December 24, 2007

Keiki Slippah Wish Project - Mission Accomplished!

Oh, what a day we had! There are a lot of reasons that I hope Saturday stays fresh in my memory for a long, long time. I got very discouraged about the problems of the homeless in Waianae some time back. Saturday reminded me why I care, and why it’s important to ignore the political ugliness, look beyond the smoke and mirrors and do something. Saturday was about people and about community. My community - Waianae!

The stalwart crew of the Slippah Wish Fund must have left townside about five o’clock, because they arrived in Maili (my little town on the Waianae Coast) at six o’clock and started decorating the truck. I live less than a mile from their meetup point, but could not leave home until my morning tummy troubles settled, so I arrived at Maili Point at seven and had no problem spotting the folks I needed to meet.

We all set to work sorting through the boxes on the truck and organizing them by type - slippahs - lots of slippahs! - books, toys, clothes, snacks. There were plenty of volunteers and we were soon ready to roll. Our first stop was just across the highway from our starting point, at Huliawa Beach Park on Maili Point.

A pattern was established that would repeat itself throughout the morning. There were curious stares as we pulled up. We could see that some of the families living on the beach had children; the bikes and toys outside their tents were a dead giveaway. As the first few curious residents approached we told them why we were there and asked if they could gather the children. We were told that, yes, there were children, but some of their parents would not let them come out. A little logic explains why. Some of them have a great fear of Child Protective Services (CPS) and avoid anyone who intrudes in their little community. They’re afraid that CPS will deem them unfit parents because they live on the beach and will try to take their children away. Their fears aren’t unfounded, so we understood.

Several parents told us how many children they had, their ages and shoe sizes. They were given shoes and other goodies for each child. Jason’s father was the first who was bold and trusting enough to actually bring a child out to meet us. Jason was half-asleep and not at all sure he wanted slippahs on his feet, but I distracted him with a ball and he decided that Daddy knew best!

After the ice was broken more parents came out with their keiki. From the youngest to the oldest, everyone recieved gifts.

Some of the older keiki approached on their own. This young man was happy to see that we had big-kid toys in addition to slippahs. He was very happy with a football and a baseball glove.

We had joked about rain (a common occurence in our Hawaiian winters) and the possibility of it interfering with our little project. When it came it was just a light sprinkling and didn’t deter us at all. I couldn’t resist this photo opp as this father described his four kids to Auntie Lynn. The very skies above us seemed to be endorsing our efforts with a timely blessing.

The first rainbow was soon joined by a second and, moments later, a third. Sorry, y’all! The triple-rainbow photo didn’t come out so you’ll just have to take my word for that!

The same pattern repeated itself time and again as we made our way up the coast. Some of our neighbors on the beach had decorated their homes with Christmas finery, a welcome sight in sometimes bleak circumstances.

I was reminded of New Orleans and Mardi Gras several times as eager young hands reached up to the truck claim their prizes.

The best part of our day, for me and others, was the opportunity to get to know our neighbors.

After we finsished up at Keaau Beach Park, near the “end of the road” in Makaha, we paused briefly for a group photo before heading to our final destination. Some of the volunteers were a little camera-shy, but here’s a few of us.

Our last stop was at Pai’olu Kaiaulu, a homeless shelter that opened up near the Waianae Civic Center last March. Auntie Rita K. Martin gave us a tour after we finished unloading the truck. I took several pictures inside, but have decided to save them for antoher day and another post. Suffice it to say that several hundred people who lived on the beach back then now have private rooms and their own keys, some for the first time in years. We found a cheerful community that welcomed us warmly as we went around meeting and greeting the residents. One reason that we didn’t find many keiki on the beaches is because many of them now have a home in this wonderful community! There were children underfoot everywhere inside and on the grounds - what a wonderful thing!

I am hesitant to post pictures that show the faces of residents. This is their home and they deserve the privacy it affords them. When I go back (and I will go back!) I’ll make sure that individuals are comfortable having their faces shown and their stories told. There are wonderful things going on at Pai’olu Kaiaulu and I’d like to tell some of the stories. My friend and I both found ways that we can help with the education and job-training programs that are on-going, and are anxious to get started. Others in the Waianae community-at-large are giving their enthusiastic support too, like the young man who built the above living room for the “big kids” as part of his Eagle Scout project.

One final thought and then I’ll close. Meeting Auntie Lynn was one of the highlights of my day. It was Auntie Lynn, aka: Auntie Pupule who made the Keiki Slippah Wish Project happen. It originated with a simple wish she made three years ago: she wished that all of the keiki in Mayor Wright Homes could have slippers. Together with a group of friends, she set out to make that dream a reality. And they did! This year, the third year of the project, The Slippah Project went to Mayor Wright Homes, Kamehameha Homes and Ka’ahumnu Homes before finishing up on the Waianae Coast. Auntie Lynn said several times that they were on the Waianae Coast becuase of me. I’m proud to have been a part of the project, but it wasn’t me who made it grow so big that there were more slippahs than the Mayor Wright keiki could use. All I did was write

a post, hoping that some of my friends would see fit to contribute to this wonderful project. It was you, my dear readers, who stepped up and put your money where your hearts were. I was astounded at your generous response, as was everyone involved with the project. We talked a lot about mana as we made our tour of the Waianae Coast. Mana is heart and soul and spirit. I cannot do it justice in English, but it’s the power of the spirit that flows from within you and that is best seen when it spills out and washes over everyone who comes within its aura. Your mana is showing, dear readers. Mahalo nui loa for that.

Mele Kalikimaka, my friends! May the seeds you’ve sown reap bountiful benefits in the new year.

Technorati Tags: Christmas, Hawaii, homeless, Keiki Slippah Wish Project, photos, Waianae Coast

Self Portrait Sunday for December 23, 2007

I’ve felt silly all day and done quite a bit of laughing, so I thought it appropriate to catch that mood with the camera for my self portrait. I think I’m semi-hyterical with relief at having finished all of the big pre-holiday tasks. There’s grocery shopping and some baking to finish tomorrow, but I’m pretty much … done! I hope all of my self portrait pals are having as good a day as I am. I’ll find out when I go to Digi-Cass, where I’ll find a roll call and can visit everyone who posed for Self Portrai Sunday this week.

Ha! As soon as I was ready to post about feeling perky my browser crashed, lol! I’ve been having some problems with freezing and crashing for a few days. I fell asleep waiting for a defrag to finish, so I’m actually posting this early on Monday morning. Guess that’s what I get for plopping down on a couch that’s every bit as comfy as discount home theater seating to do my waiting. I need to either get myself on a better maintenance schedule for my computer or force myself to stay in my office chair while waiting for the task to finish, I guess.

Technorati Tags: meme, photos, self portraits

Posted by skeet @ 1:29 am • Photos, Meme • 5 comments  

December 21, 2007

Sunset Studio Deluxe - new hidden object game

You’ll have to go to RealArcade to play Sunset Studio Deluxe because it’s their exclucive, at least for the time being.

The premise is simple and it actually works: you’re working in a film studio and need to find props for the movies they’re shooting. That’s a great basic storyline for a hidden object game because props can be anything whatsoever. It’s a little disconcerting on some other games to find (for instance) a satellite dish or plumbing fixtures in ancient Egypt. The setup for this game eliminates that bit of absurdity.

The graphics are bright, clear and colorful, though light and shadow are sometimes used to obscure hidden objects. I found the play to be challenging but fair. Players have five minutes to solve each board and are awarded gold stars based on number of objects found and time consumed. I only played five or six screens in the hour alloted by my free download (with frequent pauses to do screen captures and scribble notes.) I didn’t find all of the object for the first few screens, so I didn’t get the maximum of five stars on those.

You also “earn” tools as you progress though the screens. They’re in the lower portion of the menu above. I got one for a screen on which I only had three and a half stars, so I think there no real earning involved. I didn’t find the tools to be very useful, though they will help pinpoint the area you need to search or supply you with a graphic so you’ll know what the object looks like.

You can sign up for a free thirty day trial of Game Pass, RealArcade’s membership program, which will give you one free game and discounts on game purchases. They have a good menu of games, so it might be worth it to you to buy a membership after your trial expires. Sunset Studio Deluxe can be purchased for $19.99, discounted to $14.99 with membership. Not a bad deal, but the discounts aren’t as good as some other game sites. I liked Sunset Studio Deluxe, but am not sure I’m ready to shell out any cash for it yet.

I have two more new hidden object game announcements in my mailbox, so look for those reviews soon.

Technorati Tags: games, hidden object games, RealArcade, Sunset Studio Deluxe

December 20, 2007

Anachronism in Aiea

You can’t drive Kamehameha highway in Aiea without seeing it. A cultivated patch of green sits surrounded by a multi-million (maybe billion?) dollar mall, just a stones throw from Pearl Harbor. I suspect most people have the same thought process I do each time they see Sumida Farms:

1. What a pleasant and peaceful place that is!

2. Wow! It’s surrounded by the mall! I bet they could sell that patch of ground for a fortune.

See the darker gray in the map? That Pearlridge Center, a huge mall and commercial building complex. See the lighter gray that it surrounds? That’s Sumida Farms. They’ve resisted the impulse to hand their little enterprise over to the real estate market. They’re content to grow their watercress. I think most other folks are every bit as glad of that as I am. There’s something delightful about seeing the few acres of green moving in the wind, sunlight glinting off of water between rows, and, always, a few birds stilt-walking and pecking, searching out garden pests. I took a couple of pictures through my car window as I sat in traffic a few days ago, something I’ve been meaning to do for ages.

I generally avoid malls. I don’t like the crowds and the hassles. I consider a trip to the mall a necessary evil of the holiday season, though, so I made my foray to Pearlridge. After an hour or so of shopping I was anxious to get home and annoyed with traffic almost as soon as I entered the highway, but the peace and tranquility of Sumida Farms turned my attitude around.

The palm frond covered hale is a constant feature, dressed in finery for this happy season. You can’t see it and not smile. I don’t need caribbean cruises or a visit to the spa to relax me. A drive down Kam Highway past Sumida Farms works just fine!

While searching for the map that was needed to illustrate this wonder I discovered that KGMB9 News recently did a story about the little watercress farm sitting tranquilly amid the bustle of modern urban life. I guess they stole my thunder, but I don’t really mind trailing behind them. Follow the link to see their video of this slice of paradise. Enjoy!

Technorati Tags: farming, gardening, Hawaii, Sumida Farms, watercress

Share Some Good Stuff

Sometimes we get so overwhelmed with the bad news that we forget that there are good things going on around us all the time. We can’t change the headlines, but we can seek out that which is good, that which is uplifting, that which shines with a positive radiance - the good stuff. Here’s some recent feel-great stories:

Corrin found a heart-warming (and foot-warming!) story about a twelve year old girl who is collecting Socks for Soldiers. She’s doing a spectacular job of it, too!

You all know that the problems of children and the homeless are the ones that tug most fiercely at my heartstrings. Karen blogged about an alumni association that is making a homeless child’s dream come true. That’s what I’m talking about!

My pal Val has some good news that hits closer to home. She’s very proud of her young son who got caught committing random acts of kindness. Knowing his mom, it doesn’t surprise me at all that he’s such a good kid!

And, finally - I had a hard time selecting good stuff to share this week simply because I found so many wonderful stories! The holidays bring out the best in people, and I shared several stories about good people doing good things. Ah, lucky we live Hawaii!

Does the front page of your local paper sometimes make you feel like the world is a terrible place? It’s not, you know, but you may have to do a little sleuthing to find the evidence. Skip over those bleak headlines every now and then and go right to the inside pages. Dig out the stories of hope and kindness. Make sure you let me know when you blog about the Good Stuff so I can help you share!

Technorati Tags: good news, current events, local stories, meme

My gal pal Val

We didn’t have much money when I was growing up. My mom was very frugal with whatever money was available, but the important things got taken care of. My folks believed everyone should have a good mattress and good shoes, so they never went low-budget on those things. With four kids, all in glasses and three with braces on their teeth, though, there just wasn’t much “extra” to go around. Still, I don’t remember knowing we were “poor” when we were quite young, probably because we always had fun stuff to do and didn’t know we were missing anything. I was thinking about that when I browsed through Fun, Crafts and Recipes to put together a review for my friend Val. I remember making our own paste with flour and water, and I remember we always had a good supply of “Play Dough,” long before Hasboro or whoever it was started selling the stuff. Bubbles were probably a nickel a bottle back then, but Mom wasn’t going to spend that nickel (times four) when the ingredients were close to hand. Looking through the Val’s craft ideas turned into a nostalgia trip for me, because she’s got instructions for many of the things Mom made, and that you can still make with your kids (it’s so much more fun when you do it together!)

Where Val really shines, though, is with her cooking recipes. I copied her slow-cooked California Tamale Pie recipe and have it on my kitchen bulletin board so I’ll remember to get the ingredients. I can’t imagine why someone would spoil such a fine recipe with black olives (I guess that’s the “California part of the dish) but I’ll adapt it to my tastes because it sounds heavenly! Many of Val’s recipes are the comfort foods you’ve known since childhood, like onion soup and pound cake, but some have been updated to reflect the ingredients in our modern pantry and the appliances we rely on these days (like slow-cookers.) I guarantee you’ll find something there that will send you on a stroll down memory lane!

I can’t talk about Fun, Crafts and Recipes without mentioning two special features. Val’s first-ever contest is going on right now. I’ve entered (several times, in fact) and you’re going to want to do the same. The prize is a copy of Dad’s Own Cookbook, which is marketed as being for beginners. Don’t believe it! Yes, it looks like a great primer for new cooks, but it’s also chock-full of basic recipes you might not have handy through other sources. If I don’t win I’ll be buying a copy of my own.

Val’s other special feature is Four Foods on Friday. You’ve probably seen that on my blog. Each week Val poses four questions. Her readers answer in a post on their own blog, then Val synopsizes the entries on Fridays. It’s a fun meme for everyone who eats - that’s you, right? Go play, then browse around Fun, Crafts and Recipes. You’ll find some good stuff there - you have my solemn promise!

Technorati Tags: blogs, contests, crafts, recipes

Sharing Some Good Stuff

Good news stories abound this time of year. I’ve scoured local news sources so I could share some of them with you.

The Friends of Waianae Library are helping harried parents keep their keiki occupied during these last days of the countdown to Christmas. What are you going to do, now that the tree is decoreated, the gifts are all bought and wrapped, the menu is planned … and the little ones are restless and getting a little cranky with no school to distract them? If you live in Waianae you’re going to sign them up for the Twelve Days of Christmas at Waianae Library, which runs much like the summer reading programs offered by libraries everywhere. The children commit to read one book a day, and public libraries are also offerring public readings, puppet shows and other programs to keep the little ones occupied and save their parents sanity.

Folks around the island have been supporting various holiday giving programs and now are busy distributing gifts of aloha to families in need. I found a video on KGMB 9 News about Angel Tree gifts bringing the spirit of the season to children and even some seniors for whom Christmas would have been just another day without the generosity of strangers.

University of Hawaii med students have long provided a vital service by visiting homeless shelters and providing basic medical care. This week they’re putting away their stethoscopes and sharing some holiday goodwill. On Saturday the UH med students will host a party for the children at the Next Step transitional shelter in Kaka’ako. They’ll decorate the shelter, have cookie decorating and an ice cream sundae bar - all activites guaranteed to bring smiles to some children who have seen hard times!

One more good-news story: A lot of veterans of World War II still feel the gulf between our contry and Japan, never having gone beyond the animosity that abounded in those dark days. A group of US and Japanese veterans, recognizing that there’s not much time left to heal that breach, got together for a few days of fellowship and a softball game this week and found that new friendships can heal old wounds. Their game was played at Hans L’Orange Park in Waipahu, not too far from where I live. I wish I’d known in time to attend. I’m not much into sports, but I’d love to have cheered these eighty-year old ballplayers who were doing much more than just hitting balls and running bases!

The project that is most dear to my heart this holiday season is the The Slippah Fund, which my readers generously joined me in supporting. I’ll have an update and some first-person reporting for you in a few days. Watch for it!

Have you looked behind the headlines lately to find the good stuff hidden on the back pages? I know there are wonderful things going on in your neck of the woods, too, especially this time of year. Why not share it? Find a local good news story, write a post about it on your blog and send me the link. I’ll be doing a round-up of your Good Stuff late today!

Technorati Tags: good news, current events, local stories, meme

December 19, 2007

Four Foods on Friday

I’ve been watching reruns of the last season of Top Chef all day. I’ve also flipped the channels a few times to watch some of the holiday specials on The Food Network. I should install some tv stands and a second tv in my office so I can watch both shows at once. Or maybe that’s not such a good idea. My appetites have been over-stimulated by the food shows and I’ve been nibbling all day. I have heartburn. I was just thinking that I needed to make a light supper when an email popped up from Val reminding me that I need to make my post for Four Foods on Friday. Now I’m seriously thinking I should have ice cream with candy bar sprinkles and a cup of hot chocolate for my evening meal instead. Can we blame it on Val if I spend a sleepless night rolling around on my bed in agony?

On with the quesitions!

#1. Hot chocolate. With marshmallows or without?

Definitely with - but if none are available I won’t turn down a sweet, chocolaty cup!

#2. What is your favorite ice cream?

I love the gourmet flavors that are available these days, especially the ones with chocolate brownies or coffee, but the one I buy most often is French Vanilla. It’s delicious and so versitile. It’s great all by itself, but also goes so well so many things: with root beer for a float, with a brownie and fudge sauce, over a slice of hot pumpkin pie, with homemade cookies fresh from the oven … the possibilities are endless!

#3. What is your favorite candy bar?

Sometimes I feel like a nut, sometimes I don’t, but I’m always ready for coconut and chocolate! I like both Almond Joy and Mounds. Zero Bars would be in the running too, but I can’t get them in Hawaii.

#4. Name something you make with creamed corn in it, and how you make it.

Corn fritters! You can use creamed or whole kernal corn, but here’s how to use the creamed stuff:

1 cup of sifted flour
1 teaspoon of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/4 teaspoon of paprika or black pepper (I use both!)
1 can of creamed corn
2 eggs, beaten

Sift the dry ingredients. Stir in the corn and eggs and mix well. Drop by large spoonsful into hot oil, deep enough to cover. The fritters will quickly pop to the surface. Flip them gently when the underside is golden brown. Continue cooking until browned all over. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towel. Makes six or eight fritters. Great side dish with ham, or serve for breakfast or a snack with a maple syrup drizzle. Yum!

Val will blog about each of the Four Foods participants on Friday, so joining in is good for a little linky love. Participants also earn entries into Val’s first-ever contest on Fun, Crafts and Recipes, so get yourself over there and join the fun. You could win a fun cookbook when the contest closes at the end of December.

Technorati Tags: beverages, contest, food, recipes, meme

Whew! That’s done!

I’ve been wrapping gifts for a couple of days. Last year I didn’t “do” Christmas - I was broke and depressed and felt just awful about not having gifts for my son. Sometimes I over-compensate. This morning I finished wrapping his stocking stuffers (so he won’t see them when he opens the boxes - his girlfriend can play Santa and put them in his stocking.) Everything else for the two of them was already wrapped and packed into shipping boxes.

I’m not sure about the rest of the US, but yesterday was the deadline for using Priority Mail to send packages between Hawaii and the mainland. I thought today was the last day. I was rather proud of myself for reaching the finish line in time. I crammed the three boxes in Hokulele’s back seat and headed to the post office to get them shipped to the kids in the San Francisco area.

I got lucky at the post office. A parking spot right in front of the door opened up just for me. I carried the boxes up the steps one at a time, then began shoving the stack towards the door with my foot.

A father and daughter, in the spirit of the season, offered their help. Sweet little Kelsey, held the door while her dad and I carried the boxes inside, past the rows of mailboxes
in the outer lobby and into the service lobby. She posed for a picture but got shy at the last moment and turned away. Apparently coming a day late was a good thing. The line wasn’t long at all and my boxes were on their way about fifteen minutes later. My three boxes weighed in at 46 pounds, 1 ounce. Total cost for shipping: $93.40. I selected Priority Mail. Express would have cost considerably more. The Postmaster (talking with the lady in pink) said that since my packages won’t have to go beyond California I could probably count on them arriving in time even though I was mailing late. Cross your fingers for me, folks!

You would think that cleaning up this mess would be my next priority. Wrong! I still have packages to mail to my brother and sister in Dallas. If I get them wrapped tonight and mail them via Express Mail tomorrow they should arrive on time. The shipping rate will be higher, but I can put all of their gifts into one box, so the final total cost will be much less than what I paid out today.

Maybe next year I’ll finish shopping and shipping early. Probably not.

Technorati Tags: Christmas, Christmas packages, family, Hawaii, US Mail

December 18, 2007

Tuesday Teaser photo verification

I really hate it when I have to do fieldwork on Tuesdays, but it was nice to get back in the office today and find that y’all had played nicely amongst yourselves while I was gone. I think some of you must have sat on bar stools all day staring at the picture and trying to make sense of it. Luckily, someone did! We had a lot of new players today - thanks to StumbleUpon, I think - and one of them left all of my “regulars” in the dust. Congratulations to Alex Wojtak, who took one look and knew it was the center of a compass! Alex has won a linky love post and will be entered in the drawing for a $10.00 gift card at the end of the month.

Mahalo to you all for playing! I hope you’ll all come around again next Tuesday when I’ll try once more to stump you with a Tuesday Teaser!

Technorati Tags: blog contest, contests, photos, photo contest