Aloha. . .

Sunday, June 6, 2010, was the last day of publication for The Honolulu Advertiser, where I worked for nine years before vamoosing to Costa Rica.

The day that Lucy and I flew back home to wrap up the sale of our condo, it was announced that The Advertiser was being sold to the Star-Bulletin and most of the folks I worked with would lose their jobs. People said I was smart; just dumb luck.

Out of 20 people in the sports department, four will be working at the Star-Advertiser.

Even though I wasn't there, I was able to keep in e-mail contact with a lot of folks right up until the end. I honestly wish I could have been there for everything. These were some of the finest, nicest and skilled folks I have worked with in my 20-plus years in the business over six newspapers.