole series of shows, adjust start and end times, and much more!
Remote DVR, which was recently launched here in the Hawaii market, takes this convenience to the next level. Thanks to the power of the Interwebs, you can now log in to http://dvr.timewarnercable.com (using TimeWarnerCable.com’s MyServices portal) from any Internet connected device, and manage your DVR recordings even when you aren’t home.
For Apple iPad users, you can leverage the power of our uber popular TWCable TV iPad App to similarly manage your DVR recordings. As a new father, I’ve found this service particularly useful & convenient because once baby goes to bed, the wife mandates that the TV be off. Not a problem. If I forgot to set a recording, I’ll just whip out my trusty iPad…
TWCable TV App on the iPad
fire up the TWCable TV app…
TWCable TV app launching
go into the DVR screen, and record away.
On this particular occasion, I forgot to set all of my UFC 137 related recordings. As a HUGE UFC and MMA fan in general, this event is of particular interest to me – as well as the rest of the state – because our local boy BJ Penn is headlining the card. (Read an interview I did with BJ Penn back in 2009.)
Since the “no TV when baby is sleeping” rule was in full effect, I simply did a search for “UFC” in the TWCable TV app and found all shows in the next 7 days with “UFC” in the title.
Searching for “UFC” in the TWCable TV app
From there, I simply selected the shows I wanted to record and, bingo-bango, they were all automagically set to record without even having to turn on my TV. Sweet right? Here’s what one sequence looked like when I scheduled a show (UFC 137 Prelims) to record on Spike HD.
Selecting UFC 137 Prelims in the search results brought up this options window
Selecting the HD version brought up this window that displayed additional show info and the Record button.
Pressing the Record button brought up the options screen where you could adjust the Save Time (“Until space needed” or “Do not delete”) and the Start and End times.
Pressing the Confirm Changes button set my recording
Not exactly life saving, but definitely time saving. Now, with all this extra time, I can concentrate on preparing for my UFC 137 BBQ/Party! 8) Goooooo BJ!
TWCable TV App on the iPad
TWCable TV app launching
Searching for “UFC” in the TWCable TV app
Selecting UFC 137 Prelims in the search results brought up this options window
Selecting the HD version brought up this window that displayed additional show info and the Record button.
Pressing the Record button brought up the options screen where you could adjust the Save Time (“Until space needed” or “Do not delete”) and the Start and End times.
Pressing the Confirm Changes button set my recording
UFC 137 Poster (Poster Art Courtesy: UFC)
World Wide Ed 