Central Dispatch

THE HAWAII FIVE-0 NEWSLETTER

Volume 4 July, 2007 Issue 3

********************************************************

The 31st of July is fast approaching us. What is the significance of this date? Well...that's when Season 2 will be released. I hope everyone has placed their orders. I know I have.

Did anyone happen to notice how soon copies of Season 1 showed up on Ebay? It got me thinking about how some stores (on line and off) ran out of these copies. I’m hoping the reason was because someone bought an extremely large amount of the DVD’s and chose to sell them on Ebay. I do hope no one decided to burn their own copies and then sell them on line as originals. Piracy has been a major problem in the music industry for years and it looks like it is making its way into the video market too.

********************************************************

I can now tell everyone about a long held secret. Our intrepid reporter, Jerry Pickard, got married on April 21st in Hawaii. Congratulations Sandy and Jerry.

KE KALI NEI AU

(title of the classic, Hawaiian Wedding Song)

by Jerry Pickard, uhalum@yahoo.com

Jerry and Sandy Pickard

On April 21 this year, your occasionally shy reporter got married in Waikiki to a wonderful, Honolulu-born lady named Sandy. Second go-around for both of us. I am grateful that she has joined me in British Columbia for at least a good while. Ultimately, who knows where fate will take us? But, let's back it up a bit because...our dedicated Central Dispatch editor thought it might make an interesting story. And yes, maybe it does have a couple of such overtones.

Her daughter, who is an experienced wedding planner & coordinator on O'ahu, hosted a bridal shower for her mom a few weeks before The Big Event. Prior to that 'gala' gathering of the gals, and as part of the shower's activities, I was asked to provide specifics about some of my life's details, favourite things, unique aspects, and so forth. The idea, of course, was to quiz Sandy during the shower and presumably, demonstrate to her how little she really knew about her fiancé. Why women like to put their sisters through such potential public embarrassment is puzzling to me; however, Sandy did pretty well as we are contemporaries and do communicate to some extent. Incidentally though, she is not a Five-0 appreciator particularly, so we won't go into that question.

For the "entertainment" part of the wedding day's reception, a somewhat similar foray was included. Each of us was asked beforehand to respond to certain points relating to the facts of our meeting, our courtship, and 'da kine.' One item was, when did we meet? Thank goodness our answers to this were out by only one year! (It can be said in my bride's defense, in Hawai'i, there is not quite as much emphasis on the clock as is the case in many other places.)

But when, how and why we came to meet is a good point - hence the Five-0 connection. Carole Kai was the unanticipated (and unknowing) cupid, sort of. You see, in November '02 - almost five years ago, I met with Carole to interview her for this newsletter. Our chat took place at the bustling Ala Moana Center. See http://www.hawaiifive0.org/july03.shtml if you wish to review. Mention was made then of her key involvement with the annual February Great Aloha Run as one of its founders, but at the time, I paid no particular attention to that cause. Later during the same visit, though, I picked up a booklet on the GAR at the nearby YMCA where I was staying, and thumbed through it. In time, the idea struck that maybe it would be fun to take part. I also noticed a related happening, a much, much shorter stroll for seniors (= age 55 or better), called the Silver Streaks. As I had just turned that age, and as I figured it could serve as a sort of warm-up for the main GAR, I signed up for both.

Three months later, while doing the Silver Streaks at Ala Moana Park/Magic Island, I couldn't help spotting one especially exuberant participant. It was not Sandy, but a lady named Irene. She was easily outpacing just about everyone else, weaving her way along the course. Quite impressive for someone who, I would later learn, was almost 85! There also seemed to be a younger woman trying to keep up, and to keep a constant eye on Irene. I unabashedly initiated a conversation with this 'wahine,' whom I would later marry. We eventually, i.e. in about a year, began a purposeful long-distance relationship which culminated in matrimony about three months ago.

April 21, 2007

Our wedding took place at the now 80-year old Royal Hawaiian Hotel on a spectacularly radiant Saturday morning. I invited a number of folks from Five-0; many, including Carole, were unable to attend, but some did make it. Those included Eddie Sherman, Charlotte Simmons, John Nordlum, Doug Mossman and Dennis Chun. Dennis graciously agreed to be one of my groomsmen, along with my new son-in-law Toby, and my younger brother Doug. Both of my daughters were there too. One was part of Sandy's bridesmaids group.

Doug Mossman

I'll never forget this terrific day. The ceremony was conducted on the lush lawn of the coconut grove 'mauka' of the hotel. A good friend from my long-ago UH days, now a minister at a Waikiki church, officiated. The brunch-buffet reception, with about 140 attendees (including representation from as far as away as Toronto) took place in the majestic Regency Room. There was lots of the customary clinking of glasses which promoted not-small smooches, laughter and stories. We saluted our impish fellow walker, Irene, with gifting. A wonderful surprise retro-video compilation of aspects of our lives was shown. Toward the end of the gathering, Doug Mossman asked to take the podium. He offered commentary on various topics, and mentioned how he and others had gotten to know me through the interview series. At one point in his talk, he asked if anyone knew who, besides Jack Lord, might have been cast as McGarrett. My younger daughter immediately piped up, "Jerry Pickard!" Everyone thought that was singularly ludicrous, obviously (but hilarious).

Family members joined us for the sharing of the wedding cake (from 'Tiers of Joy') in our bridal suite, after the reception. Then it was time to bid everyone adieu, and begin our new life together. We checked out of the Royal the next morning. Not long afterwards, we left for Vancouver. A very brief honeymoon, which also included observing Sandy's birthday, followed on BC's awesomely scenic Sunshine Coast.

It was a fantastic start, and we felt very blessed. The fabled 'another time around' is not an automatic harmonious relationship shoo-in after lengthy periods of 'batching it' (trust me). Yet there is so much to be grateful for, as long as one makes a very conscious effort to work at it every day. I'm a lucky guy, and I wish all my fellow Five-0'ers all the hau'oli, happiness in their worlds too. Warm aloha, everybody!

********************************************************

I told everyone a while back that I’d try to include portions of the Iolani Palace Irregulars, the former Hawaii Five-0 fan club, newsletters. Here is one I think everyone will enjoy. It’s from the March 1997 newsletter. Thank you Matt for contributing back then.

MATT WALL'S FLAKY FIVE-0 FILM FESTIVALS

When you've run through all your videotapes from one end to the other, and are looking for new ways to view them, try these "themes"

STUDENT AFFAIRS

"Pray Love Remember, Pray Love Remember"

“King Kamehameha Blues"

“Not That Much Different"

"Love Thy Neighbor, Take His Wife"

"Elegy in a Rain Forest"

"Tsunami"

HAWAIIAN GODS, PRIESTS AND ARTIFACTS

"The Big Kahuna"

"The King Kamehameha Blues"

"Practical Jokes Can Kill You"

"Kiss the Queen Goodbye"

"Is This Any Way to Run a Paradise?"

"Highest Castle, Deepest Grave"

"The Descent of the Torches"

"The Kahuna"

FIVE-0 RELATIVES

"Once Upon a Time"

"Cry, Lie"

"The Jinn Who Clears the Way"

"Engaged to be Buried"

"Retire in Sunny Hawaii - Forever"

"A Death in the Family"

"Good Help is Hard to Find"

********************************************************

A word from our sponsors:

Anyone interested in copies of Hawaii Five-0 episodes (mostly all full versions) can contact Barbara Brindle at 105 Warren Road, Sparta, NJ 07871. Barbara does not have an email address so you’ll need to phone her at 973-729-9232. Her rates are reasonable and she’s very reliable.

Ron Evans, owner of e/p Partners, www.networksplus.net/caseyguy/epPartners.htm, also offer VCR tapes of Hawaii Five-0, Jack Lord and James MacArthur, among others. His email is caseyguy@networksplus.net.

Karen Rhodes, author of Booking Hawaii Five-0, would like contact from anyone who has purchased the unauthorized DVD set being sold on the internet by dvdavenue.tv or anyone else. She says she is specifically interested in getting a look at the episode guide they advertise to go with the DVD set, to check for possible copyright infringement. Contact Karen at bitbucket001@comcast.net

Hard copies of the newsletter are available.

The Hawaii Five-0 Newsletter is available in print form. Membership is $10 per year for four issues (foreign subscriptions are $14.00 US funds). Checks for membership may be made out to Annette Nixon/H50FC. You can contact Annette at Spinkick@colint.net and ask her for her mailing address. Any additional financial contributions are always welcome. The newsletter will be available on the 15th of January, April, July and October.

Submissions, which are always welcomed, to the newsletter can be emailed to me at tw1151@comcast.net. Deadlines are one month before each issue. You can find the Central Dispatch on Terri’s Jack Lord Connection located at www.thejacklordconnection.com.

See you in October, 2007

Be There! Aloha!