http://youtu.be/O4QzHeUE-CM
This video just says it all. Thanks to my friend Maureen!
Just too funny to miss.....
Hope you enjoy it too.
Tuesday, June 17, 2014
Wednesday, March 26, 2014
Who Knew?
Who knew that someday I would attempt writing a book? This idea all came about after attending a career guidance course at a local community college. After retiring, I dabbled in going back to college. The career counselor suggested that I take this course. I was very hesitant about spending 2 full days in a class. At the age of 62, what could they tell me about a career? Heck, I'm retired, what's the use?
Well, after spending over 20 years in real estate, I was told that sales was the worst thing for me! Wow....that was quite a shock! Being the old resistant me, I just couldn't believe this. I don't even like to write!
What I've come to believe in life is that there are living angels that intersect your life with a gift for you. That little angel suggested that I write a blog. A blog....what is that? The seed was planted. Thanks, Denise.
Then life happened....I moved to a different state and reconnected with another angel that first came into my life back in 1994. As fate would have it, he was writing a blog....no coincidence! He gave me the logistics of how to create this blog. My goal in writing this blog was to stretch myself by writing about fun. I was always so serious, what did I know about fun? Lo and behold......this blog has been all over the world!! Thanks, Geoff.
Then again....life happened. I took a job at a property management firm and now I write every day. I send emails to owners and tenants. This is like learning to play the piano. You start off practicing the scales. My boss tells me all the time how great my emails are. She gives me a lot of assurance and spurs me on. Thanks, Judy.
Last month my world travelling friend blew into town. Besides other activities, she asked me to join her in attending a mini seminar. The guest speaker was Patrick Snow. It was about "Creating your own Destiny." He gave us some really great tips on how to self-publish. What a dynamic speaker. He kept us mesmerized for three hours. The time just flew by...we all felt as though we wanted more.
Thanks, Maureen.
Since taking that seminar, I've submitted another piece, for consideration, to O Magazine. While the very first one I submitted about a year ago, didn't take, I've made up my mind that one of these days, if I keep writing and submitting articles, someday I may be able to say that I had something published by them.
Another great thing is that I've now got a writing coach. She keeps me on task. I'm submitting 2 written pieces a week to her. She gives me great feedback. Some day, I'm hoping that she will design the cover of my book. She is so artistic. She is my secret angel. Thanks for all your support.
Moral of the story? Have you met any great angels lately? They are out there.....seek and ye shall find.
Well, after spending over 20 years in real estate, I was told that sales was the worst thing for me! Wow....that was quite a shock! Being the old resistant me, I just couldn't believe this. I don't even like to write!
What I've come to believe in life is that there are living angels that intersect your life with a gift for you. That little angel suggested that I write a blog. A blog....what is that? The seed was planted. Thanks, Denise.
Then life happened....I moved to a different state and reconnected with another angel that first came into my life back in 1994. As fate would have it, he was writing a blog....no coincidence! He gave me the logistics of how to create this blog. My goal in writing this blog was to stretch myself by writing about fun. I was always so serious, what did I know about fun? Lo and behold......this blog has been all over the world!! Thanks, Geoff.
Then again....life happened. I took a job at a property management firm and now I write every day. I send emails to owners and tenants. This is like learning to play the piano. You start off practicing the scales. My boss tells me all the time how great my emails are. She gives me a lot of assurance and spurs me on. Thanks, Judy.
Last month my world travelling friend blew into town. Besides other activities, she asked me to join her in attending a mini seminar. The guest speaker was Patrick Snow. It was about "Creating your own Destiny." He gave us some really great tips on how to self-publish. What a dynamic speaker. He kept us mesmerized for three hours. The time just flew by...we all felt as though we wanted more.
Thanks, Maureen.
Since taking that seminar, I've submitted another piece, for consideration, to O Magazine. While the very first one I submitted about a year ago, didn't take, I've made up my mind that one of these days, if I keep writing and submitting articles, someday I may be able to say that I had something published by them.
Another great thing is that I've now got a writing coach. She keeps me on task. I'm submitting 2 written pieces a week to her. She gives me great feedback. Some day, I'm hoping that she will design the cover of my book. She is so artistic. She is my secret angel. Thanks for all your support.
Moral of the story? Have you met any great angels lately? They are out there.....seek and ye shall find.
Monday, March 10, 2014
Hawaii No Ka Oi
A friend shared this video of various artists from Hawaii. It really makes you feel homesick for the Islands.
Many years ago I worked with Palani Vaughan's dad, Frank at TheoDavies. What a treat it was to listen to Palani, his dad and brother sing together. That was priceless!
While at TheoDavies, (formerly known as Theo. H. Davies) in 1973, I also had the opportunity to meet the Tai Pan, Simon Keswick. His family's business in Asia, called Jardine Matheson, was a far eastern trading company founded in 1832. They purchased TheoDavies and diversified by adding Pizza Hut, and the Taco Bell franchises, as well as Mercedes Benz and Jaguar.
The video features several local artists and the various sights in Hawaii. I especially loved the Ipu's (not Ipo's - as my daughter corrected me). Wouldn't mind playing that instrument. It is made from gourds that have been hollowed out.
I hope that you enjoy this video as much as I did:
http://www.youtube.com/attribution_link?a=w9aaYCsQC6I&u=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DbhibLQFebpQ%26feature%3Dshare
This song was written by Eleanor Kekoaohiwaikalani Wright Prendergast as a patriotic song for members of the Royal Hawaiian Band who protested the overthrow of Queen Liliuokalni and the annexation to the United States. The members of the band walked off their jobs after the bandmaster tried to force them to sign an oath of loyalty to the provisional government, which later became the Republic of Hawaii. They felt that it was not right to sell one's loyalty to their country for money.
For a long time the song was considered sacred and was not used for hula dancing. Today this song is usually danced by graceful, mature women.
The words and one interpretation is as follows:
Aloha to all of you that read this!
Source: ref: Wikipedia Kaulana Na Pua
Many years ago I worked with Palani Vaughan's dad, Frank at TheoDavies. What a treat it was to listen to Palani, his dad and brother sing together. That was priceless!
While at TheoDavies, (formerly known as Theo. H. Davies) in 1973, I also had the opportunity to meet the Tai Pan, Simon Keswick. His family's business in Asia, called Jardine Matheson, was a far eastern trading company founded in 1832. They purchased TheoDavies and diversified by adding Pizza Hut, and the Taco Bell franchises, as well as Mercedes Benz and Jaguar.
The video features several local artists and the various sights in Hawaii. I especially loved the Ipu's (not Ipo's - as my daughter corrected me). Wouldn't mind playing that instrument. It is made from gourds that have been hollowed out.
I hope that you enjoy this video as much as I did:
http://www.youtube.com/attribution_link?a=w9aaYCsQC6I&u=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DbhibLQFebpQ%26feature%3Dshare
This song was written by Eleanor Kekoaohiwaikalani Wright Prendergast as a patriotic song for members of the Royal Hawaiian Band who protested the overthrow of Queen Liliuokalni and the annexation to the United States. The members of the band walked off their jobs after the bandmaster tried to force them to sign an oath of loyalty to the provisional government, which later became the Republic of Hawaii. They felt that it was not right to sell one's loyalty to their country for money.
For a long time the song was considered sacred and was not used for hula dancing. Today this song is usually danced by graceful, mature women.
The words and one interpretation is as follows:
Kaulana nā pua aʻo Hawaiʻi
Kūpaʻa mahope o ka ʻāina
Hiki mai ka ʻelele o ka loko ʻino
Palapala ʻānunu me ka pākahaFamous are the children of Hawaiʻi
Ever loyal to the land
When the evil-hearted messenger comes
With his greedy document of extortionPane mai Hawaiʻi moku o Keawe
Kōkua nā Hono aʻo Piʻilani
Kākoʻo mai Kauaʻi o Mano
Paʻapū me ke one KākuhihewaHawaiʻi, land of Keawe answers
The bays of Piʻilani help
Kauaʻi of Mano lends support
All are united by the sands of KākuhihewaʻAʻole aʻe kau i ka pūlima
Maluna o ka pepa o ka ʻenemi
Hoʻohui ʻāina kūʻai hewa
I ka pono sivila aʻo ke kanakaDo not fix a signature
To the paper of the enemy
With its sin of annexation
And sale of the civil rights of the peopleʻAʻole mākou aʻe minamina
I ka puʻukālā a ke aupuni
Ua lawa mākou i ka pōhaku
I ka ʻai kamahaʻo o ka ʻāinaWe do not value
The government's hills of money
We are satisfied with the rocks
The wondrous food of the landMahope mākou o Liliʻulani
A loaʻa e ka pono o ka ʻāina
[alternate stanza:
A kau hou ʻia e ke kalaunu]
Haʻina ʻia mai ana ka puana
Ka poʻe i aloha i ka ʻāinaWe support Liliʻuokalani
Who has won the rights of the land
[alternate stanza:
She will be crowned again]
The story is told
Of the people who love the land
Aloha to all of you that read this!
Source: ref: Wikipedia Kaulana Na Pua
Friday, February 21, 2014
My World is Out Of Kilter!
It has been a myriad of little disasters since the passing of my friend. The wonder of it all is the fact that I'm not totally bummed or saying woe is me....or why me?
The day after Shirley's passing. I'm at the dentist, doing a root canal. Only Armel can't complete the procedure because now I have to take antibiotics for the tooth and ear infection. A few days later.....
It started with water coming down from the ceiling of my bathroom early Sunday morning. Picture this....I am sitting on the throne barely awake. Drip drip.....I feel water on my head. What started as a little trickle became a flood within 15 minutes. I get a knock on the door from my downstairs neighbor because now he has water leaking into his unit.
Dave, the super of my complex, comes in with a bucket and tears into the ceiling...the water is coming from upstairs....ok by now I'm thinking UGH "toilet water" - NOT "raindrops keep falling on my head."
Every towel I have is now being put on the floor to stop the flooding. I have to keep squeezing the towels so I get this bright idea to run the towels in the spin cycle of my washer. Well after repeatedly spinning the towels out, the leak is stopped and Dave leaves
Now I proceed to go to wash all of the dirty laundry and lo and behold. The dryer decides to quit on me. The assistant manager states that rather than trucking everything off to the Laundromat, they have a dryer in the office I could use. So I trek all the heavy towels in my laundry basket to the office and oops - their dryer isn't there.
Now I have to truck it on down to the Laundromat. Happy Super Bowl! So just 2 minutes before my batch will be going to the "cool" cycle. Someone mistakenly puts more coins in my dryer!! Bah humbug.
In a couple of days....I get a brand new dryer. The first batch didn't dry so I restart the dryer cycle. OK by now you probably figure where I'm going with this huh? WRONG!!! At the end of the second cycle, I open my dryer door and there is all this black guck all over the inside of the door. I figure it's from the lint from my clothes but wait there's a lot of black hair too. Total of six cycles to dry my one batch of clothes! This is even worse than the old dryer!
Monday morning I report what happened to the office before going to work. Long story short on this.... they send another super to vacuum out the vent outside my apartment. Something they did about a month before my previous dryer died.
Now I am coming down with a cold. I'm coughing till my sides hurt! Now that I'm sick - I can't do the second half of my root canal, so I had to cancel and reschedule.
OK....flash forward a week later. The washer is now broken, I can't test the dryer to see if the cleaning of the vent worked. My friend Eric put a sock on the vent to stop all the guk from coming onto my clothes. Unable to do laundry again this weekend. I have to go to the dentist tomorrow for Armel to complete the procedure. Everyone in my office is down with the cold. My friend Raul who put up shelves for me last week is sick. He blames me....Seems like everybody I came in contact with has the cold. Well heck.....one of my plumbing vendors accused me of giving him my cold through the telephone! HELLO?
My co-worker's boyfriend made the whole office some soup. It was called a Wedding Soup! It was delicious. We all got the recipe. We all have a different strain of the cold because the symptoms are so varied. People are spraying the office with antiseptic and wiping their hands with it too. Everyone has taken some time off to try and recuperate.
OK.....bottom line this is really becoming weird!
Miracle of Miracles again.....my friend Maureen is in town this week. She is a Reiki Master and Intuit. It will be fun sharing this with her....what is the Universe trying to say to me? Isn't this amazing?
You would think that I'd be angry about all of this.....NOPE....I'm actually laughing inside. What does this mean??
Too Funny!
The day after Shirley's passing. I'm at the dentist, doing a root canal. Only Armel can't complete the procedure because now I have to take antibiotics for the tooth and ear infection. A few days later.....
It started with water coming down from the ceiling of my bathroom early Sunday morning. Picture this....I am sitting on the throne barely awake. Drip drip.....I feel water on my head. What started as a little trickle became a flood within 15 minutes. I get a knock on the door from my downstairs neighbor because now he has water leaking into his unit.
Dave, the super of my complex, comes in with a bucket and tears into the ceiling...the water is coming from upstairs....ok by now I'm thinking UGH "toilet water" - NOT "raindrops keep falling on my head."
Every towel I have is now being put on the floor to stop the flooding. I have to keep squeezing the towels so I get this bright idea to run the towels in the spin cycle of my washer. Well after repeatedly spinning the towels out, the leak is stopped and Dave leaves
Now I proceed to go to wash all of the dirty laundry and lo and behold. The dryer decides to quit on me. The assistant manager states that rather than trucking everything off to the Laundromat, they have a dryer in the office I could use. So I trek all the heavy towels in my laundry basket to the office and oops - their dryer isn't there.
Now I have to truck it on down to the Laundromat. Happy Super Bowl! So just 2 minutes before my batch will be going to the "cool" cycle. Someone mistakenly puts more coins in my dryer!! Bah humbug.
In a couple of days....I get a brand new dryer. The first batch didn't dry so I restart the dryer cycle. OK by now you probably figure where I'm going with this huh? WRONG!!! At the end of the second cycle, I open my dryer door and there is all this black guck all over the inside of the door. I figure it's from the lint from my clothes but wait there's a lot of black hair too. Total of six cycles to dry my one batch of clothes! This is even worse than the old dryer!
Monday morning I report what happened to the office before going to work. Long story short on this.... they send another super to vacuum out the vent outside my apartment. Something they did about a month before my previous dryer died.
Now I am coming down with a cold. I'm coughing till my sides hurt! Now that I'm sick - I can't do the second half of my root canal, so I had to cancel and reschedule.
OK....flash forward a week later. The washer is now broken, I can't test the dryer to see if the cleaning of the vent worked. My friend Eric put a sock on the vent to stop all the guk from coming onto my clothes. Unable to do laundry again this weekend. I have to go to the dentist tomorrow for Armel to complete the procedure. Everyone in my office is down with the cold. My friend Raul who put up shelves for me last week is sick. He blames me....Seems like everybody I came in contact with has the cold. Well heck.....one of my plumbing vendors accused me of giving him my cold through the telephone! HELLO?
My co-worker's boyfriend made the whole office some soup. It was called a Wedding Soup! It was delicious. We all got the recipe. We all have a different strain of the cold because the symptoms are so varied. People are spraying the office with antiseptic and wiping their hands with it too. Everyone has taken some time off to try and recuperate.
OK.....bottom line this is really becoming weird!
Miracle of Miracles again.....my friend Maureen is in town this week. She is a Reiki Master and Intuit. It will be fun sharing this with her....what is the Universe trying to say to me? Isn't this amazing?
You would think that I'd be angry about all of this.....NOPE....I'm actually laughing inside. What does this mean??
Too Funny!
Tuesday, February 4, 2014
The Sisterhood
A very long time ago, there was a sisterhood of women that met and became friends through a direct sales cause of keeping women beautiful.
These sisters included Rita, Mili, Doris, Shirley, Mom and Me. Rita owned a direct sales line of natural skin care and cosmetics. Mili was the area director, Doris was her recruit who in turn brought in Shirley, Mom and Me to the fold.
We would hold meetings in Mom's yarn shop. There were similarities of interest ranging from crocheting, knitting, mahjong, gambling, having fun and family get togethers.
Today I witnessed a miracle. Today I lost my best friend Shirley to colon cancer. She was 78 years old and died this morning around 8:30 a.m. or thereabouts. The miracles of miracles is this. At the same time this morning, Mili and Doris received the call about Rita's passing from a major stroke. Although Rita, who was 90 years old, passed on January 18, when Mili received the call was the same time that Shirley passed.
It seems as though Rita was waiting for Shirley, and Mili, who I haven't seen in maybe 20 years and Doris are in town to help me to celebrate Shirley and Rita's life and to talk over the memories we had with one another.
Rather than being sad at the loss of my dearest friend, I was able to recall the good times we all had. Doris treated me to a wonderful Japanese dinner which went from Unagi (eel) hand rolled sushi to Sea Bass and Jidori chicken with fried rice, to Passion Mango sorbet for dessert. YUM!
After dinner, we met Mili and her daughter Tammy at the Black Jack table and I sat there chatting while Mili and Tammy played and we all chatted and caught up with our life stories for those lost 20 years. While the dealers changed shifts 3 times, they enjoyed our stories ranging from gender sociology to the restaurant business, to kids and grand kid stories.
Mili was always the ring leader, but at the age of 80....she is almost blind, suffering from Macular Degeneration. Imagine Mili with this huge jeweler's magnifying gizmo that almost looks like a welder's mask, trying to play Black Jack. Being the vain person that she still is....she just opted for having the dealer tell her what cards were on the table and counting it up for her.
It was quite hilarious to watch. Mili who always over the years had some sort of sexual joke about her body parts was true to form tonight, believing that she had better live it up with whatever time she has left. She was down about $5,000. WOW.
My conclusion.....Thank you God for sending Mili and Doris to be here with me. Thank you for allowing Rita to wait for Shirley, who always admired her. Now that is what I call Sisterhood.
To my best friend Shirley who has been my sister, at times my mother, my buffet eating buddy and Hanafuda card friend. You showed me that no matter what bad things happened to my life, that compared to what you were facing, my troubles were so miniscule that I became embarrassed to even think about feeling down. You brought so much laughter into my life. You brought the "get up and go" spirit into my life. We had fun. We laughed, cried and sometimes we laughed so hard we cried and almost peed in our pants. That was the kind of friendship we had.
When we went through a period where what ever happened to one of us eventually happened to the other was scary. You stated one day that we had to stop thinking like this and it stopped. Your funny stories about your life made me laugh many times. You were my very own comedy show. Don't forget to say hello to my mom. You promised!
I will miss you Ahjuma.....you are with your Jehovah now and someday we will meet again....even though our religious beliefs are different. Now that you have crossed over....left me say this last thing to you since you can't disagree back.....I believe in the separation of church and hate!
That is my belief and I'm sticking to it!
These sisters included Rita, Mili, Doris, Shirley, Mom and Me. Rita owned a direct sales line of natural skin care and cosmetics. Mili was the area director, Doris was her recruit who in turn brought in Shirley, Mom and Me to the fold.
We would hold meetings in Mom's yarn shop. There were similarities of interest ranging from crocheting, knitting, mahjong, gambling, having fun and family get togethers.
Today I witnessed a miracle. Today I lost my best friend Shirley to colon cancer. She was 78 years old and died this morning around 8:30 a.m. or thereabouts. The miracles of miracles is this. At the same time this morning, Mili and Doris received the call about Rita's passing from a major stroke. Although Rita, who was 90 years old, passed on January 18, when Mili received the call was the same time that Shirley passed.
It seems as though Rita was waiting for Shirley, and Mili, who I haven't seen in maybe 20 years and Doris are in town to help me to celebrate Shirley and Rita's life and to talk over the memories we had with one another.
Rather than being sad at the loss of my dearest friend, I was able to recall the good times we all had. Doris treated me to a wonderful Japanese dinner which went from Unagi (eel) hand rolled sushi to Sea Bass and Jidori chicken with fried rice, to Passion Mango sorbet for dessert. YUM!
After dinner, we met Mili and her daughter Tammy at the Black Jack table and I sat there chatting while Mili and Tammy played and we all chatted and caught up with our life stories for those lost 20 years. While the dealers changed shifts 3 times, they enjoyed our stories ranging from gender sociology to the restaurant business, to kids and grand kid stories.
Mili was always the ring leader, but at the age of 80....she is almost blind, suffering from Macular Degeneration. Imagine Mili with this huge jeweler's magnifying gizmo that almost looks like a welder's mask, trying to play Black Jack. Being the vain person that she still is....she just opted for having the dealer tell her what cards were on the table and counting it up for her.
It was quite hilarious to watch. Mili who always over the years had some sort of sexual joke about her body parts was true to form tonight, believing that she had better live it up with whatever time she has left. She was down about $5,000. WOW.
My conclusion.....Thank you God for sending Mili and Doris to be here with me. Thank you for allowing Rita to wait for Shirley, who always admired her. Now that is what I call Sisterhood.
To my best friend Shirley who has been my sister, at times my mother, my buffet eating buddy and Hanafuda card friend. You showed me that no matter what bad things happened to my life, that compared to what you were facing, my troubles were so miniscule that I became embarrassed to even think about feeling down. You brought so much laughter into my life. You brought the "get up and go" spirit into my life. We had fun. We laughed, cried and sometimes we laughed so hard we cried and almost peed in our pants. That was the kind of friendship we had.
When we went through a period where what ever happened to one of us eventually happened to the other was scary. You stated one day that we had to stop thinking like this and it stopped. Your funny stories about your life made me laugh many times. You were my very own comedy show. Don't forget to say hello to my mom. You promised!
I will miss you Ahjuma.....you are with your Jehovah now and someday we will meet again....even though our religious beliefs are different. Now that you have crossed over....left me say this last thing to you since you can't disagree back.....I believe in the separation of church and hate!
That is my belief and I'm sticking to it!
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
So Many New Gadgets Out There
Being from the "Baby Boomer" era, electronics seem quite difficult for me. It really takes dedication to persevere.
For Christmas, the gift I gave myself was a new Kindle Fire HDX. Every day when I get home, I try to tackle a new thing. It is funny too, because every day, something new is added, not by me, but by a plan of action that was probably built into the design of the Kindle.
The other day I came across the "live" person that could assist me feature. That was fun. Up to that point, I kept calling Amazon in the middle of the night.
I started out getting slot machine games. Then I progressed to Mah Jong games. After a couple of weeks with that, I moved on to loading music onto my Kindle. Although it was difficult and I had to get help more than once, actually the hardest part was trying to remember the names of the songs that I wanted to add. Did you know that one of the first things to go for seniors is the short term memory? Funny how we can remember things from 50 years ago, but we can't remember what happened 10 minutes ago.
Every morning on my way to work, I'm singing along with the tunes from my favorite "oldies" radio station, KJUL 104.7. Finding the songs in the Amazon store was easy. It's remembering what I wanted to remember that was hard. I would make a mental note about the song title and 5 minutes later the thought is gone. It is impossible to write the name of a song down as I'm tooling down the freeway at 65 miles per hour, not to mention the police traps all along this freeway. This morning I counted 6 policemen in both motor cycles and squad cars, that had pulled people over for speeding. Some even pull 2 cars at once. Anyway getting off topic here.....another senior dementia moment! (Hee Hee).
Getting back to my new Kindle....I've loaded 68 songs on it so far. It is fun singing along to songs like.....Tan Shoes and Pink Shoelaces by Dodie Stevens or Top of the World by the Carpenters, along with songs by artists ranging from Patsy Cline, Johnny Mathis, Elvis, Josh Groban, Barbra Streisand, Michael Jackson, Brenda Lee, Frank Sinatra, Skeeter Davis, Dionne Warwick.....Peter, Paul and Mary just to name a few. Every day the list gets longer.
Then I got an audible book. Imagine having Colin Firth's sexy English accented voice reading me a bedtime story called: The End of the Affair. He was the "hottie" from Bridget Jones' Diary.
Can you tell I'm having fun with this?
Here are some sample music faves....Enjoy ok?
It was such a shock to hear that after all these years The Captain and Tennille are getting a divorce.
For Christmas, the gift I gave myself was a new Kindle Fire HDX. Every day when I get home, I try to tackle a new thing. It is funny too, because every day, something new is added, not by me, but by a plan of action that was probably built into the design of the Kindle.
The other day I came across the "live" person that could assist me feature. That was fun. Up to that point, I kept calling Amazon in the middle of the night.
I started out getting slot machine games. Then I progressed to Mah Jong games. After a couple of weeks with that, I moved on to loading music onto my Kindle. Although it was difficult and I had to get help more than once, actually the hardest part was trying to remember the names of the songs that I wanted to add. Did you know that one of the first things to go for seniors is the short term memory? Funny how we can remember things from 50 years ago, but we can't remember what happened 10 minutes ago.
Every morning on my way to work, I'm singing along with the tunes from my favorite "oldies" radio station, KJUL 104.7. Finding the songs in the Amazon store was easy. It's remembering what I wanted to remember that was hard. I would make a mental note about the song title and 5 minutes later the thought is gone. It is impossible to write the name of a song down as I'm tooling down the freeway at 65 miles per hour, not to mention the police traps all along this freeway. This morning I counted 6 policemen in both motor cycles and squad cars, that had pulled people over for speeding. Some even pull 2 cars at once. Anyway getting off topic here.....another senior dementia moment! (Hee Hee).
Getting back to my new Kindle....I've loaded 68 songs on it so far. It is fun singing along to songs like.....Tan Shoes and Pink Shoelaces by Dodie Stevens or Top of the World by the Carpenters, along with songs by artists ranging from Patsy Cline, Johnny Mathis, Elvis, Josh Groban, Barbra Streisand, Michael Jackson, Brenda Lee, Frank Sinatra, Skeeter Davis, Dionne Warwick.....Peter, Paul and Mary just to name a few. Every day the list gets longer.
Then I got an audible book. Imagine having Colin Firth's sexy English accented voice reading me a bedtime story called: The End of the Affair. He was the "hottie" from Bridget Jones' Diary.
Can you tell I'm having fun with this?
Here are some sample music faves....Enjoy ok?
It was such a shock to hear that after all these years The Captain and Tennille are getting a divorce.
Just a few of my favs.....hope you enjoyed them!
Oh....BTW, some of the music that is now loaded on my Kindle even have lyrics!!! I feel like I'm in my own private Karaoke room. Feel sorry for my neighbors having to listen to me sing at the top of my lungs though!
Video downloads from YouTube include:
Minnie Riperton singing Lovin' You (1975)
Bobbie Gentry singing Ode to Billie Joe (1967)
Captain and Tennille singing The Way I Want to Touch You (1972)
From the Cast of the Motion Picture Rent - Seasons of Love (2005)
Monday, January 27, 2014
My Dance Card is Filling Up Again
What is great about living in Las Vegas is that whenever friends from Hawaii come to town, they always look me up so that we can reconnect.
The fun will start this week. Super Bowl weekend is when the high rollers come to town. We have a mini reunion in between games. Not being a gambler, I look forward to meeting up with friends and going to a very nice restaurant to catch up with each other about our lives. This week, I've already been warned that someone that I haven't seen in about 20 years is coming to town and I need to be "ready."
When the Super Bowl crowd goes back to Hawaii, the "cousins" will be in town again so here we go with doing funky things. We've already talked on the phone and jotted down all the times and whereabouts and we will meet up the very next week after my Super Bowl buddies go back home. With the cousins, we're maybe planning to go to a stage performance. Haven't figured which one yet.
The week after the cousins go back to Hawaii, it's then my world travelling Reiki friend who will be in town and I am looking at fun on a totally different level. It's about connecting with people on a different plain. The intuitive level is a lot of fun. To connect with strangers who don't seem like strangers. Most times it is not about getting their name and contact numbers. We can have a very deep understanding and feel love at that level and not have to know their vitals. Wow....I'm always amazed how the "genie" inside me can sense the nature of people that I meet at these soirees. It's like exorcising/exercising that part of the brain and it feels so great!
Nurturing the soul and connecting with others on an intuitive level energizes you for quite a while. It's like being put back on track after a train wreck caused by everyday life. everyday thinking and everyday worrying.
Following that, the following week we will have a meeting with writers in Las Vegas. This meeting is to brainstorm on a collaborative effort to publish a book. I am really excited about this. It is my goal to get my writing published. It is scary and exciting at the same time.
How great is that!!!
It certainly is great to be ALIVE!
Oh Happy Day
The fun will start this week. Super Bowl weekend is when the high rollers come to town. We have a mini reunion in between games. Not being a gambler, I look forward to meeting up with friends and going to a very nice restaurant to catch up with each other about our lives. This week, I've already been warned that someone that I haven't seen in about 20 years is coming to town and I need to be "ready."
When the Super Bowl crowd goes back to Hawaii, the "cousins" will be in town again so here we go with doing funky things. We've already talked on the phone and jotted down all the times and whereabouts and we will meet up the very next week after my Super Bowl buddies go back home. With the cousins, we're maybe planning to go to a stage performance. Haven't figured which one yet.
The week after the cousins go back to Hawaii, it's then my world travelling Reiki friend who will be in town and I am looking at fun on a totally different level. It's about connecting with people on a different plain. The intuitive level is a lot of fun. To connect with strangers who don't seem like strangers. Most times it is not about getting their name and contact numbers. We can have a very deep understanding and feel love at that level and not have to know their vitals. Wow....I'm always amazed how the "genie" inside me can sense the nature of people that I meet at these soirees. It's like exorcising/exercising that part of the brain and it feels so great!
Nurturing the soul and connecting with others on an intuitive level energizes you for quite a while. It's like being put back on track after a train wreck caused by everyday life. everyday thinking and everyday worrying.
Following that, the following week we will have a meeting with writers in Las Vegas. This meeting is to brainstorm on a collaborative effort to publish a book. I am really excited about this. It is my goal to get my writing published. It is scary and exciting at the same time.
How great is that!!!
It certainly is great to be ALIVE!
Oh Happy Day
Friday, January 3, 2014
Korean Dramas
Watching Korean dramas, a few "aha" conclusions came to life.
The first "aha" conclusion: Korean mother-in-laws are really scary. I can personally attest to this fact.....may she rest in peace. Somehow it is quite assuring to come to the realization that it was part of the culture that sons were kings and daughters were the consolation prize. The lowest was the daughter-in-law, on the scale of importance. Now I can truly say that it wasn't me, but rather the culture that shaped my ex-mother-in-law. God bless her!
The next "aha" conclusion is that Korean jewelry is really wonderful. The gaudier the better. Many was a time that I said to my own mother...."oh mom....are you really going to wear that?" Now I am at the age when I find it fun to wear funky jewelry. The jewelry in Korean dramas are really awesome. It makes me wish that I had the talent to create such fun pieces. However, I found a store that had something close to it, so for Christmas I sent my daughter and granddaughter some fun pieces. Check out the headbands and jewelry. While the model is gorgeous....focus on the headbands and the necklace and bracelet.
The first "aha" conclusion: Korean mother-in-laws are really scary. I can personally attest to this fact.....may she rest in peace. Somehow it is quite assuring to come to the realization that it was part of the culture that sons were kings and daughters were the consolation prize. The lowest was the daughter-in-law, on the scale of importance. Now I can truly say that it wasn't me, but rather the culture that shaped my ex-mother-in-law. God bless her!
The next "aha" conclusion is that Korean jewelry is really wonderful. The gaudier the better. Many was a time that I said to my own mother...."oh mom....are you really going to wear that?" Now I am at the age when I find it fun to wear funky jewelry. The jewelry in Korean dramas are really awesome. It makes me wish that I had the talent to create such fun pieces. However, I found a store that had something close to it, so for Christmas I sent my daughter and granddaughter some fun pieces. Check out the headbands and jewelry. While the model is gorgeous....focus on the headbands and the necklace and bracelet.
Needless to say.....it was fun to shop for these things and what is even better is to see my granddaughter trying them out. Such a "girly girl princess!"
Korean fashion is also wonderful.
The above picture came from the movie Jang Ok Jung, Live in Love. This movie showed some really great traditional fashions.,
Then there are the food movies.....Kimchi Family showcased many different kinds of Kimchi
while Feast of the Gods focused on many different kinds of foods prepared according to Korean tradition...
What a cultural (my culture) learning experience I am having. My grandmother must be smiling down on me right now, because I remember her playing the Janggu (Korean drum) and singing the Korean folk song Arirang. She sang what I consider to be the north and south versions and loved to dance as well.
The second version called Jindo Arirang is my favorite, while the first version above is the well known classic. My grandmother sang both versions.
Hope you enjoyed the experience.
Thursday, December 26, 2013
Audrey in Wonderland....more commonly known as "Alice in Wonderland"
Ever feel like you have fallen down a rabbit hole into a world of literary nonsense? Well, it seems perfectly clear now, the meaning of being counter-intuitive.
Let me give you some examples, that I have noticed....now that I'm getting older:
The aches and pains we now experience in our old age is not due to over-doing exercise. In fact it is due to the lack of it. Instead of thinking that a bit of rest would save the day....no it is a call to do more exercise instead.
If we want more love.....we have to give more love. Don't hoard it.
There used to be a saying when we were younger. "Fake it till you make it!" In other words.....be the success if you want to become a success.
The more we give the more we receive.
So many countless others.
With the New Year fast approaching, the time for making resolutions is upon us. What do we resolve to do in the new year?
For most.....there is more focus on what they want versus what they already have. As the song goes...."Accentuate the positive....eliminate the negative."
We plan for the future, and remember the past while all the time we are missing the present. The present (aka...the gift).
This is the year for me to stop and smell the roses.
To appreciate everything that comes into my life....good, bad, ugly, beautiful. It is all wonderful because there's the lesson to be learned from the bumpy roads of life. Lessons that take us to a better place.....the caveat is that we can't limit ourselves to being stuck and wallowing in self pity.
"Be brave young lovers and follow your heart." 2014.....let's get it on!
Thursday, December 12, 2013
Repost of My Favorite Christmas Carols
Do you have some favorite Christmas carols? I know I do....it's a great time of year. There are classic ones, hilarious ones, cute ones.....
There are 3 all time favorites that I like......Ave Maria, O Holy Night and Mary Did You Know.....
I hope that I can find them on YouTube....
There are 3 all time favorites that I like......Ave Maria, O Holy Night and Mary Did You Know.....
I hope that I can find them on YouTube....
Andy Williams does a great rendition of Ave Maria by Schubert. His vocal style is so sweet and soft....not strained....and very melodious. I have heard several different versions of this song, but this is my favorite. Ave Maria means Hail Mary in Latin. Don't you just love the wonderful works of art of the Blessed Virgin Mary!
O Holy Night....when I hear this song I remember my elementary school days when we practiced singing Christmas carols for our parents. This was one that we did and there was a student in my class that had a beautiful voice that sang the lead and we all provided back up. I don't remember the name of my classmate, but it was the first time that I had heard this song..and it was sung so beautifully!
I know that there is another singer that has a better rendition, I want to say Harry Connick, Jr.....but I could be wrong and alas....YouTube had limited selections. Josh Groban does a great job singing this song because his voice is just so wonderful....he could sing Baa Baa Black Sheep and make me swoon!
Here is what I believe should be a classic....Clay Aiken sings this song which became a huge hit for him. The words are so captivating and simple, yet speaks volumes! Mary Did You Know.....
Now here are some wacky hilarious ones that just stick in your mind....again....I hope that YouTube has captured them....
Yep....Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer is fun to sing...especially if you add the twang in this hillbilly ditty.
Oh...the Hawaiians are not to be outdone....YouTube don't fail me now.
Frank DeLima is a local comedian. If you get the chance to see him live....don't miss the opportunity. He is too funny! He makes fun out of all the nationalities. What you just saw is his take on the Filipinos. When Shirley and I saw him in Hawaii at the Noodle Shop many many years ago, he singled us out because he told us our eyes were so slanted we could see through closed venetian blinds. We laughed so hard we almost "peed our pants!" I especially loved his rendition of Tina Turner's Proud Mary. I couldn't find that one....but I did find another one that you will like Adullah Fataai, a Samoan football player.
Oops....I'm digressing.....back to the work at hand! Cute Christmas carols.....well there's Alvin and the Chipmunks singing Christmas Time is Here.
I also liked the Hawaiian pidgin version of the Twelve Days of Christmas. It is called Numbah One Day of Christmas.....it was written by Ed Kenney, Eaton "Bob" Magoo, Jr., and Gordon Phelps. Sadly, I couldn't find a good version of this on YouTube, but I can remember the words to the Hawaiian version and not the English version.
Well...I hope that you enjoyed my selections of Christmas carols. To all of you out there....have a great holiday. As we Hawaiians say.....Mele Kalikimaka and Hauoli Makahiki Hou....if I haven't screwed it up...it means Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Oops....back up....rewind....there is yet another Christmas carol that I love....it is a duet featuring Bing Crosby and David Bowie.......singing a combination of Little Drummer Boy and Peace on Earth.
Merry Christmas to all....and to all a good night!
Here is what I believe should be a classic....Clay Aiken sings this song which became a huge hit for him. The words are so captivating and simple, yet speaks volumes! Mary Did You Know.....
Now here are some wacky hilarious ones that just stick in your mind....again....I hope that YouTube has captured them....
Yep....Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer is fun to sing...especially if you add the twang in this hillbilly ditty.
Oh...the Hawaiians are not to be outdone....YouTube don't fail me now.
Frank DeLima is a local comedian. If you get the chance to see him live....don't miss the opportunity. He is too funny! He makes fun out of all the nationalities. What you just saw is his take on the Filipinos. When Shirley and I saw him in Hawaii at the Noodle Shop many many years ago, he singled us out because he told us our eyes were so slanted we could see through closed venetian blinds. We laughed so hard we almost "peed our pants!" I especially loved his rendition of Tina Turner's Proud Mary. I couldn't find that one....but I did find another one that you will like Adullah Fataai, a Samoan football player.
Oops....I'm digressing.....back to the work at hand! Cute Christmas carols.....well there's Alvin and the Chipmunks singing Christmas Time is Here.
I also liked the Hawaiian pidgin version of the Twelve Days of Christmas. It is called Numbah One Day of Christmas.....it was written by Ed Kenney, Eaton "Bob" Magoo, Jr., and Gordon Phelps. Sadly, I couldn't find a good version of this on YouTube, but I can remember the words to the Hawaiian version and not the English version.
Well...I hope that you enjoyed my selections of Christmas carols. To all of you out there....have a great holiday. As we Hawaiians say.....Mele Kalikimaka and Hauoli Makahiki Hou....if I haven't screwed it up...it means Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Oops....back up....rewind....there is yet another Christmas carol that I love....it is a duet featuring Bing Crosby and David Bowie.......singing a combination of Little Drummer Boy and Peace on Earth.
Merry Christmas to all....and to all a good night!
Sunday, December 8, 2013
Antique Shopping
During my recent trip to Santa Cruz, California over the Thanksgiving weekend, my grandson Chris and I went to a few antique shops.
Let me first say this and get it out of the way.....You really get a sense of how old you've gotten when you find a lot of things that you remember seeing in your home when you were growing up, that are now being labeled as "antiques."
Our first stop was at Edward and Sons Antiques on Soquel Drive. We got quite a bit of a history lesson from the proprietor. Now this shop is definitely NOT a "trash to treasure" establishment like so many others are. I recognized 2 religious icons there, similar to what I've studied in Art History.
In my Art History class, I was intrigued by the following icon:
Let me first say this and get it out of the way.....You really get a sense of how old you've gotten when you find a lot of things that you remember seeing in your home when you were growing up, that are now being labeled as "antiques."
Our first stop was at Edward and Sons Antiques on Soquel Drive. We got quite a bit of a history lesson from the proprietor. Now this shop is definitely NOT a "trash to treasure" establishment like so many others are. I recognized 2 religious icons there, similar to what I've studied in Art History.
In my Art History class, I was intrigued by the following icon:
This icon is called Christ Pantocrator. It is an encaustic painting, or hot wax painting using beeswax with colored pigments then applied on wood. This particular piece can be found in St. Catherine's Monastery in Mount Sinai. It was one of the first images of Christ and is one of the most widely used images of Orthodox Christianity.
You will note that the image represents Christ's two natures. The left side represents Jesus, the man fully human, with his right hand raised in blessing. The right side of this icon represents God. He is holding a bible with the cross on it which usually signified the Gospels. The Gospels told of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth, ergo, the right side of the icon is God, the spiritual being.
Anyway, getting back to this antique shop, we also saw some early wedge wood pottery, some unusual pieces of jade and many other wonderful items.
Our next stop was a more typical antique store filled with trash to treasure items. Chris got to try out the dial phone, he saw some dishes that we used as dinner plates.....oh and the most prized item was a similar fur piece my mother insisted I wear to my junior prom in high school. While other girls were wearing shawls, my mother had me in a white fur piece and also had my dress special made of pink satin and white lace. Quite frankly I was embarrassed to be so "over dressed" and felt dowdy looking to boot.
Don't even get me started on the senior prom gown......
Thursday, November 21, 2013
Landfill Harmonic
The message is clear.....Recycle and most importantly......Don't Throw Away People.
When that boy said that in this video....it made me stop to think. What other treasures are we overlooking in this world?
Let's take the time to ponder on that and see how each of us can turn trash to treasure.
Wednesday, November 6, 2013
Awesome Video
My cousin Paul in Hawaii shared this awesome video. As a musician, he always has some great music that he shares with his friends on Facebook.
Thanks, Paul!
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=607440422633178
I hope you all enjoy it as much as I did!
There is a deeper meaning that I found in this video....other than the music and the performance. Hope you find it too!
Okay....my daughter in Hawaii sent me the original cups song - now I know what the words are in English.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmSbXsFE3l8
Thanks, Paul!
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=607440422633178
I hope you all enjoy it as much as I did!
There is a deeper meaning that I found in this video....other than the music and the performance. Hope you find it too!
Okay....my daughter in Hawaii sent me the original cups song - now I know what the words are in English.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmSbXsFE3l8
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
Discovering the Magnificence of You
Imagine going to a "get together" to discover the magnificence of me.....
There were 12 of us present and 2 via Skype. I knew 3 people. The host DeAnn, my friend John and my fun buddy Maureen, the Reiki Master and Intuit.
Several things became very clear to me as the evening progressed. Several people shared their personal stories and for the most part, I realized that I had been in their shoes at one time, for a very long time. But I felt that it was no longer my story. I have matured a lot of these paradigms over the years through knowledge gathering, self-reflection, journaling and messages I've received from the universe.
As I was listening, I truly felt as though there were many doors that I have closed on a lot of my past stories and felt as though I am now on a higher plane of consciousness. Never in my lifetime have I ever experienced this.
Without realizing, I found myself sensing another person's being-ness. It came up during the intuit portion of the night. When this person walked through the front door before the session began, I felt as though he had a beautiful soul. It was like an immediate flash and it was gone. But as he shared his story, I was amazed because he exuded lovingness to everyone.....but not to himself.
WOW....Huge lesson.....and realization of how far I've progressed and how much closer I am to my current destination. I say current destination because there are many more roads I want to traverse.
I can feel myself being joyful about trying out my new "toy" in life. This toy that I refer to is the power to use my intuition and expanding and trusting and maneuvering through this life. I'm excited about the possibilities before me and the knowing that there are fun things ahead.
I'm so excited!....I'm so excited!.....I'm so excited!
Magnificence is within me......and always has been!
There were 12 of us present and 2 via Skype. I knew 3 people. The host DeAnn, my friend John and my fun buddy Maureen, the Reiki Master and Intuit.
Several things became very clear to me as the evening progressed. Several people shared their personal stories and for the most part, I realized that I had been in their shoes at one time, for a very long time. But I felt that it was no longer my story. I have matured a lot of these paradigms over the years through knowledge gathering, self-reflection, journaling and messages I've received from the universe.
As I was listening, I truly felt as though there were many doors that I have closed on a lot of my past stories and felt as though I am now on a higher plane of consciousness. Never in my lifetime have I ever experienced this.
Without realizing, I found myself sensing another person's being-ness. It came up during the intuit portion of the night. When this person walked through the front door before the session began, I felt as though he had a beautiful soul. It was like an immediate flash and it was gone. But as he shared his story, I was amazed because he exuded lovingness to everyone.....but not to himself.
WOW....Huge lesson.....and realization of how far I've progressed and how much closer I am to my current destination. I say current destination because there are many more roads I want to traverse.
I can feel myself being joyful about trying out my new "toy" in life. This toy that I refer to is the power to use my intuition and expanding and trusting and maneuvering through this life. I'm excited about the possibilities before me and the knowing that there are fun things ahead.
I'm so excited!....I'm so excited!.....I'm so excited!
Magnificence is within me......and always has been!
Sunday, October 13, 2013
The Michael Jackson Cirque du Soleil Show is FABULOUS!!!
The performance was sold out and at the end there was a standing ovation!!! It is definitely worth the sticker price! A bit of a shock.....but nevertheless well worth it.
We were rocking and rolling in our seats. The Cirque du Soleil definitely added their well known creativity to the already creative genius of Michael Jackson.
Without spoiling the show for you....if you come to Las Vegas, it is a show that you just can't miss!
We were a group of 13 people and everyone enjoyed it so much. One woman in our party came with her oxygen tank and she enjoyed it too.
We looked to the side of us and Kimo and Rocky were moving to the beat in their seats! We all had so much fun.
After the show we met up at the Orleans and several of us ordered the saimin or wor wonton dish and we were quite surprised. It had jumbo shrimps, mustard cabbage, fish cake and mine had a huge piece of grilled chicken. Everyone was surprised. Kimo and his brothers ordered the wor wonton min and they ate it all up!
The guys shared their childhood stories and we laughed so much....you just had to be there. After we were done we said our goodbyes several times with kissing and hugging. What a great bunch and they are really full of the Aloha Spirit for everyone.
It's no wonder that I just love when they blow into town. I am so blessed!
The following song was not a part of the show....but it is one of my favorites. I hope that the video message touches you as it does me....Heal the World.
We were rocking and rolling in our seats. The Cirque du Soleil definitely added their well known creativity to the already creative genius of Michael Jackson.
Without spoiling the show for you....if you come to Las Vegas, it is a show that you just can't miss!
We were a group of 13 people and everyone enjoyed it so much. One woman in our party came with her oxygen tank and she enjoyed it too.
We looked to the side of us and Kimo and Rocky were moving to the beat in their seats! We all had so much fun.
After the show we met up at the Orleans and several of us ordered the saimin or wor wonton dish and we were quite surprised. It had jumbo shrimps, mustard cabbage, fish cake and mine had a huge piece of grilled chicken. Everyone was surprised. Kimo and his brothers ordered the wor wonton min and they ate it all up!
The guys shared their childhood stories and we laughed so much....you just had to be there. After we were done we said our goodbyes several times with kissing and hugging. What a great bunch and they are really full of the Aloha Spirit for everyone.
It's no wonder that I just love when they blow into town. I am so blessed!
The following song was not a part of the show....but it is one of my favorites. I hope that the video message touches you as it does me....Heal the World.
The Cousins are Back in Town
Do you remember the song "The Boys are Back in Town" by Thin Lizzy? Well....my cousins are back in Las Vegas. This time it is a sort of re-union with their sisters and brothers. Even their friends follow them because we all have such a great time! Now my memory is so bad, I never remember their friend's names. I do however, recognize their faces and they recognize me in the same way too. They are so much fun to be around!
They blew into town last Wednesday and will be leaving this coming Wednesday. I caught up with them on Thursday evening. We all sat in their hotel room reminiscing about old times. I am the oldest and then comes Rocky, Sandra (she never comes....hates to travel), Stacey, Stan and Paul. Rocky's husband, Kimo, is like the patriarch of the family and what a guy. He is loving, giving, caring and super funny! Stacey's son Kea is here too. Mana, Rocky's son, is a local here just like me.
Well on Friday night after I got off work, all of us met at the M Hotel for their fabulous seafood buffet and free booze dinner. We were a party of 20 people....what an experience. Since I arrived early, I alerted the cashier that we were a huge party. Paul came next and he had the job to corral everyone off of the slot machines and table games. Thank god for cell phones! Everyone started trickling in. Kimo took charge and made an executive decision for Paul to put the dinner on his credit card. Paul looked astonished, but bless his heart he "stepped up to the plate." Kimo then handed him all the cash and tip he collected from everyone.
Local style, we always hug and kiss each other. Now granted, the group was so huge because their friends from Hawaii joined us. The buffet staff members that are originally from Hawaii, greet us with an immediate feeling of camaraderie. That is the beauty of the "Aloha Spirit."
We went through the buffet that seemed never ending. Two plates later I still hadn't gone through all the stations of food selections. This buffet was so huge, I had a hard time finding my way back to the table! We laughed, we ate, we drank, and ate, and drank......
The next morning, Rocky, Stacey, Kimo, Stan and I went for an hour massage. Rocky and Stacey wimped out and chose women masseuses....not me! Having a man massage my feet and body for an entire hour? Such bliss.....Silly me!!!
Kimo and Stan felt so good that they are adding getting a massage to their list of things to do the next time they are in town! Oh wait.....they are coming back next month!!! The guys golf at least 2 times in the week they are here...but this time it is more like 3. They take the girls shopping and to the movies too. The girls don't gamble so we hang out and talk for hours on end!
So this is what we did yesterday. After the massage we take Mana and Kea to Chinatown to pick up poke' (Hawaiian style marinated raw fish) and beer with ice and coolers. We drop them off at the UNLV stadium for their tailgate party prior to the UNLV/Hawaii game. Rocky, Kimo, Stan, and Mana's three year old son, and I head out to In 'N Out for burgers and fries. Kimo orders a #1 animal animal....WTF? There's no such thing on the menu! I find out that it is the following items added to the burger and over the fries....melted cheese, sautéed onions and their special sauce. Kimo also got us some chili peppers! After eating, we head back to the hotel. Stacey and I chat in her room. We cried talking together...about her life after the death of her husband.
Next thing...I find myself headed to the Catholic church near the Golden Nugget downtown. OMG....I haven't been to church for 35 years! WTF....WTF? Would you believe the church was packed? Rocky, Stacey and I are rummaging through our purses for money for the collection basket. We are laughing because Stacey and I are looking for small bills rather than putting in the $20 bills! Rocky was so smug to point it out to us....we chuckled! Now the girls had been laughing at me because I always valet my car and give a dollar tip. Rocky said that I should give a minimum of $3....her reasoning? $1 (too cheap), $2 (bad luck)....ah $3 (just right).....WTF....WTF....WTF? Wait here comes the funny part...We were about 5 minutes late and Rocky and Stacey hurried into church while this "unbeliever who strayed from the church years ago" frantically finds a parking garage. $6 to park for an hour! Bleep Bleep Bleep!!! After the service was over we go back to pay at the machine so that we can get the ticket validated and get out of the garage. Both machines are not working. I have these visions of us not being able to get the car out and us being stranded in the seedier side of town. Long story short....we get the danged ticket validated and it turns out to be only $2.....Hallelujah, Hallelujah.......Hallelujah....a miracle has happened! Oh wait is it bad luck according to Rocky's reasoning? Nah....I don't believe that hokey stuff.
We go back to their hotel room at the Orleans to meet up with the guys, then jump in the van to go back downtown for dinner at the California Hotel - Aloha Specialties restaurant. It is full of locals watching the last 5 minutes of the football game. We hurried to order our food. I ordered the Beef Stew with extra gravy (aka "sloppy"), Rocky orders the hamburger steak...there's extra spam musubis and the huge meals that the guys ordered. Kimo treats us to dinner. More friends find us sitting and come back to say hello. After dinner....Paul gives me the great news that he and his partner of 11 years, are going to be married! WOW! How wonderful!!! Paul is a full time pilot in the Air National Guard and is also a part-time musician in the world renowned group called the Sons of Hawaii. He plays the steel guitar, an instrument that is slowly becoming extinct in Hawaiian music. He has played and travelled around the world with such greats like Genoa Keawe. She was known for her sweet falsetto voice during the singing of my favorite song of hers, Alika. It is just amazing how long she can hold her breath on the word Alika in the second to the last verse. Here she is.....
I've watched Paul perform this song and he does a magnificent job of it!
After that we head back to the Orleans and Mana's son while running down the hallway bangs his head just above his eye and it starts bleeding and he starts crying. We rush him to the room and Kimo and Rocky doctor him up and bathe him.
By then I am in need of another massage! I am just wiped out and head home (about 3 blocks away). Rocky always wants me to call when I get back home so that she won't worry about me....ahhh what a sweet person she is!
Tonight we are going to see the Michael Jackson Cirque du Soleil performance at the Mandalay Hotel. I told them that I would "be in Korea" and catch up with them at 5:30pm......just have to get some R&R time in order to keep up with this bunch!
They blew into town last Wednesday and will be leaving this coming Wednesday. I caught up with them on Thursday evening. We all sat in their hotel room reminiscing about old times. I am the oldest and then comes Rocky, Sandra (she never comes....hates to travel), Stacey, Stan and Paul. Rocky's husband, Kimo, is like the patriarch of the family and what a guy. He is loving, giving, caring and super funny! Stacey's son Kea is here too. Mana, Rocky's son, is a local here just like me.
Well on Friday night after I got off work, all of us met at the M Hotel for their fabulous seafood buffet and free booze dinner. We were a party of 20 people....what an experience. Since I arrived early, I alerted the cashier that we were a huge party. Paul came next and he had the job to corral everyone off of the slot machines and table games. Thank god for cell phones! Everyone started trickling in. Kimo took charge and made an executive decision for Paul to put the dinner on his credit card. Paul looked astonished, but bless his heart he "stepped up to the plate." Kimo then handed him all the cash and tip he collected from everyone.
Local style, we always hug and kiss each other. Now granted, the group was so huge because their friends from Hawaii joined us. The buffet staff members that are originally from Hawaii, greet us with an immediate feeling of camaraderie. That is the beauty of the "Aloha Spirit."
We went through the buffet that seemed never ending. Two plates later I still hadn't gone through all the stations of food selections. This buffet was so huge, I had a hard time finding my way back to the table! We laughed, we ate, we drank, and ate, and drank......
The next morning, Rocky, Stacey, Kimo, Stan and I went for an hour massage. Rocky and Stacey wimped out and chose women masseuses....not me! Having a man massage my feet and body for an entire hour? Such bliss.....Silly me!!!
Kimo and Stan felt so good that they are adding getting a massage to their list of things to do the next time they are in town! Oh wait.....they are coming back next month!!! The guys golf at least 2 times in the week they are here...but this time it is more like 3. They take the girls shopping and to the movies too. The girls don't gamble so we hang out and talk for hours on end!
So this is what we did yesterday. After the massage we take Mana and Kea to Chinatown to pick up poke' (Hawaiian style marinated raw fish) and beer with ice and coolers. We drop them off at the UNLV stadium for their tailgate party prior to the UNLV/Hawaii game. Rocky, Kimo, Stan, and Mana's three year old son, and I head out to In 'N Out for burgers and fries. Kimo orders a #1 animal animal....WTF? There's no such thing on the menu! I find out that it is the following items added to the burger and over the fries....melted cheese, sautéed onions and their special sauce. Kimo also got us some chili peppers! After eating, we head back to the hotel. Stacey and I chat in her room. We cried talking together...about her life after the death of her husband.
Next thing...I find myself headed to the Catholic church near the Golden Nugget downtown. OMG....I haven't been to church for 35 years! WTF....WTF? Would you believe the church was packed? Rocky, Stacey and I are rummaging through our purses for money for the collection basket. We are laughing because Stacey and I are looking for small bills rather than putting in the $20 bills! Rocky was so smug to point it out to us....we chuckled! Now the girls had been laughing at me because I always valet my car and give a dollar tip. Rocky said that I should give a minimum of $3....her reasoning? $1 (too cheap), $2 (bad luck)....ah $3 (just right).....WTF....WTF....WTF? Wait here comes the funny part...We were about 5 minutes late and Rocky and Stacey hurried into church while this "unbeliever who strayed from the church years ago" frantically finds a parking garage. $6 to park for an hour! Bleep Bleep Bleep!!! After the service was over we go back to pay at the machine so that we can get the ticket validated and get out of the garage. Both machines are not working. I have these visions of us not being able to get the car out and us being stranded in the seedier side of town. Long story short....we get the danged ticket validated and it turns out to be only $2.....Hallelujah, Hallelujah.......Hallelujah....a miracle has happened! Oh wait is it bad luck according to Rocky's reasoning? Nah....I don't believe that hokey stuff.
We go back to their hotel room at the Orleans to meet up with the guys, then jump in the van to go back downtown for dinner at the California Hotel - Aloha Specialties restaurant. It is full of locals watching the last 5 minutes of the football game. We hurried to order our food. I ordered the Beef Stew with extra gravy (aka "sloppy"), Rocky orders the hamburger steak...there's extra spam musubis and the huge meals that the guys ordered. Kimo treats us to dinner. More friends find us sitting and come back to say hello. After dinner....Paul gives me the great news that he and his partner of 11 years, are going to be married! WOW! How wonderful!!! Paul is a full time pilot in the Air National Guard and is also a part-time musician in the world renowned group called the Sons of Hawaii. He plays the steel guitar, an instrument that is slowly becoming extinct in Hawaiian music. He has played and travelled around the world with such greats like Genoa Keawe. She was known for her sweet falsetto voice during the singing of my favorite song of hers, Alika. It is just amazing how long she can hold her breath on the word Alika in the second to the last verse. Here she is.....
I've watched Paul perform this song and he does a magnificent job of it!
After that we head back to the Orleans and Mana's son while running down the hallway bangs his head just above his eye and it starts bleeding and he starts crying. We rush him to the room and Kimo and Rocky doctor him up and bathe him.
By then I am in need of another massage! I am just wiped out and head home (about 3 blocks away). Rocky always wants me to call when I get back home so that she won't worry about me....ahhh what a sweet person she is!
Tonight we are going to see the Michael Jackson Cirque du Soleil performance at the Mandalay Hotel. I told them that I would "be in Korea" and catch up with them at 5:30pm......just have to get some R&R time in order to keep up with this bunch!
Friday, October 4, 2013
Halloween
What do you remember about Halloween? As a kid, this was one of my favorite holidays. Going from house to house and getting candies. Back then we roamed all over the neighborhood. Our parents didn't have to escort us. We would get bags and bags of candy and the best part was exchanging candies with friends in school.
Of course there was the costume and the masks....you had to have a mask. Disney was the inspiration. There were very few "walking dead" kids or murdered zombies with knives in the back or in the head and dripping blood. Everything was so much more innocent. We went to peoples homes and bobbed for apples.
Adults joined in the fun by decorating their homes or dressing up to distribute candies. Not any more. What has this world become that our children can't even go Trick or Treating?
Well...I wanted to go back to the past to check out some old friends.....
How about this next one...do you remember?
Wow....these were classics!
Of course there was the costume and the masks....you had to have a mask. Disney was the inspiration. There were very few "walking dead" kids or murdered zombies with knives in the back or in the head and dripping blood. Everything was so much more innocent. We went to peoples homes and bobbed for apples.
Adults joined in the fun by decorating their homes or dressing up to distribute candies. Not any more. What has this world become that our children can't even go Trick or Treating?
Well...I wanted to go back to the past to check out some old friends.....
How about this next one...do you remember?
Wow....these were classics!
Have a really ghoulish Halloween everyone!!
Monday, September 16, 2013
Greatest Love of All
With school back in session and our kids are meeting new friends and teachers....I wish to dedicate the following video to reminds us all about the greatest gift of all.....
Our children....may they go into the world believing in and loving themselves!!!
Thursday, August 29, 2013
Long Weekend Ahead
A three day weekend ahead....
Although I hemmed and hawed about driving for about a total of 16 hours, it will be great to see my grandson Chris.
He and his dad will be celebrating their birthdays next month, so I decided to take them out for sushi. Now mind you, there are some crazy names for these sushi places in Santa Cruz....but one cannot deny the good tasting food.
There is Pink Godzilla....they have a sushi bar and what I believe is called tatami rooms. These are shoji door enclosed rooms where you sit on the tatami mat and under the table there is a hole in the floor - a place to dangle your legs. If memory serves me right, the exterior of the restaurant is painted pink...DAH!
My personal favorite is Rumble Fish in Scotts Valley. They also have a sushi bar and bento box meals, along with Udon or Ramen (for lack of a better name that has escaped my mind) noodles. I love the Tempura - both Shrimp and vegetables. Their Tempura is perfect...not too doughy.
Having said that, my son-in-law prefers a more authentic Japanese style restaurant. It is very small and always crowded. Again, my memory is "out to lunch," because for the life of me I can't seem to remember the name of this restaurant.
Speaking about Tempura (notice the sly segue), here in Las Vegas, I love Makinos. They make a parsley Tempura that is quite good.
Anyway....back to the 3 day weekend. I've spent the last 2 days in preparation. First, I had to track down a cord for my IPOD that has a special auxiliary spot in my new car. I went to Best Buy - they didn't know what I was talking about. I showed them the picture. They sent me to Fry's - the salesperson recommended that I use the adapter to work the IPOD through the radio station.
Now if you have ever gone on a long drive....you know that you have to constantly change the radio station to avoid the static noises or style of music, and to pick up the current city's signal....this solution defeats the purpose.
I went to the Apple Store and they had no clue what I was talking about! HELLO.....you guys designed this "puppy"!
OK....now I'm getting determined.....how about the Toyota parts department? They must have it!
WRONG! They actually sent me to a Scion dealership across town. They contacted that dealer and reserved it for me and they agreed to honor the price to match the cost from Toyota. When I get there, I learned that they were hoping that I wouldn't show up because now they have to find this cord in the section of warehouse that has parts that are being returned to the factory.
A hundred and five dollars later....I have purchased a cord for my IPOD! YIKES!!! Now this baby is unique because it has covers for those parts of this cord that goes into the IPOD and the auxiliary covered receptacle. AWESOME....on my radio screen the names of the artists appear. Now mind you, I should keep up with the latest in technology...because it is so much easier than trying to change selections from the IPOD while driving. I am in heaven!
Now all that is left is to pack. I've got a list a mile long of things I need to take. You really don't realize how many items you need just to get yourself ready. Now I can see if I was going to be gone for a month....but let's be realistic! I am going to arrive around lunch time on Saturday and I have to cram time in with visiting then it's back on the road on Monday by lunch time in order to get back home so that I can get to bed and be "bright eyed and bushy tailed" for work on Tuesday.
Am I crazy? Yes, OMG....yes .....love for and from the grandkids.....that is sheer heaven!
Have a great weekend everyone......be safe and may you be surrounded by the love of family!
Although I hemmed and hawed about driving for about a total of 16 hours, it will be great to see my grandson Chris.
He and his dad will be celebrating their birthdays next month, so I decided to take them out for sushi. Now mind you, there are some crazy names for these sushi places in Santa Cruz....but one cannot deny the good tasting food.
There is Pink Godzilla....they have a sushi bar and what I believe is called tatami rooms. These are shoji door enclosed rooms where you sit on the tatami mat and under the table there is a hole in the floor - a place to dangle your legs. If memory serves me right, the exterior of the restaurant is painted pink...DAH!
My personal favorite is Rumble Fish in Scotts Valley. They also have a sushi bar and bento box meals, along with Udon or Ramen (for lack of a better name that has escaped my mind) noodles. I love the Tempura - both Shrimp and vegetables. Their Tempura is perfect...not too doughy.
Having said that, my son-in-law prefers a more authentic Japanese style restaurant. It is very small and always crowded. Again, my memory is "out to lunch," because for the life of me I can't seem to remember the name of this restaurant.
Speaking about Tempura (notice the sly segue), here in Las Vegas, I love Makinos. They make a parsley Tempura that is quite good.
Anyway....back to the 3 day weekend. I've spent the last 2 days in preparation. First, I had to track down a cord for my IPOD that has a special auxiliary spot in my new car. I went to Best Buy - they didn't know what I was talking about. I showed them the picture. They sent me to Fry's - the salesperson recommended that I use the adapter to work the IPOD through the radio station.
Now if you have ever gone on a long drive....you know that you have to constantly change the radio station to avoid the static noises or style of music, and to pick up the current city's signal....this solution defeats the purpose.
I went to the Apple Store and they had no clue what I was talking about! HELLO.....you guys designed this "puppy"!
OK....now I'm getting determined.....how about the Toyota parts department? They must have it!
WRONG! They actually sent me to a Scion dealership across town. They contacted that dealer and reserved it for me and they agreed to honor the price to match the cost from Toyota. When I get there, I learned that they were hoping that I wouldn't show up because now they have to find this cord in the section of warehouse that has parts that are being returned to the factory.
A hundred and five dollars later....I have purchased a cord for my IPOD! YIKES!!! Now this baby is unique because it has covers for those parts of this cord that goes into the IPOD and the auxiliary covered receptacle. AWESOME....on my radio screen the names of the artists appear. Now mind you, I should keep up with the latest in technology...because it is so much easier than trying to change selections from the IPOD while driving. I am in heaven!
Now all that is left is to pack. I've got a list a mile long of things I need to take. You really don't realize how many items you need just to get yourself ready. Now I can see if I was going to be gone for a month....but let's be realistic! I am going to arrive around lunch time on Saturday and I have to cram time in with visiting then it's back on the road on Monday by lunch time in order to get back home so that I can get to bed and be "bright eyed and bushy tailed" for work on Tuesday.
Am I crazy? Yes, OMG....yes .....love for and from the grandkids.....that is sheer heaven!
Have a great weekend everyone......be safe and may you be surrounded by the love of family!
Wednesday, July 24, 2013
"Life is a Verb"
I've just begun reading a book called "Life is a Verb" by Patti Digh. There is a saying that goes "never judge a book by its cover." We understand this to mean....don't judge a person by looks alone. This is sort of a positive connotation to a negative viewpoint.
In this particular instance I have to beg to differ about that saying. Usually when I choose a book I first become attracted to the cover. Of course you can always find me in the self help section of the bookstore. This is not about wanting to fix myself...but rather to get answers about why we think the way we do.
"37 days to wake up, be mindful, and live intentionally." That is also on the cover. When you open the book it has wide margins....places where the author encourages you to write notes. She calls it conversing with the author. Already I am in love. This is a book I will treasure. This book is so beautiful, how could I think of defacing it with notes in the margins? In grade school we were taught....no brainwashed..... into thinking that this act would be damaging school property. So this is something to ponder on. Now I'm torn between defacing school property and conversing with the author. Such a colossal dilemma! Going to have to "noodle" on that a bit.
At work we have a half hour for lunch and usually I use that time to read. But this is not that kind of book. This book is more of a "take the time, sit down and savor the great mysteries of life" kind of book.
Now....here is where I get stuck. When something is too good. I want to save it for when I can devote time to really delve into it with everything I've got. Well, guess what? That time never happens. It never comes.
Yet another thing to take a look at. It makes me feel like Scarlett O'Hara in "Gone With the Wind." Tomorrow is another day!
OMG am I doomed to just read "quickie" books? No....don't go there. You can do this....you can do this! Gosh....it feels like a scene from a story about a first date.
Will keep you posted about how the date went, whether it never got out of the gate or whether it crossed the finish line!
In this particular instance I have to beg to differ about that saying. Usually when I choose a book I first become attracted to the cover. Of course you can always find me in the self help section of the bookstore. This is not about wanting to fix myself...but rather to get answers about why we think the way we do.
"37 days to wake up, be mindful, and live intentionally." That is also on the cover. When you open the book it has wide margins....places where the author encourages you to write notes. She calls it conversing with the author. Already I am in love. This is a book I will treasure. This book is so beautiful, how could I think of defacing it with notes in the margins? In grade school we were taught....no brainwashed..... into thinking that this act would be damaging school property. So this is something to ponder on. Now I'm torn between defacing school property and conversing with the author. Such a colossal dilemma! Going to have to "noodle" on that a bit.
At work we have a half hour for lunch and usually I use that time to read. But this is not that kind of book. This book is more of a "take the time, sit down and savor the great mysteries of life" kind of book.
Now....here is where I get stuck. When something is too good. I want to save it for when I can devote time to really delve into it with everything I've got. Well, guess what? That time never happens. It never comes.
Yet another thing to take a look at. It makes me feel like Scarlett O'Hara in "Gone With the Wind." Tomorrow is another day!
OMG am I doomed to just read "quickie" books? No....don't go there. You can do this....you can do this! Gosh....it feels like a scene from a story about a first date.
Will keep you posted about how the date went, whether it never got out of the gate or whether it crossed the finish line!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)