Above: Henk Rogers, founder of The Tetris Company, Blue Planet Foundation, and the new Blue Startups accelerator project.

I wear a lot of hats between my roles as Career Changers TV producer, writer, and member of the 808HALT coalition to put a stop to human trafficking in Hawaii. But one common theme keeps coming up during my interviews and meetings: the need for immigration reform. Earlier this week we filmed a segment with Henk Rogers, the man who turned Tetris into a multifaceted business/social change empire based in Downtown Honolulu. He didn't invent the addictive puzzle game, but after he got the licensing rights and established a relationship with the Russian creator of Tetris, Henk was able to grow it exponentially as handheld game players and mobile wireless platforms came into being. One article I read describes him as a self-made billionaire.

He's also an alien of sorts: Dutch-Indonesian, born in Holland, moved to New York with his family when he was 11, studied computer science at the University of Hawaii in the 1970s (funny stories about his jobs back then, including driving for Charley's Taxi) and moved to Japan because that's where the action was in the early days of video games. Suffice it to say, he could live and work anywhere he wants. So why Hawaii? In part, it's because of our diversity and location as a crossroads of the Pacific. He's a global kind of guy. Actually, he thinks much bigger than that. One of his major missions in life is to promote space exploration -- and settlement of Mars as a starting point for transforming other worlds into places where humans can live. In effect, we'd become the aliens.

You may not be aware of HI-SEAS, which stands for Hawaii Space Exploration Analog & Simulation, but he told me that on April 15 they will be launching a 4-month long project on the Big Island to test foods that could be consumed in space. Awhile back they advertised for qualified volunteers, who were willing to simulate living on Mars during that period. I'm not fully up to speed on the details, but from what Henk explained, they will be living in close quarters (a faux space capsule) and have to wear space suits if they venture out. Mauna Loa was chosen because the terrain is similar to Mars. Beginning Monday, you can follow the project on Twitter.

There's so much more I could tell you about how that project fits into Henk's other missions -- like Tetris blocks, in a way -- and how a heart attack in 2005 was the impetus for him to start the Blue Planet Foundation here in Hawaii. Coincidentally, I recently blogged that many successful entrepreneurs I know of have had near-death experiences that caused them to reassess their "purpose" in life. As it happens, his goal of reducing our dependence on oil and eliminating carbon emissions, also aligns with segments we just produced about Pacific Biodiesel (currently airing on the April episode of Career Changers TV -- click here for viewing times).

One of the tangents we went off on involved immigration policies. Since he's in the high tech field, it's no surprise he -- along with scores of business leaders/job creators -- sees a need to allow more high-skilled foreign workers to come and stay in the U.S. because there is a shortage of Americans with those kind of math and science skills. Seems hard to believe, huh? Yet I've heard that same complaint from other CEOs on "60 Minutes" and read it in a few business mags.

However, Henk was also referring to the need for low-skilled immigrant workers because he's a proponent of sustainable agriculture. And he recognizes the fact that for all the talk about supporting local farms, the reality is we need to import laborers from other countries since there aren't a lot of Americans who are willing to do back-breaking work for the kind of wages that are currently being paid. He mentioned that as a result of his heart attack, he bought a ranch on the Big Island where he could get away and relax. He's also trying to do sustainable farming on the property, so he's witnessed first hand the difficulty of finding local labor for ag work.

In future posts, I'll tell you more about the interview with Henk and the new Blue Startups accelerator program he's backing for a mix of homegrown and imported entrepreneurs, who are now working out of his Harbor Court offices. Very cool stuff going on up there!

It's not your typical business environment. There's art work by Roger Dean, the guy who did the Yes album covers and original Virgin Records Twins logo -- which ties into Henk's story about a gift he recently gave to Richard Branson (just noticed in the lower left corner of the photo at top, you can see Branson posing with him). Of course there's a Tetris motif running throughout the entire place, including stuff like these stackable seat cushions. We'll begin airing the Henk Rogers and Blue Startups segments in May, so stay tuned for details.

WEEKEND FESTIVAL ALERT

Regarding the 808HALT human trafficking project (here's that link), one of the coalition partners is inviting the public to attend the Burmese Water Festival this Sun., April 14 from 9 AM until 2 PM at Wilson Elementary School, 4945 Kilauea Avenue. It's sponsored by the Myanmar Association of Hawaii and Pacific Gateway Center. There will be authentic Burmese food, "Water Throwing," and other treats for you to experience and enjoy.

It's just another reminder of how our wonderful mix of cultures and people makes Hawaii such a special place... even if many of us might be considered "aliens" by others. When you look at it from Henk's universal perspective, we're all just citizens of one Blue Planet. BTW, there's an interesting story behind the Burning Man Festival hat he's wearing in the picture that I'll share some other time!

In response to my blog on Dream Jobs vs. Fantasies, a reader posted a comment about how he made the move to Southern California to achieve his goal of combining his design background with his love of movies. He went back to school to learn new skills, put in many hours honing his craft, and wound up working on major Hollywood movies, doing 3D stuff. He wrote that there has been frustration and sacrifices to get where he is now, but that is also what has made his journey so rewarding. The only drawback is he's living his dream in SoCal, and he'd prefer to be working in Hawaii. I have a feeling he will find a way to get back home so he can share what he's learned. (Have you noticed many successful entrepreneurs also like to teach and share their knowledge?)

Which brings me to the ultimate goal of a rewarding career: it's not "happiness," per se... it's about finding purpose in the work you do. Time and again, the people I meet who seem most satisfied with their career choices, are those who make a difference in the lives of others through what they do. In many cases, they have survived difficult circumstances and even personal tragedies. Or they have dealt with life and death situations, such as addictions, domestic violence and war. The kind of things that make you question whether there is a God, because it doesn't make sense that a beneficent Higher Power would allow such awful things to occur to good, decent people.

I'm certainly not the first to ponder these existential questions. Coincidentally, I recently came across a piece in This Week magazine about Viktor Frankl, a Jewish psychiatrist who was a survivor of the World War II Nazi concentration camps. His experiences and observations led him to write the book, Man's Search for Meaning, published in 1946. In it, he examined the differences between those who survived and those who died, and he reached the conclusion that it came down to one's attitude. Those who found meaning in their suffering were more resilient. They latched on to some higher purpose that gave them the will to live. They made a conscious effort to endure their struggles by linking it to a specific goal. But the ones who gave up hope did not make it out alive.

Of course, many who clung to hope still died in the gas chambers, so there's a limit to what positive thinking can do in any circumstance. Yet, for anyone who does live through a terrible ordeal -- be it war, 9/11 type events, abusive spouses or dysfunctional families -- the question remains why some adjust, while others never seem to recover. Frankl's book suggests those who chose to help others found meaning in their suffering, which allowed them to find satisfaction and purpose in their existence. Happiness comes as a byproduct of how we live.

By contrast, people (think kids, young adults) who seek "happiness" as their goal in life are likely to be disappointed because what they're really pursuing is short term pleasure. Sure, it feels good to be happy when you're partying or doing fun things. But unless it somehow results in affecting others in a lasting way, you're left feeling empty and unfulfilled. It doesn't surprise me in the least that many recovering alcoholics and addicts wind up going into counseling work themselves. It's a way for them to convert their personal pain and tragedies into something meaningful -- helping others.

I guess that's why I write, and also what I look to do through my Career Changers TV show. By sharing the stories of people who have overcome challenges and adversity, I hope others will be inspired to find meaning in their lives through the work they do.

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You can see examples of survivors and people who make a difference on the current Career Changers TV episode, which runs until April 5. For daily viewing times, please visit our website. You can also watch videos from past and current shows on the CCTV YouTube Channel.

Lately, I've been thinking about the meaning of work in our lives -- or more precisely, what it means to be "happy" in our job or careers. Would you say you're happy or "satisfied" with your current position? Miserable? Want to quit, but can't afford to?

Through my Career Changers TV show, I've met a lot of people who are happy with their careers and love what they do. But in everyday life, I encounter many employees who do their jobs as if they were brain-dead zombies, just clocking in to get a paycheck. The fact is, most of us at some point in our lives, have had to do work we weren't crazy about. Some rise to the challenge and make the most of bad situations. Others, like the hostess at a Kailua restaurant my wife and I had lunch at recently, act so indifferently that you wish you could fire them on the spot. Since we didn't see anyone who appeared to be in charge that I could complain to, I thought about posting a negative review on Yelp, then decided it wasn't worth my time. We just won't go back. I'm pretty sure we weren't alone in that sentiment, judging from the looks on the faces of other customers around us.

While I was brushing encrusted food off the dirty menu in this mediocre Mexican restaurant, I told my wife about a young lady who works in the parking garage booth at Alii Place. I park there whenever I have meetings or TV shoots at Remington College, which is one of my show sponsors. This particular booth attendant always greets every exiting customer with a smile and small pleasantry. She just makes me feel... happy. Let's be honest though: being confined to a small booth all day, handing out change and pressing a button to lift a gate is not the most exciting occupation in the world. Yet this worker actually seems to enjoy her job.

Even if you have to fake liking your work, by making others you deal with feel positive, the task becomes more bearable. Giving off good vibes is contagious. Conversely, employees like the Mexican zombie hostess with the glum face -- mind you, she was the one who "greets" customers -- put us in a sour mood from the moment we sat down. And yes, it affected the tip we left, which is presumably shared with the staff.

Sorry for the digression. Anyhow, there's a key difference between people who go after their dream jobs and slackers who live in a fantasy world where they are paid to do minimal work in a "fun" environment. Those who are living their dream have a clear idea of what they wanted to do from the start... even if they weren't quite sure how they would get to that point. They are the ones who say "yes" to opportunities they believe will get them closer to their goals, regardless of whether there is an immediate payoff or not. Many times those opportunities don't go according to plan. Most successful entrepreneurs have had a few busts along the way. But they adapt and keep going forward instead of dwelling on their mistakes. They are not in the habit of blaming others when things don't pan out.

When I hear younger people or students talk about their future goals, the themes that come up most are generally about making big money, having a glamorous lifestyle, or you know, doing fun stuff for pay -- music, fashion, night clubs/party business, the TV or movie industry. The truth is it takes a great deal of hard work and focus to succeed in those "fantasy job" worlds, and it takes the same qualities you find in people who give their best effort in whatever they do -- whether it's part-time restaurant work or full-time student. Creative types will find inspiration in mundane job situations... they will write stories, songs or movie scripts about soul-sucking jobs and terrible bosses. They punch in every day and do the tedious work that goes into writing or making art. Put an inventor in a "boring" job and they will get excited about possible solutions to a vexing problem they might come across that others just ignore. It will take them hours, days, months, tweaking and perfecting their "simple" product before it ever hits the market place. In short, the difference between attaining your dream job and fantasizing about it is attitude.

However, there is a higher ideal we should strive for in our career choices, which I'll get to in my next blog post. It's about finding meaning in whatever work we do, and the value of enduring difficult times.  Too often we talk about wanting to be "happy" when we really should look at happiness as a byproduct of living a good life.

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For daily viewing times of my show, please visit www.CareerChangers.TV. You can also watch video segments from past and current episodes on the CCTV YouTube Channel.

I'm back, baby! And I've been on a hot streak of sorts, which partly explains my absence from the blogosphere. Just as some sports teams or athletes seem to get all the breaks when they're winning, I think the same thing can happen with individuals at times. But I believe it's largely a case of people making their own luck, and using their intuition to recognize opportunities when they arise. It's about having confidence in the abilities you've developed, and trusting your instincts.

My current string of fortunate events began a couple of weeks before my wife and I left for Las Vegas earlier this month. I was at the annual OC16 Producers Luncheon held at the Hawaii Okinawa Center (click here for video we did on the center) where the execs informed us of some exciting new things they'll be offering, and handed out awards for the most popular shows. Da Braddahs received a lifetime comedy award, Hawaii Goes Fishing got top honors for biggest ratings again, and my former Career Changers TV co-producer -- Ron Darby -- got the Producer's Choice award from his peers for The Pet Hui show. Unexpectedly, I was given the Mahalo Award for going above and beyond in meeting OC16's production deadlines, providing promo material when requested and responding to other requests promptly. Stuff that's just normal business for me, but greatly appreciated by the staff and executives at OC16.

That bit of recognition made me -- and my team -- feel really good. I also received a hundred dollars worth of gift cards for Callaway golf merchandise, an added bonus. But wait, there's more! They played a 30-sec promo for that month's CCTV episode, which featured a segment we did on human trafficking about a mother and her teenage daughter. Later that night, I got a call from a local music celeb who produces an OC16 show. He told me he was really moved by the piece ("A Mother's Story" link here) because he grew up on the streets of Waikiki and Chinatown, and personally knew kids and adults who were exploited by pimps. He felt what we're doing with the 808HALT.com project was important work, and said he was proud we were airing this on a channel that was originally known mostly for high school sports and surfer shows. His call meant so much to me. But it came about because I put in the work -- making time to do the promos for OC16 and sending them in on deadline, which resulted in the extra attention my show got at the luncheon.

When we got to Vegas, we lucked out on our accommodations. Years ago, we bought a timeshare week at the Kona Coast Resort, and have been using it ever since for exchanges in other places around the world. Many times we've gotten our top choice because we plan ahead and put in reservations well in advance. Still, you never know for sure what you'll get until you arrive and see the unit in person. I was a little worried that the Jockey Club might be rundown because it's an older property situated between the high end Bellagio and the trendy Cosmopolitan, which targets a younger crowd. It turned out that being tucked towards the back in a building with no casino was a good thing. We had a quiet, spacious one-bedroom condo with full kitchen, and a view of the famous Bellagio dancing fountains from our bedroom window. It put us in a good frame of mind as we ventured out to the casinos and shows we saw. And when you start out feeling positive, it often carries over into whatever you're doing. "Luck" is mostly a state of mind.

In my next post, I'll tell you about how we fared at gambling -- and why I think what I saw in Vegas is further indication that the economic recovery is not only real... it's bigger than the pundits on cable news are telling you based on statistics, instead of what's really happening on the streets of America.

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The current Career Changers TV episode is being preempted for high school sports this weekend, but you still have another week to catch it at different times during the day. Our viewing times are listed at www.CareerChangers.TV or you can watch segments from the program on the CCTV YouTube Channel.

PROGRAM ALERT: The new June episode of Career Changers TV begins hairing -- er, airing -- Thursday night at 8:30 pm on OC16. For other viewing times and on demand channel options, please visit www.CareerChangers.TV.

Pardon the bad hair pun, but when you do a profile of hair empire builder Paul Brown, it's hard to resist using hair, scissors or other cutting remarks in article headlines or copy. In the same episode, we have a segment about the Paul Brown Institute at Remington College, and a fun fashion show the students staged to display the hair and make-up skills they're learning. My cameraman, Stanford Chang, and I were surprised when Paul himself took a seat in the audience.

What was also surprising (for me and other guys probably) is how much schooling it takes to become a professional hair stylist or cosmetician. Besides being taught the hands-on skills, students at PBI must learn about sanitation, safe handling of chemicals used, and basic business practices. Then after they graduate, most will spend a few months working as assistants first before they become full-fledged stylists. Paul Brown Salons has implemented a "junior stylist" program for exceptional graduates, which gets them on the floor right away (while charging lower prices for their services).

Oh, if you're wondering what's with the poster and pictures from THE ARTIST movie, Paul Brown said perhaps the biggest new trend in hairstyles this past year was the influence of that film, which garnered praise and awards for using the old timey silent movie approach to tell the story. Haven't seen it yet, but have noticed a lot of younger women with retro hair-dos from past eras.

Although that comment didn't make it into the final cut of the Paul Brown segment, he had plenty more to say about his personal story that was interesting -- and inspiring. I recommend you watch in on regular television if you can, since we have other good stuff in that episode, but you can see the low res YouTube version by going to the CCTV YouTube Channel.

Speaking of which, you'll also see new videos posted about the recent WorkForce job fair and two pieces related to the local retail scene. In the former, we spoke to the job fair organizer about the economic outlook, and featured some businesses that are looking to hire.

As for the retail biz segments, we interviewed the General Manager of Loco Boutique, which has grown to include stores in Guam, Saipan and Okinawa. He happens to be the significant other of Career Changers TV host, Theresa Tilley -- so it was kind of funny when she stopped by during shooting, and began giving Guillaume Maman advice on what to say. Fortunately, they have a long-standing relationship, and he took the "coaching" good-naturedly with the grace and flair we associate with the French. He also shared some "Do's and Don'ts" for anyone in retail, which are worth thinking about if you're a business owner.

For job seekers, here's the link to the WorkForce segment. And here's Guillaume's piece (for Do's and Don'ts, click here). Mahalo for watching!