Rain

It's completely blustery here in the San Francisco Bay Area. I love it. Surely it is the Pacific Northwest that lives in me. I love that sharp and crisp cold. I love razor edged mountains lined with snow. I love wearing scarves and floppy warm hats. Having said that, I've been in California long enough to appreciate breaks of sun in the winter. Grey skies will always be comforting.

Sometimes I wish I could look out at this sort of scene (see photo)--and spend my days sipping green tea, reading, writing, napping, warming my legs under a kotatsu...feeling peaceful. I miss that part of my life in Japan. The simplicity and the dreaminess. The friendships that kept my heart warm through the 3-meter snow winters. I was happy to visit those good friends earlier this month. This photo was taken from our room at the Mukaitaki in Aizu-Wakamatsu. What I would give for an hour in the spa baths about right now, just before going to bed.

Sometimes I wish I could spend my days as a lifeguard at Onekahakaha Beach in Hilo, Hawai'i. Responsible for very little. The big thing of my day would be to remember sunscreen and figure out what kind of bento I would eat for lunch. There is no doubt that Cappy and I will be retiring there. She will be writing the novel of her dreams. I will be blogging and cooking for our family. We'd sit on our veranda eating freshly picked lychee. We'll have picnics on Coconut Island with our friends and families. I am looking forward to those days. They are still quite far away.

Presently, my life has become robust as I'm settling into the rhythm of 2008. Cappy and I have joined a triathlon training team with the incredible ladies at See Jane Run. Spring semester has brought cheer back into my life. I'm finally seeing tracks on the road. In other words, my dissertation is taking shape--in my mind at least. In other news, one of my favorite couples has just become engaged. They're in Tokyo now, but soon off to Sydney and Sweden. My best childhood friend is recovering from chemotherapy. And lastly, a good friend and I have hatched a plan to create the community that we seek.

I will certainly return to my normal snarkiness tomorrow, but for now I feel thankful and light...

Spring Semester

Catch up:

I'm back in the world of quantitative vs. qualitative research, dreaming of international education conferences, $100 textbooks, study breaks, and classmates... I find school to be the perfect antidote to my annoyances with work. I find the excitement of this past week's departmental meeting to be as fun as a night out in a club. My desire for late night or mid-afternoon clubbing has been temporarily quelled. Although, my association with clubs has been tarnished forever (in a good way, really) In any case, I was honestly quite happy at school this past weekend.

I've recently re-connected with some great friends this past month, both here in the States and abroad. The fact that we've not seen each other for over ten years, or have become too busy in the last few years to hang out reminds me of what I cherish the most--those with whom I share significant context. Those kindred spirits and their incredibly open, intelligent, and generous minds and spirits....

I'm hanging on to these last few days of January. I have a good feeling about 2008. For me. And you.

Poetry for the Day:

High is our calling, Friend!--Creative Art
(Whether the instrument ofwords she use, Or pencil pregnant with ethereal hues,)
Demands the serviceof a mind and heart.

-William Wordsworth (1770-1850)

Nishi-Aizu

Here is a lovely and familiar view of Nishi-Aizu, Japan--the town where I lived from 1993-1995. This was taken from the local Banetsu line that trundles all the way to Niigata. I had forgotten how gorgeous it is up in the north.

I spent so many hours gazing out at this landscape. Through four seasons, through trips back and forth to Tokyo--always with a box of Salad Pretz and a can of green tea. I was either happy to be leaving to a place of anonymity or relieved to be coming back where everyone knew me. Or rushing back thinking I had left my iron on atop my 6 tatami floor. Though rushing is a bit of a stretch, considering there were times that I thought I could run faster than the local train.

This return to Nishi-Aizu was very special since with Cappy by my side. We arrived at the Nozawa stop at 11.45 in the morning. We stepped out onto the familiar station platform and lugged our suitcases up the stairs and across to the other side. I had worried about what we'd do with these heavy monstrosities while walked about the town. Thankfully, the station attendant agreed to store our suitcases and backpack. It was a huge relief.

On this day, the skies were their usual grey, melted snow ran along the side gutters, and the familiar chilly air stung my ears. We walked through the narrow streets. I pointed out the cow that lived down the street from me, my old homestay house, my apartment, the space where I parked my scooter, and my friend Chieko's AC Club. It was the only bar in town with Guinness on draught and real Italian spaghetti. No big deal, except it was one of 3 or 4 restaurants that I went to on a regular basis. Does 7-11 count as a restaurant, though?

The highlight of the day was visiting the nursing home where I used to volunteer. After ten years, I wasn't sure any of the residents that I helped would still be there. Thankfully, I met one of them. When we entered the main dining room, I saw a woman sitting in a wheelchair just in front of the door. "Oh my god, Aiko Suzuki?!" I was amazed-- and the nurse was surprised that I remembered her name. Suzuki-san is now 96 and still had the same caring eyes and bright smile. When asked if she remembered me, she smiled and nodded her head. I used to wheel her out from her room to the dining room. She'd utter questions and tell me stories....I'd just look at her and shake my head--totally not getting what she was saying. She'd just laugh and keep on talking to me.

We made it back to the station in time for the 3.23 train. I knew that the sentiment of this day would be realised and cherished at a later time, but felt the beginning of it as Cappy and I waited on the platform. When asked how I felt about returning, all I could think about was how small it seemed. The town seemed as if I had been looking at it from a bird's eye view. I clearly remember not really being able to see beyond the pine tree borders and mini-mountains back in '93-'95. I guess that is a thing of age and subsequent life experience.

Being in Nishi-Aizu was certainly a nice break from the concrete mega watt land of Tokyo. Although I was deeply satisfied for having re-connected with a few people, I was equally thrilled to be departing. Back when I was 23, I was open to anything. You'll have to do a homestay for one month. OK. Live here. Sure. Work here. Sure. Shop here. OK. Eat lunch in this room today. Sure. Teach a class every Monday night here. OK.

Within minutes of heading down the tracks, my town was already fading away once more. This time, as the train pulled out of Nozawa station, I felt an amazing sense of freedom.

Bump of Chicken

Are you kidding me? Bump of Chicken is a rock band that has set out to "change the history of rock and roll." Who knew that such a monumental transformation may come from a band of thin Japanese dudes from Chiba?

So why Bump of Chicken? Is it an extension of their rebellion to deliberately mashup the English language? I mean, who really owns English anyway? Not the native speakers, I can guarantee you.

What kills me is that the misuse of English is intended--that their self-love surpasses the desire for a familiar and appropriate use of English.

This band name is perplexing to me as Ruth's Chris Steakhouse. Ruth's what?! Who is Chris, does he/she belong to Ruth? Jesus Christ.

Tokyo

The rumors are true...

Penny and Cappy are braving the skies bound for Tokyo, Japan. This trip marks Cappy's first time in the Land of the Rising Sun. I've not been back in ten years. In 1997, I was climbing the steep hills of Itaewon much too often and eating chili and rice at Korean Wendy's--longing for Hawai'i. In late April of '97, I was able to pop over to Saitama for a women's weekend, as well as a quick trip up to my old junior high school in Nishi-Aizu, Japan.

We leave tomorrow and arrive on the afternoon of New Year's eve.

I know I'm not as young and limber as I was in 1993, but we'll try to push through the pain of the whirlwind week and a half that I've planned.

No matter what--the jetlag and sleep deprivation, density, lights, and cigarette smoke will all be worth it once we're dipping our toes into the hotspring waters at Mukaitaki...

Globalization

Globalization is often misappropriated. Too many people equate globalization with internationalism, or worse, multiculturalism.

My two thoughts on globalization for today:

1. The 58,000 gallon oil spill in the San Francisco Bay Area is just one more collision between the environment and the unfettered capitalism of a global economy. They say that the oil will never be cleaned up.

2. Globalization is the ability for an isolated individual in his mid-20's to acquire the financial power of a state, if not country. Yes, I'm speaking of the 50+ billion dollar mind of Facebook. A young American white man in his mid 20's.

Who knew that social networking would be the new General Motors? Perhaps we can all start discussing how we'll deal with the ineviable environmental migration. We brag about our generators, SUV hybrids, and bottled water as we prepare for the mass migration to Alaska or Iceland. Both of which should be near tropical in 20 years...

Catch Up

Hello my dwindling readership,

I've cut over to MySpace, Yelp, and LinkedIn....and have thusly reneged on my regular blog duties.

Headlines:

-Cappy and I are heading to the concrete metropolis of Tokyo, Japan after the New Year. Our New Year plans are non-existent. Hopefully there will be some savory vending machine options. We land at 4pm on Dec.31. Our plans include a quick download of Tokyo offerings, a trip to Fukushima prefecture and possibly a venture southward to Hiroshima. Must get going on the planning side of things...

-Am back in the world of libraries, reading lists, and long hours in the classroom. I am thoroughly enjoying school, my classmates, and everything I'm reading. It is true that as you get older, you certainly have a smaller window of time for maximum brain effectiveness. I am currently negotiating this theory while balancing full-time work. So far, I do not have a headache every day as I did the first week of class...

-Am training for a mini-triathlon. My brother and Cappy tell me that 400 yards for the swimming portion equals about 16 laps in the pool. Thankfully I've been pushing it for 20 laps (where one lap is up/back the 25 yard width of the pool). The triathlon sprint is not until Spring 2008, but am trying to get my cardio sorted out way before then.

-My brother and his family have adopted a 4 year old Dalmatian called "Lady." Apparently, she loves the kids, loves sleeping, and seems very happy to have been rescued from her former life. She was a breeder of tiny black and white fur balls. Now, she seems content with wearing beads and various accessories applied by her new 9-year-old sister.

I must go but before I do, I will leave you w/some links:


Keeping One's Word in the 20th Century:
http://www.threecupsoftea.com/

It's horrific yet true:
http://www.iabolish.org/


Yours truly,
Penny

San Diego

This restores my faith in the presence of humanity in politicians--those with the courage to stand behind their beliefs:

http://cbs5.com/video/?id=26888@kpix.dayport.com

Quite moving, refreshing, and restorative.

Back to School

So I'm an official student. The honeymoon of the orientation and first class has worn off. I'm now a doctoral student at the University of San Francisco.

I love it so far, but I've had a headache for 3 days straight! What is happening!?! Cappy tells me that it's normal--I'm clearly not used to academic reading and thinking.

A comparison:
My mind is like a soccer player who hasn't been on the pitch for ages but has kept up jogging for fitness. Turning years of on/off jogging into strenuous fits and starts for professional soccer is proving to be a situation. But not one that I can't overcome.

It's the making money part that gets in the way, really.

In my Master's program, I was working part-time. I had entire days that I could spend at the library and 3 hour evening classes as opposed to four hour Saturdays twice a month.

Nevertheless, I feel alive.

Gombei

Have been seriously craving good Japanese food for a while now. For those of you who know me well, you know I go through particular food cravings.

Sometimes it's a streak of peanut butter and jelly sandwich dinners. Or more recently, Rice Crispies cereal with sliced banana.

Lately, it has been Japanese food. And I'm not talking sushi, but regular teishoku. A well balanced tray of starch, soups, a side dish, and a main dish that my grandma used to make.

Living in Oakland, you've got your choice from various Korean or Chinese "sushi" restaurants. Not a hater, but TNT rolls with extra Korean spicy tuna in the middle and baked salmon on top is NOT sushi. And the local Cantonese speaking guys rocking the hachimakis are definitely spirited and slap together a "Shrek" roll with the best of them, but... I always leave feeling filled, but not full.

OK, but I can deal. I know i'm not in the middle of Ginza. However, i recently had an experience that drove me to near disapparation to the middle of the Tokyo metropolis.

The happening went down like this:

So it's a weeknight and Cappy and I are in a huff about nothing. Read: extreme hunger. We pull up to a local "sushi" place, knowing full well it's farm team sushi and nothing like the real deal.

Firstly, this place is filled with various Asian ethnicities, Latin, African-American, Caucasian, you name it. Don't strain your eyes looking for Japanese people because they are not here and would seriously catch hell if they ever did end up here....

We ordered the Lambada Roll. I know, I know, I know... What was the essense of the Lambada you ask? Spicy tuna and salmon slathered with avocado and tobiko. It was filling, yet unappealing. Kind of like how people can be totally attractive yet revolting at the same time? Like that. Delicious yet wrong.

But this was the worst part. I ordered tendon. As you know, tendon is supposed to be tempura sitting atop a bowl of rice, with that lovely tendon sauce drizzled over the top. What arrived at my table certainly resembled tendon. But there was no sauce!? No big. Just need to ask for the tendon sauce and all will be well.

I managed lure a Korean server over to our table. I probably had the look of one who had accidently rubbed wasabi in my eyes. She comes over and I say, "I think they forgot to put the tendon sauce here." She then gives me a puzzled look, as if to say, "Are you really wearing gym clothes in my dining room?" She got the question however, and shuffled away with the same puzzled expression.

At this point, I'm thinking I'm not going to get any sauce at all. It's not going to happen. Or, she'll come back with apologies saying that it's been a busy night and she rushed out the dish. No problem, I'd say. I'm not about to cause any trouble, you see.

I look up 3 minutes later and she's walking my way holding a small bowl. I'm all happy because i'm thinking "self-drizzle!" But as she set the small bowl down, i realise, it's tempura sauce!?!?

I spent the rest of the dinner miserably dipping my super sized tempura veggies into a bowl of tempura sauce that had been seriously ladled with ginger. Case in point: the carrot piece resembled those gigantic pink erasers we used in elementary school. Remember those? They had the toughness of a bar of soap and made mincemeat of that news sheet paper we used for penmanship practice....

Again, not a hater but this experienced just ramped up my authentic Japanese food craving tenfold.

Yesterday with a lot of happiness and high expectations, Cappy and I were able to make our quarterly pilgrimage to our favorite Japanese restaurant in San Jose. Gombei is a life saver. It is my years in Tohoku and years of my grandmother's cooking all in one little cafe.

I had some perfectly grilled hamachi teriyaki, Sendai style miso soup, pumpkin croquettes, tsukemono, rice and salad. Cappy was without words for her stuffed aburage, sashimi, miso soup, salad, and rice.

The flavors, the small dishes, the shoyu/mirin taste, the perfectly fluffy yet sticky rice...

All was well in my world.

Bliss

Feast your eyes on chicken laulau, fried rice, and tsukemono from Kuhio Grille in Hawai'i. Yum! I wish I had taken more pictures like this of various meals from all of my favorite restaurants. Clearly, I was too involved with the eating process to get the camera out.

Highlights:

Late nights with my mom indulging her Korean drama craze. This time it was "My Lovely Sam-Soon." I realised it is not just my mom. All of her friends are totally hooked on Korean dramas--viewed at high volume and sometimes consecutively until early morning. Swimming with the kids at Onekahakaha Beach, Itsu's ice shave, Coconut Island, karaoke and Hawaiian puupuus (appetizers) Hilo style at Bamboo Garden, catching up with relatives and old friends, fireworks, a day at the Hilton Waikoloa, Tex's Malasadas, etc.

Will probably write more about this trip in the week to come.

What wonders a week under the Hilo sunshine has done....

Hilo

To the right you can catch a 1964 glimpse of Hapuna Beach on the Big Island of Hawai'i. Not much has changed, however--unless you count the ginormous Hapuna Prince Hotel that now resides up the hill from the beach. Hapuna is one of the few white sand beaches on the island. And that is not necessarily a bad thing. Let the tourists flock to Maui and Waikiki, I say...


Good news: We'll be driving up to the "Poke Truck" in Hawai'i in less than 24 hours! This will be our fourth trip to Hilo together. That means in the five years Cappy and I have been together, we've gone "home" once a year. We missed Hawai'i in 2006, but I'm sure we'll make up for lost time.


Thankfully, we can now fly directly from Oakland to Hilo without catching Honolulu airport's Wiki Wiki to the inter-island terminal. That means we leave here around 4pm and arrive in Hilo close to 7pm. Brilliant.

Although i've been looking forward to the trip, it will be the first time since I was an infant that I've not stayed in my grandparent's house. It's now on the market and my parents have new digs. I know it's ultimately just a structure of wood and stone, but I have a bittersweet feeling about it all. It's extremely hard for me to imagine anyone else peering out to Hilo bay from my grandparent's deck, or seeing other cars parked in the driveway. My parents' new place is up the street. I've already promised myself that I'll close my eyes as we pass by the old house. Not meaning to be melodramatic, but it's the only structure in this world where I feel entirely safe.

Am looking forward to:

-Spending time with the niece and nephew.
They're currently enrolled in Level 3 basic swimming classes at the YWCA. Read: transitioning from dog paddle to the basic crawl. Hopefully my nephew won't have too many "time outs" this year.

-The aforementioned "Poke Truck."
Apparently a local guy prepares a few different kinds of poke, loads up his truck, and parks next to the KTA supermarket. My dad (a poke expert) claims that the Poke Truck's garlic ahi tuna poke is to die for.

-Sharing my slide to dvd (and jpeg) project.
As you know, (from what I've said and written) I've spent TONS of hours on this project. I really look forward to sharing it with my parents. You probably know this if you've been talking to me recently but I've had 2800 slides scanned and converted to jpeg. Then I chose 500 select images, compiled a soundtrack, and had a DVD made. My mom claims that she may not make it through the entire DVD. I know what she means. I cried a lot putting this project together. I'm at the point now where I've seen the images so many times, that I can watch it as if I'm watching an episode of Top Chef.

-Swimming at Onekahakaha Beach with the kids.
In the slides, particulary from 1971-1974, there are a lot of images of my brother and I being held up in the water by our parents and grandparents. Now things have evolved---now we're the ones swimming with the kids, sitting on the very same steps, standing under the same brackish water shower...

-Seeing my childhood friend Teri and her new baby, Ryder
With Teri and her friends I: bought my first bottle of vodka at 17, had my first taste of Hawaiian pakalolo, drove without a license behind the sugar cane fields near Hilo Hospital, and attended YWCA's Summer Fun Camp. The memories.

I can go on here but the dog needs to be walked, things need to be packed, etc.

Aloha.

Quiz

Hey now, it's time for a quiz of sorts!

The topic is: IKEA product or Cirque du Soleil show? Here's how it works, I'll call out a word, and you shout out "Cirque du Soleil!" Or "IKEA!"

Ready? Go!

1. Nouba
2. Kooza
3. Inreda
4. Ka
5. Fira
6. Agerum
7. Mandal
8. Varekai

The things that pass through your mind on a Friday afternoon....

Chapeau!

For our anniversary a few weeks ago, we tried Chapeau!. It is now officially one of my favorite French restaurants in the city. I want to bring all of my friends here one by one, two by two, whatever it takes until everyone I know can recall the designs of the faded yellow Provence-like murals on the wall.

The warm hospitality, the succulent and delicate flavors, the quaint and down to earth ambiance, the passion of the host/chef, the superb service--what else is there to say? I'm in love.

I had the mesclun salad with warm brie and walnut pain, salmon with spinach, lentils, tomato, prawns and mussels, and a heavenly praline cake. Cappy had oysters, the day boat scallop appetizer, monkfish with lobster risotto, and a trio of sorbets. All were wonderful, not overpowering, heartwarming and delicious.

Phillipe (host/chef/sommelier) greeted us heartily upon our arrival, and sent us off with kisses. He's a passionate French man who has been known to chase down people blocks away just to thank people.

Aqua (SF) is like the fabulous one night stand with a rock star---one who is unattainable, not one you'd not settle down with, but will always stand out in your mind. But Chapeau! is the one you fell in love with, the one who became your best friend as well as lover--and best of all, being with them is the promise of a lifetime of one night stands.


Go to Chapeau! to recall your French holidays, indulge yourselves, and remember not only what good French food is all about, but also how it should be enjoyed. Also, the $25 early bird prix fixe is not a bad option for a weeknight or Sunday...

Under the Weather

I've been sick for 6 days straight now. It's to the point where I've forgotten what it is like to have energy for my own life. I don't mean to sound overly melodramatic, but it's true. Haven't you been so sick before that it completely knocks you down? I literally can't imagine what it's like to have had the energy to get all the way to S. San Francisco, work all day, come back, go to the gym, and still have energy to cook dinner?

Climbing stairs at home has been a Herculean effort. And if you've been here, you know that we have about 5-6 stairs leading to the loft. The dog has even been looking at me with her eerily humanlike "What's wrong with you?" look.

Being sick is almost like a vacation, but sleeping in your own bed, and no change of scenery. My wonderful Cappy has been running here and there for medication and juice, making me homemade chicken soup with tofu, and that sort of thing. I've picked up a book that I've been meaning to read for a very long time, am catching up on my New Yorker issues, am staring at the walls, sleeping...

In the sense of vacation, I mean that it's a severe mental break from work. I'm also finding myself missing every day things I used to enjoy. Meeting and catching up with good friends, going to the gym, shopping for groceries, seeing movies. I feel like I'm grounded.

Am not feeling sorry for myself, though it seems as such. I just am feeling really compounded by this lack of mobility. It could be much worse.

This past week has made me realise how tough it would be to not be able to live a life that is right before me. And I know this cough, fever, lung infection and lethargy will eventually fade away.... but it makes me sad for those who are afflicted with diseases that won't ever go away.

Dr. Jack Kevorkian has recently been released. I'm one who never felt he deserved to go to jail. It's sad that his assistance with the patient with Lou Gehrig's disease set off a controversy that blamed him for suggesting no other alternative for those afflicted with ALS.

I've never been close to the debilitative effects of any serious disease, and for that I am lucky and I hope to continue to be lucky. But I do feel that if it got to the point where my life didn't measure up for me, I would love the freedom to take control of my life. Inevitably, Kervorkian says that many who know they have the freedom to take their own lives, are imbued with more energy to fight their illness.

Thankfully Oregon gets it. And I really miss Track Town Pizza from Eugene. The best west coast pizza. Have got a serious pizza craving. Arinell in Berkeley or Track Town. Yummy. I must be feeling slightly better.

Disney

Disneyland and Universal Studios with the kids was just as you'd expect. It was absolultely wonderful, exciting, and full of laughter. It made me think feel that I want my own kids. Almost.

Here's an image of our hotel. It was a 5-minute walk from our hotel room to the Disney turnstiles. This hotel also has a child friendly rooftop pool. It was perfect for a mid-afternoon swim break before returning to Disneyland for the night.

Being a quasi-parent for the weekend granted us exclusive yet temporary membership to a club that I didn't know existed. Or rather, one that I knew existed but one that I never wanted to join. The club I'm referring to is the society of parenthood.

As i looked around, many phrases started to make sense: "I'm going to count to 10," "Please keep your hands to yourself," and all of the strategies necessary to negotiate with young kids.

Am I ready to give up the freedom of downtime anytime and relatively clean food/toy free floors? Maybe I am creeping more towards a resounding yelp of "yes!" Rather than feeling stressed out and overly burdened, I actually liked being responsible for two young ones.

I know that one weekend is not nearly a true test of one's parental metal, but I know now that it's becoming more and more appealing. What I loved most about this weekend was listening to laughter--pure and in the moment joy.

My nephew's favorite rides: Pirates of the Caribbean and the Haunted Mansion. He didn't like Indiana Jones at all, but loved Buzz Lightyear's Asto Blasters. My niece loved Indiana Jones and the Jungle Cruise. I know we could have shown them Disney California--but it's hard to be enthusiastic about that part of the park. It's kind of like suddenly rooting for a team like the Arizona Diamondbacks or the Carolina Panthers. Don't know them, they weren't around when I was young...

Notes on Disneyland:

-Splash Mountain re-opened after what seemed like years of refurbishment. After a grand debut, it promptly broke down again. Sad kids and an almost sadder Auntie : (

-The hairdo of teens and tween boys these days, or at least in Southern California, is a shaggy long mop. I wonder when the super coiffed Spandau Ballet hair will make its comeback? Maybe by the time my nephew is 14... I'm crossing my fingers.

-The Disneyland Railroad was out of operation. No cheesy dinosaurs between Fantasyland and Tomorrowland. Boo.

-The new and improved Space Mountain more than exceeded my expectations. The lights are digitally coordinated with the twists and turns. You actually feel like you're in space.

-Tomorrowland is much more alive with the opening of Space Mountain. The re-surfacing of the Finding Nemo Submarines will bring more vivacity to that area. It has been so depressing on trips past when Space Mountain was being refurbished and Nemo was in its conceptualization phase.

-Cinderella's Castle was much smaller than I remembered it. Perhaps I've seen too many images of Neuschwanstein castle...

I would love a special VIP tour of Disneyland:

-The interior of Space Mountain and Indiana Jones with the lights on.

-The basketball court inside the Matterhorn

-Walt Disney's apartment in Cinderella's Castle and Club 336 (New Orleans Square)

-Architectural tour of Pirates of the Caribbean. How many floors does it occupy? How does the water recycle within the ride? Are there any special rooms off the ride path?

I'd seriously love to quit my job and become a Disney Imagineer. I'd love to put my efforts towards something that brings joy and happiness to hundreds and thousands. If I worked at Disney, I always wanted to work the Pirates ride--for the costumes. But I also think it would be fun to operate Peter Pan.

Clearly, I'm in a post-Disney state of mind.

Update

Pennylane Productions--or the promise of it--has left the stratosphere. In comes the reign of Liliou from a land of waking sentiment, cynicism, and dreams. All PP posts remain as originally posted. And no animals were harmed in this transition--if you don't count the Tubular One's emotional neglect around people food.

Liliou is:

-unapologetic and true
-corn dogs not hot dogs
-forest moss
-Aizu and Akaka Falls
-double dipping

Why the change? All signs point to my Scorpio rising propensity for psychic regeneration. For the past 3 months, I've been re-directed, rejuvenated, and inspired by new things in my life.

In any case, we're very excited about our upcoming trip with the niece and nephew. Apparently my nephew Ryan has been waking up everyday telling my brother, "Bye Dad, I'm going to Disneyland." The concept of time is a tough concept for this little guy to grasp. He lives in the here and now. Next week, the following week, two days from now just doesn't make enough sense.

Being a huge Disneyland fan, I've had a lot of fun planning our trip. I've got our fastpass strategy down, and am thisclose to planning out an attraction schedule. I've found the perfect hotel. I've put more planning time into this trip than trips Cappy and I have taken. Rather than being spontaneous, I've had to plan out certain things. There are obvious considerations to be made when traveling with kids. However, I have stopped short at the risk of scaring not only Cappy, but also myself. There is nothing scarier and more suffocating than having a schedule that maps out each hour of the next four days.

As far as the child-friendly considerations:

All necessities (and perceived necessities) have been purchased: handiwipes, snacks, tiny ziplock baggies for the snacks, tickets, Disney scrapbook, sun lotion for kids, etc. Many questions have been asked/answered. Is it OK to bring a 7-year old into the ladies room? What do they like to eat for breakfast? What will their energy level be like at 10.30 pm? Would the Jurassic Park ride at Universal Studios be too scary? Which kid likes raw vegetables but not cooked vegetables? Do they like Mexican food?

Both kids have been to Tokyo Disneyland/Disney Sea a few times, but I still think Disneyland Anaheim is better. There are six rides and churros stands that don't exist at T.D. Or maybe they do have churros, but I don't remember.


In any case, the fun starts in less than 24 hours!

List

Things that I've been craving lately:

1. A corn dog
2. Higashiyama onsen
3. AC/DC
4. Strawberry milk
5. Hearing the creaking floors of the Hilo house
6. Diving into the pool in Mtn. View

Playlist:

1. Rene and Akemi Paulo's "Here is Happiness"
2. Kitaro "Island of Life"
3. Elvis "Stuck on You"
4. Nat King Cole "That Sunday, That Summer"
5. Bing Crosby "Swinging on a Star"
6. Cocteau Twins "For Phoebe Still a Baby"

New Nicknames for the Tubular One (though she's no longer tubular):

1. Mistique
2. Fat Rabbit
3. Little Marsupial

Great Films I've recently seen:

1. Little Children
2. My Architect
3. Curse of the Golden Flower
4. The Painted Veil

Cappy and I did a brisk 3.5 mile hike this last weekend--albeit sneezing all the way. I can't seem to find 2 minutes of non-sneezing between 7.30-10 on most mornings. Seriously, the Bay Area has gotten much worse for asthmatics!

Two Bits

Lately:

-MacArthur Maze Meltdown
Literal meltdown. For those of you not in the Bay Area, this happened. I know it won't last long, but my commute this morning was probably the best ever. Many people took public transportation or worked from home today--whatever the case, my commute was about 35 minutes, both ways. A friend told me that the lower deck of the Bay Bridge was stopped up on Friday night due to another truck that crashed and was on fire.

-New Ringtone
I got tired of the Monk's chanting every time a call came in. I've now got my ringer set to AC/DC's Back in Black. I think "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap" may have been the first, or one of the first, cassettes I ever bought. Totally call me, I love hearing those first guitar lines...

-Great film: Children of Men
Loved it, so much so that I am now reading the novel. And this is not a typical thing in Penny's world. Watching the film, then reading the book, I mean. Warning: don't watch the film and special features in one sitting. You'll know what I'm talking about when you've got the DVD at home with you.

-Furikaki
I've always loved this Japanese condiment, but I've loved it especially last week. Had an ochazuke fit which perfectly suited me last week. Another bout of the flu. Yes, again.

-Sistas in the Pit
Cappy and I had a party recently. The lead singer/guitarist was in the house (she's dating a good friend of mine). I had no idea that she is a well-known DJ, nor that she was musical. I thought she had cool hair and really liked the party games we played. Anyway, I think this group rocks. They describe themselves as the love child between Jimi Hendrix and Sade. Brilliant.

Have a great week.

Project

I've taken on a project of monumental proportions...

What is it?

In a downstairs closet at my parents' house, there is now a large empty space. Until March 2007, 33 slide boxes from 1964-1976 occupied two large shelves in that closet. Each box was featured titles such as: "College Days," "Summers in Hawai'i," "Trip to Montreal" "Summer 1976," etc. Back in the day, 35 mm slides were all the rage. Over the years, my dad broke out the slide projector one or two times so we've not seen all the slides in years.

My parents' 43rd anniversary is coming up this summer so I thought it would be a great present to have all slides converted to DVD. So now, after many hours and a borrowed light box from my friend/co-worker, i've now got the slides into 58 stacks of 50 slides. It has been a tremendous effort. Am now finding the energy to compile the accompanying soundtrack. Thus far, I've gathered tracks by: Bing Crosby, the Flamingos, Nat King Cole, Rene and Akemi Paulo, Dean Martin, Elvis, the Beatles, etc. Once this is complete, i'll be ready to send the box off to here, in Utah.

It has been interesting to see my parents' photos from their early years--in other words, the days before my brother and I came along. They had a full life before we came along--why would they not!? But still, it's interesting to hold up images of your parents lives pre-kids. Why would I imagine that life began for them when we arrived? They were like any other young married couple--starting new jobs, buying their first home, hosting New Years parties, taking silly pictures of each other, taking care of a dog...

The baby shots of my brother and I are untraditional. There are no shots of a mother cradling a red and shrivelled newborn and celebrations amongst balloons and cigars. No pictures of a proud papa posing on the side of a hospital bed.

Our baby pictures showed a different kind of slideshow--the first of the series shows my parents posing in front of the airport, next you see an airplane rolling into the gate, then traveler's aide workers carrying babies and toddlers, and finally, big smiles of the new parents who've just been handed over their new babies.

Hopefully, i'll get these slides ready to be sent out by the end of this week