RAMBLE: Changes Ahead...

Source:  Google

It's been years (two years!) since I last posted something on this blog. Honestly, I was considering taking this blog down, but I came to the realization that perhaps that this was a perfect opportunity to make some changes.


I originally started this blog as a way to keep up with my writing skills, provide some beauty reviews, and insert some rants and raves about various topics. This blog was also supposed to be a bit therapeutic for me as I navigated through this roller coaster ride that we call life.


Today, was reminded how much of a roller coaster life can be. I found out that a friend of mine lost her job. It wasn't her fault. It wasn't anybody's fault. It was just life. Her new boss, who was tasked to make changes in the office to turn things around, made a decision that the office could not keep her. While you hear of job loses all the time, especially when a new company or management takes over, it hits home when it happens to someone who you are close with. This is a huge change that she must deal with head on. Looking for a new job, learning new skill sets, and adapting to a new work environment. It seems like an insurmountable feat. Even though my friend is hurting now, I am confident that she has the strength to move on and find something new after she gets over her shock and is able to process everything.


This occurrence caused me to start reflecting upon myself and how I deal with change. I think I'm like a lot of people because I don't care for change. I know people who embrace change because it is an opportunity for them to reevaluate themselves and make improvements. My initial reaction is that change is hard because it forces you to go outside of your comfort zone and dip your toes into the pool of the unknown and unpredictable.


However, despite my initial reaction to change, I realize that I have dealt with change quite a bit in the last five years. I left my job and my long-term relationship ended with a broken heart. As hard as it was for me to leave my job, even though I was totally miserable, I ended up finding a position that I enjoy and challenges me. As for my broken heart, it mended over time and was made whole again with a new and exciting relationship. So, change isn't that bad entirely; just a little scary and painful at first.


I am thinking about making some changes to this blog because change can be good. Please join me as I dip my toes in the pool of the unknown!

RAMBLE: More Than a Number on a Scale

SOURCE:  WKBT website

October is National Bullying Prevention Month.  While every month seems to hold great importance towards the prevention or awareness of some worthy cause, bullying is a topic of much national discussion.  No longer is bullying reserved for kids on the school yard.  Bullying has transcended to college, the work place, and especially online.

Just recently, WKBT News 8 This Morning anchor Jennifer Livingston bravely went on camera to address an email she received from a viewer.  In the email, viewer Kenneth Krause writes:

"Hi Jennifer, It's unusual that I see your morning show, but I did so for a very short time today.  I was surprised indeed to witness that your physical condition hasn't improved for many years.  Surely you don't consider yourself a suitable example for this community's young people, girls in particular.

Obesity is one of the worst choices a person can make and one of the most dangerous habits to maintain.  I leave you this note hoping that you'll reconsider your responsibility as a local public personality to present and promote a healthy lifestyle."

Rather than allow these words to get to her or merely brush these words off from an obviously rude viewer, Ms. Livingston decided to publicly call him out by addressing his email on air.  The video is below:

 

Hooray Jennifer!  Hooray for your bravery!  Hooray for standing up for yourself!  Hooray for believing in yourself!  Hooray for knowing who you are!  My favorite part of this video is when she said:

"You don't know me.  You are not a friend of mine.  You are not a part of my family.  And you have admitted that you don't watch this show.  So you know nothing about me but what you see on the outside.  And I am much more than a number on the scale."

We are ALL much more than a number on the scale and for Mr. Krause to believe that she owes the public a slim figure (after three children) at all times is ludicrous.  I doubt that Mr. Krause feels that he should be defined by his weight, so why expect the same from Ms. Livingston?  He is the one that is perpetuating our society's warped beliefs that you have to be thin in order to find happiness.  It's hurtful remarks like these, which are masked as pieces of advice and help, that cause many to forget that what you are inside is truly beautiful, remarkable, and powerful.

Mr. Krause, you are a bully.  Your remarks, regardless of your offer to help Ms. Livingston, were intended to be hurtful.  Your remarks and response to Ms. Livingston's video indicate your insecurities and weaknesses.  Mind your own life before taking jabs at someone else, especially one that you know nothing about.

RAMBLE: You Are Not Special

SOURCE:  YouTube

I usually listen to the radio as I get ready for work in the morning.  Usually the only items I pay attention to are the traffic updates, the news, and sometimes the Hollywood gossip feature.  The rest of the items that fill the airwaves fall into the "background noise" category.

So, in order for something on the radio to catch me attention, it has to be something unusual.  This unusual sound byte perked my ears up last week.  The deejay mentioned a high school graduation speech given by the high school's English teacher.  The speaker stood in front of the Wellesley High School graduating class and said, "You are not special."  This speech was so extraordinary that its video on YouTube has gone viral and has sparked debate about how appropriate the speech was for a high school graduation.

Right off the bat, sure, I agree with the opponents of this speech.  How could you say to a bunch of happy high school seniors full of promise and dreams that they are not special?  Why, that's almost down right rude and mean to say, especially on their special day.  However, critics are taking these four words, "you are not special" out of context.  Mr. McCullough is not insulting his beloved students, he is encouraging them to be all that they can be.

Mr. McCullough states:

"Yes, you’ve been pampered, cosseted, doted upon, helmeted, bubble-wrapped.  Yes, capable adults with other things to do have held you, kissed you, fed you, wiped your mouth, wiped your bottom, trained you, taught you, tutored you, coached you, listened to you, counseled you, encouraged you, consoled you and encouraged you again.  You’ve been nudged, cajoled, wheedled and implored.  You’ve been feted and fawned over and called sweetie pie.  Yes, you have.  And, certainly, we’ve been to your games, your plays, your recitals, your science fairs.  Absolutely, smiles ignite when you walk into a room, and hundreds gasp with delight at your every tweet.  Why, maybe you’ve even had your picture in the Townsman!  And now you’ve conquered high school… and, indisputably, here we all have gathered for you, the pride and joy of this fine community, the first to emerge from that magnificent new building…  But do not get the idea that you're anything special.  Because you're not."

Hmm, I have to say that I agree with him.  Parenting philosophies have changed over time.  We no longer believe in the notion that children should be seen and not heard.  We provide our children with everything we can to nurture them, love them, protect them, guide them, and educate them.  We celebrate all achievements whether big or small, turn negatives into positives, and teach rather than punish.  We love our children and only want the very best for them.  And honestly, there is absolutely nothing wrong with that.  However, what if all of our love and care creates a false sense of entitlement in our children?

He goes on to justify:

"You see, if everyone is special, then no one is.  If everyone gets a trophy, trophies become meaningless.  In our unspoken but not so subtle Darwinian competition with one another--which springs, I think, from our fear of our own insignificance, a subset of our dread of mortality--we have of late, we Americans, to our detriment, come to love accolades more than genuine achievement.  We have come to see them as the point--and we’re happy to compromise standards, or ignore reality, if we suspect that’s the quickest way, or only way, to have something to put on the mantelpiece, something to pose with, crow about, something with which to leverage ourselves into a better spot on the social totem pole.  No longer is it how you play the game, no longer is it even whether you win or lose, or learn or grow, or enjoy yourself doing it… Now it’s “So what does this get me?”  As a consequence, we cheapen worthy endeavors, and building a Guatemalan medical clinic becomes more about the application to Bowdoin than the well-being of Guatemalans.  It’s an epidemic--and in its way, not even dear old Wellesley High is immune… one of the best of the 37,000 nationwide, Wellesley High School… where good is no longer good enough, where a B is the new C, and the mid-level curriculum is called Advanced College Placement.  And I hope you caught me when I said “one of the best.”  I said “one of the best” so we can feel better about ourselves, so we can bask in a little easy distinction, however vague and unverifiable, and count ourselves among the elite, whoever they might be, and enjoy a perceived leg up on the perceived competition.  But the phrase defies logic.  By definition there can be only one best.  You’re it or you’re not."

His logic is one that is highly debatable and controversial to some, but I have to admit that I agree with him.  Despite his words being hard to swallow at first, his point is simple:  Everyone does not receive a trophy at the end of the game.  Life is about winning AND losing.  You have to learn how to win and lose.  While the sting of failure is often avoided at all costs, failure is the source of some of the greatest lessons in life.

Mr. McCullough advises:

"The fulfilling life, the distinctive life, the relevant life, is an achievement, not something that will fall into your lap because you’re a nice person or mommy ordered it from the caterer.  You’ll note the founding fathers took pains to secure your inalienable right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness--quite an active verb, “pursuit”--which leaves, I should think, little time for lying around watching parrots rollerskate on Youtube.  The first President Roosevelt, the old rough rider, advocated the strenuous life.  Mr. Thoreau wanted to drive life into a corner, to live deep and suck out all the marrow.  The poet Mary Oliver tells us to row, row into the swirl and roil.  Locally, someone… I forget who… from time to time encourages young scholars to carpe the heck out of the diem.  The point is the same: get busy, have at it.  Don’t wait for inspiration or passion to find you.  Get up, get out, explore, find it yourself, and grab hold with both hands."

He concludes:

"None of this day-seizing, though, this YLOOing, should be interpreted as license for self-indulgence.  Like accolades ought to be, the fulfilled life is a consequence, a gratifying byproduct.  It’s what happens when you’re thinking about more important things.  Climb the mountain not to plant your flag, but to embrace the challenge, enjoy the air and behold the view.  Climb it so you can see the world, not so the world can see you.  Go to Paris to be in Paris, not to cross it off your list and congratulate yourself for being worldly.  Exercise free will and creative, independent thought not for the satisfactions they will bring you, but for the good they will do others, the rest of the 6.8 billion--and those who will follow them.  And then you too will discover the great and curious truth of the human experience is that selflessness is the best thing you can do for yourself.  The sweetest joys of life, then, come only with the recognition that you’re not special.  Because everyone is."

And that to me, is the REAL point of Mr. McCullough's speech.  Don't merely think that you are special.  Instead, BE special.  Live up to your potential.  Those are words that we should all continue to live by.

RAMBLE: Graduation

Punahou School Commencement 2012

Tonight I attended my cousin's graduation from high school.  His graduation took me down memory lane when I graduated from Punahou School and stood on the same exact stage to receive my diploma.  Not much has really changed since I graduated.  The Punahou Symphony Orchestra still plays Pomp and Circumstance as the graduates walk into the Blaisdell Arena arm-and-arm with each other.  Sprays of plumeria still adorn the stage backdrop along with the huge Punahou seal.  The graduates still sing Oahu Wa and cheer "Strawberry Shortcake".  But most of all, all the graduates were filled with the same excitement, pride, and hope that I felt when I graduated from high school.

Of all my graduations, my high school graduation meant the most to me.  My college graduation probably rates at the bottom of the three.  It was pretty lackluster.  I barely remember most of what was said or even who the key note speaker was that day.  All I remember was that I was ordered to walk at graduation when my parents found out that I was thinking about skipping the whole thing all together and picking up my diploma from the registrar's office.  I possessed a nonchalant attitude as I strutted down the aisle of the Stan Sheriff Arena.  I received my college diploma without a job lined up or any clue what I wanted to be when I grew up.  Instead, I was intending to re-enroll as a post baccalaureate student until I figured out what in the world I wanted to do with my life.

My law school graduation rates second because that was a personal achievement for me.  Attending and graduating from law school was an accumulation of my effort, perseverance, and a little bit of courage.  Law school was tough, but getting through law school and passing the bar exam was something I wanted to do for myself and I was committed to achieving my goal.  Thus, my graduation was more personal in nature for me.

However, my high school graduation tops my list because the event was a rite of passage.  It was the end of childhood and the beginning to endless possibilities.  I remember standing on stage with the realization that there were so many doors that were open thanks to my parents and family for giving me roots and my teachers for giving me branches.  Now, I needed to find leaves.

My high school graduation was also important for my grandmother who as a young teen was forced to put aside her desire to attend high school in order to help her family.  She truly believed that an education was a master key that opened so many doors and always emphasized our studies.  I am her youngest grandchild, so she didn't think that she would be around when I graduated from high school.  However, thanks to great medical advances and probably good genes, my grandmother lived long enough to see me graduate from high school.  I remember sitting on stage and looking out into the audience and seeing her have with the biggest beaming smile.  After the ceremony, she hung a beautiful double maile lei around my neck and openly wept in my arms.  It was a moment that I will never forget and still brings tears to my eyes when I remember it.

My grandmother was still alive when I graduated from college and law school, and passed the bar exam, but my high school graduation was the biggest for her and for me.  It was the first time I realized why education was so important.  It was more than fulfilling academic requirements, I was fulfilling an unrealized dream for my grandmother and other women like her who sacrificed their education.

Tonight, as watched my cousin and his high school classmates receive their diplomas, I walked down memory lane and remembered how fortunate I am to not only have the opportunity to graduate from an outstanding school, but the support from my family.  Congratulations to the Class of 2012!

RAMBLE: Happy New Year!

SOURCE:  Google

Happy New Year!  I can't believe it, but another year has come to a close.  I must be getting older because I remember thinking that only old people talk about how time flies.  However, in my "old age," I can see the truth to this statement.

Before I start rolling with this blog post, let me extend my sincere apology for missing the last two days of Blog-cember.  I was doing so well leading up to the wee last days of December and honestly thought I was going to be successful in my mission to add a blog post every day during the month.  Alas, all my best intentions fell through as I got really busy with wrapping up all of my end of the year responsibilities and obligations.  I hope you all understand.  Again, please accept my apologies.

In evaluating 2011, I am still on the fence.  Last year brought a lot of tough times and stress, which cumulated into a really bad period for me on the work front.  In light of the new year, I guess the proper thing to do is to redirect my negative energy and pain and turn it into something positive.

The positive thing that came out of this whole ordeal was that it could've been worse.  I know that sounds like such a cliche, but there is a lot of truth to that statement.  When everything started going south and going south very fast, I knew that I needed to leave my job.  What was fortunate for me was that when a door was slamming in my face, another door suddenly opened and shuttled me through the threshold.  I am so fortunate that everything worked out in the end.  Now, I am happier and in a position that encourages me rather than put me down and place the blame on me.  I have to thank my lucky stars.  And on that note, I guess 2011 was a good year because despite the stress, I came out of it and am a little stronger and wiser as a result of that experience.

Now comes the New Years resolutions for 2012.  I don't usually make resolutions because I don't see the point in making lofty goals and promises that are broken in a matter of months.  However, I am going to make an exception for 2012.  I still harbor bad feelings and ill will towards those that made my life a miserable at my old job.  I want to try to let all of those ill feelings go in 2012.  There isn't much point in continuing to speak poorly about one particular individual.  It doesn't mean that I forgive her or want to bury the hatchet, but the snide and catty remarks should stop.  Instead, I need to recognize that she is no longer a friend, colleague, or supervisor of mine, and move on.

Happy New Year everyone!  Let's make 2012 a good and positive year!

RAMBLE: Rifling Through Baskets

SOURCE:  Google

My zaney encounters continue, but this time at the drugstore.  During the same trip to the drugstore where I bought my two Wet n Wild Coloricon trios (see, previous blog post), I had the oddest run in with the woman standing behind me in the checkout line.

I had a basket full of miscellaneous items that I was relieved to place on top of the checkout counter when I got close to the cashier.  My basket was full and heavy.  The normal procedure at the Downtown Longs is to keep your items in the basket because the cashiers will unload your items as they scan them and then bag everything.  The Downtown Longs is so congested that there is not enough room for you to stack your basket at the front of the checkout counters.  Instead, the cashiers collect the empty baskets next to them behind the counter.

I was the next one in line and excited to be that much closer to getting out of the store when all in a sudden, I felt an odd shiver down my spine.  An older lady in large dark sunglasses with no clue of personal space was standing immediately behind me.  It was way too close to comfort and I could hear and feel her breathing down my neck.  I turned around and flashed her one of my dirtiest of looks.

Obviously, this woman could not take the hint that I wanted her to get her nose out of my personal space because she then rested her hand on the edge of my shopping basket.  Before I knew it, she was starting to RIFLE through the items in my basket!  It was like she was doing her own personal shopping in my basket!  I quickly pulled my basket away from her greedy paws; foolishly thinking that would stop her rude and socially abnormal behavior.  I was wrong.  She then moved with my basket!  Finally, I had enough of this woman and said, "Lady, get your dirty paws out of my basket!"  She didn't say anything in response, but took her hands out of my basket.  She didn't step out of my personal space, but I figured I could put up with that longer than her poking around in my shopping basket.  As I waited for the cashier to scan my items, I took a good look at this woman.  All she had in her hand to purchase was a tube of hemorrhoid cream!

That was just a strange encounter indeed, but after witnessing the men acting like monkeys in the banyan tree on palace grounds and the four homeless guys swinging punches at each other, I really shouldn't be surprised, right?  Well, they say things tend to happen in threes, so hopefully yesterday's zaney encounter will be the third and last for me.  Crossing my fingers.

RAMBLE: Looney Sights

SOURCE:  Google

Is it a full moon out tonight because I witnessed some crazy things during the beginning and end my lunch hour today.

I cut through Iolani Palace grounds to meet my boyfriend for lunch today.  I usually enter through the back entrance on the Capitol Mall area and walk past the parking, the palace, and band stand to exit on the corner of Richards and King Streets.  As I was making my way through the back entrance, I heard a bunch of cheering and hollering going on next to the State Archives.  It sounded like a cheers at a sporting event of some sort.

When I looked to my left to figure out what in tarnation was going on, I observed a bunch of grown men climbing up and swinging like monkeys on the vines of the huge banyan tree next to the State Archives.  Meanwhile, the rest of the adults in their party were cheering them on like they were at a high school track meet!

I realize that perhaps these tourists (yes, they were visitors) are not aware that Iolani Palace grounds are considered sacred and should be respected as such.  However, don't they realize that they are on PALACE grounds?  Would they behave the same if they were on Buckingham Palace grounds?  I suspect not.  It really googled my mind that grown adults would see hanging vines as an opportunity to play Tarzan.  Weird.  Needless to say, the state sheriffs and police officers were not amused and they asked these bozos to knock it off.

After lunch, I was walking along Hotel Street to get back to my office and heard yelling, but this time coming from the corner of Hotel and Richards.  I saw four men who appeared homeless, yelling at each other and before I knew it, they were swinging punches at each other and getting into quite a WWE match in public.  Where in the world are the cops when you need them?

Needless to say, Hawaii people love wrestling, boxing, and MMA.  For some reason they like to watch a good fight whether it's a professional or free to the public.  A group of onlookers already formed to watch the fight.  At that moment, I didn't know what to do.  Should I call 911?  Is 911 the number to call?  Should I run to the District Court House and get a police officer?  Should I run into Alii Place and get a security guard?  While I pondered what the proper thing to do was, I noticed that a bus driver was making a call on his cell phone.  By the time he was done placing a call, the four men stopped beating each other out and then had a shouting match.  After the exchange of a few loud expletives, the four men dispersed and headed in different directions.  Weird.

What disappointed me the most about these two incidents were that they happened in front of other visitors.  The Iolani Palace tour group were getting ready to start their tour of the beautiful historic palace when those monkeys decided to swing to and fro in the banyan tree.  The fight broke out in front of a handful of tourists waiting for their bus to take them back to Waikiki.  What they must think about Hawaii!

My lunch hour was a real head scratcher.

RAMBLE: Christmas Tidings

SOURCE:  Google

It's Christmas Eve and it's almost midnight.  Now that I am an adult, Christmas is different for me than what it used to be when I was a kid.  I remember being so excited about Christmas...the Christams decorations, Christmas cookies, Christmas trees, Christmas shopping, and of course...the CHRISTMAS PRESENTS! Now, Christmas means shopping lists, mall chaos, traffic, headaches, and overspending.  Oh, how I wish I could I go back in time when things were brighter, shinier, and more exciting.

However, now that I am older, I appreciate Christmas on a different level.  I see it as a time for families to come together again, to wish each other peace and happiness, and let bygones be bygones.  It's more than the presents and the commercial market strategies.  This season, I am thankful for my family and friends, for finding new opportunities, and appreciating the opportunities that I currently have.  Those are valuables in my life that you can't place a price tag on, or never return, exchange, or refund.

Merry Christmas everyone!

RAMBLE: Epic Win

Scoreboard at the Stan Sheriff Arena

I don't think I am going to make it in time for my daily blog post, but I have a really good excuse.  I just got home from the University of Hawaii Men's Basketball game against Xavier at the 2011 Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic.

Xavier is ranked 15th in the nation, but after tonight, their ranking will probably fall due to two straight losses.  Tonight, UH came on the court slow, but once the momentum started and the crowd got into it, the men caught up with the Musketeers and beat them in overtime 84-82.  What an EPIC game!

I am so proud and happy for the UH Men's Basketball team.  It's a win like this that brings them together and gels them as a team.  What a great win the for the team, the coaches, and the school!  The Diamond Head Classic is televised nationally on ESPN, which is such great exposure for the athletic program and the University.  First it was the announcement of Norm Chow as our new UH Football head coach and the next day, a big win against Xavier.  What a great Christmas present for UH!  Go Warriors!

RAMBLE: Shopping Mayhem

SOURCE:  Google

It's that time of year again when everyone flocks to the malls to find that something special for the ones they love.  It's the favorite time of year for retail stores to sucker customers into buying their inventory by razzling and dazzling people with sales, bargains, and discounts--all just in time for Christmas.  I know, I sound like a bit of a Grinch, but honestly, I'm not.

I love the sights and sounds of Christmas.  I have a Christmas tunes playlist on my iPod.  I decorate my office with jingle bells.  I embrace the spirit of giving.  However, there are things that I am not a fan, such as the Christmas shopping crowds, the lack of parking, and all the stress that results from Christmas shopping.  I truly believe that people turn their brains off when they are stuck in the middle of a crowded department store.  All reasoning seems to fly out the window as people stress over what to buy for Aunty Martha and debating whether to buy a gift for Uncle Charlie even though they know that he never gives anything in return.

Today, I braved the mall with the determination to finish my Christmas shopping once and for all this year.  No excuses.  I only had a few people left on my list with ideas of what to get them, so I didn't have any intention of mindlessly wandering around the mall.  I had no intention of falling prey to the deals and steals with the pretty twinkling lights and shiny tinsel.  I was a chic on a mission with a strategy in hand, but unfortunately, many of the people at the mall were not today, which drove me batty.

After 15 minutes at the mall, I soon realized why I dread Christmas shopping.  I had to put up with the screaming kids who were just over it, the baby strollers blocking the aisles, the people stopping in the middle of the aisles or mall walkways without any warning, and the shoppers who decide to monopolize the salesperson's time by asking whether she can check in the back to make sure that the sweater doesn't come in periwinkle.  Seriously lady...I am sure that cousin Susan will like the lavender sweater, and if not, the store has a reasonable return and exchange policy.

Needless to say, I finished my Christmas shopping today.  I have to admit that I am proud of myself because I waited patiently in long checkout lines and didn't lose it.  I negotiated my way around crowds without making any snarky remarks to those who were causing the pile up.  I even smiled at the woman who monopolized the salesperson's time by making her look for one more silver bell ornament for her.  I was still annoyed though and it reminded me once again this year how stressful Christmas shopping is and how much I need to avoid crowds.  Now that's a bah humbug!

RAMBLE: Co-worker Clutter

SOURCE:  Google

Today was the last day of work for one of my co-workers. She is moving onto another job and leaving behind her clutter.  I am supposed to move into her office space tomorrow and I am dreading what I will find as I bulldoze my way through her mess.

I am not the neatest person in the world and am ashamed to admit that my bedroom is looking rather cluttered right now with Christmas gifts that need wrapping and stacks of clothes that need to be donated to Goodwill.  However, I keep my office space in relative good order.  It is nearly impossible for me to produce neat and tidy work from a messy work space.  For some reason my brain is just not programed in that manner.

That is clearly not the case for my co-worker.  I was appalled to discover her office literally filled from floor to ceiling with STUFF...papers, files, books, shoes, trash, and even empty soda cans strewn haphazardly on the floor.  Every inch of desk space was covered and every book shelf packed.  Oh, and did I mention the smell?

She was reminded to clean out her office before she left work tonight because I would be moving into her office the next day.  The office space I currently have now will be filled by a new hire on Friday, so it doesn't give me much time to clean out her office and move my stuff in.  When I left the office this evening and peeked into her office, I didn't notice much progress.

Perhaps I am not cutting her enough slack and tomorrow I will arrive to work with a completely cleared out office to move into.  The power of positive thinking, right?  I have a feeling that I will be up to my ears in Clorox wipes, Swiffer dusters, Febreeze, and Mr. Clean Magic Erasers.  I better wear something comfortable because I will be lots of spring cleaning!

RAMBLE: Coffee Addict

A fresh cup of 100% Kona coffee at Orchids at the Halekulani

I admit it.  I have a problem.  I am addicted to coffee.  It has come to the point where if I don't have a cup of java, I develop a nagging headache, my mind is a little fuzzy, and...well...I am a wee bit grumpy.

This morning I woke up with a splitting headache that a couple of extra strength Tylenol caplets did not help.  I had a brunch to attend this morning, so I didn't have time to nurse my headache with a few more hours of sleep.  Besides, I knew the real reason behind my headache:  Lack of my morning cup of coffee.

My addiction is actually not that terrible when you consider that studies find that a cup of coffee a day helps prevent strokes, Alzheimer's disease, and certain cancers.  It's not like I am popping No Doze pills in addition to my morning java, or drinking gallons of coffee a day to keep the shakes away.  However, I admit that I am better off with my daily cup of coffee than without.

Needless to say, after my cup of coffee at brunch, my headache became a thing of the past.  The cobwebs cleared and I started to speak a little more cognitively.  I guess for now, my morning cup of java and I will be attached to the hip.  Sounds like a happy coexistence to me!

RAMBLE: Denim Fridays

SOURCE:  Google

I recently switched jobs and one of the perks of my new job is that we get to wear jeans on Friday!  I cannot tell you how much I appreciate casual Fridays.  While I appreciate the need to look and act in a professional manner, I also appreciate working in comfort.

Today I complemented my favorite pair of denim skinny jeans with a pair of five inch black peep toe Jessica Simpson platform heels (yes, I own a pair of Jessica Simpson shoes!), black camisole from Aeropostale, and tan and black horizontal half sleeve sweater from Style & Co.  I swear that I got so much done today because I was comfortable.  With jeans on, I find myself curled up comfortably in my office desk chair.  I don't feel the need to sit properly with my legs neatly crossed while making sure that my slip is not showing.  Don't get me wrong, I love to dress up for work, but I appreciate comfort too.

My previous job followed a strict dress code that explicitly stated that no denim of any kind was allowed, even denim jackets.  I admit that I was a bit of a rebel and wore tailored dark denim blazers.  The other piece of clothing that was banned was capri or ankle length pants.  While I understand prohibiting shorts or mini skirts at work, capri and ankle length pants are so much more comfortable and sensible for Hawaii's warmer climates.  Alas, my former boss is a traditional woman with a very strict mindset of how her employees represent the office and our profession.

While my new boss appreciates our profession and reminds us that we represent the office, he also recognizes comfort.  So, during our slower months of the year, we are allowed to wear denim jeans on Fridays, but of course within reason.  I usually bring a pair of slacks with me to work; just in case I need to meet with someone.  Other than that, I am essentially in my office getting my work done in comfort!

Well, I better enjoy is while it last because next month our busy season starts and we won't be allowed to wear jeans on Friday until May/June.  I plan to milk these last few Fridays of 2011 for all its worth!

RAMBLE: It's Hard Being a Girl...Sometimes

SOURCE:  Google

Isn't there a song called, "I Like Being a Girl?"  I admit it.  I do like being a girl.  There are certain things that women can get away with that men are not able to in quite the same manner.  On the contrary, the same can be said about men over women.  While this debate can go on and on, I also have to admit that sometimes being a woman is not all that it is cracked up to be.

How should I put this delicately without overindulging in too much graphic detail?  Monthly visitor?  The curse?  Aunt Flo coming into town?  Whatever women call it, I am suffering through my "monthly" and am not a very happy camper.

Some women are lucky.  They experience very little discomfort or changes at all.  Hmph!  There are some women who really suffer every month and miss days of work.  Fortunately, I lie somewhere in the middle.  I don't get off scott free, but I don't do serious time either.  Between the menstrual cramps, bloating, and fatigue, I am also experiencing some mean indigestion right now.  I think that's the additional symptom that is causing me the most misery right now.

I've always had a delicate stomach ever since I was a kid.  Only recently (within the past couple of years) did I finally go ahead and get it diagnosed.  My hypochondria was acting up and I needed to get some real answers from a doctor rather than self-diagnosis off of the Internet.  After a really disgusting test involving drinking goopy barium, my doctor diagnosed me with a hiatal hernia, which was causing acid reflux and discomfort.  Stress, spicy foods, orange juice, and lying down four hours after I eat are to be avoided.  Simple to prescribe, just not as simple to follow.

Well, tonight I have a double whammy.  I still like being a girl, but there are just some things or combination of things that I could do without.

RAMBLE: End of Another Season

UH vs. BYU at Aloha Stadium - Dec. 3, 2011

Today was the last game of the 2011 regular season for the University of Hawaii Rainbow Warrior Football team.  This game had a lot riding on it.  First, it was a long overdue replay of an old rivalry match up between UH and the Cougars of Brigham Young University.  And second, a win for the Warriors would mean an automatic bid to the Hawaii Bowl.

As a long time season ticket holder, I was looking forward to this game.  I remember as a kid the famous rivalry between BYU and UH under the old Western Athletic Conference composition in the 80s.  BYU was notorious for coming into town and beating us time and time again until one night in 1989, the Bows FINALLY beat BYU to the a sell out crowd.  I was there with my dad and remember the stands swaying from the record crowd jumping up and down in celebration.

Then, in the early to mid-90s, the composition of the Western Athletic Conference changed.  Many of the teams in the original WAC left the conference to form the Mountain West Conference.  UH was not one of the teams asked to join the new conference and instead the University stayed with the WAC and navigated through numerous changes in team composition.  I remember going to SMU and Tulane games.

Die hard UH football fans remember those good old days when the BYU game was the ticket in town to get and traffic into the stadium bled out of every entrance of the stadium parking lot.  Thus, tonight's game was one of nostalgia and was long overdue.

We knew that the Cougars were favored to win, but with a guaranteed pick to play in the Hawaii Bowl, it may be enough to inspire the team and push them to victory.  Sadly, despite a strong opening first quarter,  we were not able to pull it off.  Final score was BYU 41 - UH 20.

Thus, the football season is over.  Next season UH will be joining the Mountain West Conference just as BYU has left the conference.  It is uncertain when another match up between these two traditional rivals will occur again.  Thus, I am glad I attended to witness this event and take a trip down memory lane.  On to UH Men's Basketball!  Let's Go Bows!

RAMBLE: Going Retro...

SOURCE:  The Vermont Country Store

It's the first day of December and I am already running behind the 8-ball on my "Blog-cember" initiative!  This post will have to be fast if I am to make it before midnight!

Tonight I was looking through my pile of holiday catalogs and came across a catalog I never seen before.  At first I was going to toss The Vermont Country Store catalog as it appeared to offer only a election of smoked meats and flannel robes, but I decided to take a closer look anyway.

Thank goodness I did because I found a whole bunch of retro items that I haven't seen in years!  This pink old fashioned dial telephone is the exact replica of my grandma's old phone that she used to keep in one of the bedrooms of her house.  My grandma loved the color pink, so it was clearly the right choice for her to get a pink telephone to match her style and tastes.

For $59.95 plus shipping and handling, you can be an owner of the "Princess Phone," which is an authentic 1959 replica.  Can't you just imagine Gidget lying on her bed talking to Moon Doggy?  What a great gift for someone who is into retro pieces!

RAMBLE: Get Ready for "Blog-cember!"

Santa and Mrs. Claus in front of Honolulu Hale

Can you believe it?  The holidays are fast approaching and as usual I am no where near ready for the holiday flurry of excitement (and stress).  Pretty soon, 2011 will be over and 2012 will be ringing in.  One of my 2011 resolutions was to start a personal blog, which I did, but failed to keep up with it regularly.  So, in order to fulfill my New Year's resolution, I declare the month of December--"Blog-cember"--where I vow to post an entry daily through the month.

I haven't decided what I am going to post everyday.  It will most likely be an outfit of the day, favorite product, mini haul, etc.  Something fast and easy that I can post.  I'll also try to post reviews as well or maybe even some shopping ideas for the season!

I really want to get back to committing myself to this blog, so I am hoping that Blog-cember will help motivate me and keep me on track.  So, wish me luck and stay tuned!

RAMBLE: Seriously, Leave the Man Alone!

SOURCE: People

I honestly don't know why I am bothering to write another post about Charlie Sheen, but here I am, doing exactly what I said I wouldn't do, which is give Charlie Sheen more publicity that is detrimental than beneficial or therapeutic.  But, as I chew on my foot and go back on my word, I am compelled to write something about the latest Charlie Sheen news.

This past weekend, Charlie Sheen opened his one man show, "My Violent Torpedo of Truth/Defeat Is Not an Option" in Detroit.  Apparently, the show was so awful that the Detroit audience booed him off the stage and demanded a refund.  Excuse, but what kind of show did they expect?  They essentially paid money to see a very mentally sick man to perform!

According to People, an audience member stated, "I thought he was pretending he was crazy until tonight.  It was all crap.  We'd rather lose money at the casino than come to another one of his shows."  I guess in this day and age with celebrities playing games with the paparazzi for publicity, pretending to act crazy is an option, but was it really an option for a celebrity like Charlie Sheen?  Does it seem plausible for someone who is in a number one television sitcom to play crazy in front of the cameras, get publicly fired in front of the world while drinking a bottle of "tiger's blood," and have CPS remove his children from his house all for the sake of added publicity?  I don't buy that his behavior and actions are just a mere publicity stunt.

I have some sympathy (albeit not much) for the audience members who paid money to see Charlie Sheen and didn't get the type of show they were expecting, but like any show you buy a ticket for, don't you take a risk that you might not like it?  How many times have we gone to a movie because it received rave reviews or you thought the previews for the movie looked good, only to be severely disappointed in the end?  Although I am sure there are some people who will go to the box office to demand their ticket money back, most will not and simply shrug it off to taking a risk that they might not like the movie.  Same thing with Charlie Sheen's one man show.  These people took the risk that they would be spending their money for a show that they might end up not liking.  They still got a show though and got something they paid for...Charlie Sheen showed up, but the audience booed him off stage.  If I were the show producers, I wouldn't refund their money.  The producers promised a show, but didn't promise the audience they would like it.

Seriously, the man needs help and giving him an opportunity to take his mental instability on the road really doesn't help him at all.  Enough said.

RAMBLE: The Dentist

SOURCE: Microsoft

I just got done with my six-month cleaning at the dentist this morning.  I don't have a fear of going to the dentist, but it is not high on my list of places to visit either.

As a kid, I used to dread seeing my dentist because of the fluoride treatments.  I loathed the moment when he would pour that gooey fluoride into the dental trays and place one up top and the other on the bottom row of teeth.  He would offer me the choice of grape or bubble gum flavored goo; like that was going to make the whole ordeal better.  It didn't matter what I chose because both tasted horrible.  From then on, for what seemed like an eternity, I would be left stranded on the dental chair as my teeth soaked in the fluoride goo with a suction straw perched in between the two trays.  Despite the icky flavor and uncomfortable wait, those fluoride treatments worked because I didn't have cavities as a kid.

Nowadays, kids don't have to go through these treatments.  I don't know what dentists do to help kids prevent cavities, but with all the advancements in dentistry, I am sure these treatments are more kid-friendly than the fluoride goo.  In fact, nowadays, kids see pediatric dentists who specialize in children's teeth.  Pediatric dentists have kid-friendly offices with tools and machines that are not so intimidating and scary.  Hmm...maybe that's what I need because as an adult, I am still a bit apprehensive about seeing the dentist.  I just feel so vulnerable sitting in the dentist chair with my mouth gaping open with a suction straw hanging from the corner of my mouth as a dental hygienist scrapes, pokes, and prods around in my mouth.  The part that I hate the most is the scraping...[shudder].  I compare it to nails on a chalkboard!

So, you can imagine my apprehension this morning as I checked in for my regularly scheduled six-month check-up and cleaning.  However, I was pleased when the dental hygienist pulled out the water pick to clean my teeth!  HALLELUJAH!  No scraping, no poking, and no reactionary shudders!  Of course, she needed to do a little clean-up afterwards with her tools, but it was nothing I couldn't handle.

The best thing about today's visit?  No cavities!

RAMBLE: Mother Nature Brewing Up Major Trouble in the Asia Pacific Region

SOURCE:  AP Photo

Is is just me, or has Mother Nature recently been brewing up a huge pot of natural disasters for the Asia Pacific region?  There was a huge 6.3 magnitude earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand in late February that toppled tall buildings and killed dozens of people.  Then there was a 5.4 magnitude earthquake that shook Yunnan, China on March 10, that killed at least 25 people and injured 250 people.  And, just one day after China's quake, there was the 9.0 magnitude earthquake near the east coat of Honshu Island of Japan that not only violently shook the country, but then caused unrelenting tsunami waves that quickly surged six miles in from the coast line and decimated everything in its path.

The earthquake was Japan's most severe quake in history and the actual magnitude is still under discussion.  Some are saying that it may be as high as 9.4.  That same violent quake then caused turmoil in the Pacific Ocean with tsunami warnings quickly spanning from Russia, China, Taiwan, and Guam.  Hawaii's civil defense sirens started blaring approximately three hours after the earthquake and two hours after live footage captured surging tsunami waves eating up Sendai Prefecture.

As we made a quick assessment of our provisions (batteries, flashlights, water, canned goods, blankets, etc.) and we powered up our cell phones, I just watched in horror of footage coming out of Japan.  The quake and tsunami happened in the afternoon when children were still in school and adults were at work or out-and-about.  These were people who left the house that morning and probably forgot to tell their family members that they loved each other because like the rest of us, how were they supposed to know that a huge earthquake and tsunami would hit later on that afternoon?

Tsunamis were still kind of a unknown natural disaster to many Americans even after the huge tsunami that hit Indonesia, Thailand, and Sri Lanka in 2004 killing 230,000 people or the tsunami in Samoa in 2009 that killed at least 189 people.  There was footage of the aftermath on TV, but that didn't bring context to how terrifying tsunami waves are for life and limb.  Case in point, people in Hawaii as well as the West Coast (California, Oregon, and Washington) were flocking to the coast line to see the waves.  They were thinking that tsunami waves were like surfing waves.  The live footage of the tsunami in Japan dispelled those notions as entire villages were destroyed and flattened in a matter of minutes.  I was so horrified to watch cars booking it out of the waves path, only to be swallowed up.

Hawaii suffered some minor damage due to the tsunami waves, but for the most part, we were spared the mass destruction and heart break that the Japanese are still trying to grasp.  This experience makes me appreciate the power of Mother Nature as well as keep in mind what is really important in life...family, love, and life.  My heart goes out to Japan and I will be making a donation to the Red Cross to help.  Please help.