December 23, 2008

Paradise Revealed 2.0

I'm back to blogging after what seems like forever. I've revamped the site a bit and changed the focus of my blog. I know you're not really supposed to do that, but who really cares? It's not as though I have a loyal following to begin with. It's not as though my previous blogs weren't random anyway.

So here's the deal . . . or the new deal as it were. I've decided to go more personal and introspective with this thing. Sure, you'll still get some celeb gossip (Did you hear that Michael Jackson needs a lung transplant or not? What about Madge and her new boy toy?), but the main focus will be on my search for paradise.

Yeah, that's right. Paradise. Everyone's definition of the word is different. Mine changes with every other thought. Sometimes it's the typical "lucky you live Hawaii" version. Other times that's the complete opposite. Some days it's a good book on a rainy day. Other days it's feeling the sun shine down on my face (especially with all that snow that's blanketing the mainland these days).

So I can't rightly say what you'll get from post to post. Guess you'll just have to drop in and check every once in a while. This is the beginning of Paradise Revealed 2.0 - the beta version. I can already tell that I won't be able to narrow down my paradises, so I'm sure we'll have plenty to discover and uncover together. Be sure to post a comment if a topic really grabs ya.

Paradise Revealed 2.0 is in effect.

December 8, 2008

Hold That Thought

I know I haven't been writing lately, but I just don't seem motivated lately. I'm thinking I'm going to revamp this entire site and change it up. I'm not sure what I want to focus on, so excuse the weeks of silence while I try to wrap my head around this.

November 22, 2008

Billboard, Schmillboard

One of the first things you notice when you travel off the rock is that billboards are everywhere. At first it's sort of a culture shock - huge, towering signs are encouraging you to watch Quantum of Solace or to buy GEICO insurance. Even retail signs and window dressings are ten times larger and flashier than in Hawaii.

I know we'll probably never approve the use of billboards in Hawaii because it obstructs our natural beauty (or so that's the argument), but after my recent trip to San Francisco and Los Angeles I think it might be cool to have at least a couple signs. I mean, Hawaii Rent-All can't continue to have the monopoly on unique signage, can it?

Here are some interesting and funny signs I saw while traveling the roadways of SF and LA. Some are billboard advertisements that tower several stories above the road. Some are just cool store names. Others are painted (or wallpapered) onto the side of buildings.

Here's a night shot of Union Square in SF. I'm atop Macy's on the Cheesecake Factory balcony, almost eye level with some of the other stores. However, as you can see, these buildings are huge and they're all sporting some cool billboards.


This is thug life Obama. It was spray painted on the sidewalk at Haight and Ashbury. Awesome huh? He's even got a blacked out tooth, which could either mean he's missing one or that it's gold capped. Which do you think it is?


A Venice resident has taken a more celestial view of the president-elect.


This was plastered on the side of a building. Whether you're an Obama or McCain supporter, you gotta admit that if you saw this you'd definitely remember to vote. "Let's Get Ready to Rumbleeeeee!"


This was another poster that was all over LA. I saw one as large as the Obama vs. McCain wall painting but just couldn't get that shot.


In L.A., they take advertising to the next level. This was on Rodeo Drive and while I don't know what the product was, it definitely was the way to go. I saw a pap chasing after this van so I snapped a shot too. Who knows? It could've been someone famous.


I have no clue what the product is, but I thought it was funny!


This was a store on Melrose Avenue, I think. Gotta love it.


I think this one was advertising some modern art exhibit using local newscasters as the subject.


When would you ever see a huge guitar like this?


At Universal Studios, they used the entire building as a scene from The Simpsons.

November 21, 2008

Life Imitates Art?

I know I promised to post something about my vacation, but I just read this bit of news online that is very disturbing and horrifying. According to the article, a Florida teen broadcasted his suicide online. Viewers logged on to watch, and there's conflicting reports that people actually witnessed the suicide as it happened. Of course, many believed it to be a hoax at the time.

The article indicates that this is not the first time someone's broadcasted a suicide online, but it's the first I've read about it and it's completely unbelievable to me. How can someone do this - both commit suicide as well as share it with the world? Was it his attempt at a last hurrah? Was it to get the attention that he may have craved? And why would people log on to view such a thing? This makes Untraceable, starring Diane Lane, more and more plausible. Has society's morals been degraded so much that page hits increase with the prospect of another person's death?

While there are tons of films and tv series that portray similar situations, this is the first I've read of it in real life. Is this an example of life imitating art? Or are there numerous examples that have caused the media to show more and more graphic images? Are today's kid's so numb to feeling emotions that anything filtered through a screen is automatically dismissed as being fake? If so, we're in for a bumpy ride because today's youth is the most technologically advanced generation ever.

November 16, 2008

Holiday Greetings from the Obamas

Well, I'm back from vacation and have pretty much recovered from all the fun I had. I promise to blog about some of the interesting things I noticed in Los Angeles and San Francisco in the near future. For now, I'll just leave you with a brief message from our next president. Happy Holidays everyone!

October 31, 2008

Ex List Axed

Oh no! Say it isn't so! My new fave tv show The Ex List is kaput. Darn it! I'm 0-for-2 in these new series (Last season I was hooked on Moonlight and that too got vanquished.) Granted, it wasn't the greatest but c'mon, it was pretty good! I'm so disappointed. Luckily, I'm going on vacation and that'll take my mind off of it . . . right? Meanwhile, that darn Private Practice is still moving along. While they're finally getting to some good stuff in the series, it's still not as good as Grey's Anatomy, so why even compete?

Longest Week Ever

This has been the longest week ever. I feel like it's 10 times longer than it actually is. To top it off, my work week isn't over till tomorrow afternoon. I mean, I rarely go on vacation and the one week that I do decide to leave this rock, I've gotta put in a six-day work week? C'mon?!? How can the fates be so cruel?

This week I had three meetings, one major event and a half day wasted by driving around and taking pictures for our company's Halloween contest. Normally I'd be the first to volunteer to blow a half day's work, but this week was one of the worst weeks to kill that valuable time.

Still, I made it to the end with only one more day to go before I'm leaving on a jet plane. Thank goodness! Now, my only stress is figuring out what to pack. Will it be cold enough that I freeze to death or just get frostbite? Yeah, I know it's not that cold in San Francisco and L.A., but it'll sure feel like it. I'm used to the nice 80 degrees we have in Hawaii. What will 50 degrees feel like? Amd who knows how to add in the windchill factor?

I'm mostly just happy to be away from work. Lately it's been such a drag. Supposedly, there are big changes in store in 2009, but I've been hearing that since early 2008. How true can these rumors be? Should I wait and stick it out to see or should I start the old job hunt? Maybe I should try to transfer to another department. If so, which one? Things always look greener on the other side of the fence as the saying goes. This economy isn't helping matters either. Tough decisions, tough decisions.

October 23, 2008

World Clock

This website is pretty cool. Wait for it to change so you can see all the cool stats . . . as they happen.

World Clock

October 20, 2008

MFB - Missing From Blog

Wow, has it really been almost two weeks since I last posted something? I know it's not like anyone is waiting with bated breath, but I've still gotta apologize. At the very least, I try to be a bit consistent with these random thoughts.

Anyway, here's what's been happening with me for the past couple of weeks.

~ I've spent dozens of hours on tripadvisor to prep for my upcoming, well-deserved vacation. I planned to visit L.A. with two of my friends.

~ I've spent several more hours flipping from Travelocity to Orbitz to Hotels.com to Priceline to any other travel discount site looking for air/hotel deals to San Francisco. While we had planned for and reserved our L.A. tickets back in March (before they instituted paying for baggage I might add), we just decided to sneak in a trip to San Francisco while we're in Cali.

~ In between surfing the net, I've done my holiday homework old school with Frommer's and Fodor's. I've flagged tons of things that I know we don't even have time to see, but it's always better to have more than less, right?

~ I caught and am trying to fight a cold. Even taking two days off last week hasn't really done it. I'm still sick. Hopefully I don't relapse while on vacation. That would be horrible!

~ I helped my friend shlep all her food over to my house when her fridge broke down. Too bad a lot of it went bad before we could move it. She just got her new fridge delivered so we'll probably shlep all her stuff back. My fridge has never been so full before.

You know, there must've been some other stuff that caused me to neglect my duties here at the blog but I just can't think of them now. My list doesn't look too hefty now does it? Ah well, that's all I got for now.

October 8, 2008

Patience, Smachience

I always knew I wasn't a patient person but somehow, over the last few months, I feel as though my patience is slipping away one ounce at a time. I get irritated and annoyed pretty easily these days, and sometimes I feel so exasperated that I wish I hadn't come to work.

I know what you're thinking, and no, it's not that time of the month. How can it be when it's been a constant symptom for months on end? Some may think that perhaps it's all stemming from unhappiness in the workplace. This could very well be true. If so, it is definitely spilling over into my personal life as well. When I'm off the clock, I still feel tense and agitated. Sometimes I don't even know why.

I'm not sure what to do about this situation. While it's not totally disrupting my productivity at work, I do find myself online longer than necessary. Sometimes I'm reading the local paper or blogs, other times I'm catching up on pop culture and Hollywood gossip. Overall, I just don't feel like working. I feel unmotivated and just do enough to get by. This is completely horrible on my part, but I just can't seem to help myself. Any suggestions of how to get me out of this funk?

October 6, 2008

The Ex List

Ok seriously, I thought that I was a through and through television monogamist and could only truly love one TV show (that show being Grey's Anatomy), but I think I've just experienced love at first sight for the very first time and may consider going polygamist.

The premiere I'm about to throw my morals out the window for is called The Ex List and could very well be the new love of my life. I'll tell you right now that it definitely wins over Private Practice, no matter how much I adore Addison/Kate Walsh.

What sparked my attention was that Elizabeth Reaser, who played Ava/Rebecca in Grey's, stars in this new comedy. Her character's name is Bella, and a psychic tells her that she's met the man she'll marry but must marry him within the next year or else she won't ever marry anyone. Talk about some pressure huh?

I'm assuming each episode will feature Bella's attempt to find this ex and see if he's the one. This is a sure-fire way to introduce us to a parade of hot guys. I'm already all for this show.

Bella's most recent ex, who may or may not end up being "the one," is the second reason I'm liking this show. He's a McSteamy lookalike whose real name is Mark Deklin. He sure does make a good Eric Dane stand-in.

All good-looking guys aside, this concept seems like it'd be pretty interesting. The first episode already threw me for a curve (I won't tell you in case you decide you want to check it out yourself). Bella is spunky and not afraid to tell it like it is. She surrounds herself with a group of friends who seem supportive but not over bearing. And, of course, there'll be a parade of hotties marching through the show.

Perhaps this is the CBS's answer to the void Sex and the City has left on all stations. Of course, it can't push the boundaries too far since it's on regular tv, but it might end up being a younger cousin.

I guess it's never too late to go polygamist, right?

Images: http://www.cbs.com/primetime/the_ex_list/

Young @ Heart

Tonight I watched an inspiring documentary about a chorus called Young @ Heart. What makes this group so special is that all of its members are seniors. They seem to be between 70 and 90+ years old, but all of them have such a great spirit, a love for life and enjoy singing.

Young @ Heart sing any kind of music - rock, r&b, pop, soul - you name it, they've sung it. While some of them may not like the songs at first, they learn to appreciate it at the end. You can see the pride in their eyes when they are able to learn the lyrics.

The songs also become special because you hear them from a different point of view. What was once a song about a lost lover becomes a song about a beloved friend. You see their interpretation of songs and realize that their passion should be bottled and sold.

This film makes you contemplate your own life to reevaluate how you live. Are you truly appreciative of what you have? Do you live like there's no tomorrow? Can you allow yourself to do what makes you the happiest? This movie is truly moving, and the amazing part about it is that it just depicts people living their lives. They're not saving the world. They're not finding the cure for cancer. Yet they do what they are able to do, and that's to sing their hearts out.

October 2, 2008

Bangin' TV


Since there was nothing great on TV tonight (well, except the vice presidential debates or something important like that), I decided to catch up on some episodes from season one of The Big Bang Theory. I watched a couple episodes when it premiered, however, as it usually goes, it fell by the wayside because I just didn't have time to watch it every week.

I'm starting to think that was a horrible idea. After watching only an episode, I found myself laughing so hard I almost peed my pants. These geeky guys are hysterical. I'm not sure if the show just plays up to my inner nerd or if it really is that funny. What do you think?

Sheldon is my favorite character. He is such a spaz about everything and takes things so literally. I love it. Without him, the show wouldn't last one episode. So far, my favorite episode is when he gets a cold. He, of course, becomes a huge drama queen that his friends have a plan of action that includes specific protocol so that they can avoid him. Penny, their neighbor, ends up having to babysit him. This is truly great comedy.

Image: www.cbs.com/primetime/big_bang_theory/photos

October 1, 2008

Right to Vote

The 2008 elections are turning into a doozy, aren't they? Locally and nationally, you must pick a side or get out of the way. You're either for rail or against rail. You're either for the war or against the war. You're either for the first black president or for the first female vice president. Pick a side people, pick a side.

Celebrities are getting into the whole politcal scene as well. Have you seen how involved Oprah is? Hollywood is not backing away from politics. In fact, it's stepping up to the plate and showing up at rallies and fundraisers, benefit concerts and conventions. Celebrities, even faux celebrity D-listers, are speaking out on behalf of their favorite candidate. They're encouraging Americans to take a stand.

So whether you're a Republican, Democrat or Independent, Hollywood is asking for your vote.

September 26, 2008

The Weaker Sex?

Despite all that women have gone through over the years to make equality among the sexes a mainstream idea, after today I've gotta say that I wouldn't be opposed to admitting that women may be the weaker sex.

Whoa, whoa, whoa there all you extreme feminists. Before you even begin to type a comment, let me explain. Today I spent almost eight hours loading and unloading boxes, lifting and pulling things around and carrying and pushing heavy objects. Of course, I wasn't alone in this task. My co-worker, who also happens to be female, had the good fortune to join me in this pursuit.

Right about now my (and I'm sure her) arms and legs are starting to get tight and tingly. Even my fingers and joints are starting to ache. Right about now I'm seriously thinking of popping an Advil and putting myself out of this misery.

It could be because of the extreme discomfort I'm feeling that I've come to realize that yes indeed the two genders are not equal. In fact, I know it's due to the achiness in my arms and legs. But, if all I'd have had to do was admit that women were the weaker of the two, I'd have damn well done it if someone else would've humped those boxes for me. I don't even think it'd have been beyond faking a fainting spell to get out of pushing heavy things around. Seriously, a right Southern belle, hotter than hell fainting spell wouldn't have been beyond my means. I'd even flutter my eyelashes before I hit the ground.

September 25, 2008

Grey's Anatomy Season Opener

Tonight's Grey's Anatomy was a pretty good prologue for this season. It addressed a lot of questions that I'm sure many fans have had lingering in their heads sine last season. The biggest news is that Mer/Der is here to stay, especially now that Rose is out of the picture. I'm one of those who didn't really like the Mer/Der relationship (too many on again, off again bits). I thought Derek and Rose made a great couple, but oh well. Another one bites the dust.

I was also hoping that Alex and Izzie would get back together. I've been waiting a long time for that to happen, probably since Denny died (even though I loved Denny to pieces). However, from the looks of things, it doesn't seem likely that it'll happen this season. Or will it?

Could there also be some kind of side adventure for Cristina? Will she venture outside of her well-formed box to try new things and take risks? Her interaction with Dr. Hunt in this episode seems to hint at it.

Tonight was the first time I noticed that George sorta walks gay. I don't mean that in a bad way, and I know it's totally stereotypical to think that hetero- and homosexual people walk a certain way, but it was so glaringly obvious tonigh. Has he always walked that way or is it only now because the actor is out of the closet?

Poor Lexie, she's in love with George like George was in love with Meredith. Same deal with the roles reversed. Will George notice her as more than just a friend?

And by the way, where are all the other interns? I know that they briefly showed Christina's interns but they're basically a mob of identical people. Where's the individuality?

The most interesting storyline this season seems to be the new lesbian couple, Callie and Erica. I think it's good to explore this on tv. I'm not sure if it's the first time or not, but all's fair in love and war so why not?

This season looks likes it's turning up the heat. Can't wait to see what happens.

September 23, 2008

I Like Stripes

Heroes vs. Prison Break Update

Apparently Michael Schofield and friends won the battle for my heart. I ended up watching Prison Break all the way through. Guess that means I'll have to either watch Heroes online or wait for the DVDs to come out.

I did notice last night that Netflix is letting you watch the entire two seasons online. They're quality is a lot better than streaming off other sites so I might just re-watch the first two seasons until the third one is out.

Darn those networks for making me choose.

September 22, 2008

Heroic Escapes or Prison Powers?

The night I've been dreading has finally arrived. The fall TV season is now in full-blown operation, and those darn networks are making me choose a fave. How can I choose a favorite evening drama? It's like having to choose your favorite child.

They did it several years ago, making me choose between Grey's Anatomy and CSI, and now they're doing it again. I was as crushed then as I am now.

This season I've got to choose between Heroes and Prison Break. I never had this conflict before until my friends kept insisting that I watch the gorgeous (and not to mention incredibly intelligent) Wentworth Miller break outta prison. I caught up over the summer by Netflixing the seasons. I was more curious than anything else, especially since the first season was all about his tats. Niiiice!

Now that I've been sucked into the world of criminals I'm having a difficult time tearing myself away to watch Heroes. I'm usually not one for comic book-type shows, but I was hooked on this one from the beginning.

I know, most people have TiVo or can DVR shows when they conflict like this, but unfortunately I don't have either. I just got regular cable. So what to do? What to do? I suppose if I get desperate I can watch them online huh? But, somehow it's never the same as watching it as it happens.

Are there any shows this fall that make your absolutely must-see TV list?

Image:
http://www.poptower.com/
http://www.heroestheseries.com/

September 15, 2008

Missing a Rib . . . or a Dozen

"And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man." (Genesis 2:22)

Apparently, this woman didn't want part of man's rib and had some of them removed. She's gotta still have some to protect her lungs right? Who knows though.

This is simply amazing . . . how many psychoses do you think she suffers from?







September 12, 2008

Honey, We'll Take the Car

Can you imagine driving around in this thing? This thing's got a jet engine but no windshield? How are you supposed to dodge bugs at that speed? And apparently there's no speed bumps in England.

September 10, 2008

Say "Money"

I just got back from two and a half hours worth of family time. Normally, this wouldn't be so bad. However, this chunk of my life was spent at the Sears portrait studio doing our first and last ever family portraits.

We were scheduled for a 6:30 p.m. session since that's the time we could all make it out after work. With 12 people all trying to squeeze into the camera lens, it's no wonder we didn't take longer than we did.

I think the photos came out alright - more good ones than bad ones anyway. We'll see when I get my copy of the CD. The only bad thing was that there was only one employee at the studio and she had to serve as photographer, photographer's assistant, cashier, IT support and do it all with a smile on her face. While I give her much props for her fantastic attitude, it was completely stupid of them to schedule only one employee with such a large group coming in.

I really felt sorry for another customer who ended up waiting over an hour for nothing. Since we shut the place down, there was no way she and her baby were going to get their photos taken or even their questions answered. That's completely bad for business.

Also, everyone knows that studios rip you off with their picture packages. Costco is so much more inexpensive. However, we purchased a package anyway like most people. There goes money down the drain.

I did learn that the new "cheese" is "money." I guess cheese isn't cutting it anymore in such slow economic times. The word "money" makes people a lot more happy than "cheese" ever could.

September 7, 2008

20-Something Dramas

Last night I went to a 21st birthday bash at a karaoke joint. The original plan was to happily sing off-key from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. while kicking off the night with some feel-good juice, then head over to Pearl to continue imbibing the feel-good juice. But as the night wore on, the singing got extended twice so that we ended up renting the room till 11 p.m. And of course, by that time a good portion of the party was really feeling the feel-good juice.

Needless to say, certain members of the party still wanted to move the shindig over to Pearl, but due to some itty, bitty issues like not being able to stand straight and talk straight, it was decided for them that the party was definitely over.

The rest of the merry makers (all early to mid twenty-somethings) were not going to give up the night when the sun was so far from rising. So with Pearl nixed, they decided to check out The Shack in Waikiki, not really because it just opened, but more so because they knew the person working the door. Once this was settled, the real drama began.

Call me old fashioned (or just old), but I don't remember having so much drama when deciding when and where to go out. First, just selecting a place was a half-hour discussion. Obviously, if you know the girl with the list or the bouncer to some club, that's gotta be a good venue choice. I mean c'mon, skip right in why don't you?

The next issue was who would be driving and where would the extra cars go. This led to a heated discussion about what time people were going home and if they were going home at all. I assume the latter half meant one of three things: 1) Crash in town with friends, 2) Crash in town with new friends or 3) Stay up all night and go straight to work the following day. This was a back-and-forth volley worthy of Wimbledon.

Throughout this hour-and-a-half long discussion of the night's plans, texting and cell phone calls were abundant. Texters and callers ran the gamut: old friends, new friends, old flames and potential new flames. Other issues that bubbled up included where exactly is The Shack and where is everyone parking. This led to grumbling that people were tired and didn't really feel like going anyway. Then, of course, came the mandatory pep talk to get them back in the mood. No one was getting off the hook of going out tonight, no one.

Seriously, I was tired just watching them run through it all. Ok, it's granted that I'm older than this bunch, but I'm not much older and am still at 20-something myself. However I don't remember ever having this kind of drama just for a simple night out. Do you?

To add insult to injury, back in the day there were no cell phones to make organizing so much easier. Prior to that it was pagers, and we all know that those were of no real use. I guess the answer is that either the kiddies have just gotten more complicated as technology gets better or we were just more efficient at corraling the troops for a night on the town.

With the final goal of having a great time still playing a prominent role in these events, you'd think that technology would make it easier these days to get the show on the road. Somehow, it doesn't seem that way to me.

Images: www.freedigitalphotos.net

September 5, 2008

Fundraiser for Paliku Winchester

What:
Aloha Pacific FCU is conducting a fundraiser to help Paliku Winchester, younger brother of Waipio's third baseman Pikai Winchester.

When:
Saturday, Sept. 6 from 10 a.m. to noon

Where:
Aloha Pacific FCU’s Hawaii Kai Branch at Koko Marina Center (near Pricebusters)

Who:
Aloha Pacific FCU & Waipio Little League World Championship Team

Why:
Five-year-old Paliku Winchester was diagnosed with lymphoma cancer. The fundraiser is to help offset the increasing cost of his medical bills. Paliku is currently undergoing chemotherapy treatments and is expected to need treatments for the next two years.

More Info:
Cash and check donations made payable to “Paliku Winchester” are being accepted at all Aloha Pacific FCU branches from now through Tuesday, Sept. 30.

On-site events for Saturday, Sept. 6 include: members of the championship team signing autographs for donations; specially priced lunch combo of a hot dog, drink and chips sold for $3 donations; free balloon giveaway to all keiki, while supplies last; and enter-to-win contests and games.

September 3, 2008

10 Other Reasons Why Pregnancy can be Great

Yesterday I found out that a good friend of mine is preggers. I hadn't seen her in a while, and sho' nuff when I did she was already showing. Now, I'm not one of those who ooh and ahh over the miracle of birth, but I will give you this: pregnant women can get away with murder. With that in mind, I figured I'd make a list of situations during which being pregnant is as good as gold.

1. Never lift a finger again - Regardless of the fact that you can lift a tow truck worth of food to your mouth, anything else will be beyond your capability. Definitely have someone else handle such details as grocery shopping, taking out the garbage, cleaning the house, etc.

2. Choosing where to eat for dinner - Now you have a right to say you don't want to eat at the Thai place and would prefer fried chicken . . . yes, four nights in a row.

3. Anytime you exercise in public - People will admire you for even dragging your butt to the gym so whether or not you're actually working out is beside the point.

4. Shoe shopping or shopping in general - The ultimate excuse to purchase those overpriced pair of shoes = swollen feet. New wardrobe? Can't fit into the old one and surely people can't expect you to walk around naked, can they?

5. Overwhelming desire not to work anymore - Even if you're not sick or tired, you can always say you are so you don't have to come in to work. No one will question it unless they want to deal with the crazy, hormonal pregnant lady.

6. PMS attitude 24/7 - Don't even hesitate to blame it on the baby. This diamond here is worth the stretch marks and 18 years of legal indentured servitude.

7. Unavoidable situations with people you hate - Now you can excuse yourself and hide in the bathroom without drawing attention to yourself or outting the fact that you really, truly hate this person's company.

8. Female driving faux pas - You're a famale driver AND pregnant. People can't expect you to signal before switching lanes. If you're really lucky, you'll never drive yourself again. This is where your male (or even female) counterpart takes over and does all the driving for you. You can nickname him "Jeeves" and start lounging in the backseat like Miss Daisy.

9. TV remote control control - You'll finally have control over the TV remote because you'll spend more time on the couch than your hubby. Once it's in your hands, he'll never get it switched back to ESPN. From here on out, it's TLC's "A Baby Story" or "Jon & Kate Plus 8" - all day, every day.

10. Tango or no go, in the bedroom - Now you can save your "I've got a headache" excuses and wear the prenancy excuse out for a good couple months. No one will know but you.

Images: www.freedigitalphotos.net

August 26, 2008

Never Underestimate WoW Geeks

I guess this just proves you should never underestimate geeks with some time on their hands. This is the funniest stuff I've seen in a while, and there were so many I couldn't even decide which ones I liked best. Oh, and just so you know, "Internet is for Porn" contains R-rated lyrics for you young'uns. Enjoy!

Internet is for Porn
Check out the dancing. It's hilarious! There are actually tons of versions of this thing - Sesame Street, Harry Potter, South Park, etc. I found this one to be the most funny.


I'm Too Sexy
They even got the 80s pelvic thrust down.


Baywatch
Is the big guy supposed to be David Hasselhoff?


We Will Rock You
Great sync between the audio and visual.


Hips Don't Lie
It really does look like Shakira!

August 23, 2008

I'm So Deep & Asian Invasion

Gawd, I wish they'd bring this show back . . . or at least remake it somehow. Slam poetry is such an underrated artform and Def Poetry was such a great outlet for poets to show their stuff. This dude (Beau Sia) was one of my faves on the show. Full sarcasm, all day, every day. We totally need to push more of this in Hawaii . . . the poetry, I mean, although sarcastic humor is pretty funny too.

I'm So Deep


Asian Invasion

August 19, 2008

Hell on Earth

Ok, I've held off long enough and I can't take it any more. I'm sorry to put you through this, but I have to bitch about work. I'm not sure how to describe it to you so that you full comprehend my angst, but let me try.

Have you ever come in contact with a person who just completely rubs you the wrong way? Everything about this person - unruly hair, sloppily tucked in Reyn's aloha shirt, ill-fitting black slacks that seem to somehow always reveal a tighty whitey peep show despite the tremendous effort of a belt - just irritates you. By simply existing, this person has your nerve endings zapping irritation 24/7? Seeing this person revolts you so much that you have to consciously refrain from shuddering in their presence? Their voice is so annoying that you would rather email them rather than be forced into an actual face-to-face with them, even though you only sit 10 feet away? They are so oblivious of your irritation and do not heed any subtle or not-so-subtle daggers that you fling in their direction that you'd rather just pump up the bitch volume and hope they walk away shaking their head thinking, "Gawd dayum, she's a bitch."


Then imagine working with this person every single day of the week in an office of three people where escape is not so easy. Imagine still that this person is your boss and avoidance, although you feel is completely necessary in order for you to keep your sanity, is the most unattainable thing in the world.

Welcome to my life.


I don't know if this annoyance began the first day I started or if it has just progressed into some disease-like situation that I can't seem to find any medication for. I mean, it's weighing me down so much that I don't even care that this blog isn't anywhere near being grammatically correct or even making sense for that matter. My irritation level is so high that I can overlook those things without a care in the world. In fact, I don't think I'll even re-read this entry (shocking, I know) before posting. I just can't handle it any more.

While I'm sure it can't be pleasant working side-by-side with someone in my current bitchy condition, even though one of the two other people in the room is the cause of this condition, I just can't refrain from it. I can't seem to bite my tongue, avoid the dreaded eye roll or even ease up on my negative tone of voice. It's as if I have constant PMS because the irritability and bitchy-ness I feel simply by pulling into the parking lot at work.

Worst of all, this oblivious boss of mine wants to be - yes, you guessed it - my friend. Oh brother, get a freakin clue. The guy is a poster boy for persistence or he has an ego like no other, because even after more than a year of getting shot down, he still continues his lame attempts at friendship. He's got to know he's fighting a losing battle, with me AND my other co-worker, yet he continues to drum up that fake enthusiasm every Friday and shout out, "It's FRIDAY! Got any plans this weekend?" As if we would share that information or any other personal info with him. Yet, without fail, every Friday it's the same drill. At this point, I don't know whether to laugh or cry. Even when faced with complete and utter silence, he still waits patiently for either myself or my co-worker to answer. I don't know how she does it but I always crack under the pressure and end up saying something just to shut his face up. Of course I don't tell him a thing and just reply, "Nothing."

What is it that is so bad about this guy you ask? The hell of it is that I don't even know. I'm dumbfounded to find that someone can irritate me this much. I consider myself a mellow person 85% of the time. That other 15% I reserve for being pissed off on behalf of my friends or whatnot when the situation calls for it (ie. finding out their bf cheated, getting screwed out of a raise/promotion at work, getting a speeding ticket, etc.). But lately, it's like I'm in a constant state of agitation.


Lately I'm beginning to feel like every day is just another day in hell. Yeah, I know it's horrible to think about work that way. We do spend the majority of our lives at work, especially those of us on salary. But really, it is becoming overwhelmingly hellish to wake up in the morning and know that I have to return to this hell hole.

The sad part is that it's not the job or the other people I work with that are causing the hell-like situation. It's just this one person. So what's a girl to do? I can either quit and find another job, hoping beyond any reasonable hope that there can't possibly be ANOTHER person who can irritate the living daylights out of me. I can wait for him to quit, which I don't think will happen in the next decade. Or I can wait for him to get promoted and hope that they hire someone to take his place. At least then this new person will be a buffer between him and I. None of these options look all that promising at this point.


So I guess I'll just have to suck it up and take it for a while longer. Perhaps I'll meet a guy who'll sweep me off my feet, foot the bill for anything I'd like to do and ask me to jet across the globe with him. Dude, if you're out there, call me.


Images:

http://www.clickajob.co.uk/
http://www.horacek.com.au/
http://staticblog.hi-pi.com/

August 14, 2008

Suuuueeeyyyy - The Call of the Pig

Tonight I joined my brother and his family at Magic Island for the fair. It was interesting to have all these carnival rides crammed into such a small space. For a Thursday night, it was pretty crowded. My favorite part was definitely the pig races. Suuueeeeyyyy!

The act was called Hendrick's Racing Pigs, and I think they were flown in from the mainland. The announcer had a slight twang and also did some speed talking.

The pigs were bigger than I thought they'd be. I was expecting some cute baby pigs oinking it around the track. Instead, we got some medium-sized pigs. Still cute, but just bigger than I thought they'd be.

The pigs did three heats. I'm not sure if they were four different pigs each time or if they were just recycled. They did go back into their pens after each race so I'm not sure how many actual pigs there were.

Since pigs are just as smart as dogs, they must've known the drill pretty well by now. Once they got into their lanes, they were up and ready to go. Some were really excited and tried to break through the fence.

What was their prize? One single oreo cookie. Oh, to be satisfied so easily must be quite lovely. At the end they all crowded around the silver platter that held the single black cookie. I'm sure the winning pig inhaled it from two feet away, but they all still circled like vultures . . . you know, just in case there were crumbs.

If you get a chance, I recommend that you swing on by and visit Hendrick and his pink pigs. Take the family. Enjoy some good food - from the booths, not the pigs. Ride some rides. Play some games. Go on down and have some good family fun!

August 11, 2008

Best Steak Place in Town

I don't know what rock I've been living under but a friend of mine just introduced me to the best steak place in town last week, and I've already been back again this week! The place is called Blazin' Steaks and it's in Kalihi on North King Street. Don't worry though - there are places popping up all over Oahu (Windward side, Mililani, etc).

The plate lunch comes with eight ounces of steak, salad, rice and a drink and is ONLY $6.00!! Say what? Yes, you heard right. It's only six bucks. Blazin' Steaks also offers chicken and fish and a monster 16-ounce steak plate for $10.00. You can also mix and match your meal for a total of $7.00. How can you go wrong??

I also heard a rumor that they have shrimp too, but I haven't come across it on the menu yet. Hmm, wonder if it was just a daily special or something? I'll have to keep going back to find out.

Since my mouth was watering too much to even think about bringing a camera to lunch with me, check out The Tasty Island blog for some great photos and info on the place.

August 10, 2008

RIP Isaac

Wow, two stars in a weekend. Devastating! First Bernie Mac, then Isaac Hayes. Apparently his family found him collapsed near a treadmill . . . perhaps a heart attack? It's just horrible that people trying to live a healthy lifestyle can fall victim to the same health issues that they are trying to avoid. It's such a tragedy.

August 9, 2008

RIP Bernie

Just got online and a head line caught my eye: "Actor and comedian Bernie Mac dies at age 50." Wow, how can this be? Known for his distinctive laugh and booming voice, Mac was just starting to make it big. He'd done some films and had a sitcom. His career was only just beginning. It's shocking to hear the news that he's passed.

While I enjoyed him in Oceans Eleven and Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, I loved him on The Original Kings of Comedy. I think this is where he really shined and where he really belonged. I for one am really going to miss his raucous brand of humor. RIP Bernie.

August 6, 2008

Colt Highlights

While I'm not exactly the biggest football fan, I can appreciate the hard work and dedication it takes to be an athlete. Not everyone has the talent, drive and luck to make it to the pros and even fewer Islanders find their way there so I think we should support those who do.

Here's an NFL clip of Colt vs. the Colts

August 4, 2008

Hawaii Hot Spots for Singles?

While talking to my friend yesterday on our mini road trip, we, of course, got around to the topic of guys. With both of us being single, the chat hovered around where and how we are supposed to find Mr. Right. You don't have to say it. I already know what you're thinking - is there even a Mr. Right, especially with these marriage/divorce figures? Well, let's just be optimistic for once and say there is a Mr. (or Miss) Right for all of us. Now, where do you even begin to find him?

According to an Advertiser blogger, Harbor Court (formerly Palominos) is the place. But where else? I mean, we live on a rock in the middle of the sea, according to Justin Young. There's only so many places we can go, so many things we can do.



My friend recently went on a semi-blind date. She thought of it as just hanging out and getting to know her friend's co-worker. He apparently thought it was a date-date. In either case, she said it was enjoyable but no sparks. They might get a friendship out of it, might not.

Is this how it works? We're supposed to rely on friends of friends?

What happens if none of your friends are single? You know how it goes: married couples only seem to attract more married people. It's as if they've all turned off their singles light like a yellow cab in NYC turns off its sign. It's almost like saying they're not taking any more singles fares.

Or, on the other hand, what if a bunch of your friends are all single? Wouldn't that be like the blind leading the blind? Single leading the single?

And no one wants to have to rely on their parents to set them up. God no! I'd rather die an old maid than have that ever happen.

So where are all the hot spots for Hawaii singles that don't involve exposure to accidently-on-purpose club rub, male ego stupidity or any other such nonsense? Where, oh where, is the Mr. Perfect for all of us?

August 3, 2008

A Picture Worth $14 Million Dollars

WTF?!?! How can two kids be worth THIS much? Not even two kids . . . pictures of two kids? OMG! What is this world coming to?

Seasons Change but All Remains the Same

I hung out with one of my good friends today and we took a mini trip around the island. It was nice just to chill and talk story about everything and nothing at all. We ended up at Kakaako Waterfront Park watching the surfers.

A bunch of kids from high school came out of the water and were talking about prom, hot girls, tests, which teachers are easy and if they're going to pass or fail the class. It was an interesting social experiment for me to watch these guys (kids?) interact with each other. I remember being their age at some point and remember guys acting that way, but what surprised and amused me in an ironic sort of way is the realization that guys hadn't changed much in the almost ten years I've been outta high school. They pretty much still act like these beach kids. Let me explain.

Re: Taking a certain girl to prom
Guy 1: mumbling about the girl
Guy 2: "What? Hot? Ugly?"

Re: Either another girl from school or a female teacher
Guy 1: "She pretty ah?"
Guy 2: "Un, but ho, she one b*tch uh?"

I guess when a bunch of guys get together there's no real reason to be articulate. Who are they trying to impress anyway right? Better save that for when they're with a girl. Their interactions are more a series of words interspersed with grunts and other caveman-like sounds.

August 2, 2008

Don't Mess with Little Ol' Ladies

I got this clip through email and practically fell off my chair laughing! I haven't been feeling good this past week, but this just made it all better. Never underestimate little ol' ladies. Enjoy!

Roger Rick and Marilyn Morning Show

July 30, 2008

Shadow Puppets Gone Wild

Just a quickie to tide you over. I've been sick as a dog these past few days and am just starting to feel like I'm recovering. Had to go back to work today because I could just feel it all piling up. Sad huh? Anyway, here's some cool shadow puppetry by a group called Pilobolus on the Conan Show. Is this modern dance, acrobatics or street art?

July 22, 2008

Paper or Plastic?

Los Angeles, one of the most polluted cities in the U.S., has announced that it's banning all plastic bags from retail stores beginning July 1, 2010. L.A. joins San Francisco in its effort to decrease pollution. This is an interesting move, and I wonder if/when Hawaii will follow suit?

You'd think that someplace like Hawaii, which lives on tourism and an idyllic representation of the land, would be first on the list to do this. It makes sense financially and ecologically, but I think it'll take a while for us to jump on the bandwagon. It always takes a while for things (ideas, fashion, technology and change) to make it across the Pacific and into the minds of islanders.

But, is this lack of desire for change or extreme loyalty to tradition good or bad?

July 19, 2008

Naked Boys Singing!

Don't ever accuse me of false advertising or extreme exaggeration (well, not about this anyway). Fresh out of my dvd player is a musical theater performance-turned-movie called Naked Boys Singing! (2007). I stumbled upon it while browsing through random dvds on Netflix. Of course, the catchy title drew me, just like those darn Brangelina twins and the Madonna/A Rod affair.

After reading the first three reviews, I realized that the movie was marketed to about 82 percent gay men, 13 percent closeted gay men and 5 percent straight women. We'll, I'm proud to say that I indeed fall into that 5 percent so I quickly added it to my queue and waited anxiously for it to come on over.

When the dvd arrived, I ripped open the package and shoved it in. Interestingly enough, the dvd label was of a naked guy with the center diecut discreetly over his junk. This may well be the only discreet thing about the film.

The opening number, called "Gratuitous Nudity," quickly got the show swinging, and I really do mean swinging. After the initial shock of seeing 10 naked men dancing and singing wore off, I have to say that I really did like the cleverness of the lyrics. The songs were equally funny, touching, poignant and outright in-your-face (as was every anatomical part of the male body).

The show spared no expense and cast actors who could definitely let loose vocally. By the end of the first song, the show wasn't so much about naked guys but more about the art of it all. The message of being naked (physically, emotionally, psychologically) and setting yourself free to live and love was communicated loud and clear.

I'm not sure how gay men would view the film, but as a straight woman I'd give it two thumbs up. The performers were all attractive and very fit. There was a wide range in ethnicities so I guess you could say there was a flavor for everyone (I swear one of the cast members looks like Doug Savant of Melrose Place, another looks like Mark Espinoza of Beverly Hills 90210 and one even looks a bit like Rob Schneider).

The guys weren't hulking with muscles (like Chippendales performers) but many were definitely ripped. Their performance ability was definitely ten times better than any "male revue" out there, which I totally appreciate. I mean, can you believe they actually sang on key and their dance numbers were in sync? And there wasn't any of that corny hip thrusting or crotch grabbing; no unnecessary snake-like undulating or smokey, bedroom-eye gazes. It was basically a good theater number that happened to be about nakedness where all the performers were, well, naked.

As a side note, I attended a Chippendales performance when they were in Hawaii a couple years back when we went out for a friend's hen party. While those guys are good to look at, they couldn't sing or dance worth a damn. They had no rhythm and probably no soul either. I was definitely disappointed. You come to be entertained, but unless you throw yourself into their arms and have an outrageous number of dollar bills for lap dances, the show is not worth its weight in gold. Naked Boys Singing!, on the other hand, was a gem, even with a small budget and limited production time (as noted on the "Making of" video that can be found on the Special Features).

Naked Boys Singing! Trailer


Image sources:

July 18, 2008

Hola, Que Tal?

I've been meaning to learn another language for a long time, especially with all the resources you can find online these days. I took Japanese in high school and college and actually completed through Japanese 302 (quite a feat in my book), but not having used it since that last class and never having lived in Japan, all that I learned has slowly slipped away. Replacing that useful piece of linguistic knowledge are a bunch of pop culture do-dads that couldn't help me to save my life.

But, yesterday I was talking to a co-worker who speaks Spanish, English, French and Italian and I was inspired. So tonight I subscribed to Coffee Break Spanish on iTunes. The first podcast wasn't too bad, considering I've never studied any Latin languages before. We'll see how it goes though. I wanted to do Italian or French, but I thought Spanish might be a bit easier to start with. It seems to have the same rolling Rs that's in Japanese so I'll be able to pronouce at least that much. I also listened to one of the French podcasts but I think the rounded sounds will give me a problem before I even start, so I'd better save that for another time.

After just one podcast, I gotta say that the best part is that the instructor and the student both have Scottish accent. For some reason Scottish, Irish and British accents are just sexy (and I can totally understand them without learning a new language)!

July 17, 2008

10,000 Grains!

Took a while but I answered enough questions to donate 10,000 grains of rice. Didn't take as long as I thought. I encourage you to do the same.

Help end world hunger

Saving the World One Grain at a Time

I discovered this cool website that rewards your brainpower by feeding the world's hungry. Free Rice is part trivia, part non-profit (although they say they're not technically registered).

The idea behind the site is that you're given a multiple choice vocab lesson. When you select the right definition, you earn 20 grains of rice. The more correct answers you submit, the more rice you can earn. Money to purchase the rice is generated from the site's banner ads. The rice is then donated to the UN World Food Program. Pretty awesome don't you think?

While I may not be trading in my car for a bike, going completely organic or even recycling as regularly as I should, at least I'm doing my part to save the world (and getting smarter in the process). What are you doing?

Help end world hunger

July 16, 2008

Chick Lit Hotties

Here's a quick list of chick lit authors that I love:

Meg Cabot:
http://www.megcabot.com/
I love her "Boy" series, which are The Boy Next Door, Boy Meets Girl and Every Boy's Got One.

Jane Green:
http://www.janegreen.com/
She writes some great stuff: Jemima J, Mr. Maybe, Bookends and Straight Talking

Sophie Kinsella:
http://www.randomhouse.com/bantamdell/kinsella/
Anyone who loves fashion and shopping to the point of incredible debt will love her "Shopaholic" series.

Honorable Mentions:

Marian Keyes
Jennifer Weiner
Jennifer Crusie

Chick Lit Only for Chicks?

As I sat in my car waiting for the light to change at the intersection of Piikoi and Kinau, something caught my eye. Crossing the street was a guy in his 20s-30s who had in his hand a copy of P.S. I Love You. I found this quite intriguing.

While I haven't read the book myself, I've seen the movie, which stars Hilary Swank and Gerard Butler. Now, for all intents and purposes, it seemed like the movie was targeted toward women. I'm sure not many men would willingly watch a flick that focused on how a woman overcame the grief she felt from the death of her husband. Described that way, even I don't think it sounds all that appealing.

With this said, I'm going to assume that the book was also targeted toward women and probably labeled "chick lit." So, you can see why it surprised me that this guy was walking around with this book in his hand for all eyes to see. Granted, it wasn't the original cover but you still gotta give this guy some credit for even reading it.

This new revelation brings up the question: Is chick lit only for chicks? I don't know many guys who would read something that wasn't sports related, let alone read chick lit, but it would be interesting to find out if men really did get into chick lit when no one's watching.

For the most part, these types of books all similar and have identical story arcs. Most deal with the fields of public relations, marketing, television, fashion and journalism. The main character is always looking for love and usually experiences some rocky moments before finding her true love.

Do guys find this topic appealing as well? Who's to say that only women have these issues when society seems to be pushing family life later and later in the game? Maybe guys can relate to this too and it's a universal theme? Maybe they just like the quick read (like I know I do)?

In any case, to that guy on the street proudly clutching his copy of Cecelia Ahern - Bravo!

Image source: www.barnesandnoble.com

July 13, 2008

Weekend DVDs

I watched a ton of DVDs this weekend, and they were all pretty great in their own way. I thought I'd share them with you.

Image Source: http://www.filmcatcher.com/

Lars and the Real Girl (2007), starring Ryan Gosling, is about a shy and somewhat troubled man named Lars who orders a life-sized doll and proceeds to fall in love with her. I must admit that this concept sounds off the wall, but you have to look beyond the surface. The movie is really about a community pulling together to help a man heal. It's about treating people like human beings and doing all you can to help them. The movie is filled with moments - funny, touching, heart-warming. I think this is one of Gosling's best works. He is genius in it.

Image Source: http://www.movieweb.com/

La Vie En Rose (2007), starring Marion Cotillard, is the life story of Edith Piaf. The movie is brought to life with her music and Cotillard's wonderful acting. It portrays Piaf at her best and at her worst. Throughout the movie, there is always just a thin line between the fragile, unsure child that she was and the confident, demanding diva that she became. She lived life to the fullest, regretting nothing. She loved whole-heartedly and embodied life. This movie is almost two and a half hours long but is well worth it.

Image Source: http://www.moviemaker.com/

Rashomon (1950) is one of Akira Kurasawa's masterpieces and tells the story of a murder from three different points of view - husband, wife and bandit. The movie deals with many themes, such as the idea of truth, good vs. evil and human nature. The plot is an intricately woven fabric that is stretched and pulled in many directions as the audience attempts to sift through and devise the truth. Filmed in black and white, the movie also experiments with different lighting and camera techniques. The movie stars Toshiro Mifune.

Image Source: http://www.allposters.com/

August Rush (2007), starring Freddie Highmore of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory fame, is about an orphaned boy who follows the music he hears in search of his parents. It is a touching tale of hope and the beauty of music. Keri Russell and Jonathan Rhys Meyers play his long-lost parents. While this movie could have been preachy and obnoxious, it wasn't. Instead, it was a tale of what dreams can do and a story of timeless love.

July 11, 2008

School Reunions - To Go or Not to Go

I've been participating in Dave Vinton's blog about his class reunion, and I wanted to further explore the topic here.

He and other bloggers advise that I go to my 10-year reunion (not till 2009) because people change in 10 years. They say these changes are good and bad, so I suppose that means some get fatter (I'm definitely one of those), some get skinnier, some get better looking (hopefully me again . . . haha), some people's looks regress, etc. And while I am sort of curious about how people look and what they've been doing, I also feel as though not enough time has passed.

Granted, it'll have been a decade (geez, that makes us sound old!) but personally, I don't even feel like I've accomplished much since graduation. Oh, I've done what many people may have done - graduated from college, found a job, living on my own and whatever else one can do in 10 years - but I feel like at the core, I'm still that 18-year-old kid that was happy to finally get out of high school. All the hopes and dreams, the I-can-conquer-the-world feeling I felt then is still with me.

Also, I wonder about if going to your high school reunion somehow makes you revert to how you were in high school. These are the people who saw you all snotty-nosed and zit-faced. Ok, well maybe I'm exaggerating. But they are the ones who were with you when you went through a lot of changes - physical, mental and emotional - and this is probably how they remember you. Do you fall back into your stereotypical niche once you step foot back on the metaphorical campus? Or does the 10 years spent as your "real self" away from the high school peer pressures and preconceived notions win out in the end?

When I was in school, I had a core group of friends but wouldn't say it was a clique (although there was plenty of that going on too). I wasn't in the popular crowd, by all means, but I wasn't at the bottom rung of the social ladder either. I think this has to do with what you participate in throughout your life. For instance, I played soccer growing up so I knew the "jocks." I took two years of band in intermediate school (it was either that or chorus and you don't want to hear me sing) so I knew some "band geeks." I took some AP classes so I knew the "brainiacs." And everyone takes PE and Health, so I knew everyone some people in between.

When you go to your class reunion, are we still relegated to these stereotypes? Or do people see you as you are now and not who you used to be?

July 9, 2008

Chinese Jump Rope

No, this is not the local game of Chinese jump rope. These are real Chinese people (kids really) jump roping. Only they can take jumping and ropes and turn it into an art form.

Where The Hell Is Matt?

Seriously . . . why didn't I think of this first? I mean, geez! How bad could this be right? Traveling around on someone else's dime doing a funny dance? Man, this is genius!

Chinese Backstreet Boys

Just thought I'd share this hilarious vid of Asian kids lip singing to the Backstreet Boys' "I Want It That Way."

July 5, 2008

Filipino Chamber of Commerce Installation

What exactly does that mean? Yeah, I wanted to know too. I was invited to attend the Filipino Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii's Installation Ceremony by my boss. Apparently we purchased a table and needed people to fill it.

So, it turns out that this is basically a banquet to say out with the old and in with the new regarding the chamber's leadership. (Good thing I went to Ross and bought a frou frou dress because those Filipinos sure know how to get dressed up! Some of the dresses were gorgeous; others were a bit revealing; some just awful. In any case, it was a festive occasion. Get this, I found a dress for $10! How's that for a steal?)

It took place at the Hilton Hawaiian Village's Tapa Ballroom. Nice. The food was okay - chicken and fish, rice and veggies. The dessert was delish! Think it was raspberry (could've been strawberry) cheesecake. Yum!

It was an interesting experience, but I don't need to go to one of those big events again. It was awkward because I didn't know anyone other than my co-workers. Also, most of the people were older (a lot older) than me. For me, it was sorta like going to prom as a chaperone - you fit but you don't fit and you basically go for just the food. It did give me a chance to get dressed up, but even that's not something I'm too fond of doing.

Image Source: http://filipinochamber.org/

July 3, 2008

Scene Unseen Podcast

I just stumbled upon the greatest podcast ever - Scene Unseen. I was browsing through iTunes' free podcast and found this gem. Basically the idea behind this podcast is that one commentator watches the movie and one doesn't, then they discuss it. The two guys are Chris and Jimmy, but the ones I've heard (the most recent ones) have guest speakers. Not sure what happened to Jimmy.

In any case, they talk a bunch about the movies, what they liked and disliked, wander into other movies and topics but always bring it back. It's great. They seem to be real insiders too, so that's pretty cool to get hints about future films. I've listened to three of them so far and they're really entertaining. They're funny in a sometimes cynical way. Oh, and there's a bunch of swearing splattered throughout.

June 28, 2008

Can I Interest You in a Book Today?

Most of my friends know that I'm a lover of movies, music and books - basically a pop culture whore - and I go through these phases of watching tons of movies, reading tons of books and listening to tons of music. I do try to mix up the genres though so that my mind doesn't turn to mush. I try for the thought provoking and swing all the way toward the indulgent. For the most part I gotta admit that I don't have a lot of restraint and usually indulge.

That's not to say that I'm opposed to classic lit or Italian operas. But lately, I don't have the willpower to pour through Moby Dick or any of its cousins. I have, however, breezed through three, almost four, Chick Lit books in a matter of days. While I know that they in no way compare to Melville's masterpiece (which I still have yet to crack open), I do feel a sense of pride for even reading text in its physical manifestation.

In this day and age, most people get their info online with audiobooks, 24/7 streaming news (and gossip) and podcasts. They catch up on a variety of things snippet by snippet, never fully diving into any one thing. The idea of holding an actual book, turning the pages and curling up on the couch is foreign to many. Who has the time?

But for those of us who do pick up a book now and then, it's a feeling that can't be beat. Feeling the crisp pages on your fingertips; smelling the clean paper smell; being the first to make a crease in the spine - these are all things that make it worthwhile. Or, if you're a used books/library patron, the idea that hundreds of other people have enjoyed these exact same pages as you can be very fulfilling (unless you are OCD, of course).

I'd hate to see the era of the book be surpassed, like many other things, by the speedy pace of technology. Yes, it can sometimes be inconvenient to lug a book around with you. Yes, it can sometimes reveal things about yourself to others that you're not yet willing to admit. Yes, it can seem unimportant when millions of things are buzzing around in your head. But, don't let it slip away.

June 23, 2008

Public Service Announcement


Are gas prices driving you to drink? Don't fret. Join the hundreds of others like you who have given up driving their monster trucks and flashy cars. As gas prices continue to rise with no end in sight, we urge you to stop this driving madness. Don't be afraid. You're not alone.

Beer . . . Now Cheaper Than Gas!

Drink, Don't Drive!


This public service announcement was brought to you by Paradise Revealed.

June 16, 2008

The New Generation's Sweet Okole

A friend of mine emailed me these old school vids of The New Generation. I don't particularly remember either of these songs or the group, for that matter.

These vids bring it way back into the late '80s-early '90s. Check out the New Edition/New Kids on the Block dance moves! Nice! Also love the background beats and that shrill "Insane in the Brain" sound. Can you believe the clothes? I especially remember the overalls (one up/one down look) and plaid. How can you not love these throw backs?

"Sweet Okole"


"Make This Dream Real"