Keep on keepin' on

Every morning when we wake up it takes a bit for us to realize where we are and what we are doing here.  I guess moving after living in one place for nearly twenty five years will do that to you.  

My new wake-up routine reminds me of the end of the movie, 50 First Dates, in that I replay a mental video of recent events to get me up to speed as to why I am in a strange bed, in a strange room, in a strange house, in a…well, you get the picture.

It is good to go through the cognitive gymnastics and replay the myriad of decisions and actions that have brought us here.  It gives pause for reflection and allows for a moment of gratitude.  And, it also provides clarity and affirmation that this is where we are supposed to be.

Which isn't to say that life here isn't without its struggles, sacrifices, or acute moments of pining for our kids, our family, and our friends.  But, it is the life we have chosen and we owe it to ourselves to work diligently towards making every day a good one.

I'm not going to say that it has always been easy, but in some ways, being here does make it easier.  At the very least, for me, the recovery rate of going from a downcast mood to happy one is much quicker here.  Maybe it is the immense beauty that envelops us.  Or the authentic happiness that we see reflected in people's faces everyday.  Or maybe, it is the feel of the warmth on our skin, the deep blue of the sky, and brightness of the sun in our eyes.  

But for whatever the reason, I know that being here makes us feel good about...being here.  And that gives us heart in living this extraordinary adventure.

Take care and enjoy, 
- Mahalo

Out and about in Haleiwa

Last night, Gail and I attended a local happening in Haleiwa.  It was an art walk of sorts, and our favorite local band/musicians, Ron Artis, and his brother, Thunderstorm, were playing an acoustic set, so we went to hang out and enjoy the evening.

The event took place at Haleiwa Joe's, a very popular restaurant in town that overlooks the harbor.  The vibe was chill with a painting class going on, live music, and works of various artists on display.  The weather was mild and seem to fit the mood while people milled around on the lawn, took in the art work, and enjoyed the view.  

Gatherings like this is but one of the many wonderful things that contributes to this North Shore town's famous 'hang loose' character and charm.  Of course, beautiful vistas, the world's best surf, and genuinely welcoming folks doesn't hurt either…

Take care and enjoy,
- Mahalo

A little sun, a little rain, a whole lot of fun!

Gail and I went snorkeling this afternoon and got quite a surprise.  When we left the studio it was cloudy and windy but nothing unusual.  

When we got to the beach, families were enjoying the afternoon and some fishermen were casting for their dinner.  We put our gear on and began our outing.  The waves were a bit bigger than usual and with the wind blowing it made for a fairly strong current, but nothing that was unsafe.  After a while of swimming around I began to hear something odd and felt something hitting my back.  I popped up to see that a storm was coming through fast and hard.  

I did a quick scan for Gail to make sure that she was ok and when we made eye contact we just smiled, shrugged our shoulders and went back to snorkeling.   The sound of rain underwater was pretty cool to hear and the rain felt like a gentle massage on my back.  I kept popping up to watch the waves coming at me and the dark water swirling all around.  I looked up and down the beach and what was a lively scene just minutes before, was now a deserted stretch of sand, which made for an erie and surreal feeling.  

After we were done and got out of the water we were met with a torrential downpour.  We retrieved our now-soaked towel and things and began our walk home.  By that time the wind really kicked up and the rain got heavier and it felt like we were getting pelted by light hail, which surprisingly, did have a bit if a sting to it.  Nonetheless, we kept laughing like school kids and enjoyed it all the way home.

Hot showers were in order and once showered and dry, we were starving so we broke into the pupus, which tonight was cone sushi and pickled ginger.  Ono kine grindz, brah!

Today, as is with most days here, we continue to be awed with life on these islands.  And time and time again, just when we think we are getting the hang of it, we experience something new and exciting that puts a welcomed twist in our days. 

Take care and enjoy, 
- Mahalo 

It was a good day

On Saturday, Gail and I helped with a beach clean up and we found it to be a very rewarding experience.  Sustainable Coastlines Hawaii organized the event and gathered together a great group of volunteers to clean up an isolated, but very trashed beach in Kahuku.  Also, later in the afternoon Gail and I helped with the separation of the plastics, trash, and derelict commercial fishing nets that had been collected.

Upon our arrival at the beach, we were met with a very somber sight.  The would-be wonderful stretch of coastline was blanketed with a myriad of items that washed ashore from the Great Pacific Garbage Patch (also known as the North Pacific Gyre).  As this particular locale is at the northern tip of Oahu it gets the brunt of the currents and as such, it collects an inordinate amount of garbage deposited from the GPGP.  

It is crazy to think that with all the trash we picked up (over 800 lb.), we only made a negotiable impact in the overall cleanliness of the beach.  Which isn't to say that it was for naught; on the contrary, Sustainable Coastlines Hawaii had over one hundred volunteers involved and that made a huge impact in educating, raising awareness, and giving everyone a first-hand glimpse of the sheer magnitude of debris floating in our oceans.

Another very good outcome of the clean up is that Adam Lowry, co-founder of Method, was there to join in the clean up and to help with the sorting of plastics.  Method is - to my knowledge - the only company that is taking ocean debris and recycling it into bottles for their soap products.  This step, albeit a very small one, is geared towards raising public awareness as they help rectify the problem of plastics in the oceans.  It is a very crucial first step by Method in demonstrating that ocean debris can indeed be recycled into industrial-grade plastic, thus opening the door for future ventures involving the harvesting and recycling of ocean plastics as a viable commercial endeavor.  

Of course, this progressive move by Method is but a stopgap measure to help alleviate the devastating consequences of the GPGP, with the real solution being in keeping plastics, trash, and derelict nets out of the oceans to begin with.  And that my friends, will take a collective, herculean effort from all of us in taking responsibility for the creation, usage, and disposal practices of plastics, trash, and jettisoned commercial fishing gear.  And, this impelling need has to be addressed not only at a local or regional level, or even just at a national level, but rather, this has to happen on a worldwide scale.  It is a tremendously daunting undertaking to be sure, but can you imagine the escalating and dire repercussions should we choose to not embrace this challenge?  

Ok, so obviously I get wrapped pretty tight on this matter, but I'll get off my soapbox and get back to the story.

At the end of the day, Gail and I were invited back to the SCH campsite to share in a celebratory beer for a job well done.  As we were sitting on the beach basking in the glow, we were kept company by two sleepy Hawaiian monk seals.  Talk about a payback for our efforts!  Getting to see these animals was indeed a wondrous experience and served as a confirmation that what we did earlier that day did matter.  

I have said this before, and please bear with me as I say it again...I love this place!!!

Take care and enjoy,
- Mahalo

An eye-opening point of view...(Gail humor)

This is how we have been looking at things here lately.  Pretty sweet!

Nap time

I went for a walk on the beach today and came across this little guy taking a break from the water.  He opened his eyes for a minute as I walked up but then it just dozed off again.  Did I mention that I love it here? : )

Take care and enjoy, 
- Mahalo

A post for Pop

When Vince and I came to the islands in May of last year, mom and pop took me to Shiro's in Waimalu for sushi. 

Now, we were raised on maki sushi, or what we called black sushi, and mom makes the best.  She always has, and she always will, but…I have to say that Shiro's is very, very good.  It is so good, in fact, that pop doesn't even put soy sauce on these, and this is a man who brings his own bottle of soy sauce wherever he goes (for reals)!  

Like mom, Shiro's uses tuna (instead of raw fish), fishcake and egg.  Simple and perfect!  Mom learned to make these from her mom as this particular type of tuna-filled sushi evolved from plantation workers (mom's family lived in plantation housing as Grandpa Manuel worked for one).  During the day the workers brought their lunches out to the fields with them and they needed food that didn't require refrigeration.  They were inexpensive to make (as money was very tight), easy to eat, compact, and they stayed fresh.

It's funny, but we consider this type of sushi a comfort food, much like mac and cheese, or meatloaf is for others. In fact, even to this day whenever we go to mom and pop's house to visit, the first thing we ask is if mom made black rolls, and the kids even have their own special rolls that mom makes for just them.  

They are that good!

Needless to say that since we arrived here, I have been raving about Shiro's.  So, the other day we made a special trip to get some.  Gail and I snapped up the last two rolls that they had and went to the park across the street and we got down with those 'ono kine grindz.'  It was as good as I remembered, and when I looked over at Gail, I knew she was hooked too.

If you enjoy planation-style maki sushi, or have a desire to try some, and you find yourself on Oahu, you owe it to yourself to stop by Shiro's. 

But go early 'cause the black sushi goes fast!

Take care and enjoy,
- Mahalo

PS. Pop, thanks for the tip!  The sushi is on me when you come over in June. 

Discoveries!

Aloha!  It has been awhile since I've posted so I thought I would bring everyone up to date.  In the past week Gail and I worked through colds and lots of rain, even by local standards (yes, people do fall ill here and yes, it does rain in Hawaii- albeit it is a warm rain), so we kept a low profile and just chilled.

On Sunday we drove to Waikiki where the sun shone bright and went swimming.  It felt so good to be in the water again, and we instantly felt better.  Later, we walked to Duke's to listen to Henry Kapono (Duke's on Sunday!) and enjoyed a wonderful dinner.

Monday found us at our favorite ice cream parlor working on our resumes and appreciating the company of people.  We also experienced an amazing raw food lunch, and yes, it was delicious!  The parlor also host raw food dinners once a month.  We went a few weeks ago and listened to some terrific live music, savored an incredible meal, we met more wonderful people, and had a very good time.  By the way, if you have never tried a raw food meal, give it a go.  I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

But, as good as things have been, I have to say the highlight of our week has been the discovery of our beach across the street.  We have gone before but not to swim as the waves were huge.   But the waves have calmed down considerably and so after lunch on Monday, Gail and I went snorkeling and it was such an awesome experience.  We swam among turtles and a myriad of colorful and intriguing fish.   On Tuesday we watched a turtle grazing on the coral and just floating about.  We stayed with it for quite a long while (at a respectful distance).  It was so mesmerizing.  I cannot begin to describe how beautiful these creatures truly are,  so graceful and calm. 

We have been snorkeling everyday and have found it to be such a serene experience.  The muted quietness and the gentle motion of the waves is very therapeutic, and there is just something so enlightening about observing life under the waves…

Take care and enjoy, 
- Mahalo

Good to go

We went to get our car registered today and while it is a bit of a dance, it went pretty well.

To begin with, you need to get no-fault car insurance.  Once you get that, then you need to get your car safety checked.  This is done by garages and gas stations throughout the islands.  And once you get it checked, you have to go to the DMV to get it registered.  But wait, after you get it registered, you then need to go back to where you got it checked so they can put the safety sticker on.  

We got to the garage at 7:45 this morning to get in the queue - it is first come, first serve - and there was already a line.  They didn't even start until...well, we really don't know what time they started (it's not unusual for time to be used more as a reference rather than an absolute here.  It's part of the charm of island life).  So there we were, pulling in amongst a jumble of already waiting cars.  They don't ask for a name (not that uncommon here as it turns out), or offer anything in the form of evidence as to our place in line other than 'Aunty' telling everyone what number, or place they were.  We were lucky number 7.

It was raining and as with most places on the islands, there is very little in the way of indoor waiting rooms so we all hunkered under the overhang outside, milling about and jockeying cars as our numbers were called.  We struck up a great conversation with a young lady who took note of our Washington plates.  She lived in Capitol Hill for few years while she went to school at Seattle U, so we talked about Seattle weather, parking (or the lack thereof) there, and of course, the Seahawks. : )

We were there for over an hour but time went fast as we chatted, watched the rain, and cringed at the constant and not-so-graceful car ballet being performed as drivers vied for positions in the puddle-riddled parking lot.  Once we got all checked out it was off the the DMV!

As we pulled into the lot and snagged the last parking space that was available (not a good sign), we noticed a long line of people waiting on the covered walkway.  The good times were over.  We just knew we were doomed to an afternoon of DMV-esque despair.  Well, it turned out we needed to go to another building that actually had an indoor waiting room.  So far, so good, but when we walked in we were met with at least an hour plus wait.  OK, we can do this.

Well, between the cooking shows on TV, the cries of a very young and very vocal child expressing her discontent in having to wait for her parents, and the filling out of registration cards we didn't even know we needed to fill out, the time went surprisingly fast.  But what was really cool was that the clerks were engaging in conversation with people...and smiling...at a DMV (for reals folks)!  Everyone was really chill and polite about the whole waiting thing and that was nice.  

Our return trip to the garage to get our safety sticker affixed was the final step needed and it was very quick and easy.  And so with everything said and done, we are now, as they say, good to go!  

Take care and enjoy,
- Mahalo

For Paul

...thank you for your call yesterday.

And to all our family and friends, Gail and I offer a deeply heartfelt thank you for your love, encouragement, and understanding in support of our endeavor.

Without you, we would not be here.

Take care of each other and enjoy,
- Mahalo