Djurdjevic - Personal Photos - Dec 2008

There was more to my latest Hawaiian trip that met the eye, and now you can see why...

SCOTTSDALE, Dec 14 - For most casual readers of my travelogues, the "Hawaiian Thanksgiving" was just another "fun & games" vacation. And it was that, in part. But the initiated friends and family knew that there was a greater purpose to this trip.

Following a celestial tailwind that propelled me in the direction of Hawaii after three "wet dreams" last

summer (see Three "Wet Dreams" That Led Me to Hawaii, Dec 11 - User ID and password required, ask me again if you've forgotten them), I went to Hawaii primarily to see if I can find a new country home to move to. No, I did not want entirely a replica of my former Western Australian "dream home" (see "Just Another Day in Paradise"). That would be going backwards in life. But I did go looking for "another piece of paradise between the ocean and the high mountains that would feed my soul and warm my heart."

After checking out about 20 properties on the Big Island and Maui, I came home with a short list of three - two on Maui and one on the Big Island. Using my left brain, I sort of had them prioritized on a pragmatic 1-3 scale. The property I really liked the best (#2 - see the map - right), was a "short sale." Even the spirits pointed me that way, but I ignored them. So I ranked it as #2 because of inherent difficulties in negotiating deals like that.

Soon, the spirits intervened again to set me straight. That's when I let go of the steering wheel and let them drive this boat. And boy oh boy, did they ever take over! What follows is a play-by-play story of what happened in the last two days after returning from Hawaii.

But first, this property's address is 56 Hoomalolo Place (isn't Hawaiian language something else? So many vowels!). So for the purposes of this story, let's make it simple and refer to this home as just #56 to make it easier for everyone.

The #56 was No. 9 out of 10 properties my Peruvian-born agent (another sign!) took us to. It had been a long day and things didn't look very promising for our enterprising agent. Maui was also getting the "Kona winds" that bring the "vog" (volcanic emission clouds) from the Big Island. So things looked pretty gloomy, too.

But I didn't mind. The gloomier the better. If I like a property under the worse of circumstances, I will surely love it under the best. After all, I first saw my Australian property in pouring rains. In fact, sheets of rain coming down from the sky prevented us from ever leaving the car. Yet it was one of the best decisions I have ever made.

At first, I wasn't going to take any pictures of the #56. It was late in the afternoon and the weather looked ever gloomier than earlier in the day. So even though the property was said to have great ocean views, they weren't happening for us that day. As for the house itself, it was a brand new home, beautifully designed using a "great room" concept (just like my former place in Australia). The architect obviously used the best quality materials and very good craftsmen. But the property was not finished. And it was "short sale." So I wasn't very enthusiastic about dealing again with builders and banks.

I was on my way out when something stopped me dead in my tracks. Tucked deep in the grass were several big

boulders. "Oh my God," I exclaimed out loud. "They look just like my Australian rocks." Then I looked back toward the house and realized the soil was also the same color - golden terracotta. The top right photo is that of my Australian boulders and the ocean view behind them, just like the "vog enhanced" views in the two left shots taken at #56 on Maui. The same Aussie boulders are visible in the rightmost shot taken on my property during rain (and yes, that is a small herd of roos grazing on my property).

Back at #56, when I looked back up the hill, there was a water tank there. Painted green. Again, just like the one at my Australian property. I was starting to get those familiar chills down my spine and the Creator starts to "talk to me" through the spirits. See what I mean by their signs?

On our drive down toward the Hana Hwy, I told Martha and Elizabeth the story of my "missing rocks" in Australia. Basically, a neighbor's contractor swiped them from my property while I was away. Did you see the size of those boulders? Not exactly the kind you can stuff in your backpack. They must have used heavy equipment to cart them away. Well, eventually, the neighbor, an American banker who lived in the Philippines, and I settled the issue. He paid me some money and I let him keep my rocks.

Meanwhile, back on Maui, as the sun was setting after we finished the viewing of all the properties, we passed through the town of Paia, east of Kahilui. We stopped by a little shot and ordered some fresh fruit smoothies. The owner made them for us with a smile and chit-chat. Then he refused to take our money.

"But why?" I asked. "Just because," he said. "Enjoy your vacation. And tell others about us." And so I did. Now.

Martha, my agent, was stunned. Later she told me she had never seen anything like it. I have. Often. Whenever I am in full alignment with the forces of the universe. I told her it was another sign: Maui wanted me. The kulla I got from the island at Waikoloa beach, after a shamanic ceremony there the following day (Dec 4) confirmed it.

Take a look at this "Maui heart" made of Basalt. It has the two volcanoes and a fertile valley in between, just like Maui.

My Peruvian real estate agent on Maui (another sign!) told me that when she moved to the island in the 1990s, she was told that, "Maui will other embrace you or will spit you out." I cannot think of a more beautiful invitation to come and live on Maui than receiving the island's heart that I can hold in the palm of my hand. It made me feel warm all over just thinking about it.

Such confirmations continued in the week since coming back from Maui. That Maui wanted me became perfectly clear to me yesterday (Dec 13) during and after my second McDowell Mtn "Divine Hike". The main reason for it was to do a shamanic ceremony at my "apucheto" peak and ask for a blessing for the deal to buy the #56. After a week's worth of back and forth, the sale has progressed to short strokes. It was going to be signed that evening, or probably never. For, Martha was leaving on a month long vacation to Peru that night.

By about 3PM, I realized the day was getting away on me again. So I jumped in the car and drove to the Club in the foothills of McDowell Mtns to do a hike while there was still some daylight left. It was a beautiful sunny afternoon, with temperatures hovering around 70F.

I set my sights on that first peak in the left frame. It seems higher than the 4,000-ft McDowell Peak to the left of it. But that's an optical illusion. The first peak looks taller because it is much closer to the camera. It is a little over 2,500 ft. That's where I had built a small "apucheto" (shaman's altar, see "Shamanic Ceremony," Big Island, Nov 2008) when I was there a few weeks ago, just before my trip to Hawaii (see "Hiking McDowells Again...," Nov 2008). I seemed to be the only one going UP the mountain at that late hour of the afternoon. Everybody I had med on the trail was going down. I asked one of the hikers to take a picture of me close to the start of the trail (right). As you can see, it was a perfectly clear, sunny day.

Well, that did not last long. Just like back in August during my first "divine hike," ominous clouds started to gather around as I was going up the mountain. The above shots were taken a little more than half way to the Gateway Saddle, a pass just below my "apucheto" peak (right). And this time, just like the last time, I knew I'd be okay; that I'd be protected by an invisible clear sky cylinder amid stormy weather.

Instinctively, I looked up. Sure enough, there was blue sky above me (left). Not so in the west, from where the storm seemed to be heading (middle left). Nor in the south and north (two middle shots). Only in the east (right) thing were still relatively calm, as the clouds had not quite reached there yet.

Undaunted and secure that nothing will happen at my "apucheto" peak, I proceeded to do a wonderful shamanic ceremony. It was truly heartfelt as I was overwhelmed with continued grace and support that the forces of the universe kept bestowing upon me, including these minor weather "miracles." I also asked the Creator, Pacha Mama, Mama Kocha and the spirits to bless my #56 deal in Maui. I asked them to see to it that the deal is signed by tonight, if they indeed want me to move to Maui.

Strong gusts of wind were hitting me throughout the prayers, which I knew from before meant that they were being heard. How else would you explain that winds that almost knock me off my feat, yet bring no clouds overhead. I watched the clouds pass to the left and right of me.

As I finished my prayers to the winds of the west, and turned to the north to do the same, I caught something in the western sky out of the corner of my eyes. Startled, I stopped in the middle of a prayer. It was black dot. But the dot was moving. And as it was moving, it was getting bigger. I started taking pictures.

I know what you're thinking. So was I. But it wasn't an airplane. This object was obviously air borne by wind. It moved slowly. And it wasn't of a fixed size. It seemed to shape-shift all the time, like a giant bat flapping its wings. But it couldn't have been a bird, either. This "UFO" was too large to be a bird. It flew just under the clouds, which I figure were at least at about 10,000 feet, since I was taking these shots from my 2,500-ft "apucheto" peak.

So what could it be? Beats me. If any of you have any ideas, please enlighten me. I am totally stumped.

NOTE (Dec 18, 2008): Two friends later told me that they had also seen UFOs - one in Bogota, Colombia, the other in Mexico. The latter experience has been recorded in videos. They also flew by slowly just under the clouds. Click here to see them. Suggest you skip to about minute 7:00 out of 10:00. The introduction is long and boring.

I followed the "UFO" for a while, until it disappeared into the eastern horizon, and then continued with my ceremony. By the time I was finished, the clouds still looked pretty ominous in the west (left) and south (right), but you could also see the sun trying to break through to the north and the east (two left shots).

When I finished my ceremony, I was again hit by some strong gusts of wind. I decided to make a short video clip so you could experience some of that, too. The occasional scratchy noises are the gusts of wind. But the sounds of rattle and whistling are made by Jose Luis, the Inka shaman who led our expedition in Peru. I recorded them during a fire ceremony last summer in Oregon.

When I climbed down from my apucheto to the Gateway Saddle, I realized from the lengthening shadows on the Thompson Peak (left) that I would probably finish my hike in darkness. I figured it would take me at least an hour from there to come down the mountain. And it was already 4:45PM (sunset is around 5:20PM at this time of the year). But I didn't worry about that. My heart was singing with joy. My eyes were soaking in the beautiful scenery that Pacha Mama (Mother Earth) was laying on this afternoon. As I was the only one on the mountain at the time, I felt, perhaps conceitedly, that she was doing it for me.

I kept stopping to take pictures of the setting sun, just like I did some 12 days ago in Maui.

Perhaps you've also noticed that the skies have cleared to the south and the west now, too. I figured the Creator put on this little storm out of nowhere just to let me know he/she/it could see me on the mountain and wanted to say "hi." Except for that solitary orange colored fluffy cloud to the south (left). Having been told by Apu Ausangate in Peru to look for signs from them in the fourth dimension in the skies as well as rocks and in dreamtime, I have become accustomed by now to "reading" the clouds the way shamans read coca or tea leaves. And what I saw in that cloud was a puma (jaguar) galloping home toward the west. Home? Yes. According to Inka mythology, the otorongo (jaguar), one of the sacred animals, makes his home in the west. Which is why he is mentioned when praying to the "winds of the west."

But in my case, a call to the west means Hawaii, about which I had just finished praying at my apucheto peak. So "direction Hawaii - fast," seems to be this fluffy jaguar's message. "Mama Kocha is waiting, so hurry up." Something that happened in the next two hours only confirmed it.

See what I mean about signs being everywhere for all to see? But how many people actually "see" such things as signs?

Anyway, back to this world and the beautiful sunset, it was a feast for the eyes, as you can see. You can compare above two gorgeous sunsets side-by-side (Scottsdale and Maui). Just added the third... from my former property in Western Australia.

And that's all she wrote from this beautiful sunny and stormy and sunny again Saturday in the Valley of the Sun.

Closing the Deal

When I came home, the counter offer Martha had sent to me was waiting for me. I signed it and faxed it back. The seller had only two hours to countersign it. She did. By the time Martha left for the airport later last night, the deal was rock solid, at least between the seller and I. But being a "short sale," it also has to be approved by the bank. So it is still not 100%. Which is why I am calling it my potential new Maui home.

With all that as a preamble, voila! Here it is... Take a look:

You can see from the above Google Earth satellite pictures and road and survey maps the exact location of the #56 property - 2.15 acres on a gentle sloping hill, with ocean views in the distance. Elevation about 850 ft. I have marked on the map the approximate boundaries. The boundaries on the survey map are exact.

And now, here are some pictures that the listing agent put up on MLS...

56 Hoomalolo Place, Haiku, Maui, HI 96706

Listing photos, page 1 of 2 (left), page 2 of 2 (right)

And that's it. Now you know. Maui called me, even gave me its heart. And I responded in kind. Just please keep it quiet until the bank approves the deal. Thank you.

Happy holidays!

Divine Intervention Keeps Deal on Rails

SCOTTSDALE, Dec 18 - Anybody who has ever bought a home knows that there is no such thing as a smooth real estate deal. it takes a lot of work, perseverance, attention to detail, and just plain hustle by real estate agents to keep things together from the time of offer to the closing day. That's why they are among the most underappreciated professions. Selfish clients rarely take notice of their talents, often squeezing them out of their commissions so they would make or save more money.

How do I know that? Well, I've been married to one and have lived with another one. And they were both VERY good at what they do. And so is Martha, my Maui agent who is in Peru at the moment, ostensibly vacationing in her hometown of Trujillo with her husband. But she has been in touch with my by email and over the phone several times every day, so I am not sure I would call that a vacation in a true sense of the word.

And why did she have to do all that? Because the seller's agent (John) hadn't crossed all the t's and dotted all the i's. After the deal went into escrow, we learned from the escrow agent that there were unsigned pages from the Purchase Agreement, as well as some other missing legal documents. Worse, for two days, John went into "radio silence." Neither he nor his client were answering Martha's and my questions. So we got the impression that something was wrong, and they were stalling us.

In the meantime, the agent who represented the seller of the #894 property contacted Martha to find out why I did not counter their offer. To make the long story short, by the end of the day yesterday, that seller had lowered the price to the EXACT PRICE the #56 deal is at. I asked Martha who came up with that number, and she said the #894 seller did.

"So that's another sign," I said to Martha last night. "God has just given us our Plan B and a bargaining chip with the #56 people, if they continue to be non-responsive."

And stonewalling did continue. All Martha got morning from the #56 agent was a vague one-line response. So I told Martha in an email to call John, and ask him "live" what is going on, so he cannot wiggle out of direct questions. And to tell him that either he complies immediately with our legitimate requests for information and provides the signed contract documents by the end of the day, or the deal is off.

A couple of hours later, my phone rang. It was Martha. She sounded excited. "You won't believe what just happened," she said.

After she had received and read my message, she went upstairs in her parent's house to have some privacy while talking to the #56 agent. Before she was able to dial his number, her phone rang. It was that agent. "I couldn't believe it," she said.

"Do you now see firsthand what a divine intervention looks like?" I said. "He was obviously summoned from Arizona to call you."

She agreed, laughed and told me he was very apologetic, and promised to get everything done by the end of the day. (Which he did to. So the deal is now complete, except for the bank approval. Which he assured Martha he would get as he was dealing directly with the bank's CEO).

The agent also told Martha that the #56 owner, Sylvia, liked very much my story about how I was led by the spirits to make an offer on her property. He said she is also a very spiritual person and would like very much for me to have that property.

* * *

Right now, at this very point of my story, I got a very nice email from Sylvia - the first we have corresponded directly. She enclosed extensive floor plans and other architectural and engineering drawing. And she asked for permission to post my "Maui Calling..." story on her web site.

As I said in my "God's Christmas Card"-story, "synchronicity is one of the hallmarks of divine communication." Just like Sylvia agent's call to Martha came as a result of divine intervention, so did this lovely note from Sylvia.

But there is more. God knew, even if Sylvia didn't, that tomorrow, on St. Nicholas Day, my family's patron saint - the "Miracle Maker" - I intend to climb the Pinnacle Peak, a mountain in North Scottsdale. Another sign during my bike ride yesterday pointed me in that direction. So instead of going to a church, I will do a special shamanic ceremony at Pinnacle Peak, which will include prayers for Sylvia's good health. The only other person who knew about my plan was Martha. And she said she'd never tell anyone.

So isn't it beautiful how God works, quietly, unobtrusively, yet so powerfully and effectively?

"Thank you, thank you... my beloved Creator, Inti Sun, Pacha Mama, Mama Kocha and all the wonderful spirits who have been guiding me on your behalf. Take and keep Sylvia in your heart as well," I just prayed out loud. Tears welling up in my eyes suggested that my prayer's been heard.

* * *

Okay, back to my story about the #56 deal (still talking to Martha on the phone this morning)...

Martha then said that she also recognized a sign when she and her husband were waiting at the LAX airport for a flight to Peru. "There was flight #56 bound for Phoenix," she said. "Oh, my God. I was amazed."

"And what was the name of the airline - Hoomalolo Air?" I joked.

"Flying Fish"... "Crazy Fish" = "Crayfish Lair?"

(or "...den"... or "...hideout" - I'll have to work on the name)

SCOTTSDALE, Dec 26 - More importantly, what does "Hoomalolo" stand for in Hawaiian? I asked that question of Sylvia, the current owner/architect. She said that her Hawaiian friends told her it meant "Flying Fish" or "Crazy Fish."

Well, if I had a choice, I'd go for a Flying Fish rather than a Crazy one. Maybe I should name the place Flyfish or Crayfish Lair, or some other variation on the theme. If I get it, of course? Any other ideas?

THE END (for now)

P.S. I presume you know what a crayfish is? If not, here's a clue... (left). Back in Australia, there was an excellent seafood restaurant called "Crayfish Inn." It was being run by an Estonian woman from Siena, last I checked! :-)

No. 11: Key to My Life

SCOTTSDALE, Jan 24 - You saw back in December how I received divine guidance that initially led me to the #56 Hoomalolo Place property in Maui (see "Maui Calling..."). As it turns out, Sylvia, the current owner and architect, is also very spiritual. So there were things of a personal nature that I was able to help her with as a shaman.

But I discovered that Sylvia is also an excellent mathematician. So there were also some things I learned from her about cosmic math and numerology. Which in turn, with the help of the spirits, helped me unravel some pretty amazing mysteries. So this is "the rest of the story," if you will - "Maui Calling...Part 2," if you like.

Even before I put in an offer on #56, I was aware that it was a sacred number (because it adds up to #11, a Master's number. Here's what I wrote to Sylvia in mid-December:

As for #56, I knew that 5+6 = 11 is a sacred number. That was one of the signs that pointed me to your property. If you are into numerology, then you probably know that Number 11 stands for PURITY(11), which is a reference to the wholesomeness and virtuousness that we innately are. The PURITY(11) of being that we are at birth is often over time lost as we acquire karma in the world of sensual pleasure and other self-gratification. And that fits in perfectly with my shamanic path. For, the first thing I have had to do is to try to shed my past and my ego. For, only when you're pure and clear of karma can you ascend to the fourth dimension.

What I did not know back then was WHY Sylvia had picked #56 for her property. A few days ago, she explained why:

I very cautiously choose the lot 56 = 11. 5 is my number, and the karmic number of Responsibility. 6 is the karmic number of Love. And 11, the only number in numerology which can not be added together (No Karma) - is the number of Master Achievement. Well, I thought: Perfect for my new lot.!!!!!

In math, or "chaos theory," human beings are incapable of creating Chaos. We are incapable off breaking out of the higher mathematics/or creators system, or called God in our religion, De in Zen, Chi, as Energy, Mana in Hawaiian...

That was interesting enough. But what happened next was downright fascinating.

A few days ago, a friend of mine asked me, "and do you only live in houses whose street numbers add up to 11?"

I was startle by the question. "What brought that on?" I was wondering.

As it turned out, the friend had actually accidentally and erroneously arrived at that conclusion by adding up just the last two numbers in my current address - 8183. But that "error" only added more spice to the spirit mystery story that followed.

For the question let to a revelation and enlightenment in my mind and body that struck me like a bolt of lightning. It sent chills down my spine. Here's what flashed through my mind…

I was born in the 6th month of the year that ends with 5 (6+5=11)
I was born in Belgrade whose ZIP code is 11000 and phone area code 11
I was the 2nd child ( 1+1 = 2, or II in Roman numerals).
As a child, I lived in Serbia with my parents in an apartment building whose address was "Trg JNA 11" (1950s)
As a student, my address in Belgrade was "Njegoseva 11" (1964-68)
When I played basketball as a student my first number was 11 (1962-66)
As a young man in Canada, my condo's apt number was 1604 (1971-1975)
The area code of my phone in Canada was 416 (1970-1981)
My parent's 2^nd apt in Serbia was No. 11 (1975-present… my sister now owns it)
I moved to Arizona in 1983 (8+3=11; also a "blackjack year" 1+9+8+3=21)
We arrived in Arizona on 6/29/1983 (6 - Christ#; 29=11; 1983 = #21 and #11)
My business address in Phoenix was 5110 (1990-1997)
My address in Western Australia was PO Box 416 (1996-2005)
My house number on Camelback in Phoenix was 29 (1993-2005)
My current house number in Scottsdale ends with 83
My current cell phone number ends with 11 (actually 2111, which is II I I I in Roman numerals)
My current home phone ends with 2999, which is 29, which is 11 numerologically
My potential new address in Maui is 56 (5+6=11)
The escrow for the deal is dated Dec 11, 2008; the escrow number has 111 (double 11) in it
My celestial (re)birthday is 2/25/2009 (that’s a double #11: 2+25+2+9=38, which is 11; and 2009 which is also 11).
My departure date from Arizona is 3/18/2009 (double #11 and #21 – but in reverse order from the date of my arrival in 1983). That will be 29 (again #11) years after I first arrived here in March 1981 and decided to move to the desert.

Etc.

Getting the picture? I am sure there's more, but I'll stop here.

As Sylvia put it when she saw the above #11's popping up all over my life, "there is no question in my mind that you have a special relationship with the number 11."

But there was one more important revelation that perhaps helps explain WHY I have such a relationship. Take a look at my astrological sign...

(Yes, I am a Gemini - June 3).

Mozart's "Rondo alla Turca" - Was Another #11 Sign

SCOTTSDALE, Feb 14 - Remember that Mozart's "Turkish March" I have just recorded? And how I said at the end that to me, it didn't sound like a march at all? Well, it isn't (a march). Thanks to the research that my dear friend Peter Maher has just done, the original Mozart's name for this piece was "Rondo (alla Turca)." So it was a rondo not a march. Later on, musical historians evidently confused this piece with a subsequent "Turkish March" by Beethoven, one of the latter great composer's rare duds.

Peter is a retired linguistics professor from Chicago who consulted with a professional musicians, one of his former students, who provided the above information. But it gets better...

If you click here, you will find out that Mozart's famous Rondo is actually the third movement of the Piano Sonata #11. So here we go again, with that fateful #11 in my life!

Furthermore, what inspired me to play it was that I heard in on a car radio while driving home from Elizabeth's place on Dec 11. I downloaded the sheet music the next morning, but never got around to playing it until just recently. The day after that, various signs pointed me to the #56 property in Maui (again #11), before changing the direction in late January to #894 (i.e., #21 numerologically), my "Blackjack Property," or the "House of Music" on Kuiaha Rd that I eventually did buy.

CLICK HERE TO GO TO... Spirits' Guidance: Unraveling Secrets of #21 (Jan 2009)