Raves

Lately:

1. Newly discovered Windows Movie Maker on my work computer. I've had this computer for a little over two years and had no idea of this program. Two and a half minute documentaries now fill up my desk top. Good times.

2. Fort Minor's "The Rising Tied"

3. "Tortilla a la Espanola" from Alegria's

4. Great blog, new to me (friend of a friend): http://metropolitician.blogs.com/
Check out his entry about Daniel Henney (!!) and Hines Ward

5. Lonely Planet's The Travel Book

6. Lococo's on Piedmont. Their "Spaghetti with Meatballs and Peas" is a soulful experience.

7. Cooper, the neighborhood Daschund. He no longer resembles garden vermin and has developed the warmest and most endearing personality. He has a major crush on our T.O. but she can't be asked to bother with stubby excitable pups. She's all about opposites--she wants someone heartier, fluffier, taller, and calmer.

Apparently, "the Sun is presently in the most harmonious alignment with revolutionary Uranus. This powerful conjunction has the ability to "dissolve old images and allow a larger, freer self to emerge." Woo Hoo. If you're a Piscean, it says that we must pick up things we began in 1999. I know what that is for me--how about you, my fellow Pisces pals?

Doves

So let me explain what happened the other day...

First i should preface this with an earlier incident:

It was March 1999 when my beloved grandmother passed away. We were very close and I absolutely adored her. She passed away kind of unexpectedly and I've never really gotten over it. So in March, we all flew to Hawai'i. We were pulling out of the driveway to go to her funeral.

All of a sudden and out of nowhere, a beautiful white pigeon appeared. Now, in all the years i spent in Hilo, i NEVER saw this kind of bird, not ever close to the house, actually, not anywhere. This bird stood behind the car as we were reversing out of the driveway. The bird took a few steps back, the car reversed a bit, then it took a few steps back again... As we began our descent down the small hill, this mysterious white bird remained standing at the top. She watched our car go all the way down the hill. I immediately knew it was my grandmother. We all knew.

Fast forward to my birthday, March 2nd 2006. My grandparents were always great about my birthday, they never forgot, even when they got really sick. Lately i've been thinking a lot about them. On this day, I wore a special ring--my grandmother's most treasured piece of jewelry.

So anyway, i'm at work and it's about 3.30 in the afternoon. Cappy calls me in distress. "There are two DOVES that somehow got in!" At first, i thought she said "two ducks." Great, I thought, a field day for the Tubular One--her food source yapping and flapping all over the place. Then I realised she was saying "doves." Me: "Oh my god, open the windows!" Cappy: "I can't they're dive bombing me! They're perched up really high!" Now here's the weird thing, we only had one window open slightly. We've NEVER had birds enter the space in the four years we've been here!

Apparently these two grey doves, one male and one female were flying all over the place, perching here and there. Thankfully, a very freaked out Cappy was able to find a helpful neighbor. She helped her put out some bread and open up the windows.

The male bird was the first to fly out, yet the female bird took her time. She seemed to perch from various places: the track lighting rail, and nearly each exposed pipe and vent. The female bird finally did fly out, but not before having a long lingering look at Cappy.

Later, Cappy realized that the doves weren't really dive bombing, just checking out the space. She said, in retrospect, that they seemed protective and curious. I laughed to myself imagining my grandparents' mischievious year of the monkey spirits. After all the ruckus, some parts of the floors looked like a bridge underpass and the table tops looked like the night after a 70's drag show. Tiny feathers everywhere.

And I absolultely felt that I had a visit that day. It was a wonderful gift.

Decathlon

This is a picture I took at the University of Oregon Art Museum. I have vague memories of hiding out here... reading poetry by Shelley and sipping dark coffee. Ms. Sharmaine swears that she took some black/white photographs of me here for a project, but I can hardly remember that... On this day however, my experience was less than peaceful.

Cappy and i wandered into the Art Museum around noon on Sunday morning. After about twenty minutes or so, we walked upstairs to see the Asian Art collection on the 2nd floor. This featured artifacts from Korea and China. We walked into a large room with Chinese scrolls and paintings on the walls. There were miniature models of pagodas on wooden stands. At the end of the room there were costumes encased in glass, as well as jackets, helmets, robes, etc. Suddenly, we both felt intense waves of energy. It was like invisible ribbons of dark grey clouds were swerving in the room. At least, that's what I could visualise from the feeling I got. Immediately, we both acknowledged that we had quickly leave that room.

Cappy felt intense energies emanating from the artwork--a feeling of outrage and anger. She said the energy she picked up felt extremely draining. For me, i felt fear because i am always afraid of rage. I also felt severe sorrow and pain. It felt like something had a grip on my heart and was yanking it from my body. This might sound odd, but it made me think of the dementors in Harry Potter. A dark spirit that zapped out positive energy...

When we finally skipped down to the last step on the first floor, Cappy looked intently at something and sighed heavily, "Oh, no wonder." I looked at what she was pointing to. There was a sign that identified the exhibit that we escaped from--it was called "Life and Death in China." Things like this don't scare me. What was amazing was that it took about 30 minutes for me to feel as if i had my heart back.

Have you ever had an experience like this? I've had similar experiences at the Native American Museum at the University of British Columbia and also at an African store next to the Piedmont Theater in Oakland. I might write more about this kind of thing later. Maybe not.

But anyway---

It was a wonderful roadtrip. Unbelievably, we reached Ashland, Oregon quite late Friday night. At one point of the drive, we were driving 20 miles an hour through an intense snowstorm near Mt. Shasta. Good times.

Highlights of our trip:

-"The Decathlon" at Track Town Pizza in Eugene, Oregon. Though I've been all over the world, there are only two pizzas that are most memorable to me. The first is the pizza in Napoli, and the second is Track Town. Seriously. I love everything about Track Town. The honey wheat crispy crust. The photos of Steve Prefontaine on the walls. The wooden bench seats.

-Walking around the campus on a quiet Sunday morning. I walked Cappy through the amazing Triple A building (Allied Arts and Archictecture), the Erb Memorial Union, Willamette Hall, through the Art Museum, and the Knight Library.

-Courteous and considerate drivers who let you pass with a wave and a smile. This is a Pacific NW thing--when taken to the extreme, it can be just as dangerous as any Bay Area driver.

-Dropping in on the Hillcrest Winery, a small family operation in Roseburg, Oregon.

-Drinking "Rubinator" at the High Street Cafe. The High Street Cafe is a small pub that serves comfort food and the one of the only kinds of beer that I actually enjoy drinking. "Rubinator" is part Ruby, which is a raspberry beer, and Terminator, which is closest to the Irish Guinness. I'm not a beer person, but drinking Rubinator is as easy as it was sipping Smithwicks in Dublin.

-Attending the closing night of Eugene's first Asian-American film festival. We saw "The Grace Lee Project." The one Grace Lee that I know was actually featured in the film. She was the pixelated blob walking around Seoul.

I was reminded of a few things:

1. I never want to live in Korea again (seeing Grace Lee in Seoul...)
2. Eugene loves Steve Prefontaine
3. I actually do enjoy beer sometimes
4. Oregon is predominantly white
5. I am still shocked that I'm a Californian

Road Trip

Tomorrow (Friday) we embark on our first roadtrip of the year. This might imply that there are more to come, but quite frankly, I can't be asked to do more than a few roadtrips per year. Something about sitting in a car forever, seeing signs like "My Destination 300 miles" kills me. And we're bringing the Tubular One. That should be interesting.

We're leaving tomorrow afternoon with the goal of reaching Ashland, Oregon. We should make that in 5-6 hours. However, I've read that there's a 30% chance for snow on our way up. Great. We'll definitely be carrying chains with us. For those unfamiliar with Ashland, it's a quaint little town 15 miles north of the California border. It's home to the annual Oregon Shakespeare festival, polenta pancakes with warm marionberry sauce, mountain biking, skiing, music, and Victorian B&B's. And us, for one night.

I've been there once a long time ago. I saw "A Winter's Tale," and "The Tempest" at the outdoor theater in the middle of summer. Unfortunately, we won't be staying there too long though. After breakfast with friends, we'll continue our trip north to Eugene, Oregon. Home of the Ducks, the Bijou theater, Excelsior, Track Town Pizza, and my home for five years a long time ago.

It's been about thirteen years since I left Eugene in the beginning of July in 1993. A lot of things were going on at that time--graduation, coming out, packing, my first Gay Pride (San Francisco), preparing to leave for Japan that August for two years... All of my grandparents flew over from Hawai'i. My parents and brother were there too. I was getting back together with someone and breaking up with someone else at the same time, the same week. Oh, and I wasn't out to my family just yet. Total chaos.

I've decided to take this trip with Cappy as kind of a pre-birthday getaway. My birthday is not too far off, and not too welcome, i might add. Eugene is not only where i went to school, it's also the first city i landed in when i flew over from Korea at 9 months. In the freezing winter of 1970, my parents drove down from Seattle, Washington to pick me up at the Eugene Airport.

One year while in school at the U of O, a good friend of mine kidnapped me for my 20th birthday. She made me cover my eyes and she drove me to some "secret location." When i finally was able to see, i opened my eyes to an incredible sight. A flood of blue lights flashed before me, running up and down. My friend was able to somehow drive us to a spot that is near dead center of the runway at the Eugene Airport. She had no idea what it meant, by bringing me there. I think I told her, but not for a few weeks. It really didn't dawn on me until then...

So i have this nagging thing in me. I don't know what it's called. I'll re-watch films, re-read favorite books, re-read journal entries, and order the same thing over and over again in restaurants. Lately, i've felt more desire to revisit places I've been to, rather than discover new places. Or maybe, and i think this is what that's all about--I'm trying to re-trace my steps with Cappy. Next, but in no particular order--we'll visit her school, my favorite places in Japan, Ko Tao, Thailand, and eventually Korea.

Oil

Post-Syriana thoughts:

Tyranny is tyranny wherever you go. Every battling country elicits the newly immigrated or disenfranchised to do their dirty work.

P.Diddy and the character Prince Nasir Al-Subaai have much in common. Precisely shaved, not into giving back to their communities, greedy, and highly ostentatious. Also, more sadly, in order to keep their current administration's game plan, they need to continue to be just as they are.

Power does not corrupt. Fear corrupts... perhaps the fear of a loss of power.
-John Steinbeck, novelist, Nobel laureate (1902-1968)

All for now. I'm sick because of the above, and also physiologically.

Soccer

Another season with the ladies in green and white striped jerseys has begun. Eclipse is the name of the team we played against tonight. Final score: Eclipse 2- Poppers 2. I'm in no better shape this season, but enjoy it much more. The games are a welcome change from the hours i spend in a cube farm.

On my way down 880 last night, I was thinking of the names of soccer teams I've been on:

The Golden Eagles--2nd grade-4th grade
The Rebels-- 5th grade-6th grade, same team as above, with more attitude
The Cobras--High school, State select team. Very competitive. Hated it.
One Last Time--High school, Fun team. We all wore #10 jerseys. Loved it.
Diablitas--2000-2001 The infamous team of Dolores Park and the World Cup Indoor League
Circus Animals--2005 Outdoor co-ed. Never again.

The other day my mom and i were reminiscing about all the soccer teams i've played on. We brought up a few names i hadn't thought of in ages. One of them was Kris H. She was a teammate of mine on the "Cobras." She had hair like the guy from the Flock of Seagulls, but it was dark brown. Spiky bangs covered most of her face. She hated high school and i wonder if she hated soccer too? She seemed perpetually enraged, but in a quiet way. To me, she was the sweetest person you could ever meet. She smoked clove cigarettes minutes before walking on the field--and then proceed to run like lighting all over the field for two 40 minute halves. Incredible.

Cassettes

I recently started taking inventory of old cassette tapes that have been sitting in an old leather case since 1995 or so. I'm either throwing them away or replacing them digitally, via i-tunes. I've found a few sentimental favorites though.

First cassette bought: Xanadu the Soundtrack
Most loved in 5th or 6th grade: Pat Benetar "Crimes of Passion"
Most worn out cassette: U2 "The Unforgettable Fire"
Totally forgotten but loved : The Sugarcubes "Life's Good"
Most played in 1988: Depeche Mode "Black Celebration"
Gift tape that I never listened to: Dirty Dancing Soundtrack
All Time Best Mixed Tape: The one by the girl from Geneva

Mixed Tapes. i've kept a few of the best recorded cassettes with clever or romantic titles. It's funny to look at the cracked plastic cases encased in dust and think that at one time, they were my life. Rather, the makers of the tapes were. Or so i led myself to believe.

Of all the mixed tapes i've received in my life, some of the best were from a boyfriend in college. Presently, he's a junior high school English/drama teacher in a Portland, Oregon. Last i heard, he's married with two or three kids. Thankfully i completely escaped that fate... living in that overgrown town, driving a minivan, being bored out of my mind... but i still love the music.

A few of the best selections:

Swingin' Party--The Replacements
The Only Thing that Shines--Shriekback
My Bag-- Lloyd Cole
Uncertain Smile--The The
It's Only Life--The Feelies
Beyond Belief--Elvis Costello
Hearbreak a Stranger--Bob Mould
The Other Way of Stopping--the Police
Soon--My Bloody Valentine
Good Good Things--Descendents
Train in Vain--The Clash
Ana Ng--They Might Be Giants
Just Like Honey--Jesus and Mary Chain
Head On--Pixies
Carolyn's Fingers--Cocteau Twins
Deep Ocean, Vast Sea--Peter Murphy

Remember the "rules" of mixed tapes? Side A was usually the warm up for the hard hitting Side B. When i say hard hitting, i'm referring to the songs that implied, "Hey i like you, you could be my next big thing..." when you felt it, but couldn't say it. You never put a song by the same artist on one side, nor right after the other by that same artist. For the exciting surprise factor you didn't list the song titles. You decorated the cover by carefully pasting images on the paper jacket thing. Mixed tapes were given within the first month of dating, not first week.

Then came the ability to create CDs. The best part of that was being able to be precise about the times of songs, to not overflow the CD, nor fall short of the space available. In the world of mixed tapes, there was always that problem of finishing Side B, but seeing that smidgen of space left on the cassette, and the horror of beginning to record a song that cuts off.

Now one can created a mixed CD in less than 3 minutes. Great, but a lot is lost because of it. In my mind, it was a relaxing and structured way of pining. All these things: searching for the perfect opening song for Side A, rewinding/forwarding, carefully printing on the cassette jacket so the ink didn't run, the joy of handing it over and receiving it, analysing lyrics, playing and re-playing...

Encore

More Lists of 3's:

Foods you’d think I love but don’t:
-Peking Duck
-Unagi Donburi (unagi anything)
-Avocado

Hidden Talents:
-Flipping a Fried Egg with smooth wrist/pan action
-Pen Twirling (ambidextrously, to boot)
-Dig Dug High Scorer

Recently purchased itunes songs:
-Happy When it Rains-- Jesus and Mary Chain
-Come Dancing-- The Kinks
-Near You Always-- Jewel

Hobbies/Interests that are SO not me:
-Gardening
-Arts and Crafts
-Antiques

Things you’d think I can’t stand but actually like:
-Vacuuming
-Hot Dogs
-Eminem

Movies you'd think i like but don't:
-Gia
-Moulin Rouge
-Bound

Matrix-like Skills I’d like to download:
-Complete Fluency in Mandarin and Spanish
-Instant and Lifelong Physical Conditioning appropriate for triathlons and soccer games
-Magic (I’d be the first Korean-Lesbian Street Magician)

Tomfoolery

So we brought the petulant Tubular One to a local dog park this past weekend. All week, she had been pouting and whining--something along the lines of "you guys never take me to the dog park anymore! It is the year of the dog now.... he-LLO!?" She then herded us into Cappy's car, and took her place... Two front paws on the middle arm rest and face forward like a captain off to sea. Cappy turned the keys to the ignition, and we were off.

We finally pull into the overflowing parking lot. At this point, the Tubular One was panting at the window and ready to jump out. The sight of all the burly Rottweilers, black labs, and Australian Sheep dogs was enough to make my eyes water and nose run. As we approached the fenced area, I tightened my grip on T.O.'s cheetah leash--could she hold her own with the big dogs?

Thankfully, we spotted a separate fenced in partition for those dogs under 30 pounds. Phew. Although our T.O. loves to flirt with big fluffy boy dogs, we thought it more appropriate for her to romp with other short-legged creatures. Less chance for an "incident." Ha.

The small dog section was awash with white fluffy puffies in pink sweaters, chihuahuas with snarls and growls, and a score of mini Yorkies playing street basketball sans street and ball. They were a tough group. I soon realised we shouldn't be be fooled by their canine duds and fashionable grooming.

Instinctively, Cappy picked up the T.O. as we surveyed the lot. Thinking it was OK, we finally placed the T.O. on the ground. We might as well have been lowering her into a shark pool. Within two seconds, she was surrounded by a collective mass of yelping fur. The T.O., on her best behavior started out with her usual play bows. Seeing that the other fluffie toughies were all about rough and tumble tomfoolery, we scooped her up again. We placed her down on a grassier patch, but no sooner, the fur gang was at her heels again.

Moral of the story: The Napoleonic syndrome is not restricted to humans. And to the Tubular One, be careful of what you wish for--you may get it...and then some!


3's here, shamelessly copied from the folks at Lunamania (1.28.06 entry). Somehow the list is limited the list to threes, so off i go...

Three books I can read over and over:
-The Material World: A Global Family Portrait
-The Journals of Dan Eldon: The Journey is the Destination
-Lonely Planet: France

Three Places I've lived:
-Near Seoul National University, Seoul Korea
-Nishi-Aizu, Japan
-Market/Guerrero S.F.

Three TV shows I love:
-6 Feet Under
-VH1's Behind the Music
-Iron Chef

Three highly regarded and recommended TV shows that I've never watched a single minute of:
-Curb Your Enthusiasm
-Weeds
-Xena the Warrior Princess

Three places I've (recently) vacationed:
-Mendocino, California
-Hilo, Hawai'i
-Lake Tahoe

Three of my favorite dishes:
-my late grandmother's nishime and chicken long rice
-chop chae
-lomi salmon, poi, and lau lau

Three sites I visit daily:
-nytimes.com
-jonathancainer.com
-imdb.com

Three places I'd rather be right now:
-Asleep and wrapped up in our 1000 thread count sheets
-Mukaitaki, Aizu-Wakamatsu, Japan
-Disneyland (in the midst of the Pirates of the Caribbean ride)

Gibberish

i'm in love with a new group. New to me that is. They're called Sigur Rós which comes from the very common girl's name Sigurrós in Iceland.

Their music is esoteric and heavenly. It's like moody Icelandic Enya meets arctic Deathcab/electronic Cowboy Junkies. Is it Canadian? Is it trip hop Bjork? Hard to pin this down. But the result is lovely.

What i find compelling about this group is that they have an unusual approach to lyrics. Apparently most of their songs are sung in Icelandic, but some are sung in an invented language called "Hopelandic." This is a kind of a "gibberish lyric that fits the music and acts as another instrument." Jónsi the singer, sings in Hopelandic to fit the melody before there are vocals.

At some point they must have decided to go with the perfectly fitting gibberish, rather than figuring out lyrics. Brilliant. And would i or anyone non-Icelandic be able to distinguish the difference of Hopelandic and Icelandic? i can't tell if Hopelandic is absurd or genius. i just think it sounds pretty wonderful.

By the way, I wonder if Elizabeth Frazier of the Cocteau Twins used some sort of Scottish gibberish--could anyone figure out what she was saying?

Cities

My Year in Cities for 2005:

Apparently someone has a blog or site where people list the cities they've been to? You're supposed to list cities you've stayed in, drive by cities don't count.

Starting point:
Oakland, California

San Francisco, California
Monterrey, California
St. Helena, California
Yountville, California
Mendocino, California
Truckee, California
Reno, Nevada
Bellevue, Washington
Hilo, Hawai'i
Beijing, China
Paris, France
Reims, France

2006 Projected:

Tokyo, Japan
Koriyama, Japan
Aizu-Wakamatsu, Japan
Niigata, Japan
Beijing, China
Hilo/Kona, Hawai'i
Seattle/Bellevue, Washington
Eugene, Oregon
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Livingston, New Jersey
Long Island, New York
New York City, New York

....by the way, i'm not yet sure what i think of the "My Year of Cities" blog. What do you think?

In a way, it makes me think of how much I don't explore my immediate surroundings. Not referring to the Bay Area, but i've been to more cities in Europe/Asia than in the U.S. Hopefully we'll get to the cities on the East Coast mentioned above. It's about time i see where my Cappy grew up and went to school.

Time

C.S. Lewis wrote about the mystery of time in a letter to a friend of his on December 23, 1950:

"Do fish complain of the sea for being wet? Or if they did, would that fact itself not strongly suggest that they had not always, or would not always be, purely aquatic creatures? Notice how we are perpetually surprised at Time. (`How time flies! Fancy John being grown-up and married! I can hardly believe it!') In heaven's name, why? Unless, indeed, there is something about us that is not temporal."

Fish are clearly at home in their environment. Perhaps our uneasinesss with time suggests that humans were not created to live in this world. In any case, we're obsessed with time. I've got book called "A Sideways Look at Time" and i've not had time to read it yet. Go figure.

But it's true--we act as if we're surprised with the passing of time. Sadly, i can say that i don't know Hilo all that well now. You know you don't know a small town when you can't suggest a good restaurant anymore. When my mom asked me where i wanted to eat, i named restaurants that had either closed or changed hands. Sad. It made me think of the Hilo that existed when i was young. The Wendy's that was a chiropractic clinic is now a Starbuck's. Roy's Gourmet became Kay's Lunch Center, but is now, "Kalbi Express."

I was reminiscing and feeling nostalgic about things i no longer see in Hilo. Reading the above bit from C.S. Lewis was reassuring--why should i be so awestruck that a town has changed much in 10-15 years since i spent so much time there?

So, rather than listing and lamenting on things gone by in Hilo, i'll list 3 semi-new things to me that i noticed:

1. The Poke Truck with their motto, "We make em' like you like 'em" (See picture above) If you're not local, or have no idea what poke is, here's a clue. We didn't stop to pick up some poke here--my dad's recipe is better than any chef in Honolulu. Actually buying poke is like the equivalent of a Baskin and Robbins employee paying for a scoop of Jamocha Almond Fudge. Dad was actually offended when i brought home some ahi poke from KTA supermarket one day. Well not totally offended, but his first comment was, "no mo enough chili pepper..."

2. On the corner near the airport, there's a drive inn that has been home to many fast food restaurants. When i was young it was Dairy Queen, then it changed to many short lived local plate lunch houses. The former DQ has finally found a well-liked resident, "Verna's." Unless you've heard about the food there, you might miss it if they didn't have their great sign that greets people at a busy four-way stop: "If no can, no can. If can, Verna's!" We got Dad an extra large grey Verna's t-shirt (with the aforementioned logo of course!) and we all recited "If No Can, No Can, If Can VERNA'S!" at various points throughout the trip. Extra points if you can decipher what their slogan means. We came up with a few variations...

3. De la Cruz ice shave truck. They stop in at the parking lot of Onekahakaha beach on weekends to serve the hungry kids tired of drinking saltwater. They sell anything from manapua, gravy burgers, rainbow ice shave, li hing mui, to hostess ding dongs. i've not seen the old Filipino couple who operate the truck in years. i was happy that we happened to be at the beach that day.

And no, i'm still not out of vacation mode. i'm still thinking about the lifeguard thing.

Waipi'o

For those of you unfamiliar with Waipi'o Valley on the Big Island of Hawai'i, it was the home of to the kings of old Hawai'i. Most of the taro that is cultivated for poi is grown in the lush valley. It takes about 2 hours to drive there from Hilo, via the small town of Honoka'a.

For all the summers i spent on the Big Island, i had never been near Waipi'o Valley. Unbelievable right? It's kind of like local people here in the Bay Area who've never been to Alcatraz. Or not. You know what i mean.

Over the holiday, we spent an entire day on horses from the Waipi'o Ridge Stables. It was my surprise treat for Cappy on her birthday. i opted for the 5-6 hour "Hidden Waterfall" ride. i know what you're thinking--5-6 hours can be dire for those unaccustomed to long hours in a leather saddle. And would Cappy thank me or hate me for such a surprise? Thankfully, we weren't on horseback for the entire time. And though we were a bit sore, it was totally worth it.

The brochure promised a wonderful "...journey along the rim of Waipi'o Valley to the top of Hi'ilawe, one of Hawaii's highest and most beautiful waterfalls." The extra special Hidden Waterfall ride promised even more wonderment: "As we ride deeper and deeper into the rainforest we encounter a series of smaller, beautiful waterfalls and secret pools. Soon it's time to tie up your horse and hike down to a very private waterfall spilling into a pristine ginger lined pool."

Cappy was assigned to the shortest horse of the bunch, Kaleo. She later described this horse as an "ornery donkey" because he failed to respond to her constant tugs on his rein. He didn't give up a single opportunity to graze on the green grass, ferns, and anything else in his path. It was basically a constant "drive through" for Kaleo.

My horse was called Roddo. He was a 20-year old horse derived from the Spanish stock of horses that first occupied Hawai'i. He was thankfully not as voracious as Kaleo. And for some reason, he decided that he would listen to me. My only complaint was that he loved to trot spontaneously which was brilliant, though painful.

The Hidden Waterfall was exactly that. We rode up the mountain and our horses waded through shallow rivers to get to it. You didn't have to dip a toe into the water to know the water was freezing. Still, there was no way we were killing ourselves for 2 hours to not swim in the "pristine ginger lined pool." Not to sound cheesy, but it was that. Though the water was arctic, it was completely refreshing. We had a picnic lunch of sub sandwiches from Blane's Drive Inn in nearby Honoka'a.

After a brief dip into the aforementioned arctic waters, we got dressed and got back on the saddle, literally. The prospect of another 2 hours back to the stables seemed fun, yet painful to my increasingly strained back.

It's funny. The whole experience seemed so cheesy and unreal, both from the brochure and the actual experience. In the moment however,it felt so normal--as if we ride through tropical forests on horseback every morning. It's odd how things feel nearly ordinary in the moment, yet totally glossy afterwards. I can easily recall the sound of the breeze weaving through the eucalyptus trees, the sound of horse hooves trudging over rocks, and the silence except for the steady footsteps of 10 horses in single file through the jungle.

Match Point

My favorite Woody Allen films are: Annie Hall, Alice, Mighty Aphrodite and Small Time Crooks. Though i wouldn't say i'm a serious fan, i appreciate his sense of humor a great deal. As far as his personal life, i can't be asked to analyze that. There has been so much buzz around "Match Point," i thought i'd check it out.

If you've not seen this film yet and/or intend to, be aware that there are some spoilers in the paragraphs below...

In my mind, the main reason that this film is being heralded so is because it offers his fans a much needed break from the usual Woody Allen experience. We're spared the whining, self-indulgent casting, and plots that are a bit too clever (e.g. Melinda and Melinda).

Frankly, the plot line is really tired. Working class guy marries into wealthy family, has an affair, but refuses to give up the life he has become accustomed to, and someone ends up dead. The conclusion is hokey yet cynical. You've seen this film before. Though, even though you recognise the story and could predict where it was going, it was still pretty riveting.

The casting was natural and fitting, especially with Jonathan Rhys-Meyers. He does a wonderful job disguising his strong Irish accent--you get the feeling he's been trying to do that his whole life. Woody Allen made London seem more appealing than it actually is, from indoors that is. Chris'apartment with Chloe was amazing, but i wondered if it was actually an office building they used as their loft just for the film.

The editing was flawless. i'm a big fan of editing that doesn't give too much away, nor leads you on too much. It's a lot like the pace of a good waiter in a fine restaurant....the perfect amount of space from the time you sit, to when you order your drinks, when the plates are brought out and cleared...

I left the film thinking about things in life that have happened out of sheer luck. Things that have seemed too outrageous to be real. And though i'd love to finish this thought, i can't seem to at the moment.

Year of the Dog

Hawai'i was wonderful...

Am putting some thoughts together--i am still wistfully processing the whole experience. Currently i feel like leaving the corporate world and becoming a lifeguard at my favorite beach in Hilo. i liked encountering pleasant and friendly drivers who would smile and wave from their cars for me to pull ahead. i liked that i could go places and people would ask my last name, and they'd know my family. i liked going to the beach every day and having the biggest decision be what kind of shave ice i was going to have that day. i'm clearly not over my vacation. More to come on that.

i can tell you about the horrendous flight over, however:

Apparently, we flew to Hawai'i on a day of a huge tropical storm. This storm was tracked across the Pacific stirring up 25 foot waves. A normal 4 hour flight turned into a 5.5 hour nightmare.

Usually turbulence has been a rough patch of clouds or wind. i grip the armrests and it's over. This time, the turbulence was intense and long-lasting. It lasted for over twenty minutes two different times. The "fasten your seatbelt" light was on for most of the flight. There was at times that eerie silence that comes when people are too scared to move. Some people screamed when the plane dipped for about five seconds, then tipped heavily to the left. i found myself wishing and praying that it would stop, and thinking at certain moments that i'd never see my family again.

At one point, the plane was silent except for a boy in the back who was talking loudly, "Dad, if the we crash will the plane protect us?" Comforting and exactly what you want to hear at 20,000 feet above the Pacific!! At one point, i realised that the experience of turbulence was quickly surpassing my fear of dentists.

We landed horribly wibbly wobbly at the Honolulu International Airport. After a comforting plate lunch, we headed to the airport bar for a much needed drink before our inter-island flight later that afternoon. Enough about this.

We have stumbled into 2006 the Year of the Dog. We're all about the dog here at pennylane productions--i am a dog and i live with a dog. Am i a dog person? If you've always associated being close to fur with not being able to breathe, i think it's difficult. i can say that i'm a dog person by fate, as those i'm close to love dogs.

Apparently, one born in the year of the dog is:

-loyal
-honest
-selfish
-stubborn
-eccentric
-trustworthy
-a good leader
-reliable
-compassionate
-anxious

We get along best with Horses, Tigers, and Rabbits.
We worry a lot.
We're good listeners.

And guess what, we're going to have a very good year.

Aloha 'oe

The last pennylane production posting for the year 2005. It's nearly midnight on December 22nd, seconds away from the very beginning of the 23rd--the day of our now 3rd take off to Hilo, Hawai'i.

i am overjoyed at the thought of Christmas morning with the two little ones filling the house with giggles and joy. That said, there is a bittersweet feeling that i no doubt will be trying to conceal.

Without going into too much explanation and detail, my grandparents house will be going up for sale in late 2006. This house where i spent every summer of my life from one years old until 22 years--will be soon reduced to a visceral memory. Goodbye to the creaky wooden floor, the tattered shoji doors, the ocean view, the intricate zodiac front door handle, the slippery orangey garage floor...

At the end of the day, or should i say, when we take our last breath of air on this planet, it matters very little what material objects we possess. Least of all what kind of house you occupied, invested, or grew up in. So it goes.

When you're a child, you feel the house you're most connected to will always be there. It never occurs to you that the wealth of your memories might not always have tangible footing in a particular room or hallway. As an adult, the memories seem to blend together powerfully into a quick film in my mind. It feels mildly devastating to think the house will soon reside solely in memory.

Here's a thought that soothes me: Perhaps one can feel OK to let go of a house when it is certain that its former inhabitants have taken flight. In that sense, i've recently seen my grandparents together laughing and happy in my dreams. I'm quite certain that they're continuing their world travels together. i think they're pretty much over the house. i hope to be as well...someday.

Positive bouyancy for this holiday season--that's my mantra.

A few songs that are tiptoeing quietly through the air here:

Misguided Angel---Cowboy Junkies
Love it when a song of theirs comes out of nowhere on the ipod shuffle. Comforting sadness.

Where's the Ocean---Toni Childs
First heard this song in 1993. It haunts me to this day. What do you see when you hear this song? i imagine a very foggy beach in the late morning or late afternoon. The time just before the sun comes up or goes down. And when i say it haunts me, it means i totally love it.

Perfect Skin---Lloyd Cole
"...she's inappropriate but she's much more fun..."

Pennylane Productions is signing off for the year but before i go:

Resolutions for 2006:

1. Eat more carbs
2. Italjet scooter (wait, that's not a resolution, but it is one less car...)
3. More acupuncture
4. More drums
5. Definitely more surfing
6. Less sneezing (see #3)

World 66

I've come across a great website allows you to create a map of all the countries you've been to in the world, in the U.S., and in Europe. This is a map that represents those countries i've visited. You can create a map of all the states you've visited, all the Canadian provinces you've visited, and all the countries in Europe you've been to. All of the countries i've been to in this image represents 14% of the world, according to World 66.

I have yet to travel to South America and Africa and would like to wholeheartedly. Top of my list: Salvador de Bahia, Brasil and Ghana, Africa. Also: Taiwan, New Zealand, Turkey, Finland, Shanghai, Ecuador, Cambodia, Belize, Honduras, the Truk Islands and the Seychelles (Anse Source d'Argent....)

To everyone i know living in different corners of the United States, Europe, and Asia --all the best for the holidays! Hope to see you in 2006 : )

Rotation

Go local:

1. Hunan Village, near the Grand Avenue Theater
Totally American Chinese--most die hard H. Villagers are non-Asians who order veggie noodles, sweet and sour chicken, and moo shu pork. What makes this one of my favorites is the fact that they make the absolute best hot and sour soup in the Bay Area. The level of spiciness tends to vary from really spicy to mild. The dishes other than the aforementioned soup are unremarkable, but you'll enjoy the ambiance here. My favorite part about Hunan Village is the owners. They've run the restaurant for 15+ years and know their regular customers by name. They've observed children grow from toddlers to high school students. Their hospitality, warmth, and friendliness is unmatched. An excellent choice for mid-week days when you're hungry but uninspired and too lazy to cook. They'll always greet you with a smile and you'll be glad you stopped in.

2. Jong Ga House, 372 Grand Avenue
The owners were part of the restaurant "Koryo Sushi" on Telegraph. Apparently once that restaurant got on its feet, the owners quietly slipped out the back door to open this one. It's located in a residential area, so you're not able to grill your kalbi. Excellent, efficient friendly service even when it gets really busy. In my past life at Mills College, i sometimes accompanied my Korean students here. They trekked here weekly and often brought their French, Taiwanese, Japanese, and Brasilian friends. My favorites: mandoo guk soup, chop chae, dolsot bi bim bap, dobu jigae, and barbeque chicken. Cappy loves the cold noodles they serve just after you order, the fried flatfish and the barbeque shrimp. Jong Ga staples: i happily use the basic Korean i know, i always think i'm seeing someone who looks just like me before i realise it's my own mirrored reflection (duh...it gets me every time), and i feel empty and lost if i don't eat here more than a few times a month.

3. Drunken Fish, 3314 Piedmont Avenue
Don't let all the bottles of sake fool you. This is a Korean joint. Those too tired to get back over the bridge on a Friday night can experience Korean freestyle sushi at it's best. Tantalizing? You have to see it to believe it: TNT roll, Shrek roll, Mexican Roll, Titanic roll. Avoid all the "Japanese" entrees, miso soup, and most appetizers. Go right for the obnoxious and inappropriate rolls that double as food art. I mean this endearingly. Where else can you check out the REI bridge and tunnel lesbian fashion (so sexy) as you ponder the architecture of the Titanic roll you just bravely ordered. Please say you hear the sarcasm and yes, i'm so going straight to hell. Forget about quick service--just don't order your mini-monstrosities all at once. Once you accept the uncommon mixtures...avocado with spicy tuna deep fried with salmon and teriyaki sauce--you can then really enjoy it. Just don't bring/go with your Japanese friends straight off the jet. Or do...you'll be amused with their subtle derisive glances at the Shrek roll dropped off at the table next to you. You can remind them that they do put CORN on pizza and stuff potato salad in sandwich buns.

4. Los Cantaros Taqueria, down the street from Jong Ga House on Grand Avenue
This is the new tacqueria that opened up just down the street from Jong Ga House. Apparently, this space has been about four or five restaurants in the last fifteen years. We think they've finally created a keeper. Not bad: Veracruz salad, chicken mole, chips/salsa, homemade tamale specials, enchiladas, and sopes. Take out is a good option on busy nights. It's not Pancho Villa in the Mission, or La Corneta in Glen Park, but the food is fresh and the people are friendly.

5. Full House Cafe, 3719 MacArthur Boulevard
In my humble opinion, Full House is the best breakfast cafe in Oakland. They do ordinary things really well. Best breakfast items: cornmeal pancakes, pecan waffles, huevos rancheros, chicken/beet scramble, and their above average diner coffee. Also, their fabulous grits is an alternative to house potatoes and fruit. And they make bacon extra crispy if you request it. The best part about Full House is the diverse group of people. Gay/straight families, young hipsters, chatty old school war vets, artists, hung over Mills students, etc. Note: hit up an ATM first. It's a cash only joint.

There are others i've probably forgotten. i'm only listing reasonable quick go to places when we're hungry but can't be asked to put something together at home. In a future blog, i'll list all of my favorite restaurants in the Bay Area and beyond. Or maybe i'll list a few now:

1. Bouchon -Yountville
2. Chenery Park-Glen Park
3. B44- Belden Lane
4. Gombei- San Jose Japantown
5. Koryo Sushi-Berkeley
6. Saul's Deli -Berkeley
7. Pomelo -Snowy Valley The Cuban Fried Rice plate absolutely.
8. Jeanty at Jack's The "Soft Boiled Egg and Escarole Salad with a Warm Bacon Vinaigrette" is to DIE for. Again and again.

Zap

i'm waiting for cappy to finish something on her computer so we can get going here. The time thing still doesn't work on my blog but i can reveal that it's early Friday evening and we're off very soon. i will stop writing when it's time to go.

Totally self-indulgent quirky lazy jibberish:

-i like seeing Christmas movies when it's nowhere near Christmas, and not so much when we're in the midst of the holidays

-i love eating dried mango. The big bags from Cebu at Costco are my new favorite thing

-Arizmendi pizza with yams, purple onions, goat cheese, and pecans is divine. Unforgettable.

-i admit that i would like to see Coldplay in concert. i found out that Chris Martin and i share the same birthday. A singing Pisces elf. And i don't care if they're overproduced, overly serious, insufferable, annoying, and loved by kids in high school. Ugh. i love their music. Chris Martin has a slight lisp, have you noticed that?

-Great Christmas memory: Waking up when i was 7 or 8 and seeing a new Barbie Townhouse fully set up in my room. It would have been nice to unwrap it, but it was a spectacular thing to wake up to.

-If i could zap myself anywhere in the world today, i'd go here: Mukaitaki (minus the sakurasashi and koi...) Zap, zap, zap!! Not working.

P.S. Special shout out to my Kiwi friend Graham in Fukushima-shi. Stay warm and enjoy some Tohoku ramen for me!

Sounds

What is that sound? That similar guitar line, that new wave pop sound, it's so familiar. Who does it remind me of? A little research shows that everything comes back to the Beatles.

So let's start with my new favorite band, the Killers....

The Killers were influenced by Duran Duran, who were influenced by Blondie, who was influenced by David Bowie who was influenced by the Beatles...

Same as above for the below:

Yeah Yeah Yeahs---Blondie---David Bowie---the Beatles
Franz Ferdinand---Joy Division---David Bowie---the Beatles
Arcade Fire---David Bowie---the Beatles

If i were in a band today, i'd say my influences are:

Duran Duran, This Mortal Coil, The Beloved, Crowded House, and New Order. What kind of sound would that be? Moody dance music that is best enjoyed behind the wheel or while twirling at home with a glass of wine. Of course withe the glass of wine set down before pre-twirling... Like i'd be in a band again--but why not, life is too short to not do what you love. Right now i love the drums. Right now i love many things.

Recent favorite songs:

All These Things That I've Done--The Killers
Maps --Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Reptilia --The Strokes

i absolutely love The Killers these days. i've not liked a new group this much since i discovered the Postal Service. And i've not liked a singer like the groovy Korean girl Karen O. (of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs) since i first heard Hope Sandoval a long while ago.

Note:
Somehow the time function is not/hasn't been working properly on my blog. i have no idea what time will appear below...