This has been the year of cancellations.

Think about it.

Just last week, the Hawai'i Theatre had to pull the plug on this weekend's "A Cazimero Christmas" shows featuring The Brothers Cazimero. The spectacles were canceled for good reason: Roland Cazimero had pneumonia and was advised by his doctors to rest in bed.

He couldn't make a week of rehearsals, and there was no way brother Robert would carry on the banner without him.

The Caz also had to cancel its Wednesday night gig at Chai's Island Bistro.

Both cancellations were the right decisions, based on the well-being of one-half of The Caz team. We can hope for perhaps a rescheduled date; in the meantime, let's haul out our CDs and get jolly with their music, while wishing Roland a speedy recovery.

No one should fault or question a cancellation because of illness.

Last month, John Rowles had to postpone his scheduled Nov. 8 concert at the Hawaii Theatre.

After 30 long years away, the "Cheryl Moana Marie" star from Down Under (New Zealand) had been hoping to rekindle his love affair with his Island fans. The slump in the economy didn't severely affect ticket sales; what forced the cancellation of his show was work visa problems regarding musicians in the Kiwi's act. At last report, efforts to reschedule the show will resume in 2010.

Then there was that Norah Jones concert cancellation last Sept. 4, an addendum to the Hawaii Writers Conference at the Hawaii Convention Center, though the catalyst was quite clear.

Too-high ticket tariffs, period — like a $500 high. Prices dropped, but by then, it was too late. While fans adore her music, she is no Elton John when it comes to appeal and box office power.

One cancellation the economy will surely feel is that of Donne Dawson, former manager of the Hawaii Film Office whose state job was canceled the way a TV show is axed. She became a football in somewhat of a political game — the players including Ted Liu, the head of the Lingle administration's Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, who incredulously decided that film and TV permitting can be done by a state employee without seasoned credentials and links to The Hollywood Element.

This was a cancellation that will certainly affect future film projects that may, or may not, come here to shoot. The stats will someday tell the tale.

The sorriest of all cancellations surely must be the wipeout of the Honolulu Symphony schedule this year. Sorriest, because of the impact and implications; while there are efforts for the orchestra to reorganize and avoid bankruptcy, to surface once again sometime and somewhere down the line. That's a tall order, given the bum economy, the drought of donations, the factions within the "giving" camp — the check writers who want to see some fruits of their support.

The bottom line, in the decision to shut down operations and cancel the slate of shows, was a $1 million debt, which sounded like the Mother Hubbard syndrome: the cupboard was bare and thus, no money to support and present the earlier-announced November and December shows.

The symphony simply did not have the money to make payroll for the rest of the year, a red flag if there ever was one.

The core of the 60-plus symphony musicians earns a minimum of $35,000 a year; it sounds like a little, until you understand the nature of the work and pay skeds. Musicians work only 34 weeks annually (last year, the total was 29), and receive full medical coverage for the rest of the non-service weeks, even if they are employed out of town (many take gigs during the down time, or teach on the side to make a decent living).

Musicians abide by rigid "service" schedules, a service being 2 1/2 hours, with a two-service limit a day (with a two-hour minimum break in-between) and eight a week (20 hours). Work is to be avoided Sunday mornings, Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons, and Mondays — opera being the allowed exception.

There are many fly specks in a binding agreement peppered with all kinds of can-do, no-can-dos.

Rights are rights, but if everyone is expected these days to give in to the needs of the overall well-being of the state, these little-known factors are not weighed in the growth and health of the union-card-carrying orchestra members. So while teachers are being asked to give back furlough days, the musicians are wholly furloughed — with no immediate help on the way to rescue or resolve the canceled season.

Of course, no one welcomes cancellations — and the rudest and worst of all happened to employees of Aloha Airlines employees and the Hawaii Superferry camps. Their very existence was canceled, wiped out by forces no one could predict or control and affecting particularly the visitor industry.

And like dominoes, a lot more cancellations evolved — fewer air flights, fewer room bookings, fewer car rentals, fewer restaurant reservations, fewer jobs for a good segment of the community.

Cancellations cause ill-willed "tions" in life — like aggravation, frustration, ruination, stagnation, desperation, anticipation.

But the seers don't expect restoration — of the way things were — for perhaps two years.

Auwe.