The Eleventh House

Hair

2011-10-08T18:48:00.001-10:00

Once, many years ago, I had a boyfriend who was undeniably gorgeous. He was so good looking that women who were complete strangers (waitresses, airline attendants, etc.) would completely ignore me and fawn all over him without shame. It was irritating to me, and he handled it poorly. He would toy with them and make them do all kinds of stupid things just to see how far he could take it. It was mean-spirited, and needless to say, our relationship did not last long. He broke up with me in the worst, most cowardly way - just disappeared, not even a post-it! (Hat tip to Sex and the City for one of their best episodes!)

Fast forward to a month ago. After over 15 years, he contacted me via a social media site, and apologized for handling "his exit" badly. His photo shows that he is still as handsome as ever, except for the fact that he has a lot more hair than he did 15 years ago. It was thinning then, and it's thick now, not unlike Patrick Dempsey's hair. Yes, alas, it's got to be a hair piece.

Now, I have to admit, my first reaction was glee. Thank you god, there is justice in the world. I didn't mention the hair at all in my reply. He is now married, so it's not like he's looking for a re-match. Not that he deserves sensitivity, but I was brought up better than to comment, unsolicited, on someone's personal looks.

However, after thinking about it for a month, I'm now starting to view everything differently. It's clear that he is desperately trying to hold on to his looks, and that seems rather sad to me. On the other hand, who am I to judge? If a hair piece, or plastic surgery, or whatever, makes someone feel better about themselves and more confident, then they should do it. Then again, I don't particularly find bald men attractive, but I sure would rather have no hair than fake hair.

I am so irritated with myself for still caring enough to even be thinking about this guy's hair. So, I'm purging here, and hopefully, I will be done with it soon.

Dyshidrotic Eczema

2011-04-10T21:06:00.000-10:00

All of a sudden, about five years ago, I started to develop these tiny, very itchy white bumps on the sides of my ring finger and sometimes on the palm of my left hand. The bumps would become bigger until they meet up to form a blister. When it gets to the blister stage, it's painful but no longer itchy. If left alone, it goes away in about two weeks, turning to a hard dark scab which eventually falls away. Or, sometimes the blister breaks and it looks like a burn.

My excellent doctor took one look and said it was dyshidrotic eczema. He prescribed a cortisone cream which helped it to heal a bit faster than normal. Other than that, it seems that you must just let it take its course.

The causes seems to be either 1)stress-related; 2)allergy/hayfever-related; or 3)excessive hand washing or wet hands. All three could be my problem. The fact that it only happens on my ring finger prompted my friend to conclude that I'm commitment-phobic.

Seriously, it's really the weirdest thing. It looks bad, but apparently it's not contagious. I've read that keeping your hands moisturized seems to help outbreaks. I'm wondering if using anti-bacterial hand cleansers could be a trigger? If anyone has experience with this, and has had success with treatment, would love to hear your story.

Mercury Retrograde 2011

2011-04-02T21:48:00.000-10:00

Mercury is retrograde for the first time in 2011. It started on Wednesday, March 30th and will be so until April 23rd.

Personally, I love mercury retrograde. As someone who vacillates between Type A and couch potato, it's a good ~~excuse~~ reason to slow down and contemplate life. When doing nothing may be the best thing to do. When things and people you thought were lost forever find their way back to you. When returning to your blog feels right even though you really don't have anything earth-shattering to report.

I've been sick for the past two weeks. Just a cold and a cough that will not go away. Not sick enough to stay home, but the cough sounds like the creature from "Alien" is trying to escape your lung. I mention this, however, merely to tell you that if you are like me and are totally perplexed in the cold medication aisle, Robitussin Cough and Cold really does work.

Being sick is a very mercury retrograde kind of thing. It forces you to stop your full speed ahead lifestyle and deliberately get more sleep, drink more water and eat lots of vegetables. All the things you never do unless your body cries out to you.

So, until April 23rd, it's time to make no major decisions, sign no contracts or agreements, expect miscommunication and electrical/computer shenanigans, and maybe even find a lost love or two. That would be fun.

Half Moon Bay

2010-11-07T22:16:00.002-10:00

Single

2010-11-05T21:32:00.000-10:00

This morning I stopped to talk to two women at work, both around my age. I wouldn't call them friends, but more like friendly acquaintances who work at the same place. We chatted about some news, clothes, hair color, and then about an upcoming birthday. One of them told me I look so young, and out of my mouth came something that surprised me.

"It's because I'm single!," I said proudly.

What? When did being single become a good thing? Well, it's true. For the past year or so I've started to believe that being single is actually very nice. I think back on a parade of old boyfriends, checking off one by one. I find myself saying, "Wow, you dodged a bullet on that one!" or "Whoa, what were you thinking?" or "Yikes, you would have had a miserable life with him." It's all hypothetical; who knows what would have really happened. But, my intuition says I'm right.

They say that you subconsciously choose the life you are meant to live. I'm starting to believe that even though I may not have thought so at the time, with every bad relationship, with every guy who fell in love with someone else, the universe was showing me that the path to staying single was and is the right one for me. It just took me some time to realize it.

I like my life. I like my work, and I have the freedom and the time to give it my best. I love my family and I have exceptionally interesting friends, who all happen to be good, caring people. I am fortunate, I have a great life, but I also know I've worked hard for it.

My point is, I spent a few decades wondering if I would ever find the right person, and being disappointed that I never did. Now I don't wonder or question it. It is what it is, it's good, I'm happy, and I get a lot of compliments. As my young friends say, "Oh Snap!"

Convert Money into Happiness

2010-10-16T18:57:00.002-10:00

Writer Martha Beck has a brilliant idea on how to spend money so that you get the greatest return in happiness. She breaks it down into four categories:

1. I really need it, and I really love it.

2. I really need it, but I don't really love it.

3. I don't really need it, but I really love it.

4. I don't really need it, and I don't really love it.

She says to go ahead and pay top dollar for things you really need and really love (#1).

Pay bottom dollar for things your really need but don't really love (#2).

With what you have left, buy things you really love (#3).

Pay nothing, don't buy, things you don't need and don't love (#4).

I read this in Oprah magazine a couple of months ago, and I've been applying the concept to my purchases. I find it liberating to give yourself permission to spend top dollar on certain things. For example, if I need a new purse, and I find one that I absolutely love, I should go ahead and get it and not wait for a sale or settle for something I don't really love. After all, it's something that I will use almost every day and have to look at every day. I should love it.

On the other end of the scale, how many things do we buy that we don't need and don't love? That's money completely wasted.

By using Beck's method, what she calls the "Joy Dividend", I think I've saved money and I'm happier about the purchases. At least I'm thinking about it before buying mindlessly.

Sweet potato fries

2010-10-02T21:12:00.001-10:00

These are my new obsession and they are so easy to make.

Heat oven to 450 degrees. Slice a sweet potato to desired thickness. I like my fries thin and crispy. Coat very lightly with oil. I use canola oil. Salt and pepper. Mix and spread on a baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes. Mix and toss. Put back into the oven for another 15 minutes or until done.

The Secret in Their Eyes

2010-09-30T21:56:00.000-10:00

I am passionate about film, and so are many of my friends. Still, it was a surprise to me when one of them got angry, and I mean seriously angry, when I let "The Secret in Their Eyes" come and go in our local theaters without going to see this award winning foreign language film. He said that it was possibly the most perfect film he'd seen, the construction was flawless, and he wanted to talk about it with me.

I said, go ahead, talk. It's okay with me if I haven't seen it. He was so distressed that I hadn't taken his many recommendations to go see this film before it leaves town to heart. I must admit, the film looked interesting, but it takes an extraordinary film to get me into a theater these days. Busy schedule, plus the ease of Netflix, has made the big screen a rare occurrence.

The Secret in Their Eyes came out on Netflix this past week, so I finally got to see it. It is, indeed, a special film. The ending was a true surprise; endings have gotten so predictable, no? And it is one of those films which you could spend a great deal of time dissecting and pondering and comparing notes with other avid film lovers. I didn't love the film as much as my friend, but it's one that stays with you for days after. And, I'm glad that I have friends that are so passionate about film. Here's a link to the trailer.

National Coffee Day - September 29th

2010-09-29T19:03:00.000-10:00

It's 7 p.m. and only now do I find out it's National Coffee Day. I wish I had known this earlier, although everyday is a coffee day for me. Hawaii is known for its Kona coffee, but our coffee industry is going through a crisis with an infestation of the dreaded coffee berry borer. I'm told the pest lays its eggs inside the coffee berry so that it's difficult to eradicate through spraying.

Be Not Afraid

2010-09-28T21:01:00.000-10:00

My doctor convinced me when she said "No one should die of colon cancer." That's when I had to agree with her and got myself scheduled for a colonoscopy. The prep is the worst part. Not eating for 24 hours. Drinking a gallon of sodium bicarbonate and water and some not so flavorful flavor. I chose lemon-lime, which seemed the least awful compared to pineapple, cherry or orange. The great cleanse. The procedure itself however was nothing. Sleep and then it's over. If you are over 50 or have a history of colon cancer in your family, please get yourself screened. You'll feel good about yourself afterwards.

Ashamed to admit...

2010-06-18T21:14:00.000-10:00

I haven't read:

The Bonfire of the Vanities
Lolita
Bleak House
The Kite Runner
Remembrance of Things Past
The Lord of the Rings Trilogy
Mrs. Dalloway/The Hours
Leaves of Grass
Team of Rivals
Cold Mountain

All of which sit on my shelf, or on the nightstand, or on the coffee table, gathering dust. They get bypassed when something new and full of buzz comes along.

Tolerance for weird place names

2010-06-15T21:41:00.000-10:00

One thing that struck me about the phenomena of the Stieg Larsson trilogy set in Sweden is that the universal reading public is obviously just fine with long, odd-sounding place names and street names. It's always been a worry of mine. As a wannabe writer in Hawaii, I worry that sticking in locations like Kalanianaole Highway would be a problem.

Apparently not. Larsson uses Swedish place names long and harder than that, and while I can't pronounce most of them and will remember none of them, they have nothing to do with moving the plot forward. They add color, but not meaning.

I'm relieved. I would like to be as authentic in writing about my world as possible. I guess I thought readers in, say, the mid-west would be lost. I underestimated the reader, and I'm glad I was so wrong.

Why am I hooked on The Bachelorette?

2010-06-10T21:50:00.000-10:00

I don't quite understand it, myself. I don't watch a lot of television. In fact, there is no longer any show that I make an effort to watch regularly...except The Bachelorette.

I know I'm not alone. But, what is it about this show that compels you to watch and to root for your favorites? The situation is completely unrealistic. Finding a husband (or wife), possibly the most important decision of your life, based on a process of elimination?

Imagine millions of people shouting into their TV sets to Ali..."What? You're keeping that loser and sending the nice guy home? What are you thinking?!!"

So, have you picked the winner yet? I have. It's obvious to me that she's in love with Roberto. But, knowing how this show works, I'm sure there will be some dramatic twist making it impossible for Roberto to stay the course. Inevitably, someone will be called back for a family emergency or have a secret girlfriend or decide that his job is more important than the girl.

For a couple of hours a week, we suspend belief, our thinking brains dormant, and enjoy the sheer melodrama of the mating ritual.

Ceiling Cat

2010-02-07T17:26:00.000-10:00

For about a week, Karma found a safe place to hang out. She was able to watch me while I cooked and washed dishes. She'd come down to eat, and at night to roam around and do her mischief. A few times she knocked over her water bowl when she jumped down, and that may have persuaded her that maybe this wasn't such a perfect perch after all.

She did manage to knock over two of my paintings at night. One of them put a dent the size of a quarter in my laminated wood floor. The other, a huge painting that was propped up against the wall, also came down. Much to my horror, a flat screen TV and an off white Natuzzi leather couch broke its fall. Luckily, for Karma, the TV still works and there was no tear in the leather.

So, today we took photos to send to her original owner and to the vet. We're slowly making progress.

Karma comes out

2010-01-24T16:29:00.000-10:00

Here she is. Karma is still hiding under the couch for most of the time, until I drag her out for a few hours in the evening. She's eating a wee bit, and using the litter box, for which I am grateful. I know that she goes exploring at night, for one night I found plants overturned, and sometimes she manages to find a new hiding place.

When she's out, however, she is the sweetest thing. I never fear that she's going to bite or scratch. She's very docile and she loves to nudge and stretch and solicit a belly rub.

That v-shaped clip on her right ear is from the Humane Society. It's their mark to indicate that the animal has been spayed.

She's obviously been traumatized, and it's going to take a long while for her to get comfortable. I feel, though, that once she does, she'll blossom here.

Good "Karma"

2010-01-20T19:42:00.001-10:00

Unexpectedly, I adopted a cat on Monday, the Martin Luther King holiday. I got a call from my veterinarian's office on Sunday and was told a sad story about a little cat, Siamese (maybe mixed with something else?), who was a stray. She was taken in by a guy who already had about a dozen other cats, and being little, she got picked on by the others. She couldn't get to her food or the litter box, so it was a problem. They guess by looking at her teeth that she's about three years old.

I felt so sorry for this little cat, but now is a really bad time. Super busy at work. Besides, if I got another cat, I kind of wanted a kitten. I said I'd think about it. Well, I couldn't stop thinking about this poor thing. I decided that even if I was really busy and will not be home much over the next three months, it's probably better for the cat than living in fear. I called the vet the next day and agreed to take her.

The owner wanted to meet me first, so we met at the vet's office. The cat is small and very gentle. She lets you hold her and loves being petted. Hasn't scratched or tried to bite me at all even though I've had to pull her out from behind sofas and draperies.

Day One. Wouldn't come out from behind the desk. Didn't eat or drink.

Day Two. Moved to a spot behind some cardboard file boxes. Ate a tiny bit. Didn't drink water. Didn't find the litter box.

Day Three. Stayed under the couch all day. Didn't eat or drink. So I pulled her out from under the couch and petted her for about 15 minutes. She got brave and explored the living room briefly, but made a dash for the guest bathroom and has planted herself in the bathtub. She seems to like it there. I wonder if she's used to hiding in bathtubs?

Well, it's progress, I suppose. I wish she would eat and drink some water. Her previous name was "Momma" (how awful!). I've renamed her "Karma". Will take pictures when she gets a little more social.

Contractual Relationships

2010-01-17T11:20:00.001-10:00

Today at the State Capitol, a large rally is expected to take place in protest of a proposed bill allowing Civil Unions. The organizers hope to get 25,000 people, dressed in white shirts, to show up and send a message that Civil Unions should not be legal in the state.

I support Civil Unions. I also support gay marriage. I see it as a civil rights issue and that if two people of the same gender love each other and want to get married, it is their civil right to do so. They will receive benefits, but also legal responsibilities.

Personally, I think marriage is overrated, but that's not the point.

Most of my friends believe as I do, but I have one really good, long-time friend who is deeply opposed to civil unions and gay marriage. I've tried to understand her point of view, and while I still don't agree with her, I respect her feelings.

I asked myself what marriage was all about anyway, and how it came to be an institution in the history of people on the earth. I can see why a contractual relationship would be needed as a practical way to raise heirs, amass property, strengthen political power, develop the family unit as the core of society, etc. However, the great majority of people get married for none of those things. They get married because they fall in love and want to raise a family. So, what's the big deal if they both happen to be of the same sex?

Fifty years ago, many people in this country felt the same way about inter-racial marriage as they feel about same-sex marriage today. Over time it became socially accepted; two people of different races marry all the time and society did not disintegrate.

Now, I have to admit that I do not support bigamy or polygamy. Is that hypocritical of me? Aren't those also two different types of marriage relationships? Just rambling thoughts on a Sunday morning.

In the mood

2010-01-10T21:25:00.001-10:00

I usually change the music in my car CD player every week. This week, I'm in the mood for jazz. Here's what's in the changer:

"Playing by Heart" - Chet Baker, John Barry, Chris Botti
"Greatest Hits" - Sergio Mendes & Brasil 66
"Everyday" - Dave Matthews
"Night Sessions" - Chris Botti
"First Wish" - Chris Botti
"Nocturne" - Charlie Haden

Question Mark

2010-01-08T21:30:00.001-10:00

I've been thinking about getting a piece of typewriter key jewelry for quite a while after seeing a sample on Jen Keen's blog. On New Year's Eve, still suffering a cold and looking to pamper myself, I got online to search for what I had in mind, a necklace with the letter "G" on a typewriter key.

I came across a wonderful site called Monkapaws and found exactly what I wanted, and more. I've never been a jewelry person, but this jewelry connects up with the love of words, letters, writing, typewriters, scrabble pieces - all things that are part of my world.

Photo: Monkapaws

Instead of the "G", I decided upon the question mark key. So right on so many levels. It arrived today, and I'm very happy with it.

Shoes

2010-01-07T20:49:00.001-10:00

I've never been much of a shoe person. More often than not, I gravitate toward the classic black sandal and black pump, and the classic brown sandal, and I could wear one or the other every single day.

As I am short, I like to wear heels. As I've gotten older, I also try to get heels that are comfortable.

A few months ago, I went shopping with a friend, and we ended up in the Cole Haan store. There I found the perfect, classic, black patent, open toe slingback. Not cheap, but they were Nike Air and very comfortable. They were also having a sale, and I would save even more if I got another pair. I had no trouble finding the cutest leather sandals. Also Nike Air.

I have put off wearing them, but they are just so wonderful, and I was saving them for a special occasion. So, today, as I had a special lunch to attend, I wore the sandals. My lunch date had to cancel, but as I walked into town to grab a sandwich, I found lots of women looking down at my shoes as they walked past me! I got stopped in the elevator, and a woman salivated over my new sandals. Can't wait to see what happens when I wear the slingbacks!

This is just amazing and a first for me. I never realized how much American women are so focused on shoes. It has made me re-think on what to spend money on. I used to spend it on clothes, but now I'm wondering if you can skimp on the clothes, but spend on the shoes and purse?

Cold Meds

2010-01-05T19:49:00.002-10:00

I don't get sick very often. (Knock wood!) Because of this, I'm very inexperienced when it comes to choosing meds for cold and/or flu; most of it sits inside the medicine cabinet until long past the expiration date.

Yesterday, after work, and after being sick for an entire week, I decided to stock up on some cold remedies. I got brainwashed after so many hours in front of the TV, and so many commercials for Tylenol, Nyquil, et. al. I went to the local CVS store and became overwhelmed by the choices in the cold remedy aisle.

So, what works for you?

Airborne or Emergen-C? I got the Airborne since they didn't have Emergen-C, but I think I like the latter better. According to what I read, there's no proof that massive amounts of vitamin C even works, but I suppose it couldn't hurt.

Tylenol, Nyquil, Sudafed? All have day and night versions. I chose the Tylenol as it had a combo pack of day and night gelcaps. My dad, a doctor, used to have Sudafed in his black bag, which is what I used to raid when growing up. Now I wonder if it was because he believed Sudafed to be better, or if that's just what he had as a sample from the drug salesman?

Finally, while I swear by Excedrin in most cases, I picked up a bottle of Tylenol PM because it makes you drowsy and I was craving deep sleep. I only took one instead of two, and I did get drowsy and slept through the night. I still felt a bit drowsy in the morning though.

Ultimately, I think that lots of rest, lots of fluids, and keeping warm are probably the best things you can do for yourself.

Dream bigger, Live deeper

2009-12-31T16:12:00.003-10:00

Tonight, being New Year's Eve, I've been thinking about the year that passed and the year ahead. What will be my resolutions for the New Year? A flurry came to mind - certainly a repeat of New Years past. Get in shape. Read more books. Save money. Dress better. Write that screenplay. They all seemed like I feel at the moment, weary.

But then I started to think about something I read in the newspaper this morning. A former state senator passed away, someone who was highly respected, accomplished a lot for our state, and was always humble and wise. He continued to visit the state capitol after his retirement, even when he could barely walk, but his eyes were bright and his spirit strong. When he was asked what, if anything, he would have done differently throughout his career and his life, he answered, "I would have dreamed bigger."

I nodded when I read that. I feel that way too as I look back on the years behind me. I'm no longer young, but it's not too late for me to dream bigger. And, I will add, to live my life deeper. Those will be my resolutions for 2010 and beyond.

HAPPY NEW YEAR, FRIENDS!

My Top Ten Films of the Decade

2009-12-30T22:52:00.001-10:00

In no particular order:

A Beautiful Mind

Gladiator

Almost Famous

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

There Will Be Blood

The Fall

Crash

Michael Clayton

An Education

Lord of the Rings - Return of the King

Sick for the Holidays

2009-12-29T17:28:00.003-10:00

The day after Christmas I started to feel a cold coming on. I have not felt the Christmas spirit this year, and the week before the 25th I found myself scurrying around because I had procrastinated. A few days before the holiday, I still had shopping to do, which I didn't want to do, and deliveries to make, which I knew might be too late because folks were already gone on vacation.

So, when I felt the scratchy throat and the sniffles that were definitely not allergy sniffles, I succumbed. I did what I could about Christmas, and the rest would have to wait for the New Year.

The first day or two I felt awful. No energy. Headache. Congestion. It was irritating. I had to cancel my golf game. There is nothing good on daytime television. I was not a happy camper.

Then something shifted. I put on some flannel pj's and socks, planted myself in front of the television, and watched mindless tv. I made a pot of soup. I dived into the box of expensive chocolate truffle fudge I got for Christmas. I napped. I didn't care what time it was, or check my email or cell phone. I took cold medicine that made me drowsy, and it was a lovely state.

It's probably just what I needed. I might just stay in my pj's for the rest of the year.

Rivers and Tides

2009-12-20T17:27:00.002-10:00

This is a documentary film on the work of Scottish artist/sculptor Andy Goldsworthy. It's possibly the most visually interesting film I've seen on the work of an artist and his/her process. I've never heard of Andy Goldsworthy before seeing this film, and now I can never forget him. He is reportedly one of the most popular artists in Britain, and has done large commissions in the U.S. and Canada, including a show on the roof garden of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

The film is directed by Thomas Riedelsheimer, who is a documentary filmmaker based in Munich. It came out in 2002, so the DVD should be readily available in libraries, and it can be watched instantly on Netflix. I chose to watch the DVD though, as the visuals are absolutely stunning. Bravo to both Andy Goldsworthy and Thomas Riedelsheimer!

Reading Age

2009-12-13T20:27:00.003-10:00

I bought my nieces books for Christmas, each within the recommended age group, but now I'm wondering if I should have aimed a little higher.

The first is for a 5 year old, and it's the latest from the Skippyjon Jones series. Have you heard about this adorable series, about a Siamese kitten with big ears who thinks he is a Chihuahua? He speaks with an accent like the Taco bell dog. I got the latest one called "Skippyjon Jones Lost in Spice." Skippy get hold of some chili powder and other spices, gets it all over the room and himself, as he takes a fantasy journey to the red planet of Mars. He meets his tween (twin) Martian with one eye.

The other is for a 9 year old, and the recommended age is 9-12. This is a very smart 9 year old, who is probably reading way above her grade level. Still, I think the story is strong in not complex. The book is "The Magician's Elephant" by Kate DiCamillo who wrote "Tale of Despereaux". It's about a 10-year-old boy who goes on a journey to find his sister. He thought his sister was dead, but a fortune teller says she is alive and he must follow the Elephant in order to find her.

I'm starting to realize that there are wonderful books and stories out there that adults may not find if they are not shopping for young readers. Lot of buzz about a book called "When You Reach Me" but it was sold out at Barnes and Noble, and sold out on Amazon too!

Home Remedies

2009-12-10T18:45:00.003-10:00

When I was a pre-teen, a friend from school, whose father was a dentist, told us that the best cure for zits was applying a dab of toothpaste on them before bed. For years - years, mind you - I gave it a try. I have no idea whether it did any good, and it didn't seem to do any harm. I dare say it's better than the advice of the father in "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" to squirt Windex on anything and everything.

I do like to experiment with these "home remedies" and most of them are fairly green and environmentally friendly.

The other day I was searching the internet for a natural cure for thinning hair. I once had a ponytail thicker than a half dollar, and now it's more like a nickle. This one was the weirdest: Have your hair trimmed only while the moon is waxing, never waning. After about a year, you will see your hair getting much thicker and fuller. A waxing moon is the approximately 2 week period between the New Moon growing larger into the Full Moon. The person who posted it said her daughter learned of this method from a hairdresser in South America, I believe. She didn't really believe in it, but thought it didn't hurt to try. The daughter had always had super thin, fine hair. After a year, her hair was of medium thickness.

Worth a try!

When good friends are inconsiderate

2009-12-09T21:15:00.005-10:00

Do you let it go? Or, do you call them on it? I've had two incidents this past week that have really bothered me. If they had been strangers, or people that I didn't really care about, I would have easily ignored them and moved on. But when good friends do things that are flat out inconsiderate, it does make you question what to do, if anything.

The first involved a friend who I made plans to have dinner with on Friday. This was after weeks of phone tag. She then called me, not to say that she has to cancel, but to ask whether I can change the date to Thursday instead. She didn't say why. I said that I could, even though I'd prefer Friday, but in the back of my mind, I'm thinking that something "better" has come up for her on Friday, and she's bumping me. I was still stewing about this today, when she called me again, this time saying that she has the flu and can't make it at all. I was actually relieved, because I worked myself up into a tizzy about being "bumped", and didn't feel like having dinner anyway.

Then, this evening, I was to meet a group of friends for dinner at 6:30. I got there at 6:15 and didn't see anyone, so I assumed I was early and the first to arrive. Also, the person who was supposed to make the reservations didn't do so. By 6:30, I was still waiting alone, so I started to call people. Turns out that two of them had arrived even before me, found out there was no reservation, and got a table in the back which is not visible from the entrance. They said they were trying to watch the door, but I'm not sure how they could have. It just seems like they should have alerted the hostess or watched the entrance better. And the person who didn't make the reservation arrived 15 minutes late, so I don't think she even realized that she messed up.

It does bother me when people are not considerate of others, but I've also come to realize that making a big deal of it isn't worth it most of the time. When it starts to happen repeatedly, then the friendship breaks down anyway, and you start seeing them less without actually saying anything pointed. Perhaps that is the best way.

DeQuervain's and Chiropractors

2009-12-04T19:37:00.003-10:00

A lot of people seem to find my blog through posts on DeQuervain's Tendonitis, something that I suffered through a couple of years ago. Most people seem to go through one of the following treatments - get a support brace, maybe some cortisone, maybe surgery. The lucky ones, like me, just let healing take place over time.

Recently, though, I ran into a co-worker who had what sounded like DeQuervain's, and someone recommended that she go to a chiropractor. She had her doubts, but she was desperate for some relief as she had been suffering for months. After one treatment, which sounded like some sort of cracking of the elbow area, she felt much better. After three treatments, she doesn't have to wear the brace any longer.

I'm not sure how or why this works, but it seems to work for my colleague.

One of those days

2009-12-01T21:26:00.002-10:00

My new refrigerator was installed today. I think it may have been the first time I've ever bought a new fridge. I've always moved into a place which included one. I learned a few lessons.

My freezer doesn't have a light. Only the refrigerator part has a light. Never thought to look for one when I was shopping around, but now I miss having the light in the freezer section. I guess it's not a big deal, and maybe more energy efficient. I'm also used to compartments in the freezer section. Now it's just one big space. I think I'll get some basket containers to separate meats, breads, etc.

Moving the shelves around is tricky. One of the shelves wasn't snapped on properly and a tray of glass jars fell to the floor. I had Paul Newman's salsa on my toes tonight.

I was told that I needed to wait four hours before putting food into it. You're supposed to wait until it gets cold before loading it with your stuff. I had milk and ice cream and all kinds of food that was getting warm. I needed to get back to work, so I waited one hour. Seems to be okay.

I miss my old fridge! I suppose, like anything else, you get used to the change over time.

Leftovers

2009-11-27T18:56:00.003-10:00

I know a lot of families that go out to eat for Thanksgiving, and more often than not, it's not even for a turkey dinner. It may be more convenient, but you're also missing what makes Thanksgiving so special. Even if it was just me, I think I'd still do a turkey breast and some potatoes, stuffing, and a vegetable, and I'd bake a pumpkin pie. I love a house filled with the smells of Thanksgiving - turkey roasting and pumpkin pie spices. And I especially love having leftovers for the next couple of days.

Nothing beats a cold turkey sandwich, with some cranberry sauce spread on the turkey.

I'm one of the few people who actually likes turkey a la king served on a bed of white rice, or as a filling for turkey pot pie.

Finally, a lot of people here make jook, which is a thick turkey based rice soup. It's topped with fresh grated ginger and it's super healthy for you. Personally, I prefer traditional turkey soup.

Wouldn't be Thanksgiving without leftovers.

Thankful for Thanksgiving 2009

2009-11-25T10:12:00.003-10:00

I'm thankful for:

My mom, who will turn 80 this year. She's cooking the turkey and then heads off to Vegas next weekend.
My brothers, their partners, and my nieces. I mean this is the best way: if they weren't my family, I don't think they would be my friends, but I'm still so grateful that they are in my life.
My job. My friends say it's the perfect job for me, and I think they're right. It brings out the best in me and highlights my skills. I feel valued and respected. We should all be thankful to have a job, but to love going to work each day is incredible.
My health.
My friends. I know tons of people, and call hundreds as "friends", but my real and true friends I can count on two hands, maybe one hand.
Great movies. Film is not just entertainment for me. Film is an important part of my life, and how I approach life. It is my teacher, my psychiatrist, my inspiration. To a lesser extent, I say the same for great music and books.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL!

Micro Film Reviews

2009-11-24T18:37:00.005-10:00

Bottle Shock

I have a terrible allergy to alcohol, which has been a big bummer throughout my life. Even so, I loved the film "Bottle Shock" which is the true story of the California wine industry's 1976 historic blind taste win in Paris. It marked the end of France's dominance in wine production and opened the eyes and minds of people worldwide. Great wine is produced in many places. Why, we even have a winery on the island of Maui that I'm told is not bad. They even make a pineapple wine.

Lots of great talent in this film, including Alan Rickman, Bill Pullman and Dennis Farina. The kids, however, are the heart of the film. I cheered for them, as will you. The real people who inspired the film still live and grow wine in Napa.

The Answer Man

The concept of this film is more appealing than the execution, but I'd still recommend it, especially considering it's the first film for the writer/director. Jeff Daniels plays a guy who wrote a book 20 years ago, claiming to talk to God. The book is about God's answers to all of his questions back then. He becomes an author phenom, with fans stalking him hoping to get some answers for their own pain and suffering.

Daniels, the Answer Man, becomes a recluse and won't talk to anyone or give interviews. He knows he's a fake, and he's also a rather unpleasant person. He has a bad back and crawls into the neighborhood chiropractor. Two characters help him to evolve - the chiropractor who is an attractive woman and love interest, and a struggling, young, used bookstore owner who is a recovering alcoholic. This film won't win any awards or be on anyone's top ten list, but it's a sweet way to spend a few hours, and you may even feel a lot better about life's questions when you come out.

Dear Lily

2009-11-16T18:39:00.006-10:00

I put the key in the door this evening and felt sad that you weren't on the other side already making it known that dinner was long overdue. Traces of you are still around - the cat hair on the rug, the grains of cat litter on the hard wood floor, the unopened bags of Greenies in the pantry. Soon, even these will be gone.

After you passed, I fully expected you to be fooling me, it seemed so unreal. Even after I put you in the big cardboard box, I wouldn't have been surprised to hear you scratching and howling from the inside, royally pissed. I called the vet to let them know that I was bringing you down. We laughed when I told them you could hear me opening the closet to get out your travel case, and that may have pushed you over the edge. Instead of going to get checked out, I ended up bringing them your remains, with a half box of unused insulin syringes.

The vet assistants were crying and that set me off too. They said that even if you gave them a hard time, they knew you were really, really smart, and that you were a good kitty.

Together, we've been through 6 houses, 2 boyfriends, and countless evenings together watching movies and eating popcorn. More often than not, you were much better company than any boyfriend. You heard my deepest wishes and wildest dreams, my saddest stories and childish tantrums, and you never complained about listening to the same old, same old me.

When you got diabetes and needed someone to give you an insulin shot every day, I think the vet wondered if I would take it on or whether I would choose to put you to sleep. I think I surprised them when I decided I never wanted to take the easy way out with you. You made me an expert with a syringe, something I never thought I could do, and I was proud of myself for being able to give you a few more years of life. It was the least I could do for all the years of love and purring you gave to me.

I hope you are flying around in kitty heaven, eating to your hearts content and getting your stomach rubbed every now and again.

Evolution of Friends

2009-11-14T08:57:00.002-10:00

Today I am going to the dentist to have a chip filled. I only mention this because a friend has asked to meet with me to ask my advice about a problem (don't know what it is yet) and we are going to meet at Starbucks after my appointment. And, to tell you the truth, I'm dreading seeing her more than the dentist.

Why, you ask? This friend can be very caring, extraordinarily witty and funny, razor sharp mind (and tongue), and we have been close over a 20+ year span. Our friendship waxes and wanes rather than steadily exists because, in my opinion, she is unstable. When I was going through health issues, she was wonderful - supportive, helpful, attentive, constant. When my father died, she was the one who picked me up and drove me to the funeral. You don't forget kindness like that.

However, she is also extremely irritating. When we make plans to go out, even if plans are set, she will try to change them because she knows of a "better" place. She is always late. She is argumentative and dogmatic. And, the last time we got together, she publicly yelled at me for supporting Obama because she was a Hillary fan. She, of course, apologized profusely, but for me, a line had been crossed.

Since then, I still consider her my friend and I would always be there to help when needed (like today), but I don't really want to spend my time with a potentially explosive friend. I hope she doesn't suggest that we get together for a movie or for dinner, because I don't want to lie or make excuses. Is it better to just say how I feel?

Crisis - Soft ice cream

2009-11-11T10:41:00.003-10:00

Such is the way of the universe. When one thing goes wrong, in my situation, plumbing, other breakdowns seem to follow. I could deal with the rusty fixtures, the leaking toilets, and the very unattractive drywall repair staring me in the face. This past month, I got all of that fixed and behind me, only to be faced with the worst one of all - refrigerator woes.

I noticed a layer of ice building up on the back wall of the freezer awhile ago - weeks, perhaps months ago. Didn't think much of it. Then, I started to notice that the ice cream wasn't as hard as it usually is. Finally, last weekend, the ice cream was the consistency of soft-serve. That's a crisis, as far as I'm concerned.

Of course, these things always happen on the eve of a holiday. Yesterday I placed a call to a refrigerator repair service that was located only a block away from me. A woman with a strong Korean accent answered the phone. We had a very cryptic conversation, each probably getting about 50% of what the other said. I hung up crossing my fingers that someone was going to show up at my door at 8:30 a.m. today, Veteran's Day, and that the charge for a consult was $40.

Good thing I woke and showered early, for my doorbell rang at 8:10 a.m. A middle aged Korean gentleman with a small pouch of tools and an equally daunting accent arrived. He saw the ice build up and told me this was a problem. No kidding. He also told me that my refrigerator was the original one that came with the unit when the building was first built in the 1970's. I thought he was suggesting that we close up the patient and send it to the ice box graveyard. But then he said he would come back with his bigger tools and told me the repair price.

He proceeded to empty my freezer and some of the fridge. For some reason, that was a little embarrassing. I guess what one keeps in their fridge is telling about that person and their lifestyle. I also had to live through the indignity of his opening up the bottom vent to discover enough cat hair to knit a ski cap.

Less than an hour later, everything was put back together. I'm to check on the patient at 6 hours, 12 hours and 24 hours later. The charge was very reasonable, and no extra charge for the holiday. If there's a problem, I'm to call back. However, if there's a problem, I think I'm headed to Sears.

Great Eyebrows

2009-11-10T22:40:00.005-10:00

Juliana Margulies

My favorite new show of the season is The Good Wife with Juliana Margulies. (Flash Forward is a very close second.) What makes The Good Wife great is the writing, the storylines, the casting, and all those usual factors. What fascinates me, though, and always has, are Juliana's perfect, dark eyebrows.

The power of eyebrows is underestimated. When you ask most women what they would do to their face if they only had a few minutes to put on makeup, the answer is "brows and lipstick". That's what I would say. Surprisingly, not the eyes, not the cheeks, nor the foundation. It is the brows that provide a framework to the eyes and sets up the entire face.

So, who else besides Juliana has great brows?

Sela Ward

Liz Taylor

Lending books

2009-11-09T21:15:00.003-10:00

I used to offer to loan books to friends, but no more, not unless I fully expect never to see that book again. Today I broke down and bought a copy of a beloved book that I had loaned to a friend almost 20 years ago. It is "How to Read a Film" by James Monaco, considered the classic text for film criticism. It's an awesome read for anyone who loves film, loves to dissect and analyze them, loves to spend hours talking about the evening's film over coffee and dessert.

I first read this book for a class taught by Robert McKee when he was on the faculty at San Diego State. McKee went on to bigger and better things. He now teaches seminars on screenplay writing and has written his own best selling book called "Story". His students have gone on to write academy award winning movies, and his seminars are sold out around the world.

But I digress. "How to Read a Film" was originally published in 1977, and that was the copy I kept lovingly until 1991. I was in a relationship with someone who expressed interest in the subject, and I loaned him my copy. We had a turbulent relationship, off and on for many years. When it finally ended for good, I realized I never got my book back, and I strongly suspect that the book is in shreds anyway; he is careless with things (and people.)

I've noticed over the years that it has become more and more common for people to borrow a book and not return it. That's hard to stomach. When you love books, you want to share them with people you like, but you also expect them to have the courtesy to treat your book well and return it to its owner in good shape. At least I do.

Last night I discovered that "How to Read a Film" has been updated and re-released in May 2009. First thing this morning, I ordered my copy. And you can bet that this one is not leaving my possession.

5 year diary

2009-11-04T18:31:00.004-10:00

I've started many, many diaries over the years, but I've never been able to sustain the writing for any length of time. I think I have a "shot" with this one.

It's the 5-year diary in which you write a brief note, a sentence or two at the most, every day. You can start at any time. And when you get to year two, you automatically see what you wrote on the same date the previous year. My first entry was October 5, so it's been about a month. For the first time, I was able to write something every day. The secret, I think, is having only a few lines to fill for each date. I don't feel pressure to write because it takes about a minute each day.

Hopefully, I will get to year two. It should be fun to see where you were, what you did, what you were thinking a year, or two, or five years from that date.

Certified

2009-11-02T19:16:00.003-10:00

I spent last Friday evening celebrating my friend's birthday. As is our tradition, we had dinner at the shopping center and then we went shopping. I usually don't like shopping, but I had an unusually successful evening - 2 pairs of Cole Haan shoes on sale, met a makeup saleswoman who seemed to be able to match my color perfectly, and a blouse on sale that was undeniably "me". I came home, arms loaded, picked up the mail, and saw the dreaded notice.

I had a certified letter that I needed to pick up from the post office. Getting mail these days is quite "predictable". Bills, advertisements, and the occasional invitation or thank you note. Once in a blue moon a personal letter. Holidays cards at the end of December. Packages from Amazon. That's about it. Therefore, when I get a certified letter, my imagination runs wild.

What could it be? I had the whole weekend to worry about it, imagine the best, imagine the worst.

The worst would be something like a lawsuit or a death notification. I started to wonder if I'd made any slanderous comments recently. The best is that someone, unbeknownst to me, has left me a fortune. I then started to daydream about what I could and would do with the money.

This morning, I made my way to the post office before work. Finally, the mystery of the certified letter would be solved. I walked in, only to see a "closed" sign. Due to financial cutbacks, the post office had shortened their hours. However, a kindly employee informed me that if I was just picking up something, I could ring the buzzer and they would retrieve my letter.

I rang the buzzer at the pick up window and soon someone came to help me. I could see the vast inner workings of the post office from the opened window and it was fascinating. Then, I got my letter.

I went back to the car and tore it open. It was merely from my apartment association informing me of a new rule that requires condo insurance, which I have so it was no big deal. I was, at once, relieved and disappointed. The letter, which had once held such high status and tight rein, was tossed onto the front seat and stayed there the entire day, its power over my imagination deflated.

WTF?

2009-10-22T18:54:00.002-10:00

The Wisconsin Tourism Federation launched a new branding campaign that was most unfortunate. Story here. Seems no one on their advertising team was aware that using the acronym WTF might not be such a great idea.

Plumbing

2009-10-20T18:52:00.004-10:00

I've always thought plumbing was an apt metaphor for life. The flow of life, money down the drain, clogged arteries, a good purge, and all that.

Friday evening, with no warning, my sink clogged up. It drained, but very, very slowly. It took hours for it to drain totally. I hadn't put anything unusual down the drain, except, I did get a new coffee pot. I had always poured my old coffee grinds from the french press down the disposal with no ill effects, but I got a new drip brewer, and I just had a sneaking suspicion that the coffee was the culprit.

Saturday morning, filled with hope, I rushed out to buy a new plunger and a bottle of drain cleaner. I plunged and plunged, got great suction I must say, but the sink was still just as clogged as ever. So, per instructions, I poured half the cleaner down the drain and waiting for an hour. Nothing.

Saturday night, I poured the remainder of the cleaner, and let it sit overnight, as suggested. Nothing.

Monday morning, I called my plumber. After having two leaking toilets this year, my plumber considers me a great customer. He was scheduled to be in my building that day anyway. He was able to unclog the drain in a matter of minutes, and replaced a section of the pipe that was getting old. He pretty much confirmed that any of those cleaners don't ever seem to work, be it Drano, Liquid Plumber, etc. That's been my experience - a waste of $5, in my opinion. Still, people feel obligated to give them a try before spending lots of money on a plumber.

One tip that I thought was worth repeating: try not to pour grease down the drain, but if you can't avoid it, run it with "cold" water, not "hot" water. You'd think that the hot water makes the grease go through the drain easier, but it's better that it goes down as a solid for some reason.

I'm having my sink faucets repaired next week, and that should take care of my plumbing for the foreseeable future.

Piano Stairs

2009-10-13T18:55:00.002-10:00

If we had these stairs at work, I would walk up every day.

No more circling

2009-10-10T17:49:00.002-10:00

I picked up my brother and his family at the Honolulu International Airport today. They are visiting from northern California for about 10 days. Two good things resulted:

1. It gave me the push I needed to get my car washed. I'm really bad about that. The inside of the car is spotless, but the outside doesn't get washed for months on end. I keep thinking a good rain will take care of it, but rain usually just makes it worse.

2. After circling 3 times, my brother called my cell phone and alerted me that they were on the ground but still inside the plane, so it might be awhile before getting to the baggage claim and securing the luggage. I said, "no problem, I'll just keep circling." I really don't mind. I like cruising the airport because the people are so interesting. But then on my 4th go around, I saw a faint sign that said "cell phone wait lot" with an arrow. I had heard of this lot, but never used it, so I was curious to know where it was and whether anyone actually did use it.

I found it easily and there were about 6 cars waiting. One of the vehicles was a huge yellow Hummer, and I'm sure he really didn't want to circle with the cost of gas at $3.20 a gallon. Luckily, I brought my Kindle and read for about 15 minutes. They called when they were outside the baggage claim, and it took me about 2 minutes to reach them. This is a great service, although not many people seemed to be taking advantage of it. I loved it.

Steak Plate

2009-10-07T22:18:00.003-10:00

For the past few years, a take-out phenomena has hit Honolulu - sliced charbroiled steak, 2 scoops of rice, and a tossed green salad for $6. These are vendors who set up on a street corner or in a parking lot, under a tent. They also offer barbecued chicken or shrimp, but the main draw is the steak, around 8 oz.

Now, this is a great deal of food for a person of my size. I got one yesterday for lunch and could only finish half of it. I had the other half for dinner. The set up has become so popular that you see them all over the place now, and some have even rented permanent locations. It's pretty hard to resist the smell of steak on the grill in the middle of downtown Honolulu - like stepping out of your office to a block party.

I suppose they sell enough of these plates to be able to offer steak at such a low price. The only skeptical thing about yesterday was that I also ordered a diet coke. The woman at the cash register shook her head (not a strong English speaker), and it looked like the soda machine was out of order. She pointed to the refridgerated case of canned and bottled drinks. I like mine on ice, so I declined. When she realized I wasn't going to buy a can of diet coke, she said, "Okay."

"What okay?" I asked, puzzled. She proceeded to fill a cup of ice and diet coke from the machine for me. Not only was that weird, but incredibly bad service. Oh well, the steak was delicious.

No email, no internet

2009-10-06T18:36:00.002-10:00

We had a problem at work today. It started with no water pressure. Okay, we can work through that. The lack of water pressure triggered the AC coolers to stop, so no air conditioning. Okay, we can work through that. Then, the lack of AC forced them to shut down the computer system servers, which means no email and no internet. Nope, could not function.

I'm certainly old enough to remember the days without email and the internet, but it seems inconceivable today. I guess we communicated by telephone and letter, and if we really needed something fast (but not official), we sent a fax. I actually remember when having a fax was the cool, new thing. Things got done, of course, but the expectation of a quick reply was measured in days and hours, not seconds.

In today's news, the postal service is shutting down post offices or cutting back hours. Inevitable, I suppose, but is it a good thing to be so dependent on electronic communication? As we found out today, without it the work comes to an abrupt halt.

Is it wrong?

2009-10-05T22:48:00.003-10:00

Today, being a Monday and all, I was moving slowly into the office. The air is sweltering and heavy today, humid and sticky, as if a hurricane might blow through any minute. I received news, however, that a certain person who I can...not...stand...will be leaving the institution, on to possibly bigger and better things. Did a little dance. Sang a little song. Wish them well. Cough.

Twins

2009-10-04T20:49:00.002-10:00

I read an amazing short story this weekend called "Tricks" by Alice Munro. (It's one of the stories in the book "Runaway".) I find Alice Munro to be a bit depressing for my taste, so true to life and human nature as she gets. "Tricks" is about a shy, introverted young woman who has the responsibility of taking care of a ailing older sister. She meets a young man, a foreigner, who helps hers when she loses her purse, and the two of them innately know that they have found their partner in the other.

The man must go away for a year, but he'll be back, and he asks her to return in a year. They are not to write during that time. She spends the year thinking of him and the life they will build together. She is able to endure the hardship of her sister knowing that she has a way to escape in a year's time.

When the year is up, she returns to his home, only to be met with cold eyes and a slammed door shut in her face. If he remembers her, he doesn't show it. She is mortified and devastated. She runs home, never to see him again.

Decades pass. She has become a strong, independent, stylish woman who never married. She works in a hospital. She comes across a patient, an old man, dying, and she recognizes him as the foreigner. She asks to see his records, and as it turns out, it is not him...it is his twin brother who is mentally ill. Her friend was his brother's caretaker and he has already passed away. It must have been the twin she saw that day when she returned, but she never stayed long enough to discover the mistake.

How life could have been different for both of them had she come a day, perhaps even a few minutes, earlier or later.

People are amazing

2009-09-21T22:23:00.003-10:00

Yesterday, I opened my email to learn that a high school classmate had passed away. I am at the age when it still seems way too young for people to start dying, but not altogether shocking. I knew Art fairly well, although of the group of guys we hung out with, he was probably the one I knew least. His talent was sports. He played basketball and football, but his real love was baseball. After we graduated, I never saw him again. Still, when the news broke, his group of friends rallied.

I learned only today that he lived in Colorado, but his job was based in Texas. He had homes in both places. He was single; don't know if he was ever married. His parents have both passed. He has a sister. It's weird that you learn these things only after your friend has died. Some of his close friends will try to make it to the memorial service on the mainland.

So, I went to work today a bit dazed and melancholy. Sad for my friend Art. I wondered if he was happy, and I wondered how he died. Then I heard other news that blew me away.

Someone at work needs a kidney transplant, and one of our colleagues who wishes to remain anonymous is going to be the donor. They work closely together, and the donor wanted to do this because it just felt right. How many people would do that for their co-worker? Not many. It threw me in a completely different direction after mulling over Art's death for a day. Now I'm thinking about life, and what it means to really give of yourself.

Heavy thoughts on this day.

Before Sunrise, Before Sunset

2009-09-20T21:14:00.003-10:00

Have you seen these two movies? "Before Sunrise" was released in 1995 and the sequel "Before Sunset" was released 10 years later in 2005. The first film is about a young couple in their early 20's who meet on a train in Europe. He, an American, is bound for Vienna where he will depart to the United States the following morning. She, a French woman, is headed home to Paris. They connect, they have chemistry, and he convinces her to hop off the train and spend the remaining hours with him exploring Vienna.

Of course, they fall in love, and promise to meet each other 6 months from that date, back in Vienna, to continue their relationship. The film ends leaving the viewer to wonder whether they actually did go back, and what happened ever after.

I has always loved this movie. You see, a similar thing happened to me. The summer between graduating from high school and going to college, I spent 3 months in Europe. Towards the end of the trip, my traveling companions and I had split up and I was by myself. I was making my way to Frankfurt to take the plane back to the U.S. and stopped in Austria along the way. In Vienna, I met a young man, maybe a year older than I, and we started talking. It was nice to speak English with someone. We spent the day walking and talking, taking in churches, museums, and parks. He was a potter living in Seattle. By the end of the day, we were good friends.

Unlike the couple in the movie, it was purely platonic, and we did exchange addresses. A few years later, he sent his parents to Honolulu for their anniversary and asked me to meet them at the airport. They arrived with a gift for me, a pot made by my friend. We lost track of each other after that.

I still have that pot. There is a distinctive signature on the bottom. A few years ago, I was planning a business trip to Anchorage, and I planned to stop in Seattle and Portland to visit friends on the way back. As the main thing I do whenever and wherever I travel is to check out local art and art museums, I started doing some research on the internet about what was happening in art in the Pacific Northwest, and I came across the website of a ceramic potter. Didn't recognize the name, but I recognized the signature. It was my friend.

I got in touch with him, and went to visit him while in Seattle. He is married with grown children, and I had dinner with him and his family. As it turned out, he was having an art show retrospective of his work between the exact year that we met in Vienna to present day. It was a fabulous day and evening, and the best part was being able to pick up where we left off, with so much to tell each other about the decades we missed in each other's lives.

In the sequel to the movie, the couple do not meet 6 months later. Tragically, her grandmother dies and the funeral is on the exact day when they are to meet. As they did not exchange phone numbers, she had no way to contact him. They didn't even know last names. He went back to Vienna and waited, and she didn't show. He writes a book about their night together in Vienna, and is in Paris for a book signing. She shows up at the bookstore, and they spend another day together. Will he miss his plane back to the U.S. this time? The romantic in me says yes.

Another mercury retrograde

2009-09-16T20:07:00.003-10:00

A number of people I follow on Twitter have been complaining of equipment breaking down, forgetfulness, losing things, etc. When I say that it's "Mercury Retrograde", I'm surprised that people actually know what that means, and already knew that it was retrograde. Maybe astrology is going more mainstream than I thought. FYI - Mercury will remain retrograde until September 29th.

Today was definitely one of those retrograde days. Dropped my coins at the drive-thru window as I got my coffee. The nice young woman at the drive-thru window said she'd get it later and waved me on. For no apparent reason, the traffic was horrendous this morning, and I stopped to pick up some alterations, so I got in later than normal.

When I drove to my parking garage, the car in front of me stopped at the gate. He didn't realize that he had entered through a private entry and needed a security card to lift the arm. Since I was behind him, he couldn't back up. (And I wasn't about to drive backwards up a ramp and into traffic.) So, I got out and swiped my card to let him through. I probably broke some security rules with that one.

Got on the elevator with two women who were obviously lost tourists. I work on the 4th floor, so I pressed 4. They wondered and talked among themselves if they would be able to see the view from the 5th (top) floor; I expected them to press 5, but they did nothing. Then they asked me if they were allowed on the 5th floor, and I said yes. Still, they didn't press 5. As we didn't have many floors to go, I said somewhat in a panic, "Don't you want to press 5?!" They said, "No, we're going to the 4th floor first." Mercury retrograde also includes communications breakdown.

I could just imagine my entire day filled these miscommuniqués, and I decided to just accept it and not care. The rest of the day was uneventful, and that's the secret to dealing with Mercury retrograde. It only affects you badly when you need to slow down and be more careful. It forces you to reexamine your actions or your words that were probably done or said in haste. If you just take it easy and do things right the first time, it will be just fine.

Coffee

2009-09-15T21:05:00.004-10:00

I have developed a new habit. On my way to work, I drive-thru McDonald's and order a large coffee. Not the fancy McCafe coffee, just plain, black and hot. What they say is true. McDonald's makes a great cup of coffee, and for my taste, much better than Starbucks. Starbucks coffee tastes bitter to me. My investment club owns stock in Starbucks, so I feel a little guilty for not patronizing them.

The large size actually lasts me the whole day. I don't drink more than half of it in the morning. I end up zapping the remaining half in the afternoon, and it's still pretty good. The large size totals $1.66 with tax, so I'm spending $8.30/week on coffee. Not too bad.

So, I'm doing some research on McDonald's stock, and pending the analysis, that might be our next purchase.

The Help

2009-09-08T21:30:00.002-10:00

This is the best novel I have read in a very long time. Could not put it down, which is unusual for me.

15 books

2009-07-18T12:09:00.002-10:00

The fifteen books meme is making the rounds on Facebook. List 15 memorable books that have stayed with you throughout your life. Here are mine:

Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

Women in Love by DH Lawrence

A Natural History of the Senses by Diane Ackerman

The Golden Notebook by Doris Lessing

The Goldbug Variations by Richard Powers

Synchronicity by Carl Jung

Parkers Astrology by Julia and Derek Parker

Hawaii by James Michener

Here on Earth by Alice Hoffman

Catcher in the Rye by JD Salinger

Bird by Bird by Anne LaMott

The Griffin and Sabine Trilogy by Nick Bantock

The Anais Nin Diaries

Giving

2009-07-12T20:46:00.003-10:00

I know a lot of people who don't like to give money to people on the street - the homeless, musicians, the poor. I don't go out of my way, but if someone approaches me, I don't mind giving them some loose change or a dollar. I always feel that if I'm fortunate enough to be able to give to the poor, then it's good karma.

Last week, I left a small farmer's market that had set up on my street, and I was walking back home. A man with a dog was walking behind me. I stopped for just a second to tell an elderly couple about the market, and the man took the opportunity to catch up with me and ask for some spare change. I had my wallet in my hand, so I took out a dollar and gave it to him. Just as he took it from me, his cell phone rang.

I walked hurriedly away. I could hear him scolding someone named Cheryl, and suspect it was his girlfriend. I know that if the man could afford a cell phone, my money will probably go for drugs. I have to admit, whenever I see a homeless person with a dog, I'm always more concerned about the dog, and this was the case here. I hoped the money would be used to feed the dog.

I learned that I'm not a cynic. The act of giving, even if it may not be received and used in the way we hope, is the important thing. I can't control other people and their motives, but I can control my own. I'll continue to give as long as I'm in the position to give, and be grateful that I can.

Personnel Rant

2009-07-06T22:03:00.004-10:00

Of all the problems in the workplace, I think personnel problems are the worst. It's always personal. We pesky humans are forever bringing our real lives, our personalities, our idiosyncracies, our egos, and our affairs of the heart to the office.

I've never been a good supervisor. I like to be responsible for myself, and I don't like to impose my value system onto others. I don't like being a disciplinarian. I assume that others will be self-motivated, strive to obtain a good work ethic, and police their own hours.

However, I do supervise a few people, and I'm having a problem with one of them. This person is young, but old enough to know better. Like, when you're going to be late or not come in that day, you need to call and let someone know. Like, when you procrastinate so long that the boss (me) ends up just doing it herself, that's a fail.

My friend says that I can't assume that people know what's right and wrong in the office, and that you have to spell it out for them, especially the young ones. But that's the problem. No one encourages initiative any more. No one expects them to exceed expectations, let alone meet them.

This problem person didn't come in today, and didn't call or email or text to let me know. At first, I was steamed. It seems like we just had the conversation a few weeks ago about calling in. Now, I'm concerned that maybe it's not a discipline problem, but maybe a psychological one, or a drug one. Criminy, then what?

Two Lovers

2009-07-05T13:39:00.003-10:00

I want to thank everyone who was responsible for getting this movie made, because it is a classic and a showcase. If Joaquin Phoenix means what he says about this being his last film, at least he picked a great one to go out on. I loved the script, which captured the psychology of all of the characters in a way that was real and quite heartbreaking. The two women, played by Gwyneth Paltrow and Vinessa Shaw, are like opposite definitions of love, true yet counter to each other. They were both terrific. And, Isabella Rossellini gives such a tender, wise performance as the mother. It's set in Brighton Beach, NY, and the cinematography is also very rich; you feel like you are there with them in the cold, the rain, the city, the sunset. Incredible photography. Yes, everyone responsible for this film deserves an ovation.

The Color Purple

2009-07-05T13:20:00.002-10:00

The Okinawans are known for their use of the color purple, even down to their sweet potatoes. They are also known for their longevity, and the Okinawan diet is supposedly a large factor for that. These Okinawan sweet potatoes taste similar to regular sweet potatoes, but I suspect that the color is a bit weird for most American palates. The color, however, indicates a high anti-oxidant value, filled with good nutrients.

Here in Hawaii, most people simply boil them, cut them up and eat them plain. They are rich and sweet enough to forego any butter or sugars. They also make an interesting looking sweet potato pie, sweet potato tempura, or mashed. They make a great snack, sliced and served cold, which I enjoyed throughout the long July 4th weekend.

True Love Finds Its Way Eventually - Part II

2009-06-27T15:19:00.004-10:00

This is an update to a love story I told you about in December 2007. Re-read the post here if you want to see what I wrote back then.

Auntie F. is now 89 and her long-lost boyfriend is 92 (I got his age wrong in the last post). He has continued to visit her from his home in the Southeast twice a year, two weeks at a time. As luck would have it, I was invited to a birthday party in the family for lunch today, and he happens to be here visiting. I got to meet the mystery man in person. Sat across the table from him as a matter of fact.

They look good together. I'd say he's quite handsome for a man of his age, with a full head of striking white hair, a smooth face, and a trim figure. His hearing is fine. His mind is sharp. He's up on current events. He still drives and uses a GPS when he travels. He is retired from the military, as well as retired from state government, but, even so, he's been retired for over 30 years.

No one seems to know the full story, and I gather that no one wants to pry. From what I could piece together, he might have been involved with another girl before he came to Hawaii to serve in the military. I'm sure he was quite handsome, and probably a little cocky in those days. He met Auntie F. here. When he went back home, it sounds like Auntie F. was not aware of his relationship with someone else, and she went to visit him. Apparently, the trip did not go well, and she came home heartbroken.

He married and had a family. It doesn't sound like they communicated over the years. After his wife died, he tracked Auntie F. down and worked to rekindle the flame. While he has been out here several times now, she does not want to visit him in his home state. I wonder what really happened the first time around.

They were not openly affectionate, and they didn't talk much. (Kind of like married people?) They both look incredibly young for their age. I guess they must still have a spark between them, or else why would he bother with such a long trip twice a year? That would be exhausting for someone of any age. I wonder what his children think when he travels all by himself to Hawaii. Surely, they worry. I would if my parent was making such trips.

His next trip out is in November. Stay tuned.

My MJ story

2009-06-25T18:56:00.002-10:00

Truth be known, I was not a Michael Jackson fan, but I am saddened by his death today. The constant replay of his music and dancing reminds me of just how brilliant and talented he was, and that he was also haunted by poor health, a questionable relationship with young boys, and surrounded by people who probably took tremendous advantage of him.

I once knew a television producer, who passed away about a decade ago. He told us a Michael Jackson story that I always weigh against all the other weird stories of the "king of pop." The producer threw a party at his home in Los Angeles, and Michael Jackson attended. He left the party early, but about 20 minutes after he left, he came back. My friend answered the door and said, "Michael, you've returned."

Michael said, in a very shy and timid tone, "Actually, I'm afraid I can't get out. There is a car blocking us." My friend asked him, "Have you been outside waiting all this time? Why didn't you let me know sooner?"

As it turned out, he had been waiting outside, hoping that the person would come out and move the car so that he wouldn't have to go back and bother people. It shows how childlike he was, and passive.

Rear Ended

2009-06-22T21:27:00.003-10:00

The most interesting thing that happened to me today was that I got rear-ended on my way to work. Well, actually, it was more like a bump. It was the oddest experience because I was stopped at a red light, listening to my Pema Chodron CD, drifting off into a Zen teaching, and then I felt a jolt.

At first I thought the car had died. You know how cars kind of shake before they die? I looked at the dashboard and the electrical system seemed to be on. It took me a second to even realize that I had been hit from behind. I looked in my rear view window to see the woman in the van behind me looking at me to see what we should do.

We both hesitated in getting out of our cars as we were at a busy intersection and the light was about to turn green. So, I signaled to her to make the turn and meet me further down the street. Once stopped, we both got out and she immediately apologized. The damage was so minor - just a few nicks. I told her, however, that I would probably want to get it repaired as I lease the car and they deduct those things when I turn the car in at the end of the lease.

She was totally understanding and told me to call her if I planned to get it fixed and she would write me a check. We exchanged cards, and I saw that she was a federal judge, so I figured I could trust her word! Honolulu is a small town, and I know for a fact that we have friends in common. I suppose if one were to be rear-ended, I couldn't have picked a better person, and vice versa.

Happy Father's Day

2009-06-21T12:57:00.003-10:00

It's Father's Day. My dad passed away in 2004, but not a day goes by that I don't miss him or remember a funny story about him. As I'm also watching the U.S. Open today, I thought about some funny golf stories with my dad.

I didn't really know what kind of golfer he was. I thought he was probably okay as he was always fairly athletic, albeit impatient. He'd go out regularly, but I think it was more for the social benefit of getting together with friends and colleagues, and for the fresh air and exercise. We'd always get him a box of golf balls for Father's Day. It's what he wanted, and we knew he could use them because he probably lost a lot.

When I was very young, he'd take me to the driving range, and I'd hit a few balls for fun. 50 yards maybe. I didn't take up the game myself, however, until about 10 years ago. Frankly, I didn't have the time or the budget to get serious about the game until then.

We went out to play a couple of times. I had just spent about $400 on some golf lessons, and as soon as I played with my dad, he proceeded to teach me all of his "tricks" which totally wiped out anything I learned by the pro. The last time we went out together, I realized that he was a terrible golfer considering how many years he had played, but by that time he had also lost a lot of his strength. Truth be told, I didn't enjoy the times we played together because I always felt like I was getting a lesson. Now, however, I would give anything to play a round with him.

The funniest thing that happened to us was one time we went to the driving range and he gave me an iron to practice with. His clubs were old, and the iron must have rusted. I miss hit the ball, hit the ground, and the club snapped. Half the club went flying into the range about 20 yards.

Next day, my right arm started tingling as though it were asleep. I thought I was having a stroke. Then I remembered hitting the ground with the club.

Keeping Cool

2009-06-17T20:33:00.002-10:00

On Monday, June 8th, two things happened.

It was the first day that the air conditioning in my condominium was shut off so that repair work could be done on the chiller. It's a major project, replacing parts and overhauling the system. The AC will be done for four (that's right, four!) weeks.

It was also the first day of record breaking heat in Honolulu that has not let up much ever since.

I thought I could tough it out. After a particularly hot and humid night, however, I broke down and decided to get a fan. I really didn't want to spend the money for a fan since I have central AC and have no use or need for one.

I got a Honeywell table fan which I like a lot. It's powerful, oscillates, and doesn't look too ugly. Of course, it doesn't really make things cooler, just moves the air around, but it helps.

I have noticed, however, that my sleep is very light, and that I'm yawning all day long due to the uber warm nights. Somebody should invent an electric blanket that provides cool in addition to warm. I think it would be a winner.

Baby Shower Games

2009-06-11T19:48:00.003-10:00

I went to a baby shower today. They play very strange games at these things. Such as:

1. Take a disposable diaper and crush a particular chocolate candy bar in it. The diaper is then folded. You have to sniff it to guess what kind of candy bar is inside. The person who guesses the most correctly wins. (Ewww)

2. Guess how big around the mother to be is, and cut a piece of string to match her waist size. The person closest to the actual size wins. (Delicate)

3. Scrambled baby-related words. (Ho hum)

4. Baby bingo. (Lame)

5. Fill in the blank nursery rhymes. For example: Peter, Peter Pumpkin Eater, had a wife but could not _____her. A number of people had "see" and "eat". The correct answer, of course, is "keep". (Has potential)

Regret

2009-06-10T20:26:00.003-10:00

I sent a text message to a colleague yesterday about a prominent local personality. It wasn't bad or nasty. It wasn't even snarky. It was a little gossipy, though, and I felt a tad guilty when I sent it.

The recipient texted me back several hours later expressing similar sentiment. I thought that was the end of that.

This morning, I woke up and read the newspapers, but I didn't see any TV news or hear radio news. I didn't go into work as usual as I was waiting for the plumber to fix a minor toilet leak. I went online as I waited, and received the shocking news that the person I sent the gossipy message about had died suddenly and unexpectedly last night.

I feel bad now. This was a person who was good to me. It's a lesson for me. I should have listened to that little voice that told me it was not a good idea. I will listen more closely from this day forward.

Revolutionary Road

2009-06-07T21:46:00.002-10:00

I sat watching this film, and I kept thinking "I get this. I get these people."

The book and film, "Revolutionary Road", may be set in the 1950's, but its themes are just as relevant today as they were 50 years ago. Smart people, full of drive and creativity while they are young, have expectations for themselves as they go out into the world. They know they are special. They believe great things will happen for them. And then, as the years go by, as they get trapped into an economic reality, they start to realize that maybe they are not so special after all. That they, like their peers and their parents, may be destined to lead lives of quiet desperation. And, in a wink of an eye, life plays itself out and it ends.

The question is, were they ever special to begin with? Maybe the tragedy isn't so much about not living up to your potential, but that people overestimate their own uniqueness and specialness. Or, maybe people do have beautiful potential, but the tragedy is that they lack the courage to pursue it. Do the majority of people spend their lives getting up every day and going to jobs and living lives that they hate?

And then there's the commercial on ESPN about getting sports programming directly to your computer at work. The woman says, "Now my job will be a little less soul crushing." There you go...

Memory

2009-06-04T18:38:00.002-10:00

Just after the New Year, I received a package from an old friend from graduate school. While we were close during school, our friendship has gotten to the "once a year Christmas letter" stage. For awhile, we wrote back and forth quite a bit. Of course, when word processing and email started taking over our lives, the hand written letters became less and less frequent.

My friend recently remodeled their house and came across my letters. She actually saved them all. They didn't have room to keep a lot of the "junk", and she didn't want to throw them out, so she decided to send them to me - 28 years worth of letters, most of them written before 1994.

I have kept the letters in their package for several months. I've been so busy during the first part of the year that I didn't even peek. I knew that once I did I would be committed to reading them all through the night. Last weekend, I did just that, and boy was I surprised.

What surprised me was how different my memory of events are now compared to the way I described them to my friend in my own letters.

For example, the way I wrote about my ex-husband and our marriage is completely different from my memory of how I thought I felt at the time. I don't really remember being "in love", but I described those feelings to my friend. I don't really remember conversations and events with an old boyfriend, but there they were, documented in the letters. It was a bit unnerving to think that so much of my memory about important people in my life was either gone or wrong.

I suppose we tend to "edit" our memories, we hang on to certain things and gladly forget others. The next morning, I called my friend to thank her for such a great gift. We immediately fell back into our giggly girlfriend relationship, and even more memories emerged. It made me think how valuable diaries may be years from now, and that I really should start writing things down.

XLear

2009-05-28T19:17:00.004-10:00

We have an active volcano in the state, and thank god it's not on the island where I live. The volcano is spewing sulfur dioxide which results in a hazy volcanic fog called VOG. Normally, our fantastic trade winds blow it out of the environment, but for the past month, the trades have been light to non-existent.

It turns out that I am extremely allergic to vog. Major congestion, runny nose, and fatigue. I tried Claritin, with no result. Allegra, with no result. And then someone from the Big Island, the island of Hawaii where the volcano is located, suggested a natural nasal spray called Xlear.

While I still get congested, Xlear works better than the drugs, which only seemed to dry me up but didn't help with the congestion. I much prefer to take something that is drug-free and safe even for children.

I haven't felt much like writing, or doing much of anything really. It's a bit depressing to be gasping for air all the time. I don't know how the people who live near volcanoes take it. I would probably have to move. It wreaks havoc on people with asthma and allergies, kills plants, flowers and food crops, contaminates water, affects animals and livestock, and the geologists have no idea when it will stop. It could stop tomorrow. It could last 100 years.

The tradewinds are expected back next week. Not a moment too soon. The only good thing I can say about vog is that it makes for beautiful sunsets.

Classic

2009-05-20T19:56:00.003-10:00

I've had my Kindle for over 6 months, but I haven't done much with it. I've only finished 2 books so far, and stopped half-way through a third. I recently started "Wuthering Heights" and it's a bit of a struggle getting used to the old language, but it's starting to get easier and to go faster.

What I wanted to talk about, though, is the fact that I recently discovered that you can download many of the classics of literature for free, or practically free! I got "Wuthering Heights" for 80 cents. I saw "Oliver Twist" and others for free, which is very exciting to me.

Why? Because I never did read many of the classics of literature growing up, not even Jane Austen or Charles Dickens or Tolstoy. I know I read and loved "Jane Eyre" and "Little Women", but don't recall others. The Kindle has given me the perfect opportunity to remedy this void.

So, this is what I'd like to do this summer. Read the classics. But which ones? I'd welcome any and all of your suggestions.

1:1

2009-05-17T20:46:00.003-10:00

I may have mentioned before that I introduced two friends several years ago. Yesterday, they got married.

I must admit, I didn't expect the relationship to progress far, let alone result in marriage. These two people were not young, per se; he is early 40's and she is mid-30's. Both had never been in long-term relationships before. Both seemed lonely and a bit lost.

After dating for several years, they seemed to want to wait for the right time to get married. The right time being when they had enough money, had a secure future, etc. etc. Then she got pregnant, and one of the parents passed away suddenly. All of a sudden, I think it sunk in that there is no "right" time, and that life is too short to postpone.

The wedding was small and bittersweet. There were tears of happiness, but also tears of sadness, and perhaps worry. A new baby coming, one of them recently lost a job. The stuff of life.

I wish them the best, but I admit I don't envy them. I am happy, though, that I had a part in bringing two people together who I know love each other and may never have met a life partner otherwise.

Perseverance

2009-05-10T08:18:00.005-10:00

Thanks to a suggestion by Speak Coffee awhile back, I explored the writing of Patricia T. O'Connor. I finished a gem of a writing book called "Words Fail Me", and I have "Woe is I" waiting on the nightstand.

At the end of "Words Fail Me" is a funny story that seemed to wrap up the past few months of my life. It goes like this:

A duck walks into a hardware store and asks the proprietor, "Got any duck food?"

Proprietor says, "Sorry, we don't carry duck food."

Duck goes away, comes back the next day. "Got any duck food?"

Proprietor says, "No, like I told you yesterday, we don't have duck food."

Duck goes away, comes back the next day. "Got any duck food?"

Proprietor, irritated, says, "I told you, we don't have duck food. This is a hardware store. If you ask me that again, I'm going to nail your little webbed feet to the floor!"

Duck goes away, comes back the next day. "Got any nails?"

Proprietor says, "Well, actually, we're out of nails today."

Duck says, "Got any duck food?"

Susan Boyle's Dream

2009-04-15T21:21:00.001-10:00

Just in case you haven't seen this clip, please take a few minutes. I guarantee it will touch your heart: Susan Boyle's Dream

Beauty Changes with Age

2009-04-12T14:41:00.004-10:00

Last weekend, I went to a matinee of the stage musical, "Gypsy", performed at a local theater. As you know, I've been moaning and groaning about how busy I am, blah, blah, blah, and so I was secretly wishing I didn't have to go. For one thing, it was "Gypsy", the musical story of the high class stripper, Gypsy Rose Lee. Riveting. For another, I would have much preferred a nap. But, my ex-sis-in-law and my niece were kind enough to invite my mother and me, months in advance, bringing together the same foursome that went on our fabulous Broadway trip last summer. There was really no choice in the matter.

The first half was just okay. I had to fight nodding off a few times, but as I looked around the audience, a number of people seemed to have the same problem. I might mention that a matinee at the local theater attracts a fairly elderly audience. During the second half, however, the performances perked up considerably, especially after I realized that an old acquaintance from my college days was performing as one of the over-the-hill strippers.

I leaned over a whispered to my mother, "Hey, that's So and So!" She gasped.

"So and So" and I were not really friends. I'm not sure how it is that we came to know each other, but she was very beautiful, being part Japanese and part Caucasian, and she was also extremely sweet. You could tell she was raised by a Japanese mother; her manner, her speech, her movements, her politeness, were all very Asian. After we graduated, I learned that she went on to perform as a singer and an actress with some notoriety, and she was Miss Hawaii one year. Good for her. Our paths never crossed though.

Decades later, there she was, on stage, playing a raunchy, loud-mouthed stripper, stealing the show I might add. Her costume was a skimpy, two-piece, Roman gladiator, with a plumed helmet, metallic coned bra, and a trumpet for a prop. While not fat, she has "thickened" like many our age, and her costume did not hide the fact. The audience went wild for her.

Something shifted in my brain that afternoon. Never had "So and So" looked more gorgeous in my mind. No longer a beauty queen, she was never more beautiful in being fearless and fiercely talented. I know that most women don't make the transcendence. I was very proud of her and plan to track down a way to tell her so.

M.I.A.

2009-04-10T20:37:00.003-10:00

It's not that I've been too busy to blog. I hate when people use that excuse. It's just that when I get busy, I don't seem to have much to write about other than work, and who wants to write about that.

I have a stack of books and a long list of things to do once my busy season ends in May. I finished Brenda Ueland's book "If you want to write" and found it quite interesting. For one thing, I'm not sure if it's self-published because there does not seem to be a copyright date on it. It's clear, however, that the author was teaching writing in the 1930's (!) and that much of the book deals with her students and classroom experience. What's amazing is that her writing remains valid and her principles hold up over time. I found her quite refreshing.

I ordered, per Speak Coffee's post a few weeks back, a couple of books by Patricia O'Connor, "Woe is I" and "Words Fail Me", which is on my nightstand now. Also have waiting in the wings, "Eats, Shoots and Leaves" and "On Writing Well" by William Zinsser.

For some reason, reading has become more of a chore rather than a pleasure. It's been a long time since I found a book that I couldn't wait to get lost in after a long day of work. I find movies more relaxing, I guess.

I'd really like to revamp the blog this summer. I still think blogging is a phenomenal outlet for writers. With Twitter taking up most of my day to day thoughts and activities, I'm not sure how the blog needs to morph, but a change is due.

Brenda Ueland says to just write and don't worry that your life isn't interesting. As long as what you write is honest and heartfelt, and not pretentious, it will resonate with people. Even if it's your grocery list. Or what you had for lunch. I think she may be right.

Deep Fried Pickles

2009-03-29T20:28:00.003-10:00

There is a new burger place in town called The Counter. It's owned by Daniel Dae Kim, one of the stars of "Lost" and other partners, but as you can imagine, it's his star-quality name that helps market the place.

It's high quality for sure, but still a bit expensive for burgers and fries. It's one of those "build your own burger" places, but I found I was quite a traditionalist when push came to shove. Stuck with the normal tomato, cheddar cheese, olives and lettuce, but they offer a wide variety of toppings from cranberries to peppers to fresh pineapple.

The sweet potato fries and onion strings were great, but the most interesting thing for me was the deep fried dill pickle slices. They were served with an apricot glaze dipping sauce - very delicious. I hear that deep fried pickles are more common in the South, but I've never had them before.

Even with a failing economy, the place was packed. It wasn't cheap - about $20 per person total. We'll see soon enough whether it's a keeper, although who doesn't like a great burger joint.

Prince Kuhio Day

2009-03-26T14:35:00.004-10:00

Today is a state holiday. It's the birthday of one of Hawaii's ali'i, or royalty, Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalanianaole. Had Hawaii's government remained a monarchy, he probably would have ascended to be King. The monarchy, however, was overthrown in 1893, and there are still many people in Hawaii who believe the takeover was illegal and not valid.

It's only one of two state holidays in the country named after royalty. The other is also here in Hawaii - Kamehameha Day, in honor of the birthday in June of King Kamehameha.

I went into work this morning and spent half the day doing catch up stuff. State and county offices are closed, but the federal government does not recognize the holiday. We still get mail. Retail and banks are open, but many private offices may take the day off. During this slow economy, I gather that business is slow too. I actually like going in when there are few people around and everyone is dressed in jeans or shorts and tee shirts. It's amazing how much work you get done without constant interruptions.

Like many holidays, it seems that people aren't really honoring the person or the day. It's just a day off for them. Not that they don't deserve a day off, but it just seems hypocritical. I thought about how I could do something, even if it was small, to honor Prince Kuhio. So, I googled him this morning and found a rather comprehensive report on his life on Wikipedia, a resource that never ceases to amaze me with its wealth of information.

I was reminded that he chose to pursue a political path, even after the crown was denied him. He spent a few years traveling around Europe where they still honored him as royalty, but decided to come back to Hawaii to help his people though political activism. He was elected to Congress and he is also credited for establishing our current system of preserving homestead lands for people of Hawaiian ancestry. Impressive.

Happy Birthday Prince Kuhio!

The upside of funerals

2009-03-22T20:26:00.002-10:00

I know there are people who don't go to funerals no matter who died. They just don't like to go, and I can certainly understand not wanting to be around immense sadness and, well, morbidity. I, however, have never minded them and have actually come to appreciate them.

Here in Hawaii, many funerals are Buddhist, or have Buddhist influences. You usually come with a sympathy card with money inside, an offering, called a "koden". At the altar, there are the usual flowers, a photograph of the deceased if not the casket, and also a large bowl with incense burning. I've always loved the smell of traditional incense - not the heavy floral incense that you find in new age shops.

Often, the family has mounted family photos on display boards, and these are so interesting to see and to learn more about the life of the person who passed - what they looked like when they were young, what they liked to do, how they worked, how they played, what was important to them.

The eulogies are always so interesting. The story of a person's life told in minutes. It makes you wonder whether someone will give a eulogy about you, who will it be, what will they choose to include in it.

And, perhaps sadly, funerals seem to be one of the few times that you see a number of friends and family members.

After the service, there is food. It's usually what I've come to know as "funeral food". Sushi, Chinese noodles, fried chicken, macaroni salad, ham, mochi. It's what is known as "okazu-ya" or Japanese delicatessen.

I went to a funeral this afternoon, and it just occurred to me today how much I appreciate the ritual.

St. Patrick

2009-03-16T21:48:00.004-10:00

I have a special fondness for St. Patrick's Day. My mother always cooks a corned beef dinner with cabbage, boiled potatoes and carrots. Don't normally think of eating a brisket, but on this day it's delicious. I think of my friend who is Hawaiian, but was named "Irish" because she was born on March 17th. I think of another friend who always takes the day off to celebrate and drink green beer.

There is also a great story about St. Patrick, told by astrologer Caroline Casey. Here's what she says, from her book "Making the Gods Work for You":

"Saint Patrick's Day, March 17, is within days of the vernal equinox, identifying him as a Mars hero. One day at the beginning of spring, Saint Patrick was invited to a wine-tasting dinner (actually a wine-testing dinner), where he was given a cup of poisoned wine. He raised it to the light, and the poison rose to the top. St. Patrick blew the poison off as though it were froth, quaffed the drink, and toasted everyone in good cheer -- whereupon the presiding Druid elders acknowledged him as a true Mars initiate.

Every spring, this story takes place in each of us when the winter poisons rise. We must blow them off by holding our glasses to the light. A really self-possessed Mars toasts his would-be poisoners with swashbuckling bravado and good cheer. (Freud once muttered in exasperation that the Irish were the only people who could not be helped by psychoanalysis. But, hey, if you can blow poison off your drink, what do you need with a psychoanalyst?)"

"Life is like a box of chocolates...

2009-03-15T09:54:00.003-10:00

You never know what you're going to get (unless you can read.)"

Well, I thought that was funny! Seriously though, my week was amazingly productive considering I was sick last weekend, and put in 12-14 hours every single day, plus another 3 hours on Saturday. It is quite interesting to see how much personal stuff you can indeed squeeze in around the margins of work. How I managed to still stock up on groceries, pick up tax return, pick up clothes at the tailor, go to investment club meeting, pick up special cat food at the vet, watch a couple of movies, and go shoe shopping is beyond me.

However, I suppose those with children do this juggling act all the time!

Movies: I was excited about receiving "Nick and Nora's Infinite Playlist" from Netflix for this weekend. I ended up sorely disappointed. It was a drag. It was uninteresting. The acting was mediocre. The music was forgettable. But, most glaring was a story that painted teens as stupid, aimless, spoiled, reckless, shallow, and totally uninteresting. By the end of the film, I could care less about the characters, and that about says it all.

The other film I watched was "Premonition" with Sandra Bullock. Now, I love Sandra Bullock which is the only reason I ordered it, and as it turns out, it was better than I expected. There are some interesting special features on the DVD about real life premonitions.

Shoes: I have come to the age when the thought of wearing stilettos is a bit daunting. I still like to wear a high heel (since I'm pretty short), but comfort has become more important than style, and well, forget sexy already. I desperately needed a few new pairs of shoes, so my first choice was to see if there was anything at my friend's family shoe store which specializes in good quality shoes that are healthy for the foot. Also, if I was going to stimulate the economy, I'd rather help out a local, family business and not a national chain.

My friend, actually my sorority sister, has taken over the family business, and she is also the buyer. This is good news because she understands that women still like a cute shoe, even if it needs to be comfortable. She didn't let me down! I got a pair of Stonefly's and a pair of Mephisto's. Not cheap by any means, but even I was surprised by the great design of these shoes, which are dressy enough to wear with suits, but hip enough to wear with jeans. Very happy with these purchases.

Taxes: The pain of spending a fair chunk of change for shoes was lessened somewhat by the fact that I found out I'm getting a healthy tax return this year. I'm going to be responsible and putting most of it toward paying down credit card debt.

The Body Says Rest

2009-03-07T10:28:00.004-10:00

I've been going non-stop at work for the past few months, with the last week or so being inordinately brutal. A lot of other people where I work and around town have been getting sick, and I thought, wrongly, that maybe the flu shot I got last fall was protecting me after all. Or maybe, again wrongly, I was strong enough to stand when others have fallen. Ha!

Yesterday, as rain threatened, I thought it was merely my allergic reaction to the change in barometric pressure. Happens all the time. My nose started running, and running, and running. By the time I left the office, I knew it would be wise to stop by the store and get a carton of orange juice and some Zicam.

So, on this gray and drizzly Saturday morning, I've spent the past 12 hours sleeping fitfully because my nose is totally congested, and drinking lots of soup, orange juice, and water. (Must not be that bad because I still have a taste for coffee.) The one very nice thing about being sick, if you can say such a thing, is staying in bed and reading, and not feeling guilty about it.

It usually takes me months to finish a book, but I ended up reading Molly Wizenberg's new book called, "A Homemade Life: stories and recipes from my kitchen table" and it carried me away from my nightstand of old kleenex and off to Seattle, Paris, New York and Oklahoma. It charmed me into believing that real love is really out there, that you will know in your heart what is right, and that life and love do not have to be perfect in order to be right. I'm not a "foodie" by any stretch of the imagination, but I do like to cook. In fact, like Molly, I'm more a baker than a cook. And like Molly, both our fathers were radiologists who were characters and loved music, but died of cancer in their mid-70's. More so, I appreciate a good storyteller with a distinctive style, and Molly W. has that in spades.

I know cookbooks are not everyone's cup of tea, but take a look at her blog, Orangette, and if the writing captures you, you will love the book even more.

The Savages

2009-03-01T20:28:00.004-10:00

Philip Seymour Hoffman and Laura Linney in "The Savages"

It's been a long while since I've seen a movie I liked well enough to mention here. I was deeply moved by "The Savages", starring Laura Linney and Philip Seymour Hoffman. I guess the thing that moved me the most was to see the damage that people do to each other, especially parents unto children. Most people go on to live out their lives as damaged people, passing the hurt along to their children, and their children, and it seems an endless cycle.

In "The Savages", however, the brother and sister break the cycle, and it's a life affirming thing to watch. Even though the father was abusive, they come back to take care of him in his final days, and by doing so, start to heal themselves. Not only do they get their own lives on a healthier track, but they start to save others too, starting with animals.

I put off seeing the film for a long time because the trailer looked so depressing, but actually it's a very positive story in the end. Solid writing and performances all around.

Food and Memory

2009-02-28T21:30:00.005-10:00

The subject of "caramel cuts" came up this week in the Twitterverse. Just hearing the name of the concoction brought back memories of high school, specifically the cafeteria. My school was famous for their caramel cuts, still is I imagine, and students flocked to buy lunch on Fridays, the day they served breaded fish filets with caramel cuts for dessert. Seniors also got iced tea, which made us feel all grown up and sophisticated.

But back to the caramel cuts. I lamented this past week that I never could find a recipe that duplicated the dessert the way my school made them. They are actually bars, like thin brownies, but made with brown sugar instead of chocolate. The best ones are not cake-like, but almost half-baked in the middle, with a crisp edge.

I pulled out an old Junior League cookbook and found a recipe that I swore I've tried in the past with forgettable results. But I was so craving caramel cuts this week that I decided to give this particular recipe another go. Bingo! The first bite transported me back to lunch on the lanai of my alma mater.

As it turned it out, it's a fairly simple recipe. Give it a try:

Caramel Cuts

1/2 cup unsalted butter - melted

2 cups brown sugar

2 cups flour

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

Melt butter and mix with brown sugar. Mix in remaining ingredients. The batter is thick and sticky. Spread into 15" X 10" greased pan. Bake at 25 minutes at 350 degrees.

What I did: I cut the recipe in half and used an 8" X 8" pyrex pan. Baked for 20 minutes at 350 degrees. Came out perfectly.

Happy President's Day

2009-02-16T16:55:00.004-10:00

I've always liked President's Day. Mostly for the cherry pie, I must admit! As a child, my dad would always sing the song about George Washington - "February 22nd, Washington we honor thee." Sorry to say I can't remember the rest of the verse, but it ended with "cherry tree" to rhyme. My dad's name was George, and he was named after George Washington, and I was named after my dad. So, we always felt a special affinity for this holiday.

Taking a gamble

2009-02-15T16:30:00.003-10:00

With the economy being what it is, and with a paucity of ideas on how to generate new revenue, legalized gambling has surfaced once again. Hawaii is one of two states where gambling is illegal; the other is Utah.

I hate the idea myself. I'm not a gambler. I detest Las Vegas (no offense to the great state of Nevada), and I hope that the idea falls flat. I do recognize, though, that if it were left up to the public to vote on it as a ballot issue, it would probably win by a landslide. People here love to gamble, and Hawaii people are notorious for heading to Las Vegas in droves.

I have no data and no proof, but I suspect it is true that legalized gambling attracts greater criminal activity, that the poor spend an inordinate amount of their income on gambling, and that addiction is a serious social ailment. Yet, who can argue with an industry that potentially brings in more money for education and social programs?

Would a lottery only be okay? What about gambling on cruise ships only? Must be desperate times when I'm seriously considering a desperate measure like gambling. Frankly, I'd rather legalize pot.

The end of newspapers?

2009-02-08T15:12:00.003-10:00

Our town is lucky to still have two daily newspapers. I am a strong supporter and subscriber of both. I just think it's important to have competition in terms of editorial content and opinion, and that it would be very dangerous to have one newspaper be a virtual monopoly on reporting the news for the public. That's not in the public's interest, in my opinion.

Last week, one of the papers announced mass layoffs in their news section, and made the decision to go from a standard sized page to a tabloid size. They closed their neighbor island bureaus and implemented pay freezes. The other newspaper has been dragging along in union negotiations for a long time, and has offered buyouts to certain employees as a means of avoiding laying people off.

When I was in college, I seriously thought about majoring in journalism. However, my professor strongly indicated that if I wanted a long-term career, which I was sure I did, I might think about television rather than print because he was pretty sure that newspapers would soon be dead. Thirty years later, they are still around, albeit on life support.

I often regretted not going into journalism. I did a brief internship in TV news and didn't care for it. Over the years, I continued my love for writing, and I think I would have enjoyed a career as a print journalist. While it was not television that caused the death of newspapers, it might very well be the internet. The next few years should be very interesting, but maybe not altogether satisfying.

I wonder how we will get our news in the future. I wonder whether there will be accountability. I wonder if society will suffer from decreasing attention spans. I wonder if we have seen the last generation of readers.

I hope that whatever replaces newspapers, and surely there will be a replacement, strengthens and expands our informed citizenry.

Pre-nuptial advice

2009-02-02T22:10:00.002-10:00

Watching the Super Bowl yesterday made me think of my ex-husband, a die-hard Steeler fan if ever there was one. Of course, I didn't quite know the depth of his love for the Steelers before I married him. Had I witnessed him watch the Steelers lose a game prior to marrying him, I might have saved us both some grief.

He worshiped Terry Bradshaw. Okay, I have my own celebrity crushes.

He waved his terrible towel at the television in the middle of the living room. Weird, but I can accept fan behavior.

When the Steelers lost a game, however, he'd go into the bedroom and sulk. He would be sad, depressed, angry, annoyed, and non-communicative. That was when I saw the child within the man. I think I might have thought a bit deeper about choosing him as a life partner had I been wiser.

I'm kidding, of course, but just a little.

Chickened out for the better

2009-01-31T18:50:00.004-10:00

A few months ago, a good friend told me that she suspected her husband was having an affair, and, sure enough, she found a receipt for a tacky airport hotel room in his pocket.

She confronted him, and he immediately blurted out, "That's not mine."

She said, "What do you mean, it's not yours? It has your name on it."

He said, "I don't know anything about it."

Later, when they talked about it, he confessed that he had developed a relationship with a woman through his workplace, and that she was married as well. She had planned to meet him at the hotel, but she called to let him know that she had changed her mind and didn't show up. In his mind, nothing ultimately happened, which now made it okay. He said that they were no longer seeing each other.

I asked my friend is she knew who the woman was, and she said she did not. However, she guessed what kind of woman she would be in terms of ethnicity and age as that would be the "type" he would be attracted to.

On Christmas Eve day, late lunch time, I was walking down the street in a hurry, and as I was running to cross at the light, I saw my friend's husband in the corner of my eye. I made the cross, so we were now diagonally across from each other, kitty corner as they say, waiting for the light to change, and if he saw me, he didn't acknowledge me. He was with a woman fitting the description that my friend guessed. They were laughing and talking, but not touching.

I didn't tell my friend, especially since it was Christmas Eve, but I thought I'd wait until the next time I saw her, which was last night. She took me to dinner for a belated birthday.

I was planning to tell her, but when I asked her how things were going, she said that everything seemed to be okay, but that they never discussed it. She said she suspects that they might still be in contact, but didn't think anything was was happening. She seemed in good spirits. I didn't want to ruin her evening, or mine, and maybe what I saw wasn't what it appeared to be. Maybe.

I chickened out, but I think I made the right choice, at least at this juncture.

Kung Hee Fat Choy!

2009-01-25T12:05:00.003-10:00

Happy Chinese New Year's Eve! On January 26, 2009, it will be the start of the Year of the Ox. As I slipped into Macy's at lunchtime on Friday, three friendly Chinese dragons were in the mall, greeting passers-by, spreading good luck in anticipation of the new year.

If you were born in the years 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, you are an Ox. Unless, of course, you were born in January to early February. If so, you may actually be the animal sign prior, which is the Rat. It all depends on the exact date of the Chinese New Year, which fluctuates between late January and early February.

For much of my life, I thought I was a Snake, as is most everyone else born in my year. But, actually, since I was born in late January, I am a Dragon.

According to my Chinese Fortune, the year will be successful for me in all activities, except for my financials (no big surprise, there!).

Place of Peace

2009-01-17T12:16:00.005-10:00

There is an historic cemetery a few blocks from where I live. It's called the Makiki Cemetery, and it is the resting place of many old souls from the mid-1800's to the late 1900's. At least it would appear that there haven't been any newly dug graves past 2000.

I went for a walk a few Saturdays ago and ended up in the cemetery. It was very, very quiet, which is surprising given that there is a busy intersection at the corner of the property. I walked through the gate, and I was literally the only living person there.

It quickly became apparent that the graveyard was sectioned by ethnicities. There was a Caucasian section at the entrance, then Japanese, Chinese, Korean, and Hawaiian. There was a small section along the perimeter for children's graves.

This is the headstone of Victoria Ward, a well known figure in Hawaii due to the Ward family's ownership of prime development property on Oahu. I don't know much about this cemetery, but I'd like to go back after doing more research. I find cemeteries fascinating, but also a little sad. Sad to think that life is so fleeting, and that the people remembered there were once as alive and human and vibrant as we are today.

Behind each stone is a story.

Mercury Retrograde

2009-01-13T21:01:00.002-10:00

Mercury is retrograde. Can you feel it? It's a time when there seems to be lots of mistakes, miscommunication, technical breakdowns, or bad contractual agreements. It can also be a time when lost things are found or lost people come back into your life. It's a time when one would do well to slow down, review your life, retrace your steps, go back, and don't rush forward.

I didn't feel it, per se. But I have been feeling a little unproductive. Nothing seems to be progressing. Kind of foggy. Then my friend asked today if something was happening astrologically. For her, there have been lots of legal mistakes, problems with signing contracts, and poor communication. Sure enough, Mercury went retrograde on Sunday, January 11th, and will not go direct until February 2nd.

So, my friends, don't be alarmed. Use this time for retrospection and maybe even reconnecting with a lost friend or two.

Micro Film Reviews

2009-01-08T19:17:00.004-10:00

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - Beautiful photography. Brad Pitt and Tilda Swinton were pitch perfect. Cate Blanchett not so much. Unusual story, well told and executed. So glad that Brad insisted on New Orleans. I think my favorite movie for this Oscar cycle.

Micro Film Reviews

2009-01-04T11:38:00.003-10:00

The Women - Remake of the classic. Meg Ryan, Annette Bening, Debra Messing, Jada Pinkett Smith, Candice Bergen, Cloris Leachman, Bette Midler, and Eva Mendez. Directed by Diane English, produced by Victoria Pearman (Mick Jagger's producer.) Maybe a chick flick, but the talent on this film is astounding. I have a friend going through the same issue, so this hit home for me. Enjoyed it.

Tropic Thunder - Uneven. Hilarious in parts. Slow in parts. Lots of inside film industry jokes. Kauai looks stunning. My big surprise, though, was not knowing that was Tom Cruise till almost the end of the movie. Not normally my kind of movie, but Ben Stiller's talent is undeniable.

Happy New Year!

2009-01-01T10:31:00.003-10:00

On the first day of 2009, I literally opened my eyes to see a beautiful double rainbow muted by a soft hazy rain. Stoked, I jumped out of bed and grabbed my camera. As I am a believer in signs, I anticipate a magical year.

Micro Film Reviews

2008-12-28T21:32:00.003-10:00

Burn After Reading - Not a Coen fan, but this one I liked. Brad Pitt as airhead fitness trainer is worth it alone.

Surfwise - Documentary on the Paskowitz surfing family. Not for everyone. Disturbing, but fascinating story of 9 kids raised in a trailer by an eccentric doctor/surfer father and accommodating mother.

In the dark

2008-12-27T18:23:00.003-10:00

We had a major island-wide power outage last night. (But perhaps the world knows this since the President-elect is here and the Obama clan sat in the dark last night too!) About 7:30 p.m. there was a bit of lightning, no rain, and then everything went black.

Luckily, I had just finished cooking and decided to eat dinner by candlelight. I figured it would be relatively soon before the lights came on again, after all, it wasn't as though there was a major storm or anything. An hour passed, and then I decided to turn on a radio. Estimated time for electricity to come back: 12 hours!

What to do? No computer, no television, and my Kindle battery was low. It struck me how much electricity impacts my productivity. I got out my tiny book light and read several months of magazines that had piled up. Couldn't shower. Couldn't flush the toilet. Even the toothbrush was electronic. Went to bed.

When I woke, around 6:00 a.m., the power still wasn't on. Stayed in bed, and it finally came back around 7:00. However, the cable, which is also my internet provider was out to 1:30 p.m. It wasn't too bad since I slept through most of it, but it did make me realize how helpless we are without electricity, and the importance of finding reliable alternative energy asap!

The law of fours

2008-12-21T11:30:00.004-10:00

Stolen from Finicky. Choose the fourth folder, fourth photo of your image files and describe it. Had to do this one as four is one of my lucky numbers. Seems to come up a lot in my life.

This is a picture of my old house when I lived in Portland, Oregon. It's in the Marquam Hill area of Portland, near the University Medical Center. I lived there when I was in 7th - 9th grade. Last year, I visited my best friend from that time. We drove past the old neighborhood, and I shot this picture for old times sake.

Tag - Five

2008-12-19T22:36:00.003-10:00

Tagged by Speak Coffee....

What were you doing five years ago?

1. Taking time off from my job.

2. Spending as much time with my dad who was diagnosed with cancer.

3. Having to put one of my dogs down.

4. Going to a naturopath for first time and trying to eat healthier.

5. Reassessing my entire life.

What are five things on your list for today?

1. Grocery shopping.

2. Laundry.

3. Going to two Christmas parties.

4. Getting out some Christmas cards.

5. Watching WALL-E.

What are five snacks that I enjoy?

1. Ice Cream

2. Chocolate

3. Potato Chips

4. Chips and Salsa

5. Popcorn

What are five things that you'd do if you were a billionaire?

1. Start a philanthropic foundation.

2. Start a wellness center

3. Start an organic restaurant

4. Start a production company and produce movies

5. Buy properties in Hawaii, New York, San Francisco

What are five jobs that you've had?

1. Babysitter

2. Hospital worker

3. Researcher

4. Writer

5. Producer

Who are five people that you want to tag?

1. Jen

2. Natalie

3. Feebs

4. Pilfkin

5. Finicky

I am a fruitcake person

2008-12-16T22:41:00.002-10:00

There are two types of people in the world at Christmas time. Those who love fruitcake. Those who hate fruitcake. I am of the former.

I love fruitcake. The darker the better. With lots of glazed fruit and nuts, preferable pecans.

Micro Film Reviews

2008-12-15T19:25:00.002-10:00

The Dark Knight - Overrated. Too long. Weak story. That said, Heath deserves an Oscar.

Perfume: Story of a Murderer - Beautiful photography. But, until we have smell-o-vision, what is the point?

Coraline

2008-12-12T21:49:00.002-10:00

Are you a Neil Gaiman fan? Here's a cool link on the making of the new movie "Coraline". Type in OTHERWORLD as the key code.