April 29, 2009

Bucket List - Week 3 Update

I didn't make too much progress on my Bucket List this week. Here's your update:

Bucket List #16
It looks like the Lanakila project at work is going through. I think this will be a good way to ease into volunteering before I jump into the deep end on my own.

Bucket List #18
I've been looking into this one but need to do more research. They've got a two-year course over at HCC, but I want to see what it really involves. So far, the tuition and flight fees add up to a pretty penny. I suppose you can make it back if you actually get a flying job once you graduate. However, like everything else these days, the economy is kicking everyone's butt. Will there be flying jobs out there when Americans aren't vacationing like they used to?

Bucket List #32
Well, I found two cents on the sidewalk - two separate instances. So that only leaves $999.98 to go.

Bucket List #50
Yeah, well this one's shot to hell. I'm just as successful at this as I am with #85, which is nada. I won't give up though.

Bucket List #55
I finished my inspirational book for April. It's called Life Could Be Sweeter by William Sinunu. What was interesting about this book is that the author has apparently traveled and lived all around the world. Because of this, he's been able to witness and compare different cultures and traditions with our American ideals. There's much to be said about a worldly conscience that allows you to cope with death, experience love, view success and other every day things from a different light. I've learned that there are so many different ways to live your life and that the most important thing is that you be true to yourself. I also found that while Americans may view certain things as being completely crazy (such as quitting your job to travel around the world with your partner in order to discover if the two of you are truly compatible and ready to take the next step toward marriage), it is simply normal and acceptable behavior to Europeans. C'est la vie!



Bucket List #70
I've been looking into this one as well. I've looked at and priced out a couple different machines, but I think I'll wait till after my SF trip to nail down which one I'm going to buy.

Bucket List #72
I started cleaning around my house a bit, but it was really just to get myself organized to pack for my trip. There are so many things I could get rid of and donate to charity, but that all takes up so much time. After my trip, I plan to set aside an entire weekend and go through my things with a fine-tooth comb. Keep what I really need and use; dump what I don't.

Bucket List #74
DONE! Wow, this is the first item on my list that I can actually cross off. On April 17, I received a message on Facebook from my long lost friend Wolfgang (no, it's not actually his real name). I had not heard from or seen him in what I estimate to be 10 years. 10 years! Can you believe that one? What the?!?! Where did all the time go? Back in the day we used to chat till the wee morning hours. He'd swing by to visit me at work, which would sometimes be very awkward as I think my old co-workers were overly protective of me back then. I'd always get the thrid degree from them when he left. Sometimes I'd swing by his work to just cruise. It was nice since he worked at a music shop. God, reminiscing like this is almost enough to get me all misty-eyed . . . for my youth and days gone by. Damn it, we're so old now! Hahaha!

April 27, 2009

Men in Uniform

I'm not one to normally spot a man in uniform, feel my legs turn to jelly and automatically swoon. But today was different. It was like a sea of change. Cop in dress blues = Too hot to trot. (This could also be due to the fact that he didn't have a belly on him as most donut/Zip Pac-toting cops do.)

I was having lunch at La Pizza Rina on King Street today with my co-worker. (We both had the pizza special, although I was seriously tempted to get one of their subs. They're so ono I can't even describe it to you.) Next to us was a table overflowing with boys in blue and other law-like people. One of them (Takata according to his embroidered name tag) was definitely smokin'.

Funny, I'm not usually drawn to full-on Asian dudes, but I guess all things in moderation huh? He was definitely a good candidate to protect and serve me, I'm tellin' ya. I wouldn't resist arrest at all. Not at all.
After the cops left, some paramedics came in and ordered take out. Not as cute as Takata, but there's just something about their starched-white uniforms and the fact that they were talking about a shattered foot and a compound fracture in someone's arm that's so appealing.

All I needed was a studly fire fighter and a bronzed god of a life guard to round out the city and county of Honolulu's version of the armed forces. If that were the case, I might not have made it back to work in one piece. Lucky for work no other uniforms crossed my path today.

April 26, 2009

Zoom, Zoom, Zoom



Last night I caught a showing of Fast & Furious at a local theater. Obviously, we are not in a recession because it took about 15 minutes to find a parking spot after fighting off other circling cars also seeking a place to land. The only sign that there might be a little financial trouble was that only one escalator was working. However, that could just be someone's attempt to go green.



After an eight year hiatus, the original cast of The Fast and the Furious is back together again, and I must say it was a sight for sore eyes. I'd be lying if I said I went for the cars (which I think this movie lacked in comparison to the original). My main course was the succulent Paul Walker - still smokin' hot after all these years. He's a little older, a little more distinguished looking without his surfer blond highlights but is good enough to eat just the same.


While I probably wouldn't pick Vin Diesel off the dim sum trolley others might. And, so as not to disappoint them, he was definitely rockin' it in tight T's that showed off a wicked body. He still has his gravely, send-thrills-down-your-spine voice so don't fret.

April 22, 2009

Hyundai's Committment to Customers

I just saw this video and laughed my butt off. Welcome to Wednesday!

April 21, 2009

Old Maid Syndrome

Is it bad that all I want to do these days is stay at home and watch a dvd or read a book? I don't have any urge to go out, socialize, do lunch with friends and all that good stuff that people my age live on.

I mean, I'll go out when invited and I enjoy the time spent with friends. It's just that I'm also perfectly fine kicking it at home curled up on the couch with a good book too.

This doesn't bode well for my mother, who is anxiously waiting for me to get the wedding ball rolling. It's the only thing she can hope for since I'm pretty anti-kids at this point. There's no use harping on that one so she's jumped on the "have you met anyone nice?" bandwagon. The answer to which is always no.

Well, let's put it this way. I'm not dragging any poor dude over to meet her until I've got him so good and drunk that he won't remember the encounter . . . oh wait, did I just say that? Let me revise that to until he's so whooped that she can't scare him away. Was that not better either?

That might sound all harsh but really, I'm just being honest. Like most girls, I fear (like I'm deathly afraid) that I'll one day turn into my mother. As the years pass, I am aware that this will inevitably be the case. There's no fighting it. There's no anti-mom cream invented yet. It's just the way it is.

It's not so much that I don't want any guy meeting her because of her (well, that's mostly true). The biggest reason is that if he sees her, he'll know that's where I'm heading and beat feet in the other direction. Sad but true.

But I'm jumping ahead. How am I supposed to meet anyone when I'm perfectly happy at home? And, no those bible thumpers are so not an option.

April 15, 2009

Bucket List - Week 2 Update

Ah yes, my weekly bucket list update. I swear the week went by so quickly. It could possibly be because my boss has been out sick since last week. There's just something very freeing about it, don't you think? Anyway, on with the show.

Bucket List #10
There was an intriguing development since last week about a new cage diving start up out of Maunalua Bay that planned to chum the water so divers could watch sharks feed. However, they've pulled the plug on that due to public outcry.

Bucket List #16
I'm actually going on a site tour tomorrow to Lanakila Pacific. It is one of the non-profits that my company is thinking of supporting. After sitting through a presentation by its president and CEO Marian Tsuji, I think this will be a really fulfilling endeavor. I want to see how it goes with work before considering volunteering as an individual.

Bucket List #50
I know I said I was going to start this when I finished up the soda in my house, but I'm finding this one oddly difficult to do. I stopped drinking soda for a couple days this week simply because I didn't eat out. However, somewhere along the line I got a massive headache (which I never usually get) and began wondering if it's some kind of caffeine withdrawal? Is there even such a thing? If so, that pain in the brain was probably it. I think I'll need to refocus my efforts on this one . . . but I just had diet coke with my dinner so I guess I should start tomorrow.

Bucket List #55
I've got one more Black Dagger Brotherhood book to read before I start looking for my inspirational book. I'm not sure what it is about this series but I'm hooked. It's all dark and dangerous, passionate and romantic. Quite an odd combo.

Bucket List #70
I actually started looking into the cost of a sewing machine but am waiting for one of my co-workers to get back from vacation. She'll know what a good price is and can advise me on a model that's easy to use. She's a real pro - every Halloween she sews her costumes from scratch, and I'm not talking simple ghost or witch costumes. Last year she was a southern belle and made a Scarlett O'Hara-type dress.

April 14, 2009

SF Here We Come

By the way, I forgot to mention that me and my BFF finally booked a vacation for early May. We're going back to San Francisco to finish up playing tourist at the places we didn't have time to see during the two days we were there last November.

Hopefully this time we'll get to explore the neighborhoods more. I want to get a good feel of the place because I still have my sights set on moving there at some point. So, if anyone gots a job hook up in SF for me, lemme know.

I started researching the rent prices as soon as I got back from my last trip and honestly, Hawaii ain't got nothin' on SF. The rents are sky high with barely anything hovering around $1,000 a month. They're more like $2000 or else you share with a jack load of roomies. But, that might not be so bad considering I'd be new in town and wouldn't know where the heck to go or how to get there.

The main concern I have is finding a job in this economy. I would totally love to work in publishing, but I suppose marketing is probably ok with me too. Non-profit work would be wonderful as well. But, of course, all these jobs are contingent on there actually being openings during a time when people are getting the pink slip left and right. Also, a willingness to hire from outside the state would have to be there, and I think it's not likely when so many competent people in the city are jobless already.

Anyway, I've pretty much settled for sitting tight for the time being. We'll see where this little life of mine takes me. In the meantime, this bank ad gives me hope that some locals can make it in the city.

Free Per View

I was wrong. The dude is still there. Saw him exercising his little butt off this afternoon when I got home from work. Apparently he just missed a day and I mixed up the floors. Dude, it wouldn't be so bad if it were Josh Holloway (of Lost) or somebody. But it's not. I gotta remember to put on some winkers like they do for horses.

April 13, 2009

Pay Per View

Anyone reading this blog knows about my overzealous exercising neighbor (read here or here if you're just tuning in). Well I know I haven't updated in a while, but basically he's now in great shape. Before I'd only see him on Saturdays, but then it turned into every day!

Despite this, I still could not let go of this facination to look up at his window. Yeah, I know it's weird and pervy but really, it's not like I really wanted to look up. From my angle, he looked sorta skinny, don'tcha think? But, unfailingly, if it was around go time and I was at my mailbox, I'd look up. It was like I had to make sure the bugger was exercising, like I was the exercise popo.

So you couldn't imagine my surprise when I looked up today and didn't see him. It was like some kind of loss - a weird, uji loss but a loss none the less. I was so shocked I had look again to make sure it was the same window.

No way! After months of flaunting his junk (not that you could really see anything), he had a curtain installed and some folding doors. I wonder who final told the poor dude that he was flashing everyone? Or, maybe it wasn't that at all. Maybe he got the tan he wanted and didn't want to risk over exposure?

Whatever the reason it seems there will be no more sharing among neighbors. Should I or anyone else want a peep show, we will have to do it like everyone else now - pay per view.

April 12, 2009

Vampires of a Different Kind

I finally got around to watching Twilight yesterday and boy was it disappointing. Maybe I just have unrealistic expectations when it comes to cross-species love affairs? A work friend said that the books are better, so maybe I should try those on for size and drop the movies? Yup, that's right. Movies with an "s." They're making a sequel.

I think I'm just jaded because I've been reading about a different human/vampire love affair. This series by J.R. Ward focuses on a warrior race of vampires called the Black Dagger Brotherhood. It has just the right amount of chick lit smut and vampire violence to keep you turning the page. Plus each Brother has his own little personality quirk so it makes you want to find out what's the dillyo. I mean, c'mon. Who wouldn't be intrigued by:

1) a blind king vampire who doesn't want to be king and plays Russian roulette with his life;
2) a guy who is apparently God's gift to women but whose dragon tat likes to come out and play every once in a while too;
3) a guy with serious psych issues and physical disfigurement due to his enslavement and abuse by his own kind;
4) slavery boy's twin who has taken a vow of celibacy when everyone else is getting it on like Donkey Kong;
5) or a gloved psychic who burns anything he touches?

Also, the vampires aren't of the sissy-looking emo type like Edward Cullen of Twilight. They are real bad asses and can lay down the law with their fists if need be. They are seriously of the bad boy variety.

April 10, 2009

Vacation Planning Hell

I've been tracking airfare and hotel prices for over a month now trying to find a cool little vaca spot for me and my BFF. Unfortunately, the prices keep fluctuating like crazy. Every time I think we're almost there, the price skyrockets. We haven't found our ideal deal yet, but I have hope.

Of course, it doesn't help that we're in Hawaii. Most people are trying their darndest to get to this island paradise. We're trying like hell to get off the rock. It's a matter of perspectives, you see.

In any case, I've decided to put my language lessons on hold for now since we won't be taking that European jaunt any time soon. Guess it'll have to wait till 2010 like we were originally planning.

More and more it looks like either San Francisco or Seattle. If we really get desperate, we'll do Vegas up. Apparently there are two-for-one deals coming out of Vacations Hawaii. How can you pass up a four- or five-day trip for $350 when air, room and food are included? You just can't argue with that.

I really don't want to go to Sin City though. I'd rather visit the other two places. However, at that price I could go to three shows/concerts in Vegas just for the price of getting to SF or Seattle. Ah decisions, decisions.

April 9, 2009

Cut the Fat

Inspired by Operation Muffin Top(ple), I've decided to sign up for an account at Live Strong, a site that promotes a healthy lifestyle. It's backed by Lance Armstrong and his people. This hopefully means that the articles and support from the site will be inspirational and informative at the same time.

By joining the site, I hope I'll be able to track my food intake better. I already know I have bad eating habits, but maybe seeing them in front of my face will allow me to finally make the changes I need to eat better and live healthier.

Eventually, I hope this will give me a fighting chance at fulfilling #85 on my Bucket List. Then, a few months (but more realistically years) down the line, I'll be confident enough to work on #82.

I'll let ya know how everything goes, but if you want to keep tabs on your own you can view my Live Strong profile. There isn't much there yet, but it's always nice to have friends.

April 8, 2009

Bucket List - Week 1 Update Addendum

Just saw this crazy flash mob vid on YouTube. Now this is what I'm talking about! It would be so epic to take part in something like this to fulfill #47 from my Bucket List?

Bucket List - Week 1 Update

I decided to do a weekly update on my Bucket List so you'll know how it's going. It'll be more of a progress report than anything else. Hopefully it'll make me more accountable for actually trying to get things on this list done.

Bucket List #2
This one might be on hold awhile considering Italy just got rocked on Monday by an earthquake and is still feeling aftershocks. It's scary and sad that so many people are displaced.

Bucket List #18
I started looking into this and HCC actually has a flight school that started in 2007. Only bad part is that the hanger is out at Kalaeloa and the tuition is outrageously expensive. Ok, well I don't know if it really is expensive if compared to other flight schools. But, it's expensive for me for tuition. I suppose it's warranted though as the flight simulators and actual planes cost a pretty penny I imagine. I'll continue researching my options. It looks really cool though to fly a plane. And if Tasha Kobashigawa can leave broadcast media for flying planes, I suppose I could do a major career shift too.

Bucket List #32
Gosh, you'd think it wouldn't be hard to find change on the ground but I've looked and haven't seen a single penny. Times must really be tough these days.

Bucket List #50
I considered starting this one on April 1 but I've still got soda in my house. I might as well finish it before trying this one. Just so you know, I've tried this many a time before and it's never worked. I always go back. I don't have any other source of caffeine though since I don't drink coffee or tea. This is gonna be a tough one.

Bucket List #55
I'm still looking for my book of the month. If you have any suggestions, let me know.

April 7, 2009

The Break Up

I wasn't having a particularly good day today but got this in my email and it made me laugh. So I thought I'd share it with y'all. My only preface I have is that you'd better think twice about what you ask for.


April 5, 2009

The Counter

Today I finally had a chance to check out the hype surrounding The Counter at Kahala Mall. We got there around lunchtime and had to wait about 20 minutes before we were seated. The place was pretty packed, with people entering and leaving on the regular.

When we got to our tables, we were given a clipboard with a checklist of various ingredients, toppings, sauces and breads. There was also a menu with set burgers you could choose. I had a 1/3 lb. burger with lettuce, pickles, olives and jalepenos, provolone cheese and garlic aioli sauce. It was pretty delish. (Sorry, no pictures as I didn't think to bring a camera. I would really be sick if I had spotted a celeb at lunch, but luckily or unluckily none were there today.)

The gals I ate with all seemed to enjoy their individual creations as well. We also got a tray of their Fifty Fifty, which is your choice of two of the following: fries, sweet potato fries and onion strings. We got the fries and strings, which were served with barbeque and ranch dressings. Not bad but not an orgasm in your mouth either.

If you're starving I'd advise you to skip this place and come back another time. Besides the 20 minute wait to get into the place, the service was a bit slow. It took forever to get our Fifty Fifty and even longer for our burgers. Also, they charged us when we asked for more barbeque and ranch sauce. What the?!?! Yeah, exactly what we thought. They also didn't refill our drinks (or even offer to do so), but I guess we should thank them because they'd probably charge us for that as well.

Overall, I'd say it's a pretty good place if you're a burger eater. Because I prefer pasta over burgers, I don't think The Counter will make it into my restaurant rotation. But it's nice for a gourmet burger joint, and I liked it more than Kua Aina Burger. I think W&M and Teddy's still reign supreme though.

April 2, 2009

Crash

Whoa, the sound of metal on metal is so scary. I was sitting at my computer this evening and heard a horrible crunching noise. I peaked through my windows and saw that a car and a truck had hit each other head on in the next driveway over.

You'd think head-on collisons are ridiculous. I mean, hello, you can see each other! But with all the parked cars along the road it is pretty difficult to see on-coming traffic.

A car leaving the building next to mine tried to make a left turn out onto the road. However, a truck coming down the street must not have seen the car creeping out. Cops and EMT were called but it didn't look like anyone was seriously injured.

What makes it worse is that at this very moment I can hear kids playing in the parking lot and along the streets next door. What would've happened if they were there only two hours ago?





April 1, 2009

Bucket List

As promised, I've finished my list of the 100 things I'd like to do before I die. It was actually really difficult to come up with 100 things. Some things are pretty abstract. Other seem almost impossible to achieve, but I kept them on the list anyway. I guess that's the purpose of this sort of thing, right? Now that I have my list down, all I need to do is begin working on it.

1. Write a book and get it published
2. Go to Italy and be struck by Cupid's arrow
3. Watch a Shakespearean play in England
4. Find a rainbow in Ireland and search for the pot of gold
5. Go to Scotland and see the Highland Games
6. Visit a fortune teller and have my fortune read
7. Name a star after someone
8. See the Aurora Borealis
9. Sleep in an igloo
10. Cage dive with great whites
11. Laugh in the face of danger
12. Forgive someone who has wronged me
13. Catch fireflies in a jar
14. Live in the moment
15. Sit on a porch at night and listen to crickets
16. Volunteer at a non-profit organization - DONE 9/13/09 Hawaii Literacy; 9/19/09 JCCH
17. Save a life
18. Fly a plane
19. Rescue an animal
20. Help a stranger solve a problem
21. Spend a night in a haunted house
22. Create something beautiful
23. Make someone's dream come true
24. Take a road trip across the US
25. Meet a real life prince
26. Evoke change in something or someone
27. Learn to juggle
28. Ice skate at Rockefeller Center
29. Sleep under the stars
30. Love unconditionally
31. Write a song that gets played on the radio
32. Pick up $1,000 in change off the street, then donate it to charity
33. Capture the perfect sunset
34. Be spontaneous
35. Plant a tree
36. Bet it all and win
37. Cheer until I lose my voice
38. Celebrate something atop the Empire State Building
39. See through the eyes of a child
40. Admit when I'm wrong
41. Believe in something that can't be seen
42. Stomp on grapes to make wine
43. Be part of something bigger
44. Destroy a stereotype
45. Cliff dive
46. Have a taste of heaven
47. Take part in a flash mob
48. Start a pillow fight
49. Sing karaoke in front of strangers
50. Give up drinking soda
51. Create my own fragrance
52. Ride in a horse-drawn carriage
53. Watch a Broadway show
54. Ride in a hot air balloon
55. Read an inspirational book every month
56. Kiss someone at the top of a ferris wheel
57. Feel beautiful
58. Have someone serenade me
59. Eat fugu
60. Find a message in a bottle
61. Send a message in a bottle
62. Experience something from a fairy tale
63. Smile through tears
64. Ride a horse bareback
65. Find a four-leaf clover
66. Make a stranger smile
67. Hit a hole in one
68. Be the inspiration for a song or poem
69. Seal a letter with a kiss
70. Learn to sew
71. Act out a childhood fantasy
72. Reduce the clutter in my life
73. Find a new use for something old
74. Reconnect with someone from my past - DONE 4/17/09
75. Learn from a mistake
76. Search for buried treasure
77. Walk in the footsteps of another
78. Catch a deep-sea fish
79. Dedicate a song to someone on the radio
80. Witness a miracle
81. Choose to be optimistic instead of pessimistic
82. Run a marathon
83. Stop swearing
84. Learn to play an instrument
85. Exercise at least three times a week
86. Give someone a second chance
87. Take ballroom dancing classes
88. Uncover a hidden talent
89. Learn to write with my left hand
90. Stop complaining about things I cannot change
91. Catch a snowflake on my tongue
92. Give someone a gift for no reason at all
93. Sky dive
94. Live life to the fullest
95. Take a stand against something
96. Ride a mechanical bull
97. Feel like a kid again
98. Pay for the next person in line
99. Speak up instead of remaining quiet
100. Realize my full potential