Aloha Ukulelia readers!

Hello to all you ukulele fans who may have seen this very site mentioned on Ukulelia. Here's a quick recap to get you up to speed:

• Although I'm a Windy City strummer, I'm not a Windy City Islander. I'm actually part of a Hawaiian ukulele and hula group called Ke Kula Kupa`a O Ka Pakipika, which is a group of musicians and dancers who occasionally perform in Chicago and elsewhere. Our main annual gig is currently at the "Christmas Around The World" celebration at Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry. Pictures of our recent performance are posted on Flickr.
• My instrument of choice is the Martin soprano ukulele, but I have been known to take a Fluke out on the road.
• The name "fleajumper" was thought up by my chiropractor, who plays the mandolin.
• Next performance will probably be at the end of January, when our group will be performing for a convention of alumni from the Kamehameha Schools. Next public performance will probably be sometime in May, during the celebrations of Asian/Pacific American History Month here in Chicago.
• If you are in Chicago and want to learn how to play the ukulele, you'll want to sign up for the classes at the Old Town School of Folk Music, which has classes starting January 2nd. I guarantee that you'll feel like a true rebel walking through the hallways full of guitar-strumming college kids. Do not be embarrassed by this feeling. Show the kids that you can play "Pay Me My Money Down" the same as they can. And you don't need no guitar strap!
• I worked out the chords to "Hooray For Santy Claus" from the classic badfilm Santa Claus Conquers The Martians, and I hope to get that posted sometime this week in time for Christmas.
• Ha`ina ia mai ana kapuana.

Dear Santa:

All I want for Christmas is a Ukiyo Roy Smeck 'Vita Uke'.