Welcome to the Survivor Contest on Avalon Island!

Mac Guild NEWS ALERT: The cruiseliner Tomahawk sinks somewhere in the Pacific. 10 people lost at sea in uncharted waters.

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... somewhere in the Pacific ...

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... and so began the adventures of 10 castaways from the Lockheed Martin Macintosh Guild (apparently taking a cruise across the Pacific where they had hoped to attend MacWorld Japan). The survivors used driftwood to make two rafts, each carrying 5 people. The rafts drifted to opposite sides of a mostly unknown island called Avalon.

On the north side of the island is the Macadamia Tribe

The Macadamia Tribe: Shells of our former selves.

Well, when you think about it, things could be much worse. When the cruise liner began to sink, we ended what seemed a fantastic voyage to MacWorld in Japan, and journeyed instead to what we have dubbed "Macadamia World" on a beautiful tropical Island. Are we nuts? Maybe so, but, being Macintosh enthusiasts from a corporate environment, our group is somewhat used to being crushed now and again. But, using our resourcefulness, imagination, and sheer will and determination, we gathered our collective resources, banded together, and made our way to the shores of what will be our home for some unknown time. We will soon find if life on a tropical paradise is all it's cracked up to be.

The island is not without merit. Soft white sand, plenty of drinking water, even a freshwater pool, warmed by the sun, in which to bath. Food has not been a problem to find, although a diet of bananas, mangos, breadfruit and coconuts does leave some of us craving some good old-fashioned barbecue. Perhaps we shall luck into some wild boar (after all, we have heard some rustling in the bushes).

We hope to make some contact with the other survivors who crashed ashore elsewhere on this island. Their leader seemed to be a tall, sarcastic sort. I do hope they are alright.

Current picture of the Castaways

From L. to R., Mark, Moe, Judd, Julie, Don M. and his wife, and Thomas.

Judd, A.K.A. SailorJ found himself dropped off by the Navy's crazy Micro$oft worshippers. At least he came with his iBook! He even has a Newton to track every event that occurs on the island. "It's an insane world", he exclaimed one day, as he watched a well trained technician using a wordprocessor as a database, when he knew FilemakerPro could have done the job, quicker and faster. And with that, he was subjected to isolation on this desert isle. But his isolation has been a good thing. He has more time than ever to dedicate to his sterling efforts of design on a Mac, including a website: usshmj.org But, this sailor has more going on, on the island than it appears. Judd, being a man of the sea, had taken our driftwood raft and attempted to fish offshore, but we quickly realized that a better vessel would have to be made before attempting that feat again, as hungry sharks circled his small platform like Windows administrators waiting for AppleTalk to crash. Though they knocked his platform, it remained doggedly stable, enabling Judd to return safely to shore and his companions.

Julie, A.K.A. Jewels-Jewels' spirit shines through each day, sparkling as brightly as the original colors on the iMac. Her naturally inquisitive nature guides her on forays into the forest, from which she always returns with some "treasure" she discovered a new source of food, building materials, or a real-life screensaver view.

From her personal log "I came to the island 10 years ago at age 19. It was difficult at first to be stranded with nothing but my firm beliefs. I had learned that living on this island paradise is much better than living with the drones in the city who are too much like lemmings. I'll take the island existence any day! I may feel alone and isolated at times but will stay here because I believe that strongly in this cause! I have occasionally had company when people come to the island but they mysteriously disappear after some time. This used to bother me, but now I realize it is human nature to think there is something better out there than what you've got! I've learned to count on myself and become independent and I thank this island paradise for the beauty, pride and strength it gives me.

Recently a group of 4 has come to stay on the island with me: Moe, Mark, Judd and Thomas. I find these great people to share the same vision as I and I think they may be here to stay. I learn more and more about their character daily and am thankful for their companionship. I think they also believe that island life beats being in the midst of crowded civilization where people have forgotten how to think for themselves or dream. We have everything we could ask for to sustain us and want for nothing from civilization.

There have been rumors of another group on the island who may share our way of life, but I have not yet seen any evidence to support that claim. We'll see what tomorrow brings!?"

Mark - Mark, a leader to the core. He rallied us together with true appeal, and stemmed the tide of adversity to bring us all to this island. He explains,"After winning first place at the MIT robot wars competion, Bill Nye the Science guy decided that I should take a trip to get my head together. What the heck was he thinking. I couldn't leave without my Mac II. And you know, the darn thing doesn't run that MacOS X, go figure. If it was a wintel machine, I'd never get anything done on this island. Maybe I can build us a Radio, and get us off this island. Or maybe I can get someone else off the island."

Moe-Moe was originally sent to to represent MacWherehouse at the MacExpo, but a fight to gain her expertise ensued, with Lockheed Martin winning out. She is fortunate enough to still wear that crazy phone headset so prominately displayed on every page of the catalog. I don't know why she wears it, it's kinda like that island coconut cell phone that another survivor was using... somewhere... From her personal log,"I am happy to be on terra firma, such as it is. I was not all that crazy about going by ship to begin with, but I have survived the fear that struck to the very core of my soul. From now on, itís all good!"

Thomas - "He Gets Us Fish" - Thomas has developed an unusual affection for one of our other Island inhabitants a rat he affectionately named Ignatz. He delights in building mazes for the little rodent, then watching as he finds faster ways to negotiate the obstacles between him and the exit, where Tom rewards him with a treat. I think he said something about process improvement go figure! An excerpt from his personal log,"I've been on the island for seven years... I think... I used to have a happy life as a software engineer for a big aerospace company, GE Aerospace, I think; or was it Martin Marietta? Lockheed? Martin Lockheed? Martin Milner? Anyway, it was so long ago... I won a process improvement contest and the prize was a trip to Southern California. I was there and realized I had never been to Catalina, so I signed up for a cruise to Avalon. Midway through the trip, our boat was hijacked by extremists of some kind, who made us travel through the oceans of the world. One day I jumped off, grabbing only a jar of macadamia nuts to sustain me, plus one of those gigantic plastic jugs of rum, and my PowerBook 520. Since then the battery has died on my PowerBook, the rum is long gone, and I use the nut jar to dry bugs. I have subsisted on a meager diet of bugs, tree bark, and partially distilled lagoon water. I have been alone for these past few years, but I am beginning to suspect that there may be others on the island. hope they dont want to eat my pet rat, Ignatz."