Red Raider Soul Releases Football Schedule

I did the graphic work on this.
Thanks Red Raider Soul!!!

In Red Raider Nation... we're serious about our football team.
Even though I'm so far away, I still feel connected by working on banners and publications for Kahuku.

Bestie Trip : Vegas Edition

This past weekend I went to Vegas with the bestie. We had both talked about doing a girls trip for a long time and it just happened to be our 25th High School Reunion. So we went and had a blast. Thank you to her hubby for agreeing to this trip.

One of the things that makes her my bestie is that I NEVER have to hide my true feelings from her, no matter what is going on in my life. I am NEVER afraid to speak my truth with her. She never judges, never makes me feel bad for wanting what I want even if it makes NO SENSE to her. And the funny thing is that most times, she can see through my facade when I'm trying to "fake it" and usually calls me on it after entertaining me for awhile. I feel no shame if I begin to sob my eyes out because 100% of the time, she's sobbing her eyes out with me.

Every time we get together we do a little bit of everything. We do some partying, pampering at the spa, we've added gambling to our fun-things-to-do (even before this trip), watch some really good shows, movies, shopping, eating. We even snuck in a visit to a psychic (so random) and a stop at REVOLT Tattoo -- all the while catching up on our lives. And the catching up part is where we let go of all our frustrations and try to make sense of the things happening in our lives, separately.

I cherish the catching-up-part. Especially during this trip. I spoke my truth and I feel so good that I actually admitted it to myself and told my best friend. It's nobody's business what my deepest desire is and when I spoke the words to her - she had the biggest smile and tears of joy that I finally came clean about it. (There is one other person I told but he and I have not spoken since last October.) After unburdening myself from "my truth," I felt different. It was like my mind changed in an instant and I believe that my deepest desire will happen for me.

The first night we arrived, we opened up our bags. We both had bought outfits for each other. She says that the stuff I buy her is wayyy too short and I tell her the stuff she buys for me is too tight or sexy. But it's what we do. We played dress up with all our new outfits before we went out to meet up with our classmates at a Korean Karaoke Bar. Oh my goodness, SoJu is my new drink - peach flavored.

If I talked about everything we did, each day would have its own post. We packed a lot of things into our short weekend. Something we started doing as we left the hotel is take a picture in the full length mirror. I share the pictures below. We always have a good time when we're together. Next girl's trip... NYC?

Kahuku High School 25th Reunion - Class of 93

On my social media accounts, I have been mentioning that I am going to Las Vegas soon. It's my 25th High School Class Reunion. I went to Kahuku High School, a little school on the north shore of O'ahu. I love my hood and my classmates. We really are a tight bunch. Seeing everyone on Facebook, I'd say that we all pretty much look the same - just a little older and a little wiser. When did we get so old? I am just ready to chill and DO NOTHING or EVERYTHING. Hang out. Turn up. Shop. Sleep in. Stay up late. Gamble. Spa pampering. Catch a few shows. Sip margaritas by the pool.

I don't know the last time I went to Vegas without a "chaperone". Meaning -- no parents, no husband, no boyfriend. It's just me and my bestie and all the classmates that will be there. I don't expect to go to all of the planned activities but I will try to make the ones I can. I suppose this is my Girl's Trip for this year.

Last year I went to San Jose, California where a bunch of us girls converged and partied and hung out. We were actually there for a wedding. We partied until it was time to get on the plane. Whewww... Dancing til 2'ish then breakfast at Matrix Casino to end the night had me almost missing my flight. Thankfully, I did make it just by the skin of my teeth. I expect to have the same adventures this time around.

I feel like I had my core group of friends in high school but that I was friendly with everyone. I hate the idea of cliques. I was a nerd meaning I attended the GT classes in intermediate and then AP classes when I got to high school. No one would have guessed that of me, I bet. I was an athlete. I played volleyball my freshman year in high school then moved to a private league for the rest of high school. I was on the Track & Field team and went to States all three years. My senior year, I was the State shot-put champion. So funny to think of it now. I so did not want to be at that track meet in Maui because our May Day program was happening at the same time back on O'ahu and I was missing it. For some strange reason, I was a football statistician for the Varsity squad, my senior year. I guess that's why I'm still so comfortable being on the football field on game nights. I was involved in everything. Student government, student activities, yearbook co-editor, blah blah blah... and I cherished my years at Kahuku High School. I don't know how many people can say that about high school. And I know there were some people that did not have a good experience and I can only hope that I did not contribute to their bad experiences. Some of my closest friends I have known since we were in diapers and I am still in touch and close with my friends from high school.

And even though many of us (my classmates) did not hang out regularly in high school, I bet we have so much more in common now. 25 years of life experiences is a whole lot of learning and growing and hopefully finding peace and love in our hearts. I know I have been through so many changes and the one thing that I am so certain of today is that I love people, unconditionally and without judgement -- at least I try to. And I know that it's possible to love humanity unconditionally because I love myself unconditionally. I don't need anyone to approve of who I am or who I am becoming because I accept myself in my totality, flaws and all.

So my wish for my classmates, as we converge on Sin City, is that we remain healthy and full of love. That our trials will turn to triumphs all the time! That our hearts will be soft in a world that wants us to be hard. That we remember our friendships from the past and create new bonds for the future. Hugs and sunshine kisses everyone!!!

Homecoming 2014: Red Raider Legacy

It's the eve before my High School Alma Mater's homecoming. It is absolutely my favorite event at my Alma Mater. Since my dear friend and classmate became the Student Activities Coordinator, I have volunteered many hours in assisting him with the social events at the school. For the last couple of years I have done the portraits for the Homecoming Court and I'm preparing to do it again this year. This time around though, I'm going to attempt to make it a fun event and help the kids loosen up BEFORE we do the actual photo shoot.

The theme this year is Welcome to the Jungle. I have no idea what the inspiration is behind the theme choice but the students and alumni really got into it. Perhaps its because our opponent is the Leilehua Mules. One of the most cherished activities is the homecoming cheer fest. Every class gets together and choreographs a cheer and dance. They practice for weeks. It's a cheer competition between the classes, pep rally style. The entire community comes out to watch it on the Football Field. This video features the alumni this year.

 
We are truly proud of our high school alma mater and the ties we all have to each other. We have a really good time. Many alumni help each class with their cheer and their choreography. The prize is bragging rights. Even now, we talk trash about the types of costumes that other classes used during our high school years.

I think the Seniors should have won this year but they placed third. There's a very strict judging and penalty criteria involved in selecting the winner; from staying within the time parameters to not using vulgar words or dance moves. The winner truly gains major bragging rights until the end of time. It's that serious! Here are the seniors. They did so good!


So as I gather my thoughts for my photo shoot tomorrow, I look back at all the tradition we have carried throughout the years. I will remind my little homecoming court about tradition and legacy, about courage, about loving self, about having fun, and mostly about choosing to be happy. Let's do this young raiders!

Lady Raider Wisdom

Nestled between the northern tip of the Ko'olau Mountain Range and the beautiful Pacific Ocean is a gem of a school. Dubbed the Pride of the North Shore since the late 70's and featuring a menehune mascot, Kahuku High and Intermediate School was a central fixture of the north eastern tip of O'ahu. This school once served elementary students, as well, until it was necessary to separate from the High School because of the exploding population.

Our Marching Band in the late 70's, into the 80's, and on until Mr. Michael Payton retired truly exemplified THE PRIDE OF THE NORTH SHORE. Our band was invited to the Rose Bowl every year to march in their parade. They did complicated choreography for half time shows. The band featured brass and winds and percussion instruments, exciting co-drum majors, color guards, and rifle units. It was a most exciting time to sit in the stands of a Kahuku game. For some backwards reason, the home team sat nearest the band room in the small little stands beneath the announcers for the football games. As a child, I would stand at the foot of the large light lamp near the band room to admire the marching band with their beautiful uniforms and costumes that were mostly black, red, and silver.

In the late 80's the mascot went from a menehune to an Indian head and now has evolved to a more modern take on an Indian head. The 1989 football season brought THE HOUSE OF PAIN shed, conveniently located toward the mauka endzone on the Red Raider side of the field. The red words were painted on the white surface of the shed and instantly instilled fear in all its opponents. A year or two after the painting, the Oahu Interscholastic Association forced the Red Raiders to take it down citing the psychological effects of the words... or at least that's the story that lives in local legend.

ESPN visited in the early 2000's. They did a special on our little school and the Red Raider tradition of football. At one point, Kahuku was tied with three other high schools for having the most players in the NFL at one time. Itula Mili, Chris Nae'ole, Aaron Francisco, and the Kemoeatu brothers. How could this little school in the middle of the Pacific with a beat-up track and a beat-up football field produce such great athletes?

Courtesy of Laie Voice

Though I did play volleyball for Kahuku, freshman year, my claim to fame was shot put and discus. I often won the MVP award and made the State All-Stars team every year. No one knows my accomplishments because Track is under the radar at Kahuku. Track & Field is thought of as a mandatory-but-not-mandatory spring practice for football players. The Honolulu Advertiser even featured a picture of me in action. The picture was so crimz!

One of the funniest things I remember happened my Senior Year at the State Track and Field meet on Maui. I was so bummed that I couldn't participate in May Day because it was the same time as the meet. I begged my dad to let me fly home for May Day then come back to the meet but he said no. So I decided to make the best of my time at States. The shot put event consists of one person in a ring, throwing an 8# ball into a field, as far as possible. The ring is a fixed, set size with a toe board separating the thrower from the field. So there I am in my 2nd or 3rd attempt in the State Finals. You get three tries. I get into the ring. Silence all around me. The lights of the field are bright, the Maui wind's in my favor. Nothing was going to break me. I face the back of the ring, nestle the shot put into my neck, get into the proper stance. The suspense is building for all the on-lookers and I am shivering with nerves. I know my father is watching from the stands, with his binoculars. My right foot is bent, my left leg stretched out behind me. I kick back with my left leg, slide, turn around and my right foot hits the toe-board. It's supposed to hit the toe-board to stop the momentum, however this time... the momentum was too much and DID NOT stop me from my forward progression. Instead, the toe board tripped me and I went flying into the dirt field and the umpire yells, "SCRATCH!" I think the umpire was expecting me to cry but I sat there and laughed, hysterically. Even now, it makes me laugh when I think of how ungraceful I was with my body but accepted my embarrassment with class and took the Gold medal in 1993.

This brings me to my point. Inside the heart of every Red Raider boy and girl lies the heart of a champion. There is no need for approval from the world. There is no need for recognition. There is no need for permission to wear my pride like a badge. I don't need the accolades of my peers because what I did as a Lady Raider was for my family and for all the Red Raiders that preceded me. If I fall, I get up and keep going.

What we do as Lady Raiders is a gift to all the little Red Raiders that are admiring us. We come from the best stock. We come from a tradition of being the best champions, the best winners, the classiest losers. And what we have more than anyone else in this entire state is HEART. When the going gets tough and we're faced with looming defeat, and we have to dig deep to win, all we have is our HEART. All you have right now is HEART to pull you together, to pull you up, to separate you from the rest of the State that wants to see you fail. You are what the next generation wants to be. The responsibility is upon your shoulders to show your HEART.


This is the community we have that stands behind everything we do. Whether we were born and raised in the community or transplants, we are who we are because of all this HEART! This is our fan base! This is what stands with you!