TidBitz and HissyFitz

Hoppy Easter

2008-03-17T18:40:00.005-10:00

My first stop-motion video!

We could stand to lose a few

2008-03-16T21:03:00.005-10:00

Maybe weighing body parts separately will make a difference. Rocky starts with his head.

So this is Christmas (Eve)

2007-12-24T18:18:00.000-10:00

quickie by John Lennon and Rocky Raccoon

Kind of hard to tell with the balmy weather gently blowing the palm trees. But Rocky knows and sends wishes via his quickie slide show in hopes that Santa is good to all of you tomorrow.

Quicktime | WMV

Greetings

2007-12-22T20:51:00.001-10:00

Rocky Raccoon shares a brief morning-to-night holiday greeting, set to the piano version of "How I Disappear" by My Chemical Romance. That was the most amazing concert last week, experienced from the very first row pressed against the railing. Even the security guy who busted me was cool. After he took me outside and made me supposedly delete my pictures, he let me follow him closely through the frenzied crowd back to the front, a safe distance from the pit where people were being seriously injured.

Quicktime | WMV

Where did the last few months go?

2007-12-22T09:33:00.000-10:00

You could never tell by my increasingly infrequent posts, but 2007 was probably was one of the best years in recent memory. Briefly:

October: Having the family back together, since my brother got married and moved back
June: Visiting another country again -- Canada counts, right?
Later June: Being one of the first on the island to own an iPhone
November: Getting the most beautiful Christmas tree (at a discount!!) that Rocky Raccoon and I have ever had
December: Surviving and having the best time at the My Chemical Romance concert
All year: Owning Apple stock has been verrrry rewarding

Free money

2007-10-01T20:47:00.000-10:00

Interest rates have dropped, including those great online checking/savings accounts. But that doesn't mean you should pass them by. ING is again offering $25 when you open a new savings account with no minimum or fees.

(I got my reference code for the promotion when I ordered something from Amazon.com. Codes can be found online...)

No, I'm not mad; yes, I will get the $100 credit

2007-09-08T21:58:00.001-10:00

Phone brouhaha

Since news of the iPhone price slash on Wednesday ($200 discount for the 8GB model in just two months!) people have been asking me if I had heard about it (yes, I followed it in real time the day it transpired), and more recently if I received my $100 (no, details of the credit will come out next week). Since I'm the only Mac advocate and iPhone owner most of them know, they ask for my take on it.

I'm actually surprised Steve-o capitulated a coupla days later and offered all early adopters a $100 credit. That totally makes up for how I felt when my 4GB iPhone suddenly became obsolete, and its remaining stock is being sold off for $299 ( I bought it for $399*). Of course, if I had purchased the $499* 8GB (non-obsolete) iPhone I'd be out $100...but I didn't. Hah.

I'm not sure if he meant all along to "apologize" and make kissie-kissie to his most loyal customers, because when asked about the dramatic price drop, he initially claimed, "That's (just) technology". Perhaps the ensuing complaints/hate mail really did get to him, compelling him to yield to the masses...but I kinda think not. It probably was all in the grand Steve-o scheme o' things.

I went out with friends tonight and as I was asked again about the iPhone news, one of them remarked, "That's OK, she's a shareholder." I never thought of it that way. I do check how AAPL stock is doing (131.77 as of Friday, down from a high of 143 a few weeks ago, I think -- but hey, the entire stock market has taken a hit). I bought shares at at around $18 for a purely emotional reason: I've always loved my Macs. Hardly anyone would've purchased Apple stock at the time, and it's performed waaay beyond anyone's wildest dreams. While it delights me, from a practical standpoint, I don't really care since I'll never sell. At least, that's what I've been saying all these years...

The $100 credit will come in handy eventually, but we have yet to hear details. Since I pretty much have all I want that's offered at the Store, I might just blow it on iTunes gift cards. . You won't see me getting any of the new iPods, that's for sure. My Classic U2 iPod serves me fine as my home sound system player.

Below are new iPods, fresh from the vault (not yet on display on the floor), at the Apple Store I visited the other night.

* OOPS: I stand corrected, thanks to reader/friend Willy. Evidently I don't know what I'm talking about. I was off by $100 in how much the original iPhones cost. 4GB was $499 and 8GB was $599. OK, so the $100 credit might not be such a great deal, but again, it was unexpected, and obviously I don't care all that much or I'd know how much I paid for the thing, so people, stop asking me!

We'll be first - Apple Event

2007-09-04T20:42:00.000-10:00

7:00AM - Hawaii
10:00AM - Pacific
11:00AM - Mountain
12:00PM - Central
1:00PM - Eastern
5:00PM - GMT
6:00PM - London
7:00PM - Paris
2:00AM - Tokyo (September 6th)

Pretty sure a new touchscreen iPod will be unveiled, but what's up with the rumor of Apple adopting the social circle concept?

End of summer stuff

2007-09-03T15:01:00.000-10:00

Today I viewed some of my cousin's pics she put on PhotoShow, so I figured since I had to create an account to view 'em, I might as well throw up some of my own from this summer. *sigh* Never got around to formally putting them on Flickr or on a webpage. The most tedious part is going thru hundreds (if not more!), watermarking, and editing them..so here's a snippet:

Fun with camera phones

2007-09-02T18:16:00.001-10:00

At my last chiro visit, the typical Hawaii sun-showers cleared and I mentioned how I'd been taking rainbow pics with my iPhone while driving. Dr. Dan told me how earlier that day he grabbed his iPhone and took pictures of his hand "holding" a rainbow from his 16th floor office, and insisted I take a similar shot with my iPhone.

Wanna fly?

2007-09-01T20:03:00.000-10:00

Google now has flight simulators

Google Earth is amazing, but now with Sky, it's..hmmyeah, out of this world! Great for educational applications, if not for the general coolness factor. (Check out the galaxies!)

They've recently unveiled their newest feature. Fighter pilot wannabes should check out Google's flight simulator using virtual F-16s and SR-22s.

About a month ago, some of us were lucky enough to tour an Air Force base. A portion was about F-15s and soon-to-be F-22s. It was pretty exciting, even though security was tight during that part of the tour and were told that if we crossed certain lines we could be shot by an overly-anxious 18-year-old.

(That's me on the right climbing up to the cockpit.)

The Eagles' new CD

2007-08-31T21:49:00.001-10:00

It's only taken 28 years ("Hell Freezes Over" doesn't count)

Double CD with 20 tracks to debut October 30th.
New tour starts October 18 (as they open the brand new Nokia Theatre in LA).

I was hoping to take in at least one of the six concerts in LA, but the timing isn't right. They'll probably make another round that I can hook up with, just hope it doesn't take them another 28 years. 28 + 60 yrs old = too tired to rock.

Love the Eagles, but don't really care for the appropriately-titled "How Long", the only song they've released so far. It's a 30-yr-old cover of a JD Souther country-rock song, but it was nice to see a video of it a couple of days later.

I'm conflicted

2007-08-26T19:35:00.000-10:00

Whole Foods to open in Hawaii

As much as I was looking forward to Whole Foods finally coming to our little rocks (four stores will eventually be built on two islands), I'm sad that there have to be casualties in its wake, particularly at the location nearest to where I live.

Some of our favorite eateries will be booted from their long-time space in the mall, not because WF will be taking over their space, but because the mall management deemed them unworthy of the clientele WF will garner. Many of us who frequent that mall in an upscale neighborhood feel that's a huge mistake. One of our favorite restaurants is a perfect fit for WF because of its healthy offerings, but perhaps it's probably considered too "local" in that it serves most of the meals in "plate lunch" style (but with healthier options). My parents go there regularly and share fruit from their garden with the workers who've become their friends. (My dad made one of them cry the other day when he said that was probably the last time they'd come by with starfruit and guava.) Another place that'll soon be a mere memory after over 20 years at the mall is a very decent Chinese restaurant (lots of vegetarian dishes, not your usual crappy, oily, unhealthy fare), with really nice owners and workers. I had dinner there last night, and plan to at least a couple more times before they have to close.

Another site of a soon-to-be WF market has been plagued by rediscoveries of ancient Hawaiian remains, but has finally received the go-ahead the other day to relocate them and continue construction. Huge controversy surrounds that location. Might be a sign.

Most local folks don't know what WF is like, but are already developing a bad taste for it. I have no doubt that Whole Foods Market will do well in Hawaii, even though prices are likely to be even higher than in their (very pricey) branches on the mainland, and will shock the sh*t out of Hawaii shoppers. I do think four stores is about two too many, though. Basically, it comes down to theCostco/Walmart/K-Mart/California Pizza Kitchen/Starbucks syndrome. Anything new and big does great in Hawaii, out-perfoming Mainland equivalents. OMG, the only Krispy Kreme in the islands (on Maui) is ultra-popular and ships 'em in to other islands for fundraisers and parties. It's just doughnuts and it's just amazing.

It's just because we're so desperate.

Just another day..in Hawaii

2007-07-25T21:05:00.000-10:00

Isn't his what we're known for -- traffic and rainbows?

Hawaii has too many cars on too few roadways, so gridlock isn't unusual. But it gives drivers time to take pictures, which I saw others do as we crawled along -- but didn't see any others snapping them on iPhones!

More ways to squander the summer

2007-07-11T21:53:00.000-10:00

Other than fiddling w/my iPhone

Summer vacation ends (and school starts for teachers) in exactly two weeks. So you'd think I'd be making the most of it, soaking up the sun, gettin' things done -- but nope.

Here's what I made today out of recycled floppy disks and the back side of calendar pages. I mean, do you know ANYONE who uses either of those? I guess I could count it toward my little effort of going green. Want to try your hand at it? Here are more ways to recycle floppy disks.

I took a look at my stash of never-to-be-used-again floppy disks and figure I might be set for Christmas gifts this year!

PS: To friends who actually bother to read my blog -- you know I'm kidding...

Got mine!

2007-07-01T19:45:00.000-10:00

Apple iPhone

I really didn't want to be in line for more than a few hours, but since I heard that people had lined up early Friday morning (but no females, according to my mother who was at the mall at that time), I decided head out just after 1:00 pm. I know, nothing like the crazies who had camped out in Chicago on Monday, but this is Hawaii where we're laid-back and don't have as many iPhone/Apple fanatics.

I packed a lunch of fruit, carrot sticks, trail mix, bars, and water; grabbed a chair and cushion, and took along my iPod, a paperback, and a bunch of sudoku puzzles. I like to be prepared. There were fewer than 50 people ahead of me, and we were told we were in a good place in line, meaning the store would have enough iPhones for all of us. I should hope so.

Apple employees cruised through the mall to answer what questions they could, passed out bottles of SmartWater, and, toward the end, even served Starbucks coffee and tea! We wondered if that was part of the Genius' job description.

As the clock ticked closer to the i-Hour of 6:00 pm, people were getting pretty tired and achey from sitting on the floor. Earlier on a guy two spaces away left to watch "Live Free, Die Hard" for a couple of hours. Various mall security came by to tell me I wasn't allowed to sit on my chair, even though I told them my chiro said I needed to. This nonsensical outburst of pseudo authority upset my line-mates, but I didn't want to make a scene, and gave it up toward the end. I just went to my happy place with My Chemical Romance and Butch Walker on my iPod.

At 6:00 pm the line moved forward, but it was almost anti-climactic. This was the first time I wasn't within the first 20 (as I had been at the early morning Apple Store openings and OS X unveilings), and I actually was in line longer.

Those of you who I'd never pay full price if I could help it would be proud: I purchased my iPhone with two Apple Store gift cards, saving over $200!

Love it, love it, love it. Web pages load slowly on AT&T's EDGE network, but, hey, I never was able to surf the web, check email, play w/Google Maps, watch YouTube videos, etc., on my phone before, so I'm thrilled.

One definite drawback: it's a time-sucker. I've been spending waaay too long fiddling with it than I should, but I'm on summer vacation!

See ya in line

2007-06-28T23:30:00.001-10:00

I finally decided that I'd take the plunge, stand in line with the masses, be one with the hype, and get my new iPhone tomorrow. I normally wouldn't spend the money or take the risk on a first-generation appliance, but my current phone is literally falling apart (dropped it a few weeks ago and broke the hinge -- see below), and I have over $200 in Apple Store gift cards to spend. I see it as a sign.

This is turning out to be a pretty good (albeit pricey) summer. Just got back from Vancouver and LA, saw The Police in concert, and tomorrow -- an iPhone!

Today's bank freebie

2007-06-05T22:15:00.001-10:00

Not quite as cool as getting a free iPod Nano and cashing it in for over $150 at the Apple Store, but this latest toy is pretty nifty. Non-battery-operated crank LED emergency flashlight w/radio, cell phone charger, and siren. For free, well, for opening a cheapie basic checking acct that I will never use and will close as soon as I'm able (increased from 90 days to 180 days, but I don't care).

Ooh, Christmas gifts ;) Wonder how many cheapie checking accounts they'll let me open!

iPhone to debut June 29th

2007-06-03T18:30:00.000-10:00

Whew, when they said "late June", they really meant it. Initially it was supposed to go on sale June 11th, then sometime in late June, but at least today we know for sure.

I'll be back from my trip by then, and if I work it right, I might talk my way into being hired at the Apple Store before it's unveiled!

How to get noticed an an Apple Store

2007-06-02T19:27:00.000-10:00

Back in August I blogged about applying for a "Mac Specialist" position in the yet-to-be-built Apple Store at my nearby mall. Something about "spreading the love" appealed to me. I didn't submit my application until November, thinking I could work there during the holidays, but the store didn't open until February. While I was happy to be one of the first in line on Opening Day, I never was contacted regarding my application..until last week.

I mostly want to work there for their t-shirts, but in the meantime I found one I really like from InsanelyGreatTees.com...which I happened to wear last night when I stopped by my nearby Apple Store, and caught the eye of a couple of Mac Specialists who admired it. I asked them how they liked working there because I finally got a call last week to come in for an interview in a few days if I was still interested. (I wasn't able to schedule an interview at the time, and will be out of town for a couple of weeks, but might see if they're still hiring when I return.

They encouraged me to go for it, and were more than forthcoming with information as we stood around and chatted for at least 20 minutes. They even learned to hit "Escape" when the default screensavers kicked in, revealing my cat's iPod webpage that I had set on a bunch of iMacs.

So..if Apple will have me when I return (they'll have already hired for the summer by then), I think I'll give it a shot. The two that I chatted with seemed to think I'm just what the store is looking for.

By the time I return from my trip, the iPhone will have debuted, and an employee discount would come in handy just about then!

I've been AWOL

2007-04-29T21:32:00.000-10:00

Aside from the occasional postings about my cat, clothes, and concerts, I guess it's taken me this long to realize I really don't have all that much to say. A focus would've helped, but ohwell.

Life and work kind of get in the way. There've been changes, and I've realized I need to roll and grow with them.

Going analog might not be a bad thing. Bought a moleskine notebook recently and modded it a bit:

Frugal domain renewal

2007-04-19T19:20:00.000-10:00

A few of my domain names were up for renewal, but I couldn't see paying full price. I crave discounts, and I refuse to participate in the slight-of-hand mumble-jumble that entails buying super-cheap names from one company and purchasing DNS services from another; I'd rather have it all under one roof.

So tonight I went to the site that my domains are registered under and removed the private registration option that I had paid for when I first registered them. When I refreshed the page, the price for new private registration (as opposed to renewals) was on sale for $2 less, so I re-purchased them. Then I searched the web for promo codes, and was surprised how easily I found some. I decided to use one that would reduce my domain name renewals themselves a couple of bucks less each, and renewed each for a couple of years, saving a decent amount of cash in a single transaction!

Triskaidekaphobia - not

2007-04-13T21:20:00.000-10:00

Happy Friday the 13th
I'm definitely not superstitious, but today was another opportunity to wear yet another one of my off-beat t-shirts. Most people didn't get it :(

And then I blew it

2007-03-24T21:07:00.001-10:00

So much for trying to save my pennies. I saw this Custo t-shirt yesterday and while it cost more than any other item of clothing I own, I had to have it =^.^=

Movin' my pennies around

2007-03-22T22:32:00.000-10:00

I wanted to look for a new deal, somewhere I could park some money and get a freebie in return (like I did w/the iPod nano in Oct.), with a very decent interest rate, of course. Not one to rest on my lowly teacher-income laurels when it comes to penny-pinching, I hopped on the task today.

I gave up on the freebie search, but discovered that HSBC Direct has a 6% promotion through the end of April. To take full advantage and throw enough $ in it, I'd have to move some of my other pennies around, dust off some idle financial resources..and take a deep breath.

While I was at it, I took actions to get my free online bill paying (can't live w/o that) through another one of my accts, and moved maturing CDs (no, not the musical kind) around to take advantage of higher rates. Other changes are in the works.

Also filled up my tank using a 5¢-off-per-gallon coupon while I was in the penny-saving mode.

My unsolicited advice: Take advantage of the HSBC offer while you can!

Trapped in Starbucks

2007-03-22T22:08:00.000-10:00

There could be worse things than this

Happy V-Day

2007-02-14T22:26:00.000-10:00

My brother's moving back home, and I've been tossing stuff from my old bedroom in my parents' house so he can use that as his weight room. One of the things I saved was a 45 rpm record from 1989 of U2's "All I Want is You".

I've always loved U2, just didn't know from how far back. Take a listen..perfect for Valentine's Day.

Opening Day

2007-02-10T20:54:00.000-10:00

Apple Store #2

Arrived a few hours early sporting my original iPod t-shirt and was among the first 20 in line for the opening of the new Apple Store in Kahala Mall. Years ago when our first Apple Store opened, I snagged pretty much the same place in line. The first guy arrived today around 3:00 am, but spent a couple of lonely hours alone for the honor.

Fortified by a yummy Starbucks Cinnamon Dolce (no fat, no whip), the morning newspaper, my U2 iPod, and the company of fellow Apple fans, I waited out the hours chatting with and taking pictures of other MacNuts. The obligatory Hawaiian blessing and dances provided a break in the monotony.

Attempts by employees to rouse the crowd (which eventually wrapped around the inside of the mall) were semi-successful, though everyone was a good sport and played along. I was among the first to enter when the doors opened, grabbed my freebie way-too-large XL Apple Store t-shirt (with "Kahala" printed on it), high-fived the employees who greeted us, then stepped aside to take more pictures.

I'd say the highlight was setting as many computers as I could to Rocky's iPod ad I made years ago, and watching the reactions.

They're getting ready

2007-02-09T22:09:00.000-10:00

Apple Store opens tomorrow

The long-awaited/long-delayed (kind of like this blog, heh) Apple Store at Kahala Mall will finally open tomorrow. I stopped by this afternoon and observed ast-minute preparations that included mopping the floors and shampooing the carpet in front of the store. The gate was opened a bit and employees and workers could be seen hustling about.

A security guard started giving me dirty looks as I took pictures, and a few Apple fans stopped to chat as I snapped away. iPods, MacBooks, MacBook Pro laptops, and iMacs were displayed, but I spotted just one Mac Pro. They probably hadn't brought out everything yet.

I'll be in line bright and early tomorrow morning to get my t-shirt and other goodies. Grand prize is their "Digital Lifestyle Collection", worth $2,574. Since they never did hire me as a Mac Specialist, I'm eligible for the drawing!

Welcome to 2007

2007-01-02T10:58:00.000-10:00

Holiday videos

2006-12-26T21:51:00.000-10:00

starring Rocky

Rocky's Christmas wish did come true: he got to roll around, eat grass, and hunt lizards in the yard, but it still seemed as if he was waiting for someone.

Quicktime | WMV

He liked the cat-related gifts the best.

Quicktime | WMV

Merry Christmas from Rocky and friends

2006-12-24T18:08:00.000-10:00

'Tis the season to be late

2006-12-19T20:11:00.000-10:00

Rocky's card

Ordered Christmas stamps online a week ago, but they haven't arrived yet, so I have no idea when I'll get those out. We finally got our tree yesterday, but not in time to include a picture of it in the card -- that we can't send out yet, anyway.

Forget stamps, here's the card below!

U2's last night, last night

2006-12-10T16:02:00.000-10:00

End of Vertigo Tour

another concert t-shirt to add to my collection
closest I could get to the floor
GA area filling up
screen during 'One'
Eddie Vedder grabbing Bono for a hug
screen during 'Windows of the Skies'

Surprises were during the encores: Billie Joe of Green Day joining Bono for "The Saints Are Coming", Pearl Jam/U2 together for "Rockin' in the Free World", and "All I Want is You" as their final song instead of the expected "Bad/40". After all, last night was the finale of their nearly two-year tour, and while I do love the song, it wasn't a big ending, and not the best choice.

Early on in the show an arena worker saw me scribbling updates to my projected setlist (I like to go prepared) and called me over to show me the official one, which I immediately asked for, and said he'd give it to me just before the first encore. A few songs later I heard, "Senorita, Senorita", and ignored it 'til I realized he was calling me. (Didn't expect to be called that in Hawaii!) He said that he no longer need it, but that it was "top secret" and I was to show it to no one. I nodded solemnly, thanked him, and wondered if he was serious.

It was a great show, and I had a good time. Would've loved to be on the floor, up close, or at least surrounded by party people dancing it up, but the section I was in was pretty tame, probably because our corner wasn't full. That didn't stop me from singing and dancing, but I did feel a little left out of the party.

EDIT (whine), 4 hrs later:

I left the place feeling like I walked out of a movie that I knew was of good quality, but if asked about how I liked it, I knew I couldn't give it top marks, but wouldn't quite be able to explain why. Had a nagging feeling all day, but now I finally think I know the reason. I need to participate fully at a concert to really enjoy it, and this was one I was particularly looking forward to.. I've liked them for decades, know they're more than just their music, have most of their stuff, bought the special edition U2 ipod only because of them, etc., etc. I'm probably more bummed than I should be that I wasn't able to get more into it than I did. But what could I do? The vibe isn't quite the same when you're on your own.

I'd like a second chance. Another concert with another last song (I love 'All I Want Is You', but it's not 'Bad'/'40').

One life, One love, One concert

2006-12-09T09:35:00.000-10:00

The long-awaited, once-postponed, last-show-of the Vertigo Tour takes place tonight!!

I've been sick for most of the week, but am getting better and will be dragging my butt to the Aloha Stadium, decked out in my red INSPI(RED) shirt (along with gazillions of others) for what is probably my only chance to see probably the greatest band in the world.

Fans have been flying in from all over the world, and many with GA tickets camped out since Thursday for their chance to get in the ellipse when gates open at 5 pm today. I'll be comfortably ensconced in my reserved seat with my kleenex and cough drops.

After Rocko and the Devils (U2's stage manager's band) and Pearl Jam (you know who they are), U2 should hit the stage at around 9 pm, probably opening with 'City of Blinding Lights'. Imagine all all those panels below lit up...it's gonna be more than incredible.

CINDY ELLEN RUSSELL / CRUSSELL@STARBULLETIN.COM
The main stage for the U2 concert was flown in on three 747 cargo jets from Tokyo and has been erected at Aloha Stadium for today's concert. This will be U2's only outdoor performance in the United States during the Vertigo tour, as well as the final stop on this year's world tour.

Should I??

2006-11-26T21:45:00.000-10:00

MacWorld Expo 2006

The last (and only) MacWorld Expo SF I attended was in January 1999. I remember that when I wasn't freezing, I was loving it. I finally found the dusty ol' website we made for that trip. Here's one of the photos:

I have the almost-opportunity to attend it again. Our school vacation has been extended to three weeks, but it ends a little short since MacWorld would start a couple of days before the of our winter break and extend beyond. I could burn a personal day off to fly back from SF, but I'd start work a day after everyone else. Normally that wouldn't be so bad, but since we'll be having a whole three weeks off (for the first time ever), wouldn't it seem that I could at least get my butt back in time?

Happy T-giving

2006-11-21T20:39:00.000-10:00

Rocky Raccoon's reasons to be thankful this Thanksgiving and the many more in his 7 or so remaining lives:

people who take in pitiful strays
compassionate vets who give those people discounts
safe places to take naps
kitty massages
grass
silly people who take his picture for holiday greetings

Related?

2006-11-12T16:47:00.000-10:00

It's been bugging me ever since I saw that beautiful green lizard with red spots that was indulging in Leona's chocolate candy (see entry below) while we indulged ourselves in the Pinot Grigio I brought over.

I've never seen one like that, and I'm jealous. All I have are those oogly-ish dinosaurs that have taken over our yard (fodder for many pictures on this blog because they're display STRANGE behavior), but they're definitely not beautiful. I miss our lovely, sleek, green anole lizards that they killed off, and when I saw Leona's new kind of lizard, I got all excited. I had to find out what it was, and closest I can find is this one who was spotted in parts of our islands, on the left below. He's gotta be a relative of "Liz", but perhaps he's a male and she's a smaller, more delicate-looking, and less-decorated female. The guy on the left can grow up to 12" long, though. Kind of big to be munching on your chocolates.

Day gecko <---------------> Leona's Liz

Leona's lizard

2006-11-11T12:21:00.000-10:00

That's a piece of foil-covered chocolate candy that "Liz" is eating!

Click image to view slideshow

Beautiful day...

2006-11-07T16:06:00.000-10:00

...in Japan??

It was a gorgeous day. The tradewinds were back, making 85 degrees feel like 85 degrees instead of the 99 it's felt like the past few days. I had Election Day off, so caught up on errands. Safety-checked & oil-changed the car, then got my glasses adjusted, checks cashed, goodies purchased, and voted.

Took my camera along, as usual. The best shot of the day was a reproduction of the torii gate in Miyajima, Japan. But instead of "floating" in the water, it sits in a little triangular section of land between Jiffy Lube and my optometrist's office. Below it is the picture I took of the original torii gate when I visited Japan back in 2001.

An INSPI(RED) night at Aloha Stadium

2006-11-04T16:01:00.000-10:00

35 days from now

At least U2 rescheduled their Honolulu concert, originally scheduled for April. The Rolling Stones flat-out cancelled their November 22nd show for Honolulu, postponing some of their other dates, and pushing up LA in what was supposed to be our date. Adding insult to injury, Ticketbastard won't refund the $3.75 processing fee for tickets that were purchased online. I wasn't sure if I'd be able to stand listening to George Thorogood as the opening act, and now I don't have to worry about that.

Looking ahead, I already know what I'll be wearing to the U2 concert on December 9 -- the same thing hundreds, if not thousands, of others will be wearing -- my (PRODUCT) RED INSPI(RED) t-shirt to show support for Bono's Global Fund initiative.

Good deal

2006-10-31T19:31:00.000-10:00

Thanks, Apple!

• Open bank account
• Get 2GB iPod nano as free gift
• Exchange at the Apple Store for gift card (value: $149 + tax)

Halloween Greetings from Rocky Raccoon

2006-10-30T21:26:00.000-10:00

Night of the evil Maine Coon

You can see fear in the little black cat's eyes!

click to view slide show

Earthquakes rock. duh.

2006-10-16T20:47:00.000-10:00

6.7 and 6.0 magnitude

My second floor bedroom wall is up against the corrugated-metal garage roof, and the incessant drumming from heavy rain at 2:00 AM was so damn LOUD that I gave up trying to sleep. I read for a while, then decided to clean off my dresser and organize some drawers instead. Very strange behavior for me. Gotta admit, I was a little nervous and was just hoping it just wouldn't flood again like it did in April.

Eventually the rain subsided so fell back in bed and enjoyed a really peaceful nap (after all, I had finally cleaned off my dresser and drawers!) . The next time I opened my eyes I was delighted to find that it was almost 7:00, later than I ever get up, and that Rocky Raccoon had actually let me sleep past 5:30 on a Sunday for once! He noticed I was awake, so ran on up to go though his usual morning routine (licked my hands, feet, and especially top of my head) until I had enough and I made him go back to his towels at the foot of the bed.

A couple of minutes later a huge convoy rolled through the yard. Or a plane lost altitude as it flew overhead. Or a crazy-ass tornado circled the house. Or maybe it was just a herd of very lost buffalo.

I sat up, looked at the cat, who was dozing obliviously at the foot of the bed, and called out to him. Only then did he sit up straight and look around, wondering what those very noisy buffalo were doing in our yard. I couldn't wait for him to figure it out, so I ran to the doorway and did what they say to do, though I feared the old house might crumble, bringing me and the door jamb crashing to the ground floor.

The quake hit at 7:08 AM on a Sunday, probably the best day and time possible. It caused very little damage on Oahu, though the island-wide power outage was a real inconvenience, especially for tourists and those low on gas who, for some reason, needed to be on the road. Long lines formed at the few stores and gas stations that were able to remain open, but I couldn't really understand why. It was DAYLIGHT, for goodness sake, the rain had temporarily abated, so why were ice, batteries, water, and beer in such demand and being sold out so quickly?? Sheesh, don't people keep a stash? (yeah, I do, but replace "beer" with "wine".)

The Big Island of Hawaii, where the quakes were nearest, suffered much damage, but, amazingly, reported few injuries and no fatalities. A teeny little four-inch tsunami (tidal wave) was generated.

Oahu regained power slowly and methodically, and I got power back about 11.5 hours later, just as it was getting dark. I was kind of bummed because I had set out candles in most rooms and was prepared to rough it out, at least until the next morning when I had to use my blow dryer and curling iron.

I heard that TV news reports (which I couldn't view) made it seem that a catastrophic disaster had befallen our little islands. Yes, the Big Island of Hawaii sustained a lot of structural and property damage, and roadways were closed and are now in need of repair. But some other islands barely felt anything, and never even lost electrical power. I don't know what CNN and Fox showed, but I can guess. After all, they would only be sent the most dramatic shots to broadcast, and who would want to hear about folks who took advantage of their "down" time catching up on reading, cleaning their houses, brushing their cats, and playing old board games with their kids?

It could have been so much worse. As it was, Mother Nature considerately waited until the sun was up, kids weren't in school, and most people home so could take care of their cats and kids. After the initial surprise and shock, most of us probably were able to reflect, slow down, and appreciate what we have. It would've been hard to not think of other recent disasters. Hawaii definitely can be a paradise.

Blockbuster boo-boo

2006-09-24T13:45:00.000-10:00

I don't watch much TV and only discovered my cable was out and the actual wire need to be replaced when I tried to catch season pilots the other week. I probably wouldn't watch DVDs at all if I hadn't won a player in a drawing a couple of years ago (then had to get a new TV that could play the thing).

But I love freebies and decided to take advantage of Blockbuster's free one month online trial. In addition to unlimited online rentals, I get four coupons for free in-store rentals. So yesterday I signed up, printed the first coupon, and went to my local Blockbuster that I hadn't been to in over a year. Didn't even have my card, but that didn't matter. Picked out "The Producers", took it to the counter, and got my freebie.

I did notice the yellow tab in the case when I plucked it off the shelf, but forgot about it as the kid at the register rang me up ($0.00) then added my $1 Boys and Girls Club of America donation. Only when I got home did I realize the tab was still in, and I couldn't open the case.

A call to the store gave me the permission to break in to it, since there'd be no way I'd be able to remove the tab that ran along the entire length of the right side of the case. (Yes, sidster, you're right, it takes super-strong magnets to remove it.) The operation was successful, the patient had its spine slit open, and the DVD was freed.

So was the movie worth all that trouble? I didn't even get to finish watching it because I gave up after being interrupted twice by phone calls.

More Butch

2006-09-18T09:40:00.000-10:00

SF & Anaheim concerts

Butch Walker continues to tour, but I'm only able to catch him when he stops in California. Two of his best shows were in SF and Anaheim, and I was lucky enough to be a part of the experience!

Take a look at my googlepage for more pictures.

Brief trip, briefer synopsis

2006-09-18T09:37:00.000-10:00

I've lamented before how the hardest part about returning from a trip is going through all the pictures and deciding which ones to use. I took the easy way out this time:

Last Flight Out

2006-09-16T14:43:00.000-10:00

yeah, that's the title of a Butch Walker song

I saw Butch Walker and his new band in SF and Anaheim last week, and took four planes going there and back. My suitcase barely made it under the limit, and my contact solution was confiscated (even though saline solution is permitted, according to the TSA site). I missed being able to carry on bottled water, but was able to get enough to drink on the first three flights. For some reason, the leg from LA to Hawaii was a dehydration flight, but at least Hawaiian Airlines still feeds its passengers.

Some delightful and not-so-delightful insights about airports, especially when traveling alone:

Good: Discovering the airport carries Starbucks' new Pumpkin Spice
Bad: Being forced to consume the entire grande coffee before boarding the plane
Definitely good: Sitting close to the rear of the plane and being able to tell easily when there's no line for the bathroom
Not-so-bad: Not knowing what kind of person you'll get as a seatmate
Good: Being asked to trade seats w/a person who's allergic to cats, getting to sit near the cat, and receiving complementary headset to watch a movie I actually wanted to see

Not-so-bad: Getting the attention of a cute little drug-sniffing beagle who was interested in the catnip in my carry-on bag
Bad: Breaking a nail while wrestling my 46.6 lb suitcase off the conveyer belt
Good: Warning guys who were blocking my way that I might knock them over (and break a nail) when I grab my bag -- and having them grab it for me instead

Good: Experiencing pleasant counter people and lack of crowds on 9/11
Bad: Tolerating TSA security newbies practicing on me "so they know that I know what to do"* on 9/11

* TSA agent trying to show that she knew what she was doing (after I was deafened and puffed in the chemical-detecting booth, and before she frisked and patted me down)

Get paid to spread the love

2006-08-01T20:20:00.000-10:00

Get your mind out of the gutter.

It was officially announced that an Apple Store will be opening at the mall near my home, and Mac Specialists (otherwise known as sales flunkies) are currently being hired to "Get paid to spread the love". I think I could do that.

Apple's website didn't seem to list the soon-to-be store yet, but craigslist did and, according to the description, I might just fit the bill:

• You get excited about the latest and greatest and can not wait to share with everyone - Yep, even when they don't want to hear it
• You love Apple technology and are ready to inspire a whole new generation Apple addicts - ooh yeah! Like putty in my hands!
• You can translate “techno-speak” into layman’s terms - Do that on a daily basis at work, but with PCs (eww)

According to Apple, it's an opportunity "To delight. Impress. Advise. Engage. Inspire."

I've been told before that I should work there, especially after I helped several people to purchase their computers/iPods, even walking them through it in person.

I'd like to say I'd do it for the passion, but in reality retail sucks, the Apple/Mac-related training probably is minimal (they bank on their "specialists" coming in with prior knowledge) and one such "specialist" told me the pay was around $8/hr. Employee discounts are what I'd hang in for, especially if it increases w/the number of purchases made. Ooh, I'd get to keep the employee t-shirts, won't I?

Just for kicks I think I'll email the contact person.

Hisss

2006-07-20T23:26:00.000-10:00

One of the hardest parts about returning from a trip is looking through the hundreds of pictures I've taken. I was in Portland and Los Angeles the past couple of weeks and got to take some pretty cool shots, but decided to sort out only my favorite ones tonight.

Some of you might know how I love to play with snakes and have been deprived of the pleasure because Hawaii has none, with the exception of a sad little legless worm. I haven't had the chance to handle them in years, so this was definitely the highlight of the whole trip.

view slideshow

Korea's missile aimed toward Hawaii??

2006-07-07T21:46:00.000-10:00

Yikes, first we're being warned that California is long overdue the "big one" (hopefully not when I'm there later this week) and now it's been reported that the failed North Korea missile was aimed thisaway:

By Ruth Mantell
Last Update: 8:28 PM ET Jul 6, 2006

SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- North Korea targeted waters near Hawaii on Wednesday when it fired a long-range missile, according to a media report Thursday evening. Defense officials in Japan and the United States have concluded that the Taepodong-2, one of the seven missiles fired Wednesday, was targeted near Hawaii, according to the Associated Press, which cited a Japanese newspaper. Lt. Col. Ellen Krenke, a spokeswoman for the Department of Defense, declined to confirm the report, but said: "We are monitoring the situation closely." Officials decided that the missile was pointed at Hawaii from the angle of its nose cone immediately after its launch and the altitude it reached before falling into the Sea of Japan, the report indicated.

Half over

2006-07-06T23:36:00.000-10:00

Not that I'm complaining (what other profession gets weeks off each summer), but this summer break is the shortest yet, and half of it has flown by already. But the best is yet to come: Butch's new CD comes out next week, and as Rock Star: Supernova's album producer, he'll be making more guest appearances on the show. I'll have to miss some episodes and will catch up later, but that's OK, because I'll soon be having a great time on vacation from my vacation. So no more blogging for a while, like I do much of that anymore, anyway :)

ButchBits3 videocast

2006-06-27T07:23:00.000-10:00

Rich People Die Unhappy

Butch's video is pretty dark, and I guess I should've lightened it up a bit, ohwell. My aim was to figure out how to get a couple of pictures and my voice in there since the video track replaces the podcast track. Dunno if it was actually the "right" way, but it worked!

ButchBits2

2006-06-25T10:15:00.000-10:00

My second attempt at podcasting is online and on iTunes. I think I'm sounding less doofus-like. Helps to have some idea what to talk about.

I sound like a doofus

2006-06-21T09:25:00.000-10:00

The more I listen to myself in that podcast, the more I don't like what I hear. At first I had no idea what I'd be talking about, so I rambled on a bit until I decided to narrow the subject matter to Butch. I edited a bunch out, but I still sound awkward and unsure of what I was doing -- which was exactly how I felt!

I'd like to eventually get it going where I can create education-related podcasts, but for now I'll stick to butchbits or whatever comes up.

For what it's worth, the podcast is now a free download at the iTunes Music Store!

First podcast

2006-06-20T17:32:00.000-10:00

HissyFitz and ButchBits

Gotta keep up with the cool kids. Unfortunately, the cool kids probably have something cool to talk about, while I just wanted to see if I could do it.

Created my first podcast today, with Butch Walker content, of course. Don't like how I sound, but it wasn't that easy while leaning over the desk with my face practically against the monitor of the iMac. Gotta pick up an external microphone someday. I purposely tried to speak slowly since I tend to rattle on quickly, but the effect makes me sound half-asleep.

The best things in life are...

2006-06-19T12:43:00.000-10:00

..redeemable with Rewards Points!

Nuthin' like closing a rarely-used credit card account and discovering there were enough rewards points on it to get five $25 Macy's gift cards -- and receiving them in the mail just before heading out for a combo birthday celebration/Macy's shopping night. Cute stuff from that night:

A close second: finding out the person you'll be traveling with to SF has more than enough rewards points for a free car rental!

I was phone-phished by Sam-I-Am!

2006-06-16T10:56:00.000-10:00

I received a call from a male with a heavy pseudo-sounding accent today. At first I thought it was a joke.

Sam: Hello, I am [garbled] from [garbled] [garbled] [garbled] calling about your domain ***.com.
Me: I'm sorry, who is this?
Sam: My name is S-- (garbled again, but definitely started w/an S), calling from Domain Registry [garbled] about your domain..
Me: Who? Calling from Domain Registry what? (By now I figured this was either a joke or a scam, so figured it was OK to be a bit rude.)
Sam: I am Sam (I think) calling from Domain Registry S-- [garbled]
Me: OK. I understand Domain Registry, I get your junk mail all the time, but what is that word that you're saying after that?
Sam: S-- [garbled] (his obvious attempt at enunciation made it even worse)
Me: Sorry, please spell that.
Sam: s-u-p-p-o-r-t, supppououurrrt
Me: Oh! OK, support! Don't tell me you guys are now actually CALLING people??
Sam: Yes, this is about your domain, ***.com
Me: Heh, ok, what are you trying to ask me?
Sam: We need your fax number to send you more information.
Me: More information about what?
Sam: We need your fax number to send it to you.
Me: But what kind of information do you want to send? Can't you tell me what it is now, over the phone?
Sam: No, we need your fax number...
Me: Hey, this is actually getting pretty funny if you're for real. Can't you at least tell me what kind of information you want to send?
Sam: silence
[disconnect]

I was actually a little disappointed the guy didn't try harder. Did a little bit of research after I hung up, and found that others have had similar experiences. Turns out DomainRegistry.com knows about it this scam (they even received a phone call from them!) and says their company has nothing to do with these guys. They just want to spam-fax owners of domains in hopes of transferring them to their company -- the same thing Domain Registry does, but by email and snail mail.

They probably got my phone number by doing a whois, but I already had a fax number listed. My other domain names don't show my phone number or any other personal information, and thought this one didn't either. It doesn't anymore!

What's your guilty pleasure?

2006-06-13T22:11:00.000-10:00

My definition: An indulgence that wastes time and money, makes you feel a tad guilty but waaaay too good.

Some people have certain food fetishes, shopping pleasures, trashy reading preferences. Mine is going to concerts.

Living on a rock in the middle of an ocean makes it difficult to feed my habit (with the exception of the four Eagles concerts, along with The Who, Steely Dan, Motley Crue, and Elvis Costello shows that managed to stop here recently..and U2 who will reschedule later this year). I usually have to fly out to see my favorite bands or artists, but I try to keep it financially reasonable, so it's off again to California for my Butch Walker concerts!

Bought the last of my tickets today, booked my airfare to LA, and am working on the SF portion of the trip. This is already consuming me, even though the concerts are a few months away. I want to make the most of my SF trip: wine country tour, ferry ride to Sausalito, shopping, good hotel. It all adds up, but the travel costs that accompany the concerts are a necessary part of the splurge, aren't they?

The damage so far:

concert tickets: $80

airfare/hotel/car: $750

seeing Butch again: you know it -- priiiceless!

Yes, I survived

2006-06-10T22:18:00.000-10:00

Someone posted a comment on my other blog today, wondering if the diet had done me in since I hadn't blogged since I started it. It's just that I haven't had much to say the past four weeks, but now that school's out I'll probably start talkintomyself again.

A quick update of the past few weeks is below..might be WAAAY BELOW, depending on what browser you're using. Blogger did funny stuff w/the HTML table. Shows up fine on my other blog!

	The diet's officially over but I'm going to continue parts of it. Didn't lose quite what I wanted, and the get-together at Todai, a huge all-you-can-eat seafood restaurant, on the last day of the diet sure didn't help. That's OK, I just want to lose a couple more pounds.
	Summer vacation has begun, no more dirty looks til July 27th!
	Celebrated the end of school with yummy lychee martinis (and more) last night. Lychee's a fruit, so that's OK on my diet. Not too sure about the vodka.
	Butch recently announced four concerts in California -- see ya in September! His new CD will come out next month..but I'll be at a conference in Oregon when it's shipped to my home :(
	How'd my eyeball get here?

Offline and out of touch

2006-05-16T15:55:00.000-10:00

Not sure if it's my darn ISP or my DSL carrier that's at fault, but I haven't been online for two days. Attended an off-campus meeting today so couldn't even get online at work. Had to resort to checking email at my parents' home.

Between this and my diet, I am not a happy camper.

Day 1

2006-05-14T20:09:00.000-10:00

Purification diet

I'm not one for dieting, but I could stand to lose a few pounds and this new diet will not only do that, it'll detox me, as well. If I can follow it.

It's actually a 21-day purification diet that involves taking a bunch of supplements w/essential vitamins and minerals, drinking their shakes, and eating organic veggies/fruits. Doesn't sound so hard, but I was kind of hungry today and my (non-organic) veggies and fruits didn't really satisfy me. But clearing out toxins is a good thing, and I weigh a little less tonight than when I woke up this morning.

Not sure yet if the hardest part will be swallowing 10 capsules three times a day or not drinking wine in the evenings.

Don't swat that!

2006-05-13T19:01:00.000-10:00

Hawaiian picture-wing flies

HONOLULU — Twelve species of rare flies known for their elaborate courtship displays and found only in the Hawaiian Islands are now protected under the Endangered Species Act.

Photo by Kevin T. Kaneshiro/AP Wide World

At least they're two to three times larger than the common housefly so they won't be mistaken for them. But I suppose it could still happen.

Vote for Honolulu

2006-04-29T14:44:00.000-10:00

Monopoly is being redisgned in the "here & now"

Hasbro is conducing an online poll that will allow consumers to decide which new cities and their famous landmarks will appear on their "Monopoly Here and Now" game board that will be in stores in the fall.

Landmarks in 22 cities are up for grabs. Honolulu has Diamond Head, Kalakaua Avenue, and Waikiki Beach. Personally, I thought that was a little redundant since Waikiki Beach fronts Kalakaua Avenue (and how many people who've never been here can even pronounce "Kalakaua"?), but I'm all for putting us on the map, er, game board.

Vote now through May 12th, and vote often! The live results show that Honolulu needs more support, but it appears you can vote for that city just once a day. Technically. Honolulu just got 4 votes from me today from my different computers at home. Note to self: Enlist kids next week from the computer lab!

Definitely hate Definately

2006-04-23T13:35:00.000-10:00

Think there's a trend?

Months ago I lamented the decline in people's spelling abilities, which shouldn't rear its ignorant head in this day and age of spell-check. A while back I ranted about the use of "there's" when "there're" is meant, and, more recently, complained about the stupid new use of the word "random". Can't help it, it's the teacher in me.

What's been bugging me for a while now is the misspelled usage of "definitely". Because kids (and adults!) see it misspelled so often online, I think those who are on a shaky ground, spelling-wise, probably think that's the correct spelling. I mean, if so many people are spelling it EXACTLY that way, it must be right, right? WRONG!!

What freaked me out was the email I received from a TEACHER on Friday, with that damn misspelled word!! I've read it in other adults' writings and could brush it off, but auuugh, no, not from a teacher!!

UrbanDictionary.com even lists "definately", with this as its first entry:
Idiot-speak for "definitely". One of the most common moronic misspellings found on the internet.

New Venture

2006-04-16T17:54:00.000-10:00

Motivational (??) Posters

Been wasting too much time playing with pictures I've taken, so I decided, hey, why not make something worthwhile from them? I was leaning in the direction of those hilarious de-motivational posters, but I quickly discovered that not only am I not hilarious, I guess I'm just not cynical or depressed enough. Today, anyway.

Don't know if these three I made would actually motivate anyone to do anything, but it's a start. I won't quit my day job just yet.

click for 3-poster slide show

Happy Easter -- woops!

2006-04-16T16:22:00.000-10:00

It's a beautiful-as-usual day. No more torrential storms, scary floods, nasty sewage-y stuff in the water. Perfect for taking pictures..you'd think. The first three above were taken this morning from my mom's church on the slopes of Diamond Head (where I visit a few times a year, coincidentally during holidays), and the fourth was at the restaurant where we had lunch afterward. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to take any more pictures because the fish were out to get me.

Those peaceful koi have pondmates, a bunch of huge-@ss ulua (the largest was 80 pounds and is displayed over the buffet table, see below) that sometimes splash around, causing the walkway around the pond area to be slippery. After taking that last picture, I crouched down to get another view. My high heel slipped in the water, my butt hit the floor, and while the camera never left my hand, it also hit the floor. I got up quickly before someone took a picture of ME, and took one last glance at the fish. I coulda sworn I heard someone or something giggling under water.

And, yeah, the camera is out of commission for now. I was zooming in to take a shot and it's stuck in that position. But not to fear, I have access to other cameras...

Star-Bulletin photo by Cindy Ellen Russell

Musical cat

2006-04-15T15:28:00.000-10:00

PG-rated picture

Geezer needed assistance

2006-04-14T21:04:00.000-10:00

I like words and don't like them to change meanings on me without warning. Lately I've been reading and hearing "random" used more and more often (hey, I don't hang with the cool kids, and I work at an elementary school on a military base in the middle of the Pacific Ocean where slang usually arrives on our shores late), so when I tried to explain its "new" meaning to another person last night, I needed some help. Turns out the definition is pretty random itself, according to UrbanDictionary.com, ranging from "irrelevant", "unrelated", and "unexpected", to something said "out of the blue by mindless teenagers". Several posts reflected these opinions:

"For the love of God, stop using this word. It's not clever, it's not funny and it's not original. You sound just the same as all the other clone-like teenagers who think they're oh so unique for saying it. Give it a fucking rest." and "Trouble is, being 'random' is predictable, boring, moronic and extremely sad indeed."

OK. So you'll never catch me trying to be hip at the risk of sounding clone-like, not to mention moronic and sad. Not that it ever occurred to me to even try out the word. I can't even speak pidgin properly, and I live in Hawaii where it's pretty much the State Language.

Where DO these things start, anyway?? A lot of new stuff originates from gamers, and those are actually interesting, but what lame-o came up with "random"??

My visit to UrbanDictionary.com was enlightening. In fact, I might add its Word of the Day to my blog. Today's is below, which reminds me, I have to revisit my state return because TurboTax took liberties and shortcuts with my information, and I think I could do better manually.

April 14, 2006
Taxgasm

A heightened state of excitement or ecstasy over the completion of any facet of the taxation process. Usually experienced by CPAs.

I am so excited about the new tax folders I am having a taxgasm!

After the storms

2006-04-08T22:04:00.000-10:00

The weather's been gorgeous all week*. Tourists are back in the relatively sewage-free waters of Waiklki, potholes are being filled, cars are being dug out of landslides, yards and homes are drying out. Mazes of yellow tape are a little less labyrinthian.

Huh?

A little background info: the mall near my house was flooded last Friday as water overflowed the street, crashed through walls in the theaters, and swept through the different wings of the mall. It was closed for several days, and while most of the stores have since re-opened, some still are boarded up or shrouded in plastic. GNC had reopened earlier in the week, but just as I was about to make my purchase, there was a power outage so had to return today to buy my bars. Yellow tape mazes still wind throughout the mall, but as the floors are repaired, they're being removed, so there's a little less zigging and zagging to get from point A to point B.

* Would've been a great night for a U2 concert :(

Flooded!

2006-04-02T13:26:00.000-10:00

March 31, 2006 was finally our turn

It had been raining for weeks, so when another thunderstorm began, I pretty much ignored it, figuring it wouldn't cause much damage. I only looked outside when I heard my dad, who lives next door, banging things around. Turns out he was wrestling with trash bins that kept floating away. That's him in the picture below, taken from behind my screen door, just before water started to come into my house.

I live upstairs in an old, two-story house. Thank goodness downstairs is mostly used for storage..and shoes. Unfortunately, my car, that was vandalized last month and was just brought back from the body shop the day before, also lives downstairs and got flooded.

After 4.5 hours of sweeping, scooping, and mopping water up, I finally ventured out in my soggy car to get a Shop-Vac. Shoulda done that earlier. Yesterday my father ripped out the living room carpet and threw out the two couches. They were old and only Rocky would miss them. Most of the things in storage are OK, with the exception of some older printers and monitors. My stuff is all upstairs, safe and dry.

Click the image below for a slideshow of my view of the flood. I couldn't go outside to take better pictures because I was trying my damnedest to block the water from coming in the doors! Once it started seeping in, it gained power, pushing away towels, rags, and rugs I used to try to stop the flow.

I'm very lucky. Nothing of real value was damaged. The first thing I did was scoop up my shoes that were on the floor, and make sure the rest were out of harm's way :) It's mostly the days of clean-up that are a pain. Others weren't as fortunate. It's been raining off-and-on, but mostly on, for about five weeks. Hawaii hasn't been hit like this in decades.

GENIUS

2006-03-30T14:39:00.000-10:00

I wouldn't have been able to type that word days ago, since the "g" on my keyboard stopped working. The forward delete and return key wouldn't work, either. Might have had to do with the fact that I rinsed out the keyboard a few days ago...

Anyway, my underscore key got lots of action. I typed emails saying "_ood luck" and "_et back to me later". That got old, so I just came up with other words and phrases to get around using "g". (For blogging I used a keyboard utility and eventually a different keyboard.)

The novelty had worn off by yesterday so I decided to make a trip to my local Apple Store. The particularly spastic little geeky Apple "Genius" (he really was, I'm not making that up and would never make fun of a fellow Mac enthusiast) just plugged it in to his laptop, and the darn thing worked. He never even flipped it over where he might've spotted the water puddles through the clear iMac keyboard casing.

Guess it just needed extra time to dry out, LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE ON THESE SOPPING WET ISLANDS! It's thundering and lightning-ing as I type. As of today, it's been 40 days and 40 nights of sogginess.

30 Years of Apple

2006-03-29T12:55:00.000-10:00

1976 - 2006

Founded in a garage by two college dropouts to become the cultural icon it is now, Apple Computer will celebrate its 30th birthday on April 1st. "One long April Fool's joke."

As I was cleaning out my closet and drawers the other day I discovered I own at least 15 Apple or Mac-related t-shirts and one sweatshirt. That I kinda figured, but my next round-up surprised me.

I have nine Macs in this house! Not all are mine, and not all are in tip-top shape, but they're definitely too precious to abandon. Actually, that's why I have so many, a few are downstairs, having been rescued from a computer donation site. A couple will be used in schools. One classic may not even be working, but it was adopted to keep another we had from years ago company. Kinda like bookends.

Aww, aren't they cute?

Public transportation ain't so bad

2006-03-27T18:01:00.000-10:00

in spite of the rain

I took my poor, keyed Scion to the body shop this morning. The street was ponding as I got out of the car. Stepped in a submerged pothole, so by the time I got to the office, I looked pretty pathetic. They took pity on me, gave me a bunch of paper towels and a ride to the mall where I was to catch the bus. Who knows, I might've drowned, otherwise.

Nothing was really open at the time except Starbucks (of course), a couple of eateries, and the supermarket. I was bummed that the new Borders, with their yummy Cinnamon Dolce Latte, wouldn't open until 9:00 am, so I just wandered around..and took pictures. Kind of wanted to, but didn't, take pics of the homeless hanging around the market. Actually, I tried to avoid them, especially the ones talking loudly and gesturing to who knows what.

Tried to clean up and dry out in the bathroom. Several others came in looking pretty soggy, but no one but me took pictures of herself looking like that :)

The last time I took TheBus was probably decades ago. The actual ride was pleasant, but I almost wasn't on it. It appeared on time, but passed right on by! If it weren't for a stop sign a little ways down that gave us a chance to run after it, we would've had to wait another hour for the next one. The driver claimed that wasn't his stop, even tho it was clearly marked and I had spoken to a supervisor earlier to confirm the time and location. (Yeah, I submitted a complaint online a few minutes ago. So there.)

The bus was pretty empty because most people going in that direction hopped on the more-frequent Waikiki buses. Ahh, Waikiki. Instead of the usual sunburned tourists, there were umbrellas, sandbags, puddles and more rain. At least Diamond Head was greener than usual, but no one would want to hike it today.

Won't get my car back until Friday, but will borrow one of my dad's cars 'til then so I won't be doing any more bus-riding for a while.

Between the rainstorms

2006-03-26T20:16:00.000-10:00

an excuse to take pictures

The end of April will mark a year since I started blogging. It feels longer than that, and I've yet to find my groove. I can yammer on only so much about Rocky Raccoon, Apple computers, the bands I like, and the occasional personal/topical/news-related comment, before I run dry for weeks at a time. I wouldn't think about dissing work, and always keep in mind that my parents, some colleagues, and even my brother if I ask often enough, actually check in (tho rarely comment!!) once in a while.

I don't have a killer sense of humor, a controversial slant on politics, or even kids to write about. I don't live an exciting life filled with crazy highs and despairing lows..hmm, maybe there's the problem. I don't really have much of a life.

Yet I will muddle on, but, as someone commented recently, I've been in an unusual posting frenzy. (But he also called me a sporadic blogger, which is closer to the truth.) Digital cameras are so nifty. Photoshop is even cooler. And when you have nothing to say, hopefully a half-decent picture or two will fill the bill.

Here's the latest from today, in between rainstorms:

RIP, crazy tree

2006-03-26T12:13:00.000-10:00

:(

It put up with a lot, but the recent downpours were too much for it.

Weird Hawaii Weather

2006-03-25T23:20:00.000-10:00

Hail and tornadoes

Hailstone drift in geraniums
Honolulu Star-Bulletin, March 25, 2006

Horizontally-flying hailstones the size of quarters on the Big Island of Hawaii, tornadoes on the island of Lanai, lots of flooding, landslides, and power outages state-wide. Roads and homes were taken out, and seven lives were lost on Kauai.

Not your typical Hawaii weather.

This is Hawaii??

2006-03-23T22:51:00.000-10:00

Five weeks is enough

EDIT: Both QuickTime and Windows Media Player versions of the 29-second video are now included as links, for those who couldn't view the original QT version and whose browsers were having hissyfitz. Thanks, Joey, for letting me know.

I wasn't feeling well, so stayed home from work today. I never use video cameras, but we ordered a couple for school and I wanted to try it out. It actually started to let up as I filmed, but later at night the island was rocked by thunder and lightning.

OR
[Select QuickTime (.mov) or Windows Media Player (.avi)

The QuickTime version is nicer. Install QT!

It's alive

2006-03-19T16:31:00.000-10:00

But what is it?

I thought I had killed it, or at least, put it in a state of suspended animation. It hadn't bloomed in probably a year, then one day I noticed its spines turning pinkish, and soon long, dark purple flower-like protrusions emerged!

About a week later the flowers wilted and the spines returned to green, but soon the same amazing thing happened on the other side of the plant.

I'm not fat, I'm fluffy

2006-03-12T11:57:00.000-10:00

Rocky Raccoon could probably could stand to lose a pound or two. Maine Coons are one of the largest domestic cats and males can reach 20+ pounds. Rocky is nowhere near that, probably closer to 14 lbs.

But this big guy is the considered to be the largest Maine Coon -- 45 inches tall and 35 pounds!!

Where are the magazines?

2006-03-11T20:18:00.000-10:00

That's what I wondered when I went to my nearest Barnes and Noble for a Cinnamon Dolce Latte* today. And this is what I found out:

Their magazine display fixtures were wiped out when the car crashed through their plate glass window.

* Our Starbucks coffee shops don't carry the new Cinnamon Dolces. B&N does, but they're sure no Starbucks. I've been there twice, and twice they messed up my order. What's so difficult about no fat, no whip??

21 shots

2006-03-10T22:21:00.000-10:00

of Grand Marnier

Do you recognize these? They're little sidekicks from Chili's, you know, the little chili-shaped plastic shot "glasses" that dangle precariously from the rims of Chili's margarita mugs. My shot of choice is always Grand Marnier. I savor its sweet, velvety goodness by sticking the end of the straw in it, pressing my finger on the top, and sucking the mmmyummy (40% alcohol!) nectar, which is barely enough to coat my tongue. This way I usually manage to make it last longer than the margarita itself (on the rocks, never blended), which, to me, is incidental. No way would I unceremoniously toss the shot in as suggested. Unfortunately, because I take so damn long to finish them, at least a few sidekicks have been knocked off by people wielding menus or carelessly reaching for something. So sad.

I've also forgotten to take a few home with me when I was done, but, as you can tell, I've frequented Chili's enough to round up a pretty good collection. Brought home the 21st tonight. I don't go there often, and don't go there for the food.

Never got around to doing what I said I'd do: take 'em out of my kitchen drawer where they've lived for probably a couple of years, fill them with red and green water, and hang 'em up at Christmas.

I'd like to put them to some fun, tacky use. Any suggestions?

When times get tough

2006-03-08T19:42:00.000-10:00

The tough go.. you know

Recent cute purchases.

Too lazy to retrieve the shoes downstairs for a photo session.

Postponed

2006-03-08T19:39:00.000-10:00

It's official

[image doctored..for effect]

Vertigo '06: Final Dates Postponed

It is with great regret that tour promoter The Next Adventure announces the postponement of the final ten dates of U2's Vertigo '06 tour. This action is unavoidable due to the illness of an immediate family member of one of the band. The effected dates are listed below.

'Any fan of U2 will realise that this decision has not been taken lightly', said TNA President Arthur Fogel. 'We will announce further details as soon as we have them.'

The effected shows, which are all sold out, are: March 17th & 18th, Ericcson Stadium AUCKLAND; 21st, Queensland Sports & Athletics Centre BRISBANE; 24TH & 25TH, Telstra Dome, MELBOURNE; 28th, AAMI Stadium ADELAIDE; 31st & 1st April, Telstra Stadium, SYDNEY; 4th, Nissan Stadium YOKOHAMA; 8th Aloha Stadium, HONOLULU.

We'll bring you more news on U2.Com as we get it.

It took something like this

2006-02-28T21:06:00.000-10:00

..to get me blogging again

It's been about a month and a half since I last posted here. Didn't really have much to say.

Until today.

MY POOR LITTLE CAR!

Someone keyed it maliciously, deliberately, even neatly. From the front to the back. Very carefully.

Who hates me and my car so much to do that??

I don't think I p*ssed anyone off; didn't cut anyone off in traffic, didn't park too close to anyone, didn't ding any doors. I don't think I did ANYTHING to deserve this painful, deep gouge to the side of my injured Scion Tc coupe. Damn fr*cken little middle-schoolers whose parking lot it was in this afternoon!!

U2-phoria

2006-01-14T22:38:00.000-10:00

Don't know if I coined that, probably not, but that's how I feel at this moment.

I've rattled on here about music and bands and concerts I've gone to, but my all-time favorite (living) band is U2. While I've flown off this rock to attend other bands' and musicians' concerts on the mainland, I thought I'd never get the chance to see U2 live, much less get good seats right in my backyard.

35,000 tickets were available at the Aloha Stadium in Honolulu. The 15,000 general admission tickets were snapped up in 10-15 minutes this morning (and during earlier pre-sales). Most of the rest were gone a couple of hours later. This is par for U2. But some crappy seats still remain, so the show isn't considered 'sold out' yet. Those nose-bleed tickets should just be given away so the second concert can be announced already.

I guess I can wait a few more days for my chance to see U2 twice..in the meantime the 100 or so U2 songs/videos/DVDs I've got will have to tide me over!

What to do with all these pictures?

2006-01-01T23:59:00.000-10:00

For the past few days I've been taking lots of pictures at family gatherings, get-togethers with friends, and, of course, of Rocky Raccoon. I've posted 'em online and forced friends and family to view them, but recently discovered Comic Life which adds a new spin to the process.

click the picture to go to my Comics! page

People have been too nice to tell me that they're sick of cat pictures, but I work with what I've got, and I've a TON of cat pictures! I'll need to broaden my horizons or risk losing friends.

Happy New Year

2006-01-01T19:30:00.000-10:00

A look back at 2005 from Rocky's point of view

Have a Warm & Fuzzy Christmas

2005-12-24T10:09:00.000-10:00

Best wishes for the holidays from Rocky and me

U2 in Hawaii?!

2005-12-24T10:07:00.000-10:00

No longer just wishful thinking

The radio announced it, rumor websites are all abuzz, so it MUST be true!

(slightly doctored image)

It's that time of year

2005-12-24T09:14:00.000-10:00

.. to paint the toenails and fingernails red-green-red-green (with white Christmas trees on the big toes!) ..

.. to buy stuff and have others pay for it (like this too-orange, but oh-so-cute sushicat t-shirt) ..

.. to receive goodies in time for the holidays (new Butch Walker DVD, free camera phone) ..

.. for good times and good friends!

Scaled-down Carnival of Sins

2005-12-15T21:41:00.000-10:00

Motley Crue concert

I'm vertically challenged, as you can see from the pretty crappy pictures taken from the 17th row at last night's concert. I have lots of shots of people's hands and backs of heads, because THAT'S ABOUT ALL I COULD SEE!! Since there was an aisle in front of our row, much-larger guys kept getting in front of me (and kept getting kicked back by security). In fact, when I first got to my seat (after missing the first song, Shout at the Devil, dammit), there were a bunch of huge guys standing there because our group hadn't arrived yet.

They didn't bring all their tour props and special effects, but there was enough smoke and fire to satisfy everyone. I couldn't see some of the "extras" (strippers, midget, etc.) because some of their antics were done low on the stage and I couldn't see with all those tall people in my way! Not that I really needed to see the midget being walked on a leash by a stripper, but hey, I paid over $70 and wouldn't have minded the full effect. You can see some of what I saw in the pics below.

click to view slide show

Tried to join someone I knew who was in the 5th row but couldn't because security was checking tickets at the 16th row. During one of the encores I decided to go for it, climbed over a chair, only to be blocked by a guard. I'm short and harmless, and wouldn't have taken up much room. They shoulda let me go. Other guys were pushing their way to the front, but most were being "escorted" back.

Vince Neil's voice is pretty shot, but the hyped-up crowd sang better than he did and helped him along. Even after his recent facelift and makeover I still thought he looked pretty pudgy.

Mick Mars's degenerative disease didn't prevent him from blowing the crowd away.

Nikki SIxx was..Nikki Sixx. I can see why Butch Walker digs him.

Tommy Lee sounded great, but I couldn't really tell you much more becauseI COULDN'T SEE HIM until he stood up at his drum kit and later came out to the front as they all said their "Alohas". He held up a bottle of Jagermeister and thanked everyone repeatedly.

Someone at work who sat up in the nosebleed section told me today that the sound was muffled and people up there pretty much sat in their seats the whole time. I can tell you the floor was a huge party, with all the seats folded and everyone singing and screaming and whistling and dancing and holding up their arms and..BLOCKING MY WAY, unfortunately. But I had a great time and wished the two hour show would go on longer.

Stuffed

2005-12-10T23:08:00.000-10:00

'Tis the season

Rocky snuck up there the other day when I was decorating our tree. He didn't pose well with the tree itself, though did try to "mark" it as his!!

Eagles concert slideshows

2005-12-07T20:46:00.000-10:00

OK, it seems that some people missed the two links to the photos of the Eagles concert at the bottom of the previous entry. Hmmph, they probably didn't want to read my ramblings all the way through ;)

I like Flickr's little slideshows. Clicking on each picture below will lead you to the slideshow pages for the pictures, but not the actual photos themselves.

Aloha, Eagles

2005-12-05T18:34:00.000-10:00

It was a great week

The Eagles landed in Honolulu for four incredible concerts that I was fortunate to see from great floor seats. (Not that I sat in them for long.) While I'd been to quite a few Eagles concerts years ago, it was obvious that many around me hadn't, and the crowd LOVED them! It's such a huge (and rare) deal when bands as incredible as the Eagles come our way, and to put on four Honolulu concerts and one Maui show is simply amazing.

One review call the crowd "sedate" and "somnambulant". I'll tell ya why: the security MADE people sit. I spoke to a security guy on the second night who said that they got "yelled at" the night before by the Eagles' security guys who insist that anyone in Rows 5 and beyond do NOT stand until "The Long Run" (song just before intermission). LIke that's easy to enforce.

I was solo the first three nights but was able to bring a friend down from her nosebleed section the second night to join me at intermission on what she now refers to as the "dance floor". The whole experience is so much better when you're with friends!

I kind of made a few new ones, too. Two ladies who partied with me the second night, and two others from the last night who I shared my pictures with. On the third night a guy directly behind me kept grabbing me by the shoulders to tell me that I sure knew how to party, and that of all the people there, I was probably having the best time. Gee, do you think it showed?

I snuck in a camera and managed to not get it confiscated, though on the last night I came very close. Most of the pictures didn't turn out too well, but here are the best of the bunch: nine from the first night and four more from the last.

Generations Apart

2005-11-22T19:40:00.000-10:00

Butch Walker fans / Eagles fans

A message posted on the Butch Walker message board today:

how can all of you afford to travel so much to these shows? do your parents pay for it? im just curious since it seems like a lot of you travel to a bunch of the shows on a tour.

An earlier post from the Eagles board:

I took my daughter, 13 years old at the time, along to Earls Court to complete her musical education. Having grown up with me as her dad she had little option but to listen to the Eagles (I believe in bringing up chidren properly) and was going through a phase of listening to the "Eagles Live" album, enthusing particularly about "Seven Bridges Road".

I shall never, ever forget the look in her eyes when the concert opened with that very song.

After the Eagles concerts next week, I probably won't be seeing them for a while, if ever. I've actually outgrown them, but felt obligated to go to all four Honolulu concerts since they'll probably not come this way again. While I wouldn't fit in the crowd that follows Butch on tour, I'd love to be able to catch him a couple of times a year. It sucks to be thousands of miles away, in the middle of an ocean. But at least I don't have to have my parents subsidize my habits. (To their credit, most of the younguns who do follow Butch earn their own money or save up their allowances...)

Of course, when I hear The Eagles' perfect five-part harmony perform Seven Bridges Road a cappella next week, I won't be thinking about Butch a bit.

I've lost that blogging feeling

2005-11-12T20:09:00.000-10:00

Wow, it's been two weeks since I last posted an entry. Haven't even felt like stopping in on other people's blogs. If I make it through next weekend, I'll probably check in here more consistently. Next weekend will be the real test.

Don't really wanna bitch about things that haven't been going right, so scraps of silver linings are:

The long-awaited 30 lab computers arrived at school and were set up
My fundraiser from hell will hit its do-or-die climax (uh, probably not the right word) next weekend
A club I used to frequent , The Wave Waikiki, celebrated its 25th anniversary the other night and I got to go
Macy's had some pretty decent stuff on sale today for 70% off

With the exception of the last item, the others should be appended with "but..." since there's way more crap behind them than meets the eye.

And I guess last month's splurges were bad timing. Four $250 Eagles tickets (plus crappy Ticketmaster fees), $80 Motley Crue ticket (plus crappy Ticketmaster fees), computer, projector, printer, digital camera, and my usual clothes, shoes, whatever actually added up to more than my recently-reduced account can handle. Darn, and I thought transferring the "extra" money out of it wouldn't make a difference. Hah. Forgot I live on a teacher's salary.

Ooh, Rocky Raccoon reminded me he's got a secret and he's not.. you know.. letting the cat out of the bag =^.^=

Happy Halloween

2005-10-30T23:04:00.000-10:00

From me and Rocky

Rocky and I don't usually dress up anymore for Halloween, but we do our part.

Four...and definitely no more

2005-10-29T09:59:00.000-10:00

But this time I'll have company

Just when I had made up my mind that I wouldn't go to the fourth Eagles concert, just when I had convinced myself that three $250 concerts would be enough, my friend called out of the blue. Haven't heard from him for a couple of months, figured I'd never hear from him again.

When I mentioned that I'll be going to the first three concerts alone, he offered to fly over and join me for the fourth.

Tickets for that fourth Eagles concert in Honolulu went on sale this morning and I scored great seats again..but I PROMISE this is the last one I'll go to. I won't be flying to see them on Maui a couple of days later, and I won't even THINK about getting tickets to another one if it should be announced.

It's mind-boggling that our population can even support this many concerts. Who the heck are all those other Eagles fanatics, anyway, especially those crazy enough to splurge (repeatedly) on the high-end seats?? I wanna meet you!

Hawaii IS part of the United States

2005-10-29T09:58:00.000-10:00

But not according to Ticketmaster

Dumb*sses.