The life and times of an island girl in the Big Apple

what scared me to juicing

2012-01-10T11:35:00.001-05:00

I watched this movie and it scared me to juicing. you should watch it. the part that had me was the trucker. the movie speaks for itself.

Juice

2012-01-09T18:47:00.002-05:00

I LOVE juice. More specifically, I love guava juice, passion orange-guava juice and orange juice. I know, not that those are very nutritious but they are sweet and make me happy. In trying to be healthier (aka spending more money) I thought I'd try a beet, kale, apple, carrot, cucumber juice from the local organic store. LOVE LOVE LOVE it. It is just sweet enough for me to drink it and yet it is healthy enough to not make me turn my nose up at it. Now I have to make it myself so that I'm not spending $5 a day (aka $35/week, $1820/year) on this juice. This is the longest I've ever gone without making myself sick. YES, I know it's only 2 days but heaven knows I haven't done it consistently before!

2012 New Year, New Self?

2012-01-08T16:58:00.002-05:00

Well another year is upon us and what do I have to show for it, um, still nothing. I'm still here in NYC and as much as I love it, I really don't like the cold. Not surprising as I've never liked the cold but I've come to understand that I REALLY don't like the cold. There were a few days this last week when the wind chill was in the single digits. Talk about wake-up call. Anyway, moving on.
I didn't really come up with any resolutions this year other than trying to improve my health. Sure that means exercise, better nutrition, blah blah blah but I've been did some research over the vacation break. I read about juicing, veganism, eating "clean" and hot yoga. All it did was confuse me even more. I called a friend of mine who has been doing the juicing thing for a while now and asked her opinion. I told her if I was going to invest money in a juicer, I wanted to make sure I was going to use it and I wanted recipes that I would like (aka sweet). I forgot that the point of wanting to do juicing was to be more nutritious. My friend said the word that gave me hives KALE. Sure it's got all the vitamins and nutrients I need BUT does it have to be KALE. I'm a supporter of spinach (as I'm anemic) but the combo of spinach and kale is supposed to be great. My friend Kelly took me to liquiteria in the city where I had an all greens juice with lemon & ginger (kale, spinach, romaine, parsley, celery, cucumber, apple, lemon & ginger). I did NOT like it. So I did more research and found a recipe for a kale and banana smoothie. I LOVED that one. Just enough sweetness to remind me that I was also drinking a green smoothie. I'm going to try this for a week to see how I do and hopefully I will get more nutrients along the way. We'll see what happens.

Could it be? A NEW post?

2011-01-03T11:28:00.005-05:00

I'm back on the mainland and freezing my okole off. I went home to Kaua'i for Christmas and had a blissful time. It was the "no food left behind" trip because there was NOTHING that I did not eat. My parents and siblings were constantly commenting (not positively) about my eating. Whatever, I don't have a full pantry in Atlanta or LA so I was eating what I could while at home. I also was able to spend some great time with my family. My cute, yet sassy, niece Kahikina and my talkative and smart nice Kealoha spent lots of time with us and it made me very happy. Here is a picture of Kahikina helping me with a project.

I was eaten alive by all the mosquitoes that it looked like I had a disease. That is the positive to being back on the mainland, too cold for those blood suckers.
Came back to the mainland and here I am with some friends at our DAY 1 2011 celebration.

And here was the reason we were having the DAY 1 2011 celebration:

Happy 2011!

Hello?! Are you alive?

2010-12-08T15:30:00.005-05:00

LOL! So I've received a few emails, facebook messages and phone calls from friends saying that I needed to update my blog. I received one message last night that broke my heart because she couldn't psycho stalk me, so Sammy, this one is for you my sweet!
I can't even remember the last time I wrote a blog because 1) yes, I am that lame and 2) I didn't realize how much other forms of social media took me away from blogging. I have succumbed to the desire for instant gratification of twitter and oovoo. I have no excuse other than I'm lame.
What has been going on? Well, since I can't remember when I last wrote, I guess I'll go back to when a few changes happened. I moved out of the Big Apple at the end of June. I left with a heavy heart because I LOVE New York City. I still love that place and literally dream of moving back on a daily basis.
Moving stinks, no matter where you're moving to. I live between Atlanta, GA and Los Angeles, CA, though I was really sold a bill of goods because I tend to spend a majority of my time in GA (NOT happy about that). I'm not gonna sugar coat it. I DO NOT LIKE living in Atlanta! Why? It's not New York, Los Angeles or Hawaii. The people (well, some of them) are rather lovely. However, it is the RED NECKS who think I'm an illegal immigrant that make my blood boil. Needless to say, I escape out of Atlanta as often as I can financially afford.
Speaking of traveling, I still LOVE to do it. I've been fortunate enough to have work pay for me to go between New York and Los Angeles several times but just not often enough for my liking. I did go to Barcelona for Thanksgiving.

I loved everything from the food to the people while in Barcelona. Traveling internationally was fantastic because my BlackBerry didn't work and it was AWESOME! Of course I got chewed out for not checking in with work on a daily basis but whatever!
Ok so since moving out of NYC at the end of June, I have traveled throughout the US. I went to Springfield, MO; NYC, Los Angeles, CA; Washington, DC; NYC; Los Angeles, CA; Chicago, IL; NYC; San Francisco, CA; Los Angeles, CA; and then last weekend Chicago, IL. I went to the Emmy's, the American Music Awards, several birthday parties and concerts. Yes, I am fortunate to have done so many things. The travel (as long as it has not been for work) has been fantastic! I definitely get my best sleep when I'm on a plane.
Right now, I'm looking forward to the holidays. I'm going home to Hawaii and I cannot wait! I expect to eat like a starving child (which I do every day anyway). I'm thankful for the many blessings I have in my life (my family, my health and sometimes I'm thankful for my job). Until then, here is what I am most grateful for in my life.

It's official!

2010-05-25T18:06:00.002-04:00

So I thought I'd finally post something since I haven't in forever and in this post, I'm sharing some bittersweet news.
I'm leaving NYC! Yes, I'm moving out of the Big Apple. It's not that I don't LOVE NYC because I do and I tend to have just as much pride for living in New York as I do being from Hawaii. However, it is because I am from Hawaii and the desire to want to be closer to family, that I have taken a job that will have me living in California (Hollywood) and in Georgia (Atlanta). I will be flying back and forth from Cali & GA to work on the new show 'Swift Justice with Nancy Grace.' Needless to say I'm totally excited and completely freaked out at the same time. There is so much to do and not enough hours of the day. Oh and I've been working BOTH jobs for the last 4 weeks and I'm about to kill myself. I can't wait to just be working 1 job again.
So, there you have it, a new post and my news.

Beautiful Kaua'i

2010-03-08T18:36:00.005-05:00

Ku'uipo with da Papa

Kealoha

heading to Lydgate

Ala and her 6 kids

At Long Last

2010-01-25T17:06:00.003-05:00

A week ago today I FINALLY got my one-on-one with Joe McIntyre. I know none of you care but I do. The pic was taken in Toronto, Ontario, Canada & I had been waiting for him for about 90 minutes. It was well worth the wait! He looks great. Me, not so much!

Happy Birthday Kekaimalie!

2010-01-11T17:23:00.001-05:00

It is my nieces 7th birthday today! Here she is this morning! I'm getting old!

haven't blogged much

2009-11-30T00:08:00.004-05:00

so i've been slacking on this thing. other forms of communication have kind of taken over my life. so i'm just going to post pics of what i've been up to and who i've been hanging with.

alfie came to town

2009-09-17T15:46:00.003-04:00

At Harmony, PA where Joseph Smith, Jr. was baptized and restored the Priesthood.
at the US Open
we saw Hair

my newest niece Kahikinamealohilani

2009-08-21T20:07:00.004-04:00

aunty leo and baby kahikina

pohai, me and baby
baby and tutu
baby and big sister kealoha
kealoha and tutu

my NKOTB obsession has NOT ended

2009-07-23T18:01:00.004-04:00

So while out on my California vacation with my family, I also found a way to sneak in yet ANOTHER NKOTB concert. A girl I met on the cruise lives in SoCal and she offered me a meet & greet ticket with her. It was everything I could have wanted AND more! I skipped out of Knotts Berry Farm with the family to stay at home, do laundry and get ready because it was about an hour away from where we were staying. I drove to Irvine and waited for my friend. Together we drove to the concert gates where we stood in line to get our passes. It was a HOT day (but not as hot as Texas but that's a whole other blog post). We met up with the rest of the girls we were going to be taking the photo with. I had the best time. My goal for the entire day was to make sure I was next to Joe Mac for the picture. Below are some pics of what ended up being a fantastic time with new found friends!
the new friends i met in SoCal

my 5* picture group
Joe Mac and me
SusieQ, me and Lulu
the guys
before the guys sing Summertime
our seats were in the front row and i'm so glad i snapped this shot of Jordan
one of my favorite pics of Joe Mac

California Vacation - Disneyland

2009-07-13T20:43:00.004-04:00

California Vacation - Padres Game

2009-07-05T19:10:00.003-04:00

So I took Kuuipo to her first Major League Baseball game which was San Diego Padres versus the Los Angeles Dodgers. The stadium is beautiful if not tiny compared to the stadiums in New York. She had everyone eating out of her hands with her cuteness. Here are some photos I took of the day.
- getting used to our seats
- before the game
- i tried to put a SD tattoo on her face.
- totally wiped out from the festivities

California Vacation - San Diego

2009-07-02T00:52:00.002-04:00

so i'm in San Diego while my parents attend the NEA conference. I'm hanging with my niece and here are 2 shots I was able to catch of her. Poor kid, not a chance of escaping me, her shutter happy aunt!

NKOTB Michael Jackson Tribute @ DTE June 25/09

2009-06-26T07:00:00.001-04:00

This is why I love NKOTB!

my cute niece

2009-06-22T22:10:00.002-04:00

this is a picture of my niece who i have not met yet. i'm excited to have her to myself (well, almost, my parents will be there) for 5 whole days! I have so many plans for us (pool, beach, shopping, etc.) that I just can't wait!

NKOTB weekend

2009-06-08T13:53:00.009-04:00

The cruise totally messed me up because now i am living and breathing NKOTB. It really has become an addiction and a sickness. How much so, I went to 2 concerts this weekend. I don't have any money, yet i think i do because i've gone out of state TWICE to see these guys! I'm ridiculous but have enjoyed every minute of it. Here are some pics from the 1st show in Camden. It was a mini cruise reunion. there are no spoilers of the concerts with these pics.
Dori and me before the concert. I met Dori on the cruise. She used to work where I work now.
Jordana, myself and Brandi (ladies i met on the cruise). They came in from Indiana and Texas respectively. I only came in from NY.
the opening
the boys
well it's joe mac
the finale
the final bow

NKOTB group pic

2009-06-02T19:03:00.004-04:00

here is the group picture of the ladies i met on the cruise and myself with the guys.

Hanalei Bay named America’s top beach

2009-05-22T13:47:00.002-04:00

Let's give it up for 'Dr. Beach' who was smart enough to crown Hanalei Bay America's best beach. See the story here.

few joe pics

2009-05-19T20:02:00.005-04:00

i was in heaven when i saw this
joey mac on the lido deck at the sail away party (he's smokin hot)
dancing on stage at the sail away party (seriously hot!)
with jordan on the lido deck

snap back to reality

2009-05-18T19:46:00.002-04:00

i'm back home and sad that it's "cool" in NY. i had a FANTASTIC time on the cruise but pics will be up later in the week. i've got stuff to do before i can play like that. needless to say, i've got some color back. i'm so sad i have to go to work tomorrow. i'm throwing a tantrum about it right now. this stinks!

cruise countdown

2009-05-11T20:32:00.002-04:00

well, i've been counting down since january but i leave THIS WEEK for my brief cruise to the Bahamas. oh and NKOTB will be on the cruise with me as well. yes, i'm a total geek and cannot wait to see them on the boat. i'm so excited that i just don't want to be at work. oh well, 2 more days of work to go.

just another manic monday

2009-05-04T13:39:00.003-04:00

so i did it, i ran a half marathon. mahalo nui loa for all the good lucks and kind thoughts sent my way because it helped me a lot. the run actually went off better than i thought it was going to. i finished and i am still walking (thanks to the massages they offered after the race) but it's good to know i actually accomplished something. like i mentioned, i took no pictures and it's good because it was raining and cold and i looked like a wet dog. so to appease the few that do read my ridiculousness, here is a pic of what i could have looked like if you used your imagination.

anyway, i've decided that i don't want to do another half marathon because about halfway into my race i said to myself "self, this is a really long race." so i think i'll stick to 5ks or 10ks from now on. Oh, I finished in 2 hours, 1 minute and 45 seconds and i ran the entire time. it was faster than what i typically run, which is a 10 minute mile, so i was quite happy. i'm so happy to be pau with the race.

May Day is Lei Day in Hawaii

2009-05-01T09:46:00.003-04:00

Today is my sister's 31st birthday which was always May Day back at home in Hawaii. Here is an older picture of my sister Ala (the one on the left). Hau'oli La Hanau Ala!

Oh and my run is tomorrow. I'm not shooting to beat any records. All I want to do is finish. No, I will NOT be posting (or taking) any pictures. Come on, me running or working out, not a pretty sight.

Chi Town 2009

2009-04-21T15:36:00.011-04:00

i spent the weekend visiting GREAT friends

(my fantastic hosts, Chris & Heather Ward at the temple) in Illinois. It was so nice to see them and their new place (HUGE, 2 bedroom apartment with a seperate living room AND dining room and a kitchen with a dishwasher) and to meet some of their new fantastic friends. Friends of HPW threw her a baby shower and it was so great to meet a lot of CDW's family members that attnended the shower. It was also comforting to see the outpouring of love that everyone showed my great friends. It looked to me like they are being watched over in a manner which is pleasing to me. After the shower we went to the Chicago Illinois LDS temple and took these pics
me in front of the temple
me and HPW (isn't she cute!!!)
we went for a walk by the lake when we got home and after we had a little rest. then went out to dinner at this great little italian place that was so yummy. at the end fo the night hpw did a little show and tell of her gifts to CDW.
on sunday, HPW made a fantastic breakfast of apple pancakes (so yummy) and then we got ready to head out to church. we spent the evening talking and talking.
on monday, CDW headed to work (carrying my carry-on bag) while HPW and i took a little more time to head into the "loop." we took the "L" and headed to Wrigley Field. that is the great thing about HPW, she doesn't have a strong love for sports and she took me to Wrigley Field because I had never been. She was a trooper. Here is a pic for Sdogg who LOVES her Cubs.

then we got back on the "L" and went to the John Hancock building to see the view of the city.
from the ladies restroom on the 96th floor of the Hancock building.
Looking east to navy pier
Looking at downtown Chicago
then we walked here
and hpw showed that in the wall of the building are stones or rocks from different places around the world. here are 2 that are particularly interesting to me

then we walked to grant park so i could see the bean
can you see the reflection of the city skyline? i thought that was pretty cool.
it drizzled on and off the entire time we walked through the city but it didn't deter us from our adventures and hpw was the best guide. we walked over to Macy's (formerly Marshall Field's) to see the Tiffany mosaic, which is beautiful. then we went to meet cdw for lunch at Giordano's, which was another yummy meal. cdw and i had a discussion in which we feel the same about. we like NY style pizza in NY and Chicago style pizza (deep dish) in Chicago.
I had the best trip to IL and look forward to going back and seeing them again once the baby is born. Even though my flight leaving was delayed (by 4 1/2 hours) it didn't change the fact that I had a great time. Thanks again to my gracious hosts, the Ward's!

Kaua'i hits CNN.com

2009-04-09T17:52:00.002-04:00

my home island of Kaua'i made a story (currently the #1 story) on CNN.com. I'm so proud! Here is the link to the story.

visitors

2009-04-06T19:05:00.008-04:00

I LOVE having visitors to New York but more especially if it is family. My cousin Bronson is on Spring Break from UNLV and with much proding on my part, he and a friend have come out to visit. They have had a busy time because I've kept them on the go. It's totally evident there is a 15 year age difference between me and my cousin because I am such an old fuddy duddy in comparison to them. Anyway, they have seen Wicked, the Statue of Liberty, Top of the Rock, Chinatown, In the Heights, Times Square, Rockefeller Plaza and will be seeing Avenue Q tomorrow. Here are some pictures of the "kids" out on the town.
-At the ice rink at Rockefeller Plaza
-with Lady Liberty in the background
-tackling the bull on Wall Street
-view of the Empire State building

7 things i love

2009-03-31T19:26:00.003-04:00

I'm totally copying this off of my cousin's blog and i figured it can't hurt to write about things i love, so here goes.
1. I LOVE my nieces and nephews. Many would say I'm more obsessive about them (which is totally true) but I have never loved another human being as much as I love these kids. I need to talk to them every day, even if they don't say a word to me, I just want to hear their voices. If I'm fortunate enough to hear them laugh, that something else I love, the sound of children laughing. Seriously, I fill up with so much joy when I hear a kid laugh, it's precious. I can't get enough of these kids. Well, except when they start crying then my heart just breaks.
2. I LOVE to travel. The saying back at home is that I have "ants in my pants" and cannot keep still. That is one thing I enjoyed about working in the hotel industry was the travel (it also made me a hotel snob). I enjoy planning for a new trip, researching it on the internet, figuring out what activities I'm going to do, how I'm going to get around and especially what I'm going to eat.
3. I LOVE to eat. Seriously, it's not a surprise why I'm a big girl. I will eat just about anything. Just about that is. I enjoy sweets (thanks mom) and am just getting to a point of understanding moderation when it comes to cupcakes, cookies, ice cream, you get the point.
4. I LOVE the beach. Well, I'm from Kaua'i so of course I love the beach. When I first moved to the East Coast, adjusting to the beaches here was, well it still is, difficult. However, I enjoy the beach and will still go here in New York. If I can't be at the beaches at home, I prefer the beaches in Florida, the Carribbean or California. NOTHING beats the beaches of Hawai'i. YES, that is my opinion.
5. I LOVE to talk. My name is translated to mean "heavenly voice" and being named after my mother, one would have thought it meant I would have been blessed to sing as beautifully as she does. No, I was blessed with the gift of gab. Not the gift of song or tongues, just gab. I wish I could sing.
6. I LOVE my family. I am the furthest away physically (and sometimes emotionally) from my family in Utah and Hawaii. I need to work on telling them more often but I do love them. I'm not saying life is always pleasant but I do love them. This also extends to cousins and uncles and aunts around the world. I've been blessed with a large and loving family.
7. I LOVE hugs and kisses. I teach kids (disclaimer: ones who i spend time with and the parents know me) that when they see me they have to give me a hug and kiss. I started doing this when I was in college with my friends. If they were coming to see me, they had to greet me with a hug and a kiss. If they were leaving, they had to depart by giving me a hug and a kiss. If you hadn't noticed, I have boundary issues.
8. Like my cousin C, I LOVE doing what I want to do and when I want to do it. I'll say it's a birth order thing and being the eldest child, I broke many rules. I am hard headed.

hpw's shower

2009-03-30T13:04:00.004-04:00

so this past weekend we threw a baby shower for heather pabst ward. i was TOTALLY nervous because i have no sense of style or fashion and well, heather does. she's also very much into pink and i on the other hand prefer red. anyway, with the help of everyone i think it went very well. because i took these pictures, there are no people in it and it was before women arrived. i'm posting the pics for heather to show her mom of the shower set up.
the diaper cake
the cupcakes from magnolia bakery (i didn't think the frosting was pink enough but i had to get over it. obviously i'm still upset about it.)
the spread

He Hawai'i Au!

2009-03-23T16:29:00.003-04:00

I am very proud of my Hawaiian heritage! I have had the priviledge to attend a middle and high school that souly educates children of Hawaiian heritage. I am proud to say that I am an alumnist of The Kamehameha Schools. Attending this school has opened up so many opportunities for not just me but for each of my syblings as well. I was a "boarder" beginning at the age of 11 where I moved from my island of Kaua'i (and the home of my parents) to live in the dorms at Kapalama where I met and lived with boys and girls from all the Hawaiian islands as well as from the mainland.
Anyway, this past Friday was the broadcast of The Kamehameha Schools Song Contest. I had to watch the broadcast online and did so while at work today (I know, I'm lucky I still have a job.). I had to stop myself from crying during some of the songs because I could remember those days, even though it I was last there (gasp) 16 years ago. I remember when I first sang in this song contest, my mother cried during Hawai'i Pono I and I thought she was ridiculous. I now get it. Well, I am just so happy and proud to have been a beneficiary of Pauahi's will and to be forever and always a KAMEHAMEHA WARRIOR! IMUA KAMEHAMEHA!

i'm not social

2009-03-19T22:56:00.003-04:00

don't get me wrong, i LOVE to talk but i'm not good when it comes to making small talk. i'm rather pathetic and boring (seriously, i have no life) so i prefer to talk to kids. feed kids sugar and they love you. talk to kids and sing them songs and they love you. kids have no expectations of what you can give them and they love you with everything they have. i communicate better with kids than i do with adults.
tonight i went to enrichment and as usual i went straight for the babies. oh i talked to people but i constantly felt inadequate and uncomfortable. but hey, i went right?! i might not make it to church but it's more rare for me to make it to an activity that doesn't involve the Young Women. See i am totally pathetic.
here are some kids that i cannot get enough of. i typically call my mom daily to have them say 3 words to me "hi", "bye" and "monkey." i'm totally obsessed with them.

my newest guilty pleasure TV show

2009-03-16T00:17:00.001-04:00

ok so i saw this trailer and watched the show twice (once by myself and again with Sonya). i LOVED it! it's been a while since i posted and i think it's hilarious that this is the thing i decide to post about. anyway, i look forward to this TV series, so excited!

my fatso twin nephews

2009-02-26T14:07:00.002-05:00

how cute are these 2 boys?!

in preparation for valentine's day

2009-02-11T18:20:00.003-05:00

i'm not a fan of valentine's day because i feel it's a lot like new years eve, a lot of hype and then a huge let down. so while i was out trying to find something to buy yesterday, i walked past this little sculpture and thought i'd post the pic because this is what the day should be about.

pretty

2009-02-04T16:32:00.004-05:00

i received these beauties at work today. no speculation about who they are from because it was a lovely gesture and i just wanted to post about how nice it was to be the recipient of something lovely.

my niece dressing up

2009-01-30T14:06:00.003-05:00

so this is a photo of my niece, adorned in her princess accessories. she must have been with her father because she is only in a pull-up. what can i say? we don't like to wear a lot of clothes in hawaii.

frozen hot chocolate

2009-01-28T10:57:00.002-05:00

after work last night i went with some girls from work to Serendipity 3 for dessert. i know, so much for my workout yesterday because i went all out and got the frozen hot chocolate, which was delish! i've had it before (for my birthday in 2005 when jojo and aaron came to visit me here in NYC) but it's always a good thing. here was that monster that i ordered. there were 4 straws because there were 4 of us there but i ate it all myself. yes, i am a selfish pig!

hilarious

2009-01-26T15:40:00.002-05:00

so i'm running an errand at work and i get on the elevator to find a collegue who works in HR. we're chatting and she says to me "i love your headband. you have the cutest accessories." isn't that hilarious? me, the girl who can barely match much less look like a girl, has the cutest accessories? so of course my reaction was a full on laugh because that was the most ridiculous thing i've heard in a long time (and i work in the news! there is so much ridiculousness in the world!). anyway, it made me laugh and i needed it today.

2 nights, 2 obsessions

2009-01-23T15:09:00.004-05:00

on Wednesday night, Jodi and I went to watch the Knicks host the Suns at MSG. No, we didn't go to cheer for the Knicks but we did go to cheer for the Suns. Jodi likes Steve Nash and I went to watch my #1 obsession, Grant Hill. I've followed this man since he was at Duke University, drafted into the NBA by the Detroit Pistons, traded to the Orlando Magic and then where he is presently with the Phoenix Suns. The man is AMAZING! In college I used to have this HUGE framed poster of Grant Hill. Come to think of it, I don't know where that poster went. My mom probably threw it out. Oh well, I still love the man.

last night I went to the city of brotherly love to see obsession #2. i cannot let go of the good old days when he was in a basketball uniform so i had to post this pic of him. now that he is on the sidelines, he wears a suit and i absolutely LOVE the look. he might not like it but i'm a fan.
anyway, 2 great nights in the week of me.

out with the old in with the new

2009-01-20T10:39:00.003-05:00

I am so proud to be an American today. Today "a change is coming to America." I am filled with so much pride, anticipation and joy for what lies ahead for our country. Yes, I am happy that Mr. Barack Obama is preparing to be the 44th President of the United States of America. Yes, I am proud that he was raised in my home State, Hawai'i and yes, I am proud that I am a small part of history. More importantly, I am thrilled for what we as a people are able to witness today. My cup runneth over this morning.

my plea to everyone: WATCH FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS!!!

2009-01-16T00:00:00.001-05:00

This is my plea to all of you to watch Friday Night Lights. Here is an article from the Huffington Post that says it all. Here is another article from the Los Angeles Times.
Please watch the show on NBC, it's so good! If you need more reasons, the cast is beautiful, the writing is fantastic and there is no other show like it on TV right now. Instead of watching all the junk out there (and I know there is a ton of junk because I watch them) watch this show. It is so worth the 60 minutes of your time.

i'm going to be an aunty again

2009-01-14T15:24:00.003-05:00

but it's not what you think. My brother and his wife are expecting. I hope he has another girl because my brother needs humility in his life and well there is nothing more humbling than a little girl. Oh and when my mother told me this great news, my mom hopes my brother has a little boy. My mom feels that my niece is going to be a tom boy. Well, my response to that is that my mom raised her 3 girls to be boys so my brother will be fine if he has another girl. I told my mom that my brother needs to call my sister with the 6 kids and ask her how she raised her girls to be such girly girls because they have it down! Make-up, nail polish and so many pink things. It's probably because they have aunts and uncles who like to make them look really girly!
Here is a picture of my brothers current little girl giving me her best pirate impersonation. She is the splitting image of her dad (poor kid) and is going to be a great big sister. Well, if she learns to share her mom and dad with another kid. Ha, that will be fun to watch!

new year, new position

2009-01-09T23:17:00.003-05:00

so i haven't told many but i was promoted at my job and this promotion sent me to a new show. i was very nervous about the change for a couple of reasons:
-i LOVE my previous boss
-my work schedule changed (i now work from 11a-9p)
-i had not watched the show i was moving to (ok, i tried but 15 minutes was like listening to twangy country music. torture for me)
i was nervous for this week and being that it is now over i can say that it went well. sure, monday was the day from hell but it slowly improved as today approached. don't get me wrong, i have a lot to learn and i am expecting the challenges that lie ahead but it wasn't as bad as i had expected it to be. one plus, i sucessfully went to the gym 4 days this week (i know, i might actually be able to handle that 1/2 marathon in may). here's hoping the next 51 weeks go better at work and at the gym!

13-0 baby

2009-01-02T23:49:00.003-05:00

happy new year to my UTES who ROLLED over the Bama Tide tonight in the 2009 Allstate Sugar Bowl! i was nervous but hopeful and even though i watched the game alone, i was screaming at the screen as if i was in the alamo dome! what a fabulous way to start the new year!
GO UTES!!!

hau'oli makahiki hou

2008-12-31T21:52:00.002-05:00

before heading out to the tundra of Times Square for work, I thought I'd post a blog to wish everyone a very Happy New Year! I hope that I can take what I've learned in 2008 and better myself for 2009.
Things to look forward to for 2009:
-Inauguration (Hawaii's own is being sworn in baby!)
-Completion of Season 3 of FNL! (love DirecTV)
-Possible trip to Vegas in February (I would rather go to Puerto Rico!)
-1/2 marathon in May
-Hopefully another NKOTB concert in May
-HPW's baby is due in June
-Enos Family reunion in California for July
Here is a pic of me and a co-worker before he went out to a party and me to the cold.

HAU'OLI MAKAHIKI HOU!

day off

2008-12-16T10:39:00.007-05:00

so i took the day off of work yesterday. i had a long list of 'to-do's' and accomplished all of them. the highlight of the day was going ice skating in central park with jodi and marin.
here are photos of the event. in all the photos, i look the same because i was concentrating on not falling on my 'okole. fortunately, it didn't happen.
me and jodi before we got on the ice.
jodi, marin and me on the ice
my pathetic attempt at some sort of grace, which marin exudes.
i'm trying not to laugh as jodi uses me as support.

work

2008-12-11T22:27:00.002-05:00

i have difficulty with boundaries and sometimes have to find that "balance" between work and life. i have allowed my work to be my life and i usually resent it but tonight was the exception. yes, i blew off a RS activity so i could stay home and watch a show that many people spent countless hours on. i have to say, it was a great show and i'm quite proud of it. anyway, if you missed it, your loss. if you saw it, you know what I mean.

sugar bowl bound

2008-12-07T20:41:00.003-05:00

My UTES are headed to the Sugar Bowl on January 2, 2009 and play against Alabama. I was secretly hoping we'd go to the Fiesta Bowl for a couple of reasons. 1) I had a cheap rate at a hotel room in Phoenix, 2) Arizona is warmer than New Orleans and 3) I like Arizona better than New Orleans. Oh well, I consider this a blessing in disguise because now I can save $$ in airfare and hotel room costs. GO UTES!!!

sad at work

2008-12-03T16:45:00.001-05:00

a small group of people here at work were let go today because we closed down their unit. i think there was 8 people in all and i worked with maybe half of them but it's just sad that they got let go. it's the downside of working in a ginormous corporation. i just feel for them.

tis the season . . .

2008-12-01T15:58:00.002-05:00

for standing in line!!!! I went to the post office to buy stamps for my holiday cards and 30 minutes later I finally walked out of the post office. Ah man, I do not like lines! However, living in NYC, one spends most of their day in a line of some sort. Oh well.

mahalo nui loa

2008-11-26T13:33:00.003-05:00

I'm writing this today because I'll forget to do it tomorrow. I am so grateful for so many things but I will shorten it for this post.
-My family! I'm so grateful for the love and support they provide me, no matter any differences in opinion. I'm also totally obsessed with my nieces and nephews and I can't help but love their cuteness!
-My faith! Despite different points of views with those who share my faith, I am grateful for the knowledge that I am a daughter of God and that he loves me.
-A job! Especially during this time and despite the countless hours I work, I am so happy to have a job that allows me to live in New York City!
-Friends! Those who I lean on and those who I constantly annoy, thank you for loving me despite my many shortcomings.

my 'ohana

2008-11-25T16:11:00.003-05:00

(missing Jen (nui's wife) and ala's clan) see how pohai is in the front. she is a ham!
(me, niece kealoha and mom)
(keaki, my sister ena and alaka'i)
(brother kapule)
(mom and dad dancing)

go utes!

2008-11-25T16:08:00.001-05:00

so i missed the opportunity to post this on Saturday but my boys beat the Cougs and I was (and still am) a very happy girl! being that i was in hawaii i didn't actually watch the game but i was upsetting my mother by yelling at espn mobile on my blackberry! good job UTES!

i'm home

2008-11-20T21:58:00.001-05:00

i've been home for several days now and not blogging because i'm enjoying all the eating and visiting with family and friends. i haven't taken any pics yet but i will and then i'll post them when i get back to NYC. trips home are never long enough.

here i come

2008-11-14T17:20:00.000-05:00

the best clip last night

2008-11-05T23:04:00.000-05:00

my PSA

2008-11-03T13:32:00.003-05:00

tomorrow is a big day for our country and no matter your party affiliation, please go out and vote. if you don't vote, you can't complain about whatever it is that you're not happy with regarding our country. so either get off your behind and vote or stop complaining. also, i expect you all to be watching my network to find out the results! hey, i've got bills to pay!

i'm going again!

2008-11-01T19:38:00.004-04:00

NKOTB here I come again! I've spent the last 3 months filling in for someone on maternity leave. yesterday was my last day and as a parting gift, the man i worked for gave me a ticket to see NKOTB in AC! So I'm going to be 'Hangin Tough' with the boys next week Friday!

I'm also going home to Hawai'i for a week post election! I cannot wait to go home and hopefully get some color and eat like i'm a starving child (though if you saw me you think i ate children by how large i am).

Happy Halloween

2008-10-31T09:12:00.003-04:00

this is my first Halloween in New York City as I have in the past gone out to Utah to take my nieces trick or treating, so i'm kinda sad but not too much because work has me stressed out.

anyway, to make me happy on this day, i'm totally stealing this from matt & mari's blog. amazing how somethings can change my attitude.

I'll Be Loving You Forever

2008-10-28T09:30:00.001-04:00

So last night my friend Lisa and I went to the NKOTB concert at MSG. We had the best time! It was good to know the demographic of their fans were other women our age. They put on a really good show! Lisa and I were talking about how it would have been nice to see them back when this video was made. Joey no longer sings the higher parts, Jordan does and he does without his shirt. Donnie is always referencing his derriere and Danny break dances. The video I wanted to post was 'Please don't go girl' but this song went with my post better. It was the perfect way to distract me from work.

8 tag

2008-10-24T11:04:00.002-04:00

I copied this post from my cousin and thought i'd do it because well, i need to take a break from work for a little bit.

8 TV shows I love to watch
1- Friday Night Lights
2- AC360 (duh)
3- Chuck
4- NCIS
5- CSI:NY
6- Private Practice
7- Ugly Betty
8- Eli Stone

8 Favorite Restaurants
1- Hamura's (Lihue, HI)
2- Golden Duck (Honolulu, HI)
3- Roy's (Poipu, HI and New York, NY)
4- Tao (New York, NY)
5- Vynl (New York, NY)
6- Per Se (New York, NY)
7- Cafe Hanalei's Sunday Brunch (Princeville, HI)
8- Kintaro's (Kapaa, HI)

8 Things That Happened Yesterday
1- another long day at work
2- got yelled at by a supervisor
3- got mad at that supervisor
4- called my brother to wish him a happy birthday (he's 28 years old!)
5- laughed with my brother as to how absent minded my mother can be sometimes
6- laughed with my brother because he called my sister "the sargent" (she has the personality for it)
7- gave my mother a scolding because she didn't make all of her doctor appointments that i told her she needed to do before year end.
8- went to a cool concert thanks to my job

8 Things I am Looking Forward To
1- Sissy and FOB coming to visit this weekend
2- NKOTB concert
3- this election being over (go out and vote people!)
4- Young Women in Excellence being over (hurry up November 14th)
5- going home to Hawaii
6- creating my family calendar for 2009
7- creating my christmas cards (i can't believe i haven't started yet)
8- 2009 Enos family reunion (the last one i attended was in 2003)

8 Things On My Wish List
1- seeing my nieces and nephews
2- owning an apartment in NY
3- owning a beach front home in Hanalei
4- pay increase (not likely in this economy)
5- more travel for fun (not likely in this economy)
6- peace (of mind, of body, of spirit)
7- that my parents go on a mission
8- happiness (not likely in this economy, LOL)

8 People I tag
-I'm not going to tag people as I don't want to harass people into doing this.

a concert for vets

2008-10-23T23:59:00.000-04:00

i had the opportunity to go to a taping of a concert that my work is partnering with mtv to honor those who are fighting for us overseas. here is the information about the concert. it was a good time and one that was needed as this was such a terrible week at work. i'm just sad not all the acts were live (sorry that was a spoiler alert) but it was cool to see people like 50 cent, ludacris, eve and ciara.

of course it doesn't hurt that this cute face was shooting for a special to air tonight and throughout the weekend.

the week from he!!

2008-10-22T16:43:00.004-04:00

it was supposed to be a nice and easy week at work (boss traveling, no debates, no urgent breaking news, etc.) but it has been a terrible one thus far. i have 17 work days until i go on vacation and it feels like a lifetime from now. i want this week to end already.

anyway, another celeb sighting again today. this man reminds me of a guy who used to live in my ward here in NY but he and his family have moved to ohio. the hodson's are totally missed!

finally

2008-10-16T09:47:00.009-04:00

i'm a good nag because finally i've annoyed my mother enough that she got my brother to send me photos of all of my nieces and nephews. there is a reason i was successful in sales. enjoy the photos of my utah nieces and nephews.

my newest niece, ku'uipo (koo-ooh-ee-po) which means sweetheart.

my sister ala and her 6 kids (kapule, ku'uipo, kaulu (with his hand in his mouth), kaili, kekai and kaleo)

ku'uipo and kaili

big girl Kekai (with Kaili's shaka in the photo)

kaleo

the always smiling kapule boy

kaulu

my mom

2008-10-16T09:03:00.001-04:00

i know i harass my mother a lot for so many things (doctor appointments, professional relationships, family issues, etc.) but there has never been someone more compassionate in my life. i'm named after my mother and our name means 'heavenly voice' but she truly has a beautiful voice. whenever she holds one of her grandchildren, she is constantly singing to them. i wish i had video of my mom singing to my niece but here are photos of the event. i'll work on the video another time.

kaua'i niece and nephews

2008-10-15T22:09:00.000-04:00

here now are pics of my brothers kids who live on kaua'i.

isaiah, kealoha, bryson

isaiah on the paddle board

kealoha the performer

kealoha, isaiah (holding their big catch) and bryson

can you tell she wants to hold the fish

kealoha and isaiah

cute pic of the day

2008-10-14T17:47:00.002-04:00

since my family is still lame and hasn't sent me any pics of my newest niece, here is a pic of a co-workers 4 month old little girl. she is so precious. not bad for a pic taken off of my blackberry.

future first lady?

2008-10-08T16:42:00.003-04:00

i'm so fortunate to have the opportunity to meet some great people thorough my job. a couple of weeks ago i met a former president, a queen and one of the richest men in the world. it helps that i really do love my job and the fact that i get paid to do it is icing on the cake. well, today beats all of my previous days here on the job. today i met

kind, gracious, humble and STUNNING are only a few words that i could conjure up to describe this woman because i was truly at a loss for words. despite the fact that she was surrounded by SS she was lovely to everyone she was around. since moving to NY i have had so many opportunities to meet people but this takes the cake.

weekend with family

2008-10-06T09:55:00.003-04:00

I took Friday off and headed down to Charlotte, NC to visit my cousin and her family. It's been just over 2 years since I last saw my cousins at a family reunion in Las Vegas. I admire and heart my cousin and her family. She and her husband have done a great job raising their 4 children to be good kids, strong in the gospel and school and instilling in them strong family values. My cousin and I grew up in 2 different worlds (she in upstate New York and me in Hawaii). We 'talked story' for HOURS and for me, it was great to know that despite any misunderstandings or differences our parents might have (her mother and my father are syblings) that she and I have a relationship of our own that is solid. My cousin is strong, physically and spiritually and an inspiration to me. She is beautiful inside and out and it's evident in her children, her marriage and her service to the Lord. I had the best time and ate the best food (she and her husband can cook!) this past weekend. I'm so blessed to have them in my life and for the opportunity that they allowed me to impose on their generosity and kindness. Much love and aloha to my 'ohana in NC!

a great night

2008-10-03T17:42:00.003-04:00

for my birthday, Sonya, Kathy and I went to see the Arthur Miller's All My Sons on Broadway. The show is still in previews but we went and for me, for this was the reason to see a show I knew nothing about.

Patrick Wilson is hot in this show and for a brief part of the show he doesn't have his shirt on. When that scene happened, Sonya leaned over to me and said that was my birthday gift! Indeed it was. John Lithgow and Dianne Wiest are also in the show. Oh and Joey Potter is also in it. The 3 previously mentioned are fabulous in it and well, Joey needs more training but she didn't bomb like I kind of anticipated she would. It was a great night for me.

seriously, so blessed

2008-10-02T11:56:00.005-04:00

so i had to steal the title of this post from this blog that is hilarious and you have to take it as satire in order to enjoy it because it's rather over the top. but i am seriously, so blessed because i've received so many well wishes for my birthday. i got a song out of my nieces and nephews, calls from far away and truly missed friends, one of whom i found out has a blog, and just overall kind sentiments. it's hard for me to humble myself to accept gestures of kindness and generosity from others and yes, it's one of many shortcomings i have. anyway, it's my birthday and i am a blessed girl.
i'm so blessed my friend mari did a posting on my behalf. i'm so lucky, especially with one specific pic on her post (and it's not of me).

the return of a love

2008-10-01T08:56:00.009-04:00

no, not the love of a boy (much to the chagrin of my mother) but the love of a television show. yes, a TV show and that is how pathetic my life is.

the return of FNL is tonight on DirecTV. i'm considering it a birthday present that it begins tonight. my roommate and I are making the switch (she is so sweet to allow me to talk her into the change and she is giving up NY1) in large part, if not all, because of FNL. it is a darling of a show and if you don't know it, you should be ashamed. seasons 1 & 2 are on DVD (i know because my roommate has them) and i can't wait to see what our Dillon Panthers have been up to. welcome back FNL, you've been missed.

here is the trailer for the new season! LOVE the song 'devil town' from season 1. can't you feel the excitement?!

sad passing

2008-09-29T11:51:00.003-04:00

so as most of you know, i was raised in a very small community in Hawai'i. my family was very active in the community with religion, athletics and various service projects.
well in my small branch in Hanalei, it very much was a 'village' that raised us kaona kids. everyone at church was family and these humble and beautiful people are the examples of the kind of person i want to be. my mom told me last night that one of these gentle giants had passed away.
grandpa george koga was a hard working and intelligent man who was supportive of us kids. we 5 kaona's were raised with 5 of his grandchildren (who lived down the street from us) and i felt as if they were our extended family. my heart is so full for this wonderful family and i am so sad that i am not there to pay my respects to the lovely legacy that grandpa george leaves behind.
Aloha `oe, aloha `oe
E ke onaona noho i ka lipo
One fond embrace,
A ho`i a`e au
Until we meet again

happy birthday matt

2008-09-28T16:26:00.002-04:00

happy birthday to matt, husband of my friend mari. matt and mari are the sweetest and most generous people i have the pleasure of knowing. we would spend many happy moments at utah football and basketball games together and i love knowing them. i just wanted to give matt a shout out on this day! much love matt!

short hair

2008-09-27T09:18:00.003-04:00

in an effort to get my mind off of politics and the debate i thought i'd post photos of me and my newly chopped hair. these are pics of my 'anchor' hair and not my normal 'big' hair. i would take a photo of my hair in it's normal state but i woke up about an hour ago and well, i'm no where near presentable.

from the front

from the back

today, i choose to hate the A train

2008-09-26T10:48:00.002-04:00

due to the rain happening here in the northeast, i decided to leave early for work today. however, it did not do me well. what is usually a 25 minute commute to work turned out to be a 75 minutes long. the platform was packed and when a downtown train finally came, it was also packed. needless to say i was still late for work due to no trains. so today, i choose to hate the A train.

it's been a good time together

2008-09-23T15:12:00.008-04:00

i moved here to the big apple to work for starwood hotels. i wasn't necessarily afraid to make the move but i was more worried about making friends. luckily i worked with some amazing people who became my friends. one of these friends received a promotion and i was taking her previous position. well, today is her last day at starwood. she is a wife, mother and FANTASTIC friend (also one of the most photogentic women as you'll see by the pics. the woman doesn't take a bad photo, EVER!). i miss our 'gang' but we've all moved on to other endeavors. bennington moved home to chicago, audra opened her own business (and is traveling the world), spiewak is living it up at viacom, cr got a job 15 minutes away from her home on long island (lucky girl!), raffaelli is still creating away at the sheraton and i, well, you know where i am (somewhere between crazy and lost). in honor of cr's last day at starwood, i post pictures of some of our good times together! i love you all my friends!

gail, me, cr and spiewak in the box at MSG at the U2 concert

cr, audra and lisa at a field marketing party here in NYC

audra, me and cr at a field marketing party here in NYC

forever strong

2008-09-19T09:21:00.006-04:00

last night i went to a movie premiere with friends for the movie forever strong. i knew nothing about the movie until i had 10 free minutes at work to google it. once watching the trailer and seeing some of the cast clips (hi GG alert) i got super excited to go. well, i know very nice people who got me all 'girly' and i even busted out the fake eye lashes (my eyes were freaking out all night). don't laugh too hard at these photos because they were taken from my BB and well, nothing but photoshop can help me out.

anyway, i made the trek down to the tribeca grand hotel (swanky hotel in this hotel snobs opinion) and met up with sonya, jodi and marin for the movie premiere. it was a good time with good friends and i'm so glad i not only went but i thoroughly enjoyed the movie as well. my friends look great and i look overly done.

jodi, sonya, marin and me

inviting myself

2008-09-17T13:33:00.002-04:00

for those that know me, you know that i don't have many boundaries. one of these 'non-issues' is that of inviting myself into peoples lives. well, i did just that with my cousin and her family. backstory, i wanted to go out to see the Ward's in Chicago, IL but funds (dang airlines) and work (debates) are not helping me out. so i thought about going down to DC for the weekend and when searching for hotels, i was given choices in VA and NC. when NC popped up i thought of my cousin and figured i'd give them a holler and invite myself down to see them.
mr. wonderful (my cousin's husband) answered the phone and when i told him of my plan he said "just let us know when you're coming down." that was the best response i could have asked for. when he handed the phone to his wife, my cousin, she asked me if i wanted buddy passes (she works for us airways) to visit them. so not only am i going out of town for a post-birthday celebration, but i'm going out of town on the 'cheap.' i'm so happy i could scream! thanks chrys for letting me invite myself to see you all.

i'm over it

2008-09-16T23:18:00.001-04:00

90210 that is. i watched it tonight and yeah, i'm over it. especially since kelly taylor's baby daddy is dylan and mari and i conspired that it was going to be steve saunders. oh well.

i can't believe i kinda like it

2008-09-09T22:31:00.002-04:00

so i told myself that i wasn't going to watch the new 90210 series because i didn't really follow the original series and well, truth be told, i can't afford to watch any more tv than i already do. since being on vacation and the fact that mari had the series premiere recorded, i watched the show. mari and i both agree that we will like the show for the adults and the kids on the show are just well, the bait to get us hooked. i watched the show tonight and i think i kinda liked it. i can't believe it's yet another show that i might want to watch. my life is pathetic! i need a hobby.

ute football!

2008-09-06T20:36:00.000-04:00

planning the shower when i did was strategic in that it was the same day as the Utah football home opener. i was so excited to go to the game, in fact more than having the shower. the shower was stressing me out so to be able to just relax and cheer on my utes was very appealing to me. it was great to spend time with friends and some who i hadn't seen in many years but more so to see the utes win. don't get me wrong, there were times that i was frustrated with the utes but the fact that we were victorious was awesome. here are some photos: rice-eccles stadium (celebrating 10 years of hosting ute football)
parker and carsen getting down before the game

it's over

2008-09-06T20:17:00.000-04:00

so the shower has come and gone and i'm happy. everything went as planned except for the part where i look great for the shower. i spent the morning baking cupcakes and making salad that i didn't have time to look cute for the shower and shelley's friends and family. it's a good thing she and mari like me because they didn't comment how pathetic i looked. anyway, shelley scored some great stuff (diapers, wipes, books, clothes and a stroller to name a few items) and seemed happy that people came. all of my stressing out of enough food and the event being cute enough for shelley was worth it. she LOVED the diaper cake and couldn't stop commenting on it. her family and friends complimented the salad (thanks sonya) and the cupcakes so needless to say, i was happy. oh and the celebrity baby game was a hit. I couldn't have done it without mari and her daughter parker so many thanks go out to them. here are some photos of the festivities:

the diaper cake, cupcakes and favors

close up of the diaper cake mama to be Shelley the loot she scored

parker was my vanna white

my niece is famous

2008-08-29T16:11:00.004-04:00

i just got off the phone with my mom and she told me that my niece and my sister were in the newspaper in utah. my niece is getting so big and this is actually the first picture i have on my blog of my sister. i'm such a proud aunt. here is the clip from the newspaper but here is the photo.

baby shower update

2008-08-27T09:14:00.002-04:00

september 6th is just around the corner, literally, and that is the day of the baby shower that mari and i are hosting for our friend shelley. i spoke with shelley last night she is really excited about the shower. i expressed how worried i am to her (it's my nature, i freak out inside about almost everything) about how cute the shower will be and she laughed at me and said "i'm sure you are but i trust that it will be beautiful." at that moment it was as if i won the lottery. i'm not as worried (but still a little nervous) but now i'm just worried about the food. i tried out the cupcakes i will make for dessert (they were delicious and i need to try the frosting that mari suggested) and i've had the salad before (which is also delicious and healthy). i'm going to try and make the cookie dough truffles which i want to make as favors for the guests. the diaper cake has been ordered and should arrive at mari's sometime this week. all the paper goods have also been sent to mari's. left on my to do list are things i have to take care of in utah (buy the ingredients for the salad and dessert, buy balloons, buy the gift bags for the favors and last minute knick knacks). i'll be so happy when it's all over and then i can just worry about what i'm going to do for the rest of my time in utah. i cannot wait for it all to be over and i can enjoy the utah football game. oh, i need a new utah shirt for the game. i need to go shopping!

kealoha is 2 years old!

2008-08-25T09:59:00.002-04:00

today is the 2nd birthday of my niece (i know i have so many you're losing count.) Pohaikealoha. she is the daughter of my brother nui and his wife jen. she is speaking a lot more and is getting better at saying my name (aunty lah-oo). she looks like her father (poor kid) and has the curliest hair around. oh wait, she is a kaona and is cursed with terrible hair! happy birthday baby girl!

happy birthday to my roomie

2008-08-25T09:57:00.002-04:00

today is my roommate Sonya's birthday. in her honor, i post this photo. happy birthday!

kaili is 3!

2008-08-19T10:55:00.003-04:00

my neice kaili turns 3 today! she is named after her mother but we call her kaili for short. on my most recent trip home to hawaii, she started calling herself by her full name, kailiala. we would tease her and call her honey baby and she would respond with 'no, i'm kailiala.' she is a feisty little one and very strong willed. anyway, happy birthday my sweet kaili!

happy birthday & happy 35th anniversary

2008-08-16T21:13:00.004-04:00

today is my dad's birthday and my parents 35th wedding anniversary. this is my attempt to claim #1 on their favorite child list when in reality i'm like #18 on the family list, after all the grandkids. oh well, it's something to work towards. love you both mom and dad.

hilarious to think about

2008-08-16T20:59:00.002-04:00

my cousin ikaika joined this group on facebook and because i'm totally nosey i had to check it out and when i did, i laughed out loud. big ups to my 'peeps.' i've highlighted the ones that i'm still guilty of or just make me laugh.
You kno you from Hawaii when...
- You can understand and speak pidgin english and da people from da mainland cannot understand you
- You automatically take your slippahs off in someone elses home
- No body is completely sure where "north" is...
- You eat rice every single day (i want to but it's about twice a week)
- Its shave ice not snow cones, shoyu not soy sauce, saimin not ramen, slippahs not flip flops
- You know to NEVER turn your back to da ocean
- The name Duke means royalty...
- You know what "ukus" are and you had um at least once when you was one lil keiki
- You been to almost all da oder islands
- You know where all da creepy places like burial sites are on da island
- Da term "dress up" means one nice aloha shirt and jeans
- You eat arare
- You know what "tutu" means
- You eat malasadas
- You get a million pairs of rubbah slippahs outside your house when your family gets together
- You dont understand why someone would buy anything smaller den a 20 pound bag of rice
- You eat portuguese sausage, eggs and rice for breakfast
- You buy large quantities of toilet paper in case ders a longshoreman strike
- You would serve spam as a meat for dinner
- You know why ders letters on top da trees at graduations
- You can taste da difference between teriyaki and kal-bi
- You know wut da "stink eye" is and how to give it
- You can correctly pronounce Kalanianaole, Kalakaua and Aiea
- You know wut a "Huli Huli" chicken is
- You know da difference between being hapa and hapai
- You know wut it takes to get into Kamehameha schools
- You say "Nori" not seaweed paper and "Brah" not bro
- Your jokes are about da Portuguese not Polish
- You tink 70 degrees is cold
- You know pineapples dont grow on trees
- Public transportation = Da Bus
- You get da surf report on speed dial
- You spent half your life barefoot
- You neva understood why adding pineapples and ham to a pizza made it "Hawaiian" to da rest of da world
- You eat mango wit shoyu, vinegar and pepper
- You know how for cook rice by measuring da water wit da knuckle of your index finger
- The condiments at da dinner table are shoyu, ketchup, chili peppah watah, kimchee, takuwan, Hawaiian salt and pickled onions
- You call everyone older den you "Aunty" or "Uncle" even if dey arent related to you
- A balanced meal has 3 starches: rice, macaroni salad, and bread
- Your only suit is a bathing suit
- You drive barefoot
- You feel guilty leaving a get together without helping clean up
- The idea of taking something from a heiau is unthinkable
- You'd rather drag out da compressor every morning to fill da leaky tire instead of get it fixed
- Da only time you honk your horn is during a safety check
- Your cuzin is Japanese-Chinese-Filipino-Hawaiian-Portuguese-French-Korean-Scottish and some stuff too manini to mention
- You watch your favorite shows "on top da TV"
- A approaching hurricane only means one thing....Surfs up brah!
- Da best cooks use pleny mayonnaise
- No one knows exactly where da "fast lane" is on da freeway
- Female volleyball players are major celebrities
- Birds walk more den fly
- When you hear da words "fundraiser" it means Zippy's Chili
- You go to Maui and your luggage home includes potato chips, manju, cream puffs, guri-guri, and saimin from Sam Sato's
- You know 101 ways to fix your rubbah slippahs
- You have someone in your family named "Boy", "Tita", "Bruddah", "Sonny" or "Honey Gurl"
- You have a slipper tan
- You sometimes use your open car door as a dressing room
- "You like beef" has nothing to do wit wuts for dinner

no more

2008-08-16T15:51:00.002-04:00

so some of you may know that i used to work part-time at pottery barn and did it primarily as a way to get discounted stuff for my nieces and nephews. well i worked today, the first time in over 5 months and needless to say, i HATED it. i remembered why i stopped making myself available to work. so this is my final call. i'm not going back after my next shift, Monday night. it's just ridiculous and even though the discount was sweet, i just can't do it any more. fare-thee-well williams sonoma inc.

the mane attraction

2008-08-08T09:36:00.002-04:00

so i'm still working on enjoying my new haircut but i need a lot of practice. well at work yesterday, the artist who cut my hair styled it for me. i don't have a picture of the front (come on now, i didn't want to show my ugly mug on here) so here is a photo of the back of my hair. people at work are far too nice because they have all been very complimentary. again, i can't make my hair do this but i need a lot of practice.

sensorship

2008-08-05T17:34:00.002-04:00

working in tv, every so often we get company wide emails explaining that if we use the internet for blogging, my space, face book, etc. that we need to clarify that the postings and opinions are our own and not supported by the 'job.' i personally enjoy blogging because it's a way to vent what i'm loving and not loving about my life. i actually thought that if i were to ever 'get in trouble' with anything i wrote, it would be my work. never did i think my blogging trouble would come from family.
evidently my venting about 'my' family issues has made my brother in law uncomfortable and thus i am no longer able to visit my nieces and nephews unless my sister is around. i'm not regretful for anything i might have written but i am sad that my nieces and nephews won't be able to hang with me, one of their coolest aunts (if not the best, in my opinion). but if anyone knows me, they know that this kills me because my nieces and nephews mean the world to me and i find no greater joy than being with them and loving them. i guess i'll have to love them from afar but it doesn't mean that i'll love them any less. it also doesn't mean i have to love their father because right now, i'm having huge issues with that.

i hate my hair

2008-08-03T14:24:00.002-04:00

earlier this week as i was getting ready for work, i said to myself, i hate my hair. i'm fortunate enough to work with several talented hair and make-up artists so i went into work to ask for suggestions on what i could do with my hair. one of the women offered to cut my hair if i went out to her salon in new jersey. so i took the really easy trek via the path to her salon and she CHOPPED off my hair. oh, no, she kept part of my hair long but i feel like i have a mullet now. i'd post a photo of it but i hate it so much i refuse to do it. the other ladies from work love it but the hair cut is far too high maintenance and trendy for me. it's a good thing my hair grows quickly because i can't wait for this to grow out. i'll need to remember for future reference that i HATE layers.

what did i get myself into?

2008-07-28T12:21:00.003-04:00

sometimes (they are few and far between) i think i have good ideas. i will say to friends of mine "we should totally do that" or "yes, i will be glad do that with you" and then i forget about these 'brilliant' proposals or the fact that i've committed myself to them. well, BOTH caught up with me since my return from vacation.
so last september, i watched the Tunnel to Towers run on television and was discussing with my roommate that her work is one of the beneficiaries of this run. i believe i told her, "we should do that run next year." well next year happens to be in like 8 weeks and i haven't done any running, nor do i enjoy running. so in preparation for this run, i've created (or stole from on-line) an 8-week 'training schedule' of how to go from couch to 5k. well, week 1 was ok and i stuck to my 3 days of 'training' which in itself is HUGE for me. 7 weeks to go!
the second was that i emailed a great girl that used to be in my ward and asked her if she would be interested in going to a 'mid-singles' conference out west. now for those who know me, i detest singles activities and avoid them at all costs. truth be told, i only went to the activities when it was my calling but have since stopped completely. i figured if the conference was lame, at least i was in san francisco and that alone would be awesome. well what i thought would be something rather small (2-3 people) has turned into a much larger group of around 8-10 people. it also means i can't back out now because i promised 1 person and i scored a deal for the hotel room (thanks starwood).
i gotta learn to keep my mouth shut!

birthday wishes for 2

2008-07-25T08:25:00.003-04:00

the newest member of the kaona clan has a name. ku'uipomakamae ta'iala hunt. still no pics of my niece.

also today is my brother nui's 33rd birthday. for the next 62 days we are the same age. i only have pics of my brother. pics of my niece would have been cuter but the photo of my brother is saved by my fatso cute nephew. hau'oli la hanau braddah.

nui & kaulu

a legend

2008-07-24T22:53:00.003-04:00

sometimes my job presents me with some great opportunities, like it did tonight. i worked late and had decided to walk down to the make-up room on the 5th floor to see how things were going. there was food and i'm no dummy so i had a sandwich and when i turned around, in walked

it took everything in me to act cool and i don't know if i succeeded. he was tall and dressed sharply as he was on one of our shows. anyway sometimes i forget how cool my job is.

a tag

2008-07-23T10:23:00.002-04:00

My cousin Chrys has tagged me (and I truly don't know why because my life is boring) and here are the rules to this tag. I need to list 6 words that describe my life and tag five people.

i have been blessed in life (my family, my faith, my friends, my job)
many times, my life is rather pathetic and boring (more often than not)
perfection is not my life (i copied this one from my cousin)
my life has been full of surprises (some good, some not so good)
i try to keep my life as simple as possible
my life is a work in progress (spiritual, physical and mental)

Now the tagging part. This is hard because sometimes people don't like to do this whole tagging thing. So this is what I'm going to do, I'm going to tage these 5 individuals and if they do it, awesome and if not, no big deal. I tag Celeste, Sarah, Andrea, Sonya and Tamara. i guess i better let them know i tagged them.