2018 | Year of the #TrumpDog

According to the Chinese Zodiac, 2018 is the Year of the Dog - yes, the year of President Donald J. Trump.

To be honest, I didn't care for Trump when he was on The Apprentice. He seemed mean and unforgiving. "You're Fired," he'd shout at cowering contestants. 'What a jerk', I'd think to myself. 'All he cares about is money'.

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In mid-2002, my grandmother | Tutu Wahine or "Tutu Lady" passed away. She was an astute and recognized broker in North Hawaii when fewer women were in real estate. Her nickname was Waha (literally, mouth) because she possessed the gift of gab - she could switch seamlessly from a dodgy Honolulu pidgin to a clear and well-enunciated proper English. She wore Hawaiian cowboy | paniolo hats, feather lei, crisp tailored clothes and lots of jewelry. She was definitely #extra.

One memory I have of her is when she chaperoned my little brother and me on a flight to Las Vegas from the hot Kona International Airport. She stood impatiently on the tarmac in an emerald-green jumpsuit, bedecked with gold Ming's jewelry, and coiffed hair motionless in the tradewinds. She had an exasperated look on her face, like 'Hurry the hell up!' because my mother was drizzling my brother and me with goodbye kisses. Patience was not Tutu Lady's forte.

However, she was a go-getter. In her forties, as a working mother, she decided to get a real estate license. Once she understood how to leverage properties, she announced to my Tutu Man and their four kids that they'd be taking out a second mortgage on their Kane'ohe bay home.

Tutu man was a simple fisherman - he didn't understand business. "Why Waha - Why?" and he nearly had a heart attack.

After her death, I came to appreciate the magnitude of her legacy - how the homes she built sheltered generations; and how her investments put more than just food on the table. It became clear that while her personality could be caustic or abrasive, it wasn't a reflection of her intent.

Once she was reprimanded, "You need to say 'I love you' more." She immediately scoffed, "I love you - bah. Anyone can say that. Talk is cheap."

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I voted for DJT because I realized that just like my Tutu Lady, he's a businessman: straightforward and objective. A good businessperson doesn't operate on feelings but rather on calculations like the Return on Investment - there's no bias or prejudice; simple math shows whether it's a deal or no deal.

Since January 2017, the Dow Jones has soared to 24,719 (as of today) and my retirement plan is #winning. When I was in New Zealand, the US dollar was stronger than years' past (1 USD:1.41 NZD). Because of tax reform, I'll have a larger paycheck and when I file my 2018 taxes, I'll see a greater return. Some Hawaii residents have already received large bonus checks and minimum-wage earners will see their incomes rise.

The Chinese continue to revere Trump in the Year of the Dog because he represents success. In Chinese culture, there is no good nor bad - only success or failure. You see, morality is quite subjective; in the United States, it changes all the time. However, success is objective. You are or you aren't. And this is the yardstick by which the Xi Jingpin and Trump agree on.

I don't need the US President to tell me he's a leader - I want him to show me. And in just one year, he's shown a lot.

As my Tutu Lady would say: "Talk is Cheap!"

Happy New Year | Hau'oli Makahiki Hou