Wednesday, December 29, 2010

A Farewell

Dear Nani,

Today you will don some angel wings, cast off your physical body, and take off into the great unknown. I'm so happy to have known you and to have shared this earthly existence together as 1st cousins. After such a long struggle, your battle with cancer is done and you can take to the skies.

Give our grandmother and grandfather a great big hug for me. I look forward to the day that I will see you again in immortal perfection and having achieved the full measure of your creation.

I love you Zanetta and wish you peace on your journey and a fullness of joy.

With All My Love,
Your Cousin!


Me in the bottom left corner, she in the top-right corner.

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Day 18: My Favorite Birthday

The more I age, the more I feel like my birthday is just another day. Not that I feel that my life is not worth celebrating but more that I don't wait for my birthday to do something nice. I feel like life should be lived every single day like it's the last moment. When I take that approach to life, I find that the little things don't seem to bother me as much -- like how my husband removes his dirty socks and leaves it in the middle of the room. I wish I could have practiced that type of mindset when I was going through all those changes that my husband was putting me through. But I digress.

I don't think I have a favorite birthday. I can say that I remember most of the parties I've had though. If I did have to choose just one though, it would probably be my 16th birthday. August 4th, 1991. I didn't have a huge birthday party. In fact, that year I didn't have a party at all. Summertime birthdays can be the pits since a lot of the time none of my friends ever remembered it. At least in high school, that's how it was. My mother let me sleep in that day. That was a rare occasion. She NEVER let me sleep in. I always had some chore to tend to whether it was making breakfast for my grandmothers or cleaning some part of the house, my mother had tons of chores for me to do.

Anyway -- by noon of my 16th birthday I had managed to get the keys to my mother's van as well as permission to go to the mall -- all by myself. Since I live way out in the country, going to the mall with the family car, all by myself was HUGE! I felt so independent. They gave me a hundred dollars and said I could do whatever I wanted with it. I ended up at Pearlridge Mall which is about an hour away from home. I bought a poster of L.L. Cool J (major crush)!! I bought Gladys Knight's Greatest Hits CD and called it day. What I loved the most is the freedom and the independence. I felt so very free!

That started the trend, for me, of treating myself on my birthday. Sometimes. Most times. I prefer to do absolutely nothing on my birthday. Social ties usually do not allow for it thus... I have a birth-week rather than a birth-day. This past birthday is an example of a birth-week.

So like I said... as I age... I don't wait for my birthday to treat myself. I do what I want, whenever I want because I deserve it. So do you!

Monday, December 13, 2010

My Japan in PICTURES

The Rail Map... could not figure this one out. Husband spoke to the woman at the desk and said, "Tokyo". She came out, led us to the electronic machine. Put our money in it and placed us on our path. Domo Arigato!

Love all the buildings and lights in Shibuya.

Gorgeous!

I just love how everything looks. I wonder if these balls of light are traditional?!

Husband bout to get his eat on. This is the best tonkatsu I have ever eaten. Yumm!!

Me on the free shuttle. So grateful for the shuttles everywhere!

I think this is my favorite shot of all the pictures I took in Shibuya. I think it's the almost monotone quality of this picture.

Awesome!

Shibuya's crazy center square. All intersections -- red light and all pedestrians get the green light.

Love the colorful vending machines everwhere!

Traditional peoples in the middle of Shibuya! Oxymoron.

More of the lights.

Everything is so colorful in Japan.

I love to see all the characters around town.

Saturday, December 11, 2010

Day 1: Narita, Japan

Arrived in Narita, Japan on Saturday afternoon. We left early Friday morning so we sacrificed an entire day because of the time zone changes. The good thing is that when we leave here on Monday, 730PM, we arrive in Honolulu on Monday, 630AM. Isn't that funny?! So, we get two Mondays.

First, let me comment on the flight to Japan. Husband and I copped seats in Business Elite. That is NOT First Class. It's better than First Class on Domestic Flights. Here are all the reasons:
  • The seats lay flat. Yes -- I repeat -- the seats lay flat and extends out from beneath to support your legs.
  • All movies, games, and music are on-demand
  • Delta provides you with slippers to wear, noise-cancelling ear phones, a small toiletries bag, a standard size, down feather pillow, and a full-size comforter.
  • They served two full meals with real silverware and glassware. 
  • The first meal was complete with an appetizers course, main course, and a dessert course
  • The second meal was a "pre-arrival" meal. It was breakfast. A very delicious breakfast.
Nearly everything here is done in Japanese and English (at least at the airport and the hotel shuttle). The language barrier is not too harsh. I wish I could post the pictures I took with my Blackberry but I'm not paying the international roaming charges on my phone. 

Tomorrow, I will definitely have my camera to capture all the beauty that I will find in Narita and Tokyo. I will post a few here and the bulk of it on Facebook.

The hotel we're at is OUTSTANDING and great for the price we got it for. The universe is truly abundant!

Thursday, December 09, 2010

Envision Laie.... Running Out of Inventory


I've been putting off doing this post for a couple days because it takes so much energy for me to "gather" my thoughts. This is my personal opinion and not a personal attack on your opinion. Agreed? That means that I'm not criticizing your opinion so don't take it personal!


December 7th, Helbert Hastert & Fee Planners (on behalf of the City & County of Honolulu) held a meeting at Kahuku High School and opened the forum up to the public for commentary on the proposed Envision Laie expansion. I haven't put a great deal of time into researching Envision Laie specifically. I don't think a person really needs to do the in depth research to oppose it. In the opposite direction, if you did do the in depth research to find a reason to support it, I think you'd find that there's no basis for supporting it.

Let me set up what I think are pertinent facts to the ongoing controversy.

  • The current plan for Ko'olau Loa (pdf document of the actual plan) does not include expansion of Malaekahana.
  • Hawaii Reserves Inc. (HRI) manages property for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, which means all of La'ie.
  • In 2003, HRI purchased Malaekahana and began the planning process for "Envision Laie".
The current City and County of Honolulu sustainability plan for Ko'olau Loa wishes to preserve the agriculture land and preservations land. In fact, it seeks to develop agriculture rather than build houses. 

There are several guidelines that must be followed when dealing with the City and County of Honolulu and other governmental agencies. There are specific procedures in place. In the case of Envision Laie's proposed expansion of La'ie, their proposal was never a part of the City's plan. Envision Laie is seeking to extend the deadline for proposed changes to the City plan and eventually amend the City plan to include the expansion of La'ie. A good example of a well-executed City plan is Kapolei whose proposed development was many decades in the making.

The meeting held on December 7th was just one in a series of several public opinion meetings. SIDENOTE: I must say that I am grateful that my community is so passionate about the future of our ahupua'a. Every single meeting I have attended in regards to this issue has been standing-room-only. At the heart of the argument is HRI is petitioning the City to first, convert ag land into residential. Second, "permit" them to begin construction (by amending the City plan). The opposition prefers that the City maintain its current stance of preserving ag land. 

HRI and Envision Laie was very clever in that they hired a mainland marketing firm (rather than an economic development firm) to push forward their development plan. Several sources point out this fact. I think it is a valid point to consider in determining an opinion on the issues. 

Some of the points I have gathered from sitting in on several of the Envision Laie meetings are as follows:
  • Proposed construction of over a thousand new homes and condo's
  • Proposed new shopping center
  • Expansion of BYU-HAWAII
  • Full expansion of Turtle Bay that was previously struck from the City plan based on community opposition
I don't know why La'ie community members are enamored with this plan. What is attractive about more houses and more hotels? At the meeting, I was so taken aback by the community members who support Envision Laie. They did not give me one valid reason for the expansion. Many testified that they wanted this to go through for their kids. What exactly does that mean? Many said that additional housing is moving toward sustainability. Last I checked, houses can't be eaten. BYU students testified that they didn't have anywhere to live. Fluff!

I really could go on and on about this topic and maybe I will revisit it in the future. For me, HRI/ Envision Laie cares only for the interests of the LDS Church. (Yes, I am LDS and No, I don't have to follow blindly.) It is HRI's right to protect their interests. I just get all irritated with community members who have effectively been "sold" the plan without really truly thinking about how sustainable the plan is or isn't. Most supporters like the idea of "affordable" housing. A thousand homes will go very fast. Then what? What will be the next proposal? Will it still be "affordable" after the inventory is gone? How does HRI plan to impose a measure where 50% of the homes will go to community members? Isn't housing discrimination illegal?

I am just NOT SOLD on this plan and I haven't even touched on the economics of Envision Laie or the imposition of colonial practices onto the host culture of these islands. Maybe that will be another post. I just can't see the long term benefit of the development of La'ie.  

Sources:

Monday, December 06, 2010

December Arrives Too Fast

I can't believe it's December. So fast!

Beijing, China trip is postponed due to poor planning. Charge it to my inexperience with international travel. I totally blanked on applying for a tourist VISA. Stupid!! Bummers. Oh well -- We'll probably go somewhere in Asia just to snap some shots, visit a Buddhist Monastery or something.

I have been so busy doing something or nothing -- they both run into each other so often. I really  need to catch up on all the things that are going on in my head. Time. Where does it all go?

Friday, November 26, 2010

Planning China


I'm planning my first trip to Beijing. I don't know how long I've been talking about seeing and hiking The Great Wall of China but the opportunity has presented itself. I made a list of some of the "adventures" I have yet to do in a previous entry. Hiking the Great Wall was one of them. You can take para-sailing off the list because I took care of that in August.  The butterflies are already building. I am super excited!

Husband and I are thinking that we're going to spend two days there. Day one will be spent at Yaxiu Market. Thanks to my cousin, Jared, who went to Beijing earlier this month I know where the best shopping can be found. He told me to start in the basement of Yaxiu Market and buy some suitcases then work my way up and fill the suitcases. The Market boasts on-site tailor's to whip up an outfit and floors of bargains. Husband and I have set a budget of $300 to spend there. According to cousin, $150 went very, very far so we'll see what we can get for double that. This is our Christmas Shopping! I'm totally excited to be able to combine my Christmas Shopping with travel. **Smiles**


Day two will be total sight-seeing. We will hit The Great Wall in the early morning (even if the temps are super freezing, as it is now) then maybe The Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, and Tian'anmen Square in the afternoon. I'm presuming that everything will be very quick since these attractions are all outdoor and it's FREEZING. I know how I get in the cold. CRANKY!!! I'm thinking I should go hunt down a pair of ugg boots to keep my toes warm. I got rid of all my winter gear when I left the mainland. Part of the reason for Day One being shopping is so that I can at least get a warm coat for the outdoor sightseeing. I'm not banking on them having boots in my size. Not in China! I think they would faint if they seen my feet. China is the nation that once practiced footbinding. Would these people even believe that I'm Chinese with my very large body frame and feet?!!! hahahahaha

Sidenote: In Alabama, my favorite Chinese restaurant is Tai, in the city of Madison. Tai is the surname of my great-grandfather on my father's side. He was pure Chinese and married my great-grandmother who was pure Hawaiian. The owner spoke to me after our meal and was impressed with the way I order my food, my selection of food, and how I eat with chopsticks. He said it is "very Chinese". I think about that interaction often. I requested that my rice be served in a rice bowl, separate. I asked for a steamed vegetable since it wasn't on the menu. The waiter asked the cook what could be done and they informed him that they would kindly oblige. When the meal was served. I had my bowl of rice, a generous helping of steamed/ stir-fry pak choi, and ginger chicken. On the mainland, it is assumed that everyone eats with a fork. The waiter almost fell over when I requested chopsticks. The owner -- dazzled by my chopstick skills. I tell this story only to illustrate what might have inadvertently been passed down through the generations. Maybe my "very Chinese" way of eating is genetic. **laughing**

December seems like the best time to travel because it is the off season in China. It will be bitter cold (hate it) but I know I'm coming home to the beautiful tropics so I think I can bear it for a couple of days. I'm thinking that we'll stay at the Marriott there. It's near downtown Beijing and the subway. I'm so excited.

I'm trying to avoid having to hire a private car and tour guide. My cousin said he hired one and it ran about $215. That seems like a small price for excellent services but husband and I are not "balling" like that yet so we're on a tight budget. Our day trip to San Francisco last week went just fine using public transportation. I'm assuming it will be fine in Beijing as well. The olympics was just there so I know they had to make everything user-friendly for speakers of all languages. I find comfort in that.

If you have travelled to Beijing, what are some tips I should keep in mind?

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Tuesday, November 23, 2010

The Epiphany

Choosing a disciplined life has its perks and the flip side is fraught with temptation and difficult choices. Having lived a portion of my life following the path of hedonism, sometimes I miss the life I left behind... the carefree-ness of everything carnal. Alcohol was a favorite of mine. Slushy, yummy drinks, and an entire segment of nightlife suddenly open to me again -- the thought was/is alluring. I have spent many weekends in the last couple of months wholly preoccupied with the idea of indulging.

Then something happened this weekend; something so simple, so quiet, so peaceful, something I'm not sure I was really looking for. It was a revelation! An epiphany.

Nothing is ever coincidence. I'm absolutely sure of that. Every random act is not random at all but are necessary events to help me reach my potential. So as I sat in the 3PM session of the Laie Hawaii Temple Rededication on Sunday -- a session that I hadn't planned on attending because I had made other plans -- found myself contemplating how husband and I had suddenly obtained tickets.

The Creator knows me. He knows my heart and my desire to be better than I am today. He knows my struggle and my battle with my previous lifestyle. One of the speakers expressed,


OBEDIENCE IS THE KEY TO TRUE FREEDOM!


That simple phrase caused the wheels in my head to start turning and I found myself understanding my struggle and seeing it for what it really is. It's like a "lightbulb went on". (Thank you Mrs. Leger for using that phrase in the comment section. It's so appropriate!)

The epiphany: I have been alcohol/drug/tobacco-free for five years. I have been blessed for eliminating those particular things that don't serve me. I have conquered it. Why would I turn back?

Immediately, all my desire to return to my former life left me. I'm grateful for an all-knowing CREATOR who is so mindful of all my needs.

Monday, November 22, 2010

Somber

Today has been such a somber day.

I woke up this morning with a heavy feeling in my heart. I thought it was the weather. I thought it was because I didn't sleep well. I thought it was because I stayed up late watching chick flicks. I thought I was crashing from experiencing such a natural high with the glorious events over the weekend.

Husband woke to get his exercise on and to motivate me to do the same. I opted to keep sleeping. I wish I had gone though because exercise always elevates my mood. And if anyone's asking... "YES - that is my husband that runs to Kakela and back in Hau'ula." I can't even hang with him when he runs. But that's all besides the point.

A little after 10AM my little brother calls and drops the saddest news ever. His team mate, classmate, and friend DeeDee ended his life. I don't know the particulars of the event except that it happened. I feel for my little brother (the same brother who broke my heart a couple weeks ago), for his classmates, and for everyone that is connected to this tragic event. I think of my dear friend Uila, whom DeeDee lived with at the time of his passing. I am just overwhelmed with emotion.

What kind of comfort can be extended when a life is taken so soon? There is no solace except in the belief in the eternities and that our souls continue to exist beyond this mortal plane. Today is also my cousin's birthday. Were he still alive, he would have been 32 today. Today was just bad, bad, bad. Rest in Eternal Love, DeeDee. I don't know what would drive you to such an intense decision. I am left with ONLY QUESTIONS.

Sunday, November 21, 2010

Weekend Slideshow

This past weekend has been a whirlwind of excitement.

After many, many hours of rehearsals, hundreds or maybe thousands of youth converged on La'ie, O'ahu, Hawai'i. What a sight to see... so many young people ANXIOUSLY ENGAGED in a good cause. The mana in the air was absolutely intoxicating and overwhelming. It has truly been an outstanding weekend. Mahalo ke akua!

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Day 17: My Favorite Memory

Often, I feel like I've lived many lifetimes on end and yet I still feel like a little girl -- curious, ever curious... desiring new experiences. To place value on just one memory and call it "my favorite" is difficult.

I cherish that span of time when I first laid eyes on my husband and how we fell in love. I often talk about my private love affair with my husband. I call it private only because no one knew who he was until we had been married over a year. As of this past Sunday, it's now been seven years and I still remember the exhiliration of brand new love. There's nothing like it.

"Hey beautiful!" That's what he said to me when I drove up. I melted. He has that effect on me STILL.

I made myself totally available to him. I literally cleared the calendar. I remember being on a date with a guy. It was a lunch date. As soon as husband (just a "friend" back then) called, I abruptly left the lunch date claiming there was an emergency at work. I always had butterflies in my belly whenever I thought of being near him. It was... EXCITING... EXHILARATING... INTOXICATING. A person has never truly lived until they have fallen madly in love.

In contrast, my ex-husband used to tell me that he had never fallen love; that falling in love implied that he lost control thus he was resigned to say that he had never nor will he ever fall in love. He claimed that he chose to love someone rather than falling TRULY.MADLY.DEEPLY. I used to think he was so wise when he said that. Hindsight, I have realized that what I thought was wisdom was just the ramblings of a bitter, old man; jaded by previous relationships.

At the end of The Last Dragon, after Bruce Leroy has achieved the glow and overcome the Shogun of Harlem, Vanity appears in her DJ booth looking utterly defeated because Bruce Leroy is absent from the dance. She scans the room then suddenly the charisma of Bruce Leroy commands her attention and he appears from behind the billowy curtains. Suddenly, her pout turns to butterflies right before the camera's lense. Her eyes begin to sparkle and she extends herself over the balcony, attempting to hear what Bruce is shouting at her. The dance music comes to an abrupt end and Bruce is yelling at Vanity, "Can you teach me some moves?" The entire dance crowd laughs. Vanity runs down to meet Bruce and one of the greatest love songs ever made ques in and gives us beautiful lyrics about how it feels to fall in love.






How you please me
I think that this might be what I've been dreaming of
I don't know what it is but people call it love
I wonder if they really know
Did you do this just to please me?
I never thought that anything could feel so good
I guess I wasted lots of time
But if I could, I'd spend it all again with you



I love you (Love you)
For all the ways you taught me how to please myself
For all the ways you made it clear
That no one else
Can touch me quite the way you do

It's like MY FIRST TIME ON A FERRIS WHEEL
The view from up here is so clear and real
The sense of falling fast is all that I can feel
And yet I want to keep on flying
 
 

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

San Francisco Tourists

Our daytrip to San Francisco was fun. Husband and I tooled around like tourists. We had a great time on the BART. It is so convenient!!

Golden Gate Bridge from Alcatraz Island... wonderful!

 A portion of the Bay Bridge and the San Francisco skyline... taken from Alcatraz Island.

 The Bay Bridge -- taken from the Ferry Building, Port of San Francisco. It was truly a beautiful day!

 Me @ Alcatraz Island... It was super-duper HOT. I was thinking it was going to be cool in San Fran at this time of year. I was soooo wrong!

 A beautiful path on Alcatraz Island. I think I'm getting better at the whole photography thing. :-) I did not edit this photo at all.

 Gorgeous shot... looks like it should be a jigsaw puzzle or something. I love this picture!

 Alcatraz Island shot of the Bay Bridge. Really beautiful.

 Love this photo!

 What a wonderful place to eat. To the left of this shot was a huge skating rink, sponsored by Hawaiian Airlines. Very interesting.

 Fisherman's Wharf... a standard of San Francisco Tourism. 

 Gorgeous skyline!

 I had all the settings correct on my camera to get such a blue sky and beautiful colors. I did not edit this shot at all. I love it!!

 These bathroom stations were so convenient. I did not have to wander around looking for a toilet.

San Francisco has some gorgeous architecture. Next trip to San Francisco will include a walk through the city and maybe Chinatown to catch all the interesting buildings.

Monday, November 15, 2010

Live From San Francisco

Husband and I got in really early this morning. The flight was wonderful. There's nothing like flying first class. The seats are extremely wide. The service - exceptional! Being able to board and deplane first is a service I would pay for but thanks to our flight benefits... I didn't pay a thing.

So we're here in San Fran for the day. We're hoping to snag a seat to Alcatraz, eat some seafood at Fisherman's Wharf, and maybe visit a museum. I love that there's a BART station at the airport. Public transportation is AWESOME! We exited the BART at Embarcadero which placed us smack dab beneath The Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco. I already snapped some pictures of that gorgeous building. Everything is a photo-op today but I hate feeling like I look so touristy with my big camera. That's what I get for thinking 'that' about alllll the tourists in Hawai'i. Really though... husband and I look like a couple of Grad students. Well, at least that's what I tell myself.

Husband and I are posted in Starbucks near Market Street, across the Hyatt. I'm waiting for the GPS software on my Blackberry to update then I can save this location. I need to save the location so I know how to get back to our originating point to make it back to the airport on time. I love that Starbucks has free wi-fi. Thank you for small favors! I'll post a little later. Hopefully with beautiful pictures of San Francisco.

San Fran, Here We Come

Today, husband and I are celebrating our 7th Wedding Anniversary. Originally we were planning to go to New York City to play tourist around Manhattan for a couple days. That didn't pan out. It's funny how those plans unraveled the morning of. We were watching The Today show and saw all the newscasters bundled up in their coats, boots, gloves, and scarves. Suddenly, it dawned on husband and I that we got rid of alllllll our winter gear when we left the mainland in May. Needless to say, since I hate being cold and we have no real winter-wear, we nixed the trip to NYC.

Instead, we're flying out to San Francisco this evening on the red-eye. We should pull into San Francisco International early in the A.M. We're going to run around Fisherman's Wharf, maybe catch a ferry to Alcatraz, snap some shots of the Golden Gate Bridge and all the colors in Chinatown. Who knows what we have in store for the day. By late afternoon, we'll be back on the plane heading back to Hawai'i. Happy Anniversary to husband and I. The end of the 7-year itch... or so they say.

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Photo Credit

Saturday, November 13, 2010

PHOTO SHOOT: Maternity

I scheduled my first photo shoot this past Wednesday. Here are the shots. Let me know what you think. I think she makes for a gorgeous "mom-to-be". Great session!!








Sunday, November 07, 2010

Day 15: My Dreams

I am an avid reader of all things that push my very human mind beyond its current boundaries. We are all victims of our circumstances. We're raised by people who have never parented before -- our parents -- and they are limited by the way their parents raised them and on and on and on. What was absent from my childhood is my parents insistence on dreaming big. I don't blame them for my current position in life because I know they are limited in their scope of the universe. My reading material tends to lean toward things like The Secret, The Richest Man in Babylon, The Power of Intention, and that sort of books. In the bookstore's these types of books are sorted under the self-help category. The world of POSSIBILITY inspires me and pushes me to dream without inhibition.

However.... My dreams...
  • I am afraid to speak of them for fear of never seeing them come to pass.
  • I am afraid to tell people for fear that people will find my dreams ABSURD.
  • Afraid of the process
  • Afraid to succeed?
Realizing how "afraid" I am reminds me of the following passage from the Holy Bible: For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. (2 Timothy 1:7)

What I dream of most, strictly confining myself to my earthly existence, is....
  • a house -- with at least an acre of land to farm; I would like a water feature on the property -- could be a pool and spa or a koi pond or a natural waterfall... I love the sound of water! I would like a basketball/ volleyball/ tennis court type thing on the property. My house would have a full-service work out room so I can stop having to pay for 24-hour fitness. I would need a very large craft room. Husband would probably like a "man-cave" and be totally content. I would also like a commercial kitchen. It could be in an entirely different building on the property but I do want a commercial kitchen.
  • I want to be a business owner -- Fear of failure governs even TRYING this. The whole business thing I expressed earlier FELLLLLLL ALLLL THE WAY THROUGH but I am not at all deterred. I willllll DO THIS!
  • I want to be a published novelist. Period.
  • I want to own several properties
  • I dream of making a difference in my community.... possibly in the WORLD!
  • I dream of...... being a mother to several children.
...if it be my destiny, i welcome all my dreams into my world...

Sunday, October 31, 2010

BB POST: PMS

I must be PMS'ing because my heart is needing some affection. My hand is wanting to be held and all I want to do is cry.

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Quick Quote

There are only two doors in life:

The door marked
Security

and the door marked
FREEDOM

If you choose the door marked
SECURITY

You
Lose
BOTH
   

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Project's Galore

Life has been so  busy lately. I've put off blogging in favor of doing all the other things I do.

There are several projects on the table right now.

Project #1: Acquiring/ Launching my first "real" business. I'm partnering with my dear cousin to acquire an established business in the area. I'm super excited. She is too. The only thing missing is the funds. I've been rejected a ton of times already because of the student loans on my credit report. I'm bummed but not at all dampered by it. I KNOW that someone out there wants to gift or loan me the money. Even a co-signer would work wonders. **sigh** This has been my mantra lately (from the book One Minute Millionaire) "Every resource I need is possessed by someone, somewhere, at this very moment." My add on: "Lead me to these individuals. The resources will fall into my lap."

I have been brainstorming all the ways we can acquire the needed cash to purchase the business. We've been tossing around the idea of borrowing money from our friends and family then paying 1% interest on it. Another idea is to acquire gold and sell it to a refinery. Gold is like $1300 per ounce. That is terrible inflation but good if I need cash now. Any ideas you have on how to acquire money for a business would be great. I tried going through OHA but it takes 6-8 months processing time. ugghhhh!!! A dear friend suggested we have a plate lunch sale to raise the necessary capital. I'm seriously thinking about it. I mean, it wouldn't hurt.

Project #2: My bachelor's degree. As much as I would love to say that I love school -- I really don't. I think the way education is set up now is just so backwards. More on that later because that topic really needs to be explained in greater detail. I will have earned a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy within a year. My estimated graduation is July 2011. Can you believe that? It took me two years to get this done. I can hardly believe it. I was thinking of continuing on to earn a Masters in Pacific Island Studies from the University of Hawai'i... I'm still thinking about it. What would be the benefits for continuing on when really, all I want to do is be a business owner and WRITE, WRITE, WRITE. If I could count on Kamehameha Schools to foot the entire bill for my education, I think I would probably do it. We'll see.

Project #3: The Danielson Family Reunion. Aigatupu and (Tasi) Gustav Danielson (my maternal grandparents) and all the posterity are converging on the island of O'ahu in July 2011. How did I get placed in this position again? My cousin Marie and I were in charge of the 2008 reunion. How are we charged with planning it again. I know the next one will not be conducted by me. I'm pooped and busy already.

Project #4: The Tai Hook Family Reunion. Lizzie and James Tai Hook (my paternal grandparents) and all their posterity are converging on the island of O'ahu in October 2011. Long story on how I was assigned this project. It was originally my idea but I had slated this for October 2010, which would have been this month. However, my aunt wanted to push it back to October 2011 for whatever reasons. I told her if we did that then I couldn't be in charge of it because I had so many other projects slated for 2011. Well, the other day I get an email from her saying that she would like me to take over again. ugghhh!! In any case. My irritation with her WILL NOT prevent me from doing this for my father. It will all work out EXACTLY as it should.


Well... that's been the "goings-on" in my world. I promise to get back to the blog challenge as soon as my life slows down again. The holidays are approaching also and I'm super excited.

Wishing all of you well. Hugs!

Friday, October 15, 2010

His Status Update

PRE-NOTE: I totally failed the blog challenge. I will still continue where I left off. I believe I'm on day 15.

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My closest friends and family know how much I adore my little brother. If you didn't know, well, now you know! He said something hurtful on FaceBook about me, in his status update, and I'm just bummed about it. He knows I read it so I'm sure he posted it to intentionally hurt me. Whatever the case is, I sat here crying for a good hour. Even as I write this, I'm tearing up.

I see him going down the wrong path. Possibly temporary path. Hopefully! I know I've walked it before and can't say that I regret doing so. I just wish he would spare himself the drama. Anyway... great quote about Courageous Parenting:
Imagine for a moment that your daughter was sitting on the railroad tracks and you heard the train whistle blowing. Would you warn her to get off the tracks? Or would you hesitate, worried that she might think you were being overprotective? If she ignored your warning, would you quickly move her to a safe place? Of course you would! Your love for your daughter would override all other considerations. You would value her life more than her temporary goodwill.
I'm not a parent but I am a protective older sister.

Today, as I was making my way to town to run some errands. Husband and I was passing Hauula Homestead Road and I see my brother sitting behind a truck (when he should be at school) with a bunch of other teens. So I called my popps to let him know what I had seen. Popps confronts him after dinner this evening, takes away his phone, and gives him the low-down on how he got his information. I don't mind being the source. I want him to know that he is ALWAYS being looked after.

This boy is my life. My heart is extremely tender for him. The circumstances surrounding his arrival into our family would only make one melt with compassion and unconditional love. I feel that for him. Since the day I laid eyes on him, I have enjoyed catering to his every need and want. Maybe I made a mistake in dedicating so much time and energy into giving him everything he desired. Maybe that's why it hurts me when he says idiotic things on his Facebook status. Maybe I'm over reacting. Maybe not.

His status was simple... "my own sister rats me out... not surprised."

Is it true?
Yes.

Does it hurt me?
Yes.

Sunday, October 03, 2010

Money: Part I

There are several different ways of approaching the definition of money. According to Sirota in Essentials of Real Estate Finance, “Money allows us to convert our physical and mental efforts into a convenient method of exchange.” (Sirota, 2009) G. Edward Griffin (2002) takes the definition of money a step further. He states the following, “Money is anything which is accepted as a medium of exchange.” (p. 138)

Money has taken on several different formats throughout history. A system of bartering has always been present in every culture on the face of the planet. Another type of money is termed commodity money. This tends to be things that are commonly accepted for bartering more than others. Typically, this would be livestock or fresh produce. These types of things are termed “true money” because it is a medium of exchange and the items have “intrinsic value.” Eventually, societies became more sophisticated and began shaping precious metals into coins. Coins were considered superior to livestock and produce, even though those items had great value still, because coins could travel and not perish and were relatively convenient to use. Gold has stood the test of time as the most widely accepted precious metal in the world. After the fall of Rome, new civilizations created a system of receipt money. When merchants became too heavily laden with coinage, they entrusted their coins to the goldsmiths for safekeeping. Merchants would deposit their coins with the goldsmith for a fee; in exchange the goldsmith would issue a receipt with the amount of coins that were available, on demand, at any time to the bearer of the receipt. The paper represented the coinage that was on deposit with the goldsmith. The paper itself had no intrinsic value but it did, however, represent the coins and were thus one in the same. (Griffin, 2002)

I have in my possession a dollar bill that was issued in 1957. I also have a dollar bill that was issued in 2006. The largest difference in the two bills is that the 1957 bill clearly states on the bottom of its face the following, “One Dollar In Silver Payable to the Bearer on Demand.” At the top of the 1957 bill it reads, “Silver Certificate,” while the 2006 bill reads, “Federal Reserve Note”. According to Griffin in The Creature from Jekyll Island, “payable to the bearer on demand” was removed from the nations currency in 1964. (Griffin, 2002) Essentially, I interpret this to mean that I can no longer redeem paper currency for a precious metal of similar value. If that is the case then what, exactly, backs the United State currency?

Sources
Griffin, G. E. (2002). The creature from Jekyll Island A second look at the Federal Reserve (Fourth ed.). Westlake Village, CA: American Media.

Sirota, P. D. (2009). Essentials of real estate finance (Twelfth ed.). (G. D. Barrell, Ed.) La Crosse, WI: DF Institute Inc, d/b/a Dearborn Real Estate Education.

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Photo Credit

Saturday, September 25, 2010

Day 14: What I Wore Today

Let's see... my last post about clothing ended with my favorite fashion item in high school -- the cut off jeans that turned into shorts. Today, I'm donning a pair of yoga pants and a "faux" polo shirt. I just returned from a meeting with the Student Activities Coordinator for my Alma Mater. Since I'm assisting him with the homecoming cheer fest, we've been meeting up every couple of days. The event is next Wednesday so when that's done, I have my budding business to work on. I'm so excited. I'm debating back and forth between non-profit 501(c)3 or a regular for-profit corporation. **shrugs**

Talking about fashion, I wanted to revisit some of the hit's in my wardrobe history. Really, it comes down to how much I like how I look in the picture.


This outfit was a fave soon after I split from my ex-husband. I really liked the khaki colored clam diggers. I believe I was headed to a late night shift at work. What ended up happening is after I completed my shift at work, I went straight to the bar. I was a regular at the bar after the demise of my first marriage. It filled the empty space.


This pic was taken in St. Louis, Missouri. It was the middle of winter, I was freezing cold and headed on a road trip to Florida. The layer of clothing slowly came off the further South I drove until my arrival in Key West, Florida found me in my swimsuit. In that period of my life, I had just eloped with the love of my life. He was off to Iraq and I was roaming the country. I was really feeling the baby blue, NC Tarheels color. EVERYTHING was baby blue in that outfit. Coat, Cap, Long Sleeve Tee, Jeans, Shoes... all of it was baby blue.
This outfit was worn for a ball held at the Hilton Cancun in Mexico. I love wearing the color red. I had hot pink/fuschia shoes on. Husband and I danced the night away. Great memories!