This journal is was used to keep in touch with my family and friends but I post elsewhere now. I still use this to leave lots of comments.

Currently on another posting hiatus in this journal since March 2, 2008. I have not been updating this journal. If you know me you know where to find me LOL

For my friends and family: I will be in the DC area again on April 30th.

I am happily married to a buff powerlifting dude. He just bought another Dodge Ram. Now we have matching SUVs and matching Dodge Rams. Now we are matching. 

In the mean time I've been busy working, working out, trying to buy more properties, etc. Those close to me know EXACTLY where to find me. :-)


Aloha kākou. 'O ulu lani ko'u inoa. J'étudie l'hawaiienne, l'espagnol, la japonais, et le français. I study many languages. 'Ano 'olelo makuahine au. E ho'oma'ama'a ana au :-) Ko'u Livejournal keia. No Kaimuki a me Hilo a me Kohala a me Keaukaha a me Kaupo mai au.

I've been online since about 1988 and I've had this particular Livejournal since May 31, 2001. (I've had another one since August 23, 2000 and yet another one since November 2, 2005. I have a few others as well.)

My bestest friend suggested that I be more specific instead of vague like how I usually am heehee Well there are still some bat shit crazy people, depressed people, and drama kings and queens online. Unfortunately with current "reality shows" some people try to make the Internet a reality show. That is... theirs. I do not watch much television because alot of the programs are boring to me. That may be why it bores me but I notice that alot of these "bottom feeders" online feed off of negativity and/or off of each other's negativity probably because since they are "on the bottom" they want others to be there too which may explain the prevalence of Internet sniping and Internet snark. Granted some people love drama probably because they lack attention. They seek attention... whether positive or negative. Usually negative attention. I'm 40. Drama bores me. 

Yes I am Hawaiian and a member of the National Rifle Association. I also study shuri te and have been for the last nine years. Unfortunately many women and children (irrelevant of race, ethnicity, religion, national origin, etc) are preyed upon. We can protect ourselves.

Though I don't have much time to keep up with everything, I moderate _nativeamerican</lj>, abouthawaii</lj>, booksforsale</lj>and fitzilla</lj>(just to name a few)... when I can. Lately my work, my paperwork, my workouts, my travel, and my investments have been keeping me busy and have gotten into the way of my slacking time! :P

The really good stuff is locked for Family and Friends Only. 


Some of my latest news... briefly: 

1. I have been busy with my work, paperwork, workouts, chores, etc lately so I am on a posting hiatus. However I still leave loads of comments (when I have time.)
2. I am currently at 17% of my portfolio goal!
3. I will be returning to the DC area again on April 30th;.
4. I will be attending the All Kamehameha Schools' Alumni Reunion in Las Vegas with my husband for sure in late October/early November.
5. In the midst of buying more properties.
6. In the midst of sending a check to Aha Punana Leo and to the Salvation Army.
   
7. Tending to my two raised vegetable garden beds and orange tree (yum!)

For the next two months (before I turn 41) one of my goals is to continue to stay active period. Nothing unusual in terms of strength gains. Since mid-February I started to implement a no-more-than-12-reps lifting routine. I will continue to do that for the next two months. (I may or may not change it later. It depends how I feel about my workouts and activities in May.)

I would like to continue to do more walking. At least three days per week minimum. More if can. Biking too. As much as I possibly can no matter what some people say about working out too much. I live in the suburbs among wealthy people but to me the first wealth is one's health. Know what I mean? :) I would also like to continue to do kata, kicks (at least 300 per day if possible), some bag work in our garage, some yoga, and more stretching. For example today I made more of an effort to stretch for Chinese splits.

Today's workout lasted for about one hour and 20 minutes which may seem like a lot to some people but it's really not considering I warm up and stretch lots. Today it wasn't anything spectacular but then is being active supposed to be spectacular? LOL:

• Arc trainer for five-minute warm-up
  
• Stretch
  
• Abs
  
• Splits stretching
  
• Chest - Heavy
  
• Triceps - Heavy
  
• Walking on treadmill on incline for 30 minutes (for cardio as I need to prevent heart disease which is common among Hawaiians and American women)
  
• Stretch
  
• Splits stretching
  
• Abs
  
• Stretch even more
  
• Pau!
  

Unfortunately the aerobics room was being cleaned and that is where I usually run my kata and kicks so today I could not since it was being cleaned.

I've noticed that it's been a little difficult to get walking into my day because of my field. I drive to where I want and/or need to go. Of course I have drastically cut down on my driving due to gas prices but it's been a challenge to do more walking. I have to schedule it in my calendar or else I won't do it. Lately I have been good about it. For March I hope to walk and bike more in addition to working out in a gym. Staying active is one of my goals. I will be 41 in two months so I HOPE I continue to make it a point to stay active another 26 years. Life is so short. Even though I own some Pfizer stock I do NOT want to take any pills. NONE. To date I don't take any meds except for ibuprofen due to the prostaglandins that cause menstrual craps but other than that I do not want to take ANY pills for heart disease, high cholesterol, etc. Therefore I walk.

Well my bestest friend thinks some things about me but lately I have been drowning myself in my work, house work, and workouts. So much so that I'm pau deep cleaning my second bathroom and today I just found out I just closed another deal yay!

Well today for dinner after my workout I had some brown rice, protein, and veggies. Lately I have re-added rice to my food intake but no more than 1.5 cups per meal. It's just my thing to do so. Here is a pic of tonight's dinner though it seems larger than it really is:



I'm trying to post pics of my lunches and dinner but my shitty cell phone camera doesn't do tonight's dinner justice. That's half a slice of a turkey burger on the top left, sliced grill chicken on the top right (my apologies to vegans and vegetarians reading this), cabbage with vinegar and shoyu on the bottom left, and one cup of brown rice sprinkled with furikake on the bottom right.


Anyway after I was pau with my workout I checked my voice mail and found out good news about a pending deal. Yay! I wrote about going on a shopping spree at Salvation Army in early February but I never did that. Instead I held off spending more money. I may buy a new set of clothes for work from Salvaton Army this week. Usually I spend no more than $50 per month on "new" clothes from thrift stores but that's only because I like to save at least $1000 per month (minimum.) Sucks to be you.

Earlier today I went walking for about 25 minutes. Just in my neighborhood on the sidewalks which I think is rare these days with the Internet. I don't want to get Suburb Spread. I saw only one older lady walking. She had to grocery bags so I could safely deduce that she walked to the grocery store and was heading back. She was older and she was so inspiring. I said "Hi" to her. She smiled. I love seeing people walking outside.

Tonight at the gym I worked out for about an hour and a half. Stretching and warming up took some time. Looked something like this:

• Stairmaster for five-minute warm-up
  
• Stretch
  
• Abs
  
• Splits stretching
  
• Back - Heavy
  
• Biceps - Heavy
  
• Stretch
  
• Some kata and kicks then stretching then splits stretching
  
• Elliptical trainer for 30 minutes
  
• Stretch
  
• Abs
  
• Stretch
  
• Pau!
  

I don't buy into the "overtraining" myth. However I notice that some people suffer from Suburb Spread where we get too comfortable and lazy so we make excuses not to stay active so some people say it's "overtraining." Overtraining as opposed to what? Sitting on one's ass all day sitting infront of the tv and/or computer? LOL No thanks.

I have some chores to do for the rest of the night. Reading. Languages Study Time. I have to clean my second bathroom tonight as in a deep clean which I do once per month. I pride myself in having clean bathrooms. Like my mother told me when we were little and super poor, "Just because we're poor does not mean that we can't be clean." (Thanks, Mommy.)

Anyway I am going to be 41 in two months. Wow just wow LOL

I went to the office early today. It was boring.

I bought some Girl Scouts cookies too. Total of $21 to support girls. To eat the cookies... now that will be difficult. Not LOL

Today I have some things left on my agenda:

1. Finish some work
2. Clean out my car errrr truck as I do monthly. Fortunately I am pau cleaning my SUV that is near DC. (I bought it used. I never pay for depreciation.)
3. Have lunch: One cup brown rice with grilled mahi mahi and veggies--> Pau
4. Walk at about 2 p.m. --> Pau
5. Another meeting at 4 p.m. --> Pau
6. Workout at the gym at about 7 p.m. --> Pau
7. Chores like clean our pool and hot tub so that I can use them this weekend --> Cleaned pool but not the hot tub because I decided not to run it this weekend. I will run it next weekend instead because I have to save at least $1000 per month.
8. Try to get some reading done
9. More chores
10. Try to file more paperwork
11. Languages Study Time
12. More chores

I limit myself to no more than one hour max online. So far so good. I have finished reading three books this month which is amazing considering they are all non-fiction. I hardly if ever read fiction because well... fiction is not real now is it? :P Seriously... I have always preferred non-fiction. One day I may read about thermal dynamics. Another day I may read a book about business. It varies. Like the wind. I remember in high school and in college. I didn't have much time to read what I wanted to read. Now that I do I try to make time which can be extremely difficult to do.

Sometimes I wonder when do other people make time to read? I ask that often.

I am trying diligently to add more walking and biking into my day since I notice that my field is a sedentary one. I will be 41 soon and I will be damned if I get a disease (cancer, diabetes, and/or heart disease) if I can help it and I CAN HELP IT plus walking is free. This is in addition to working out in the gym.

I also want to start spending more time on a stripper pole. Believe it or not it's hard to keep your body up like that haha It's for home, for my husband, and for more strength work. I'll try to post pics but it's kinda difficult to do with my cell phone camera. (Even though I can get a better digital camera I've decided to hold off on getting it for awhile.)



For the weekend I plan to go to the office when no one else is there :) Why? So I can get my shit done.... I notice that some people just wanna talk and I have so much shit to do. SO MUCH.

Anyway today is February 29th. I have to write down my goals for March 2008. Revise and update. I may post a pic or two of what I write down offline because well technical talk BORES me though I understand the shit. It's so boring to me. Then again I have been in some advanced classes all of my life and all of it bored me haha Seriously it's boring to me. Then again English is boring to me probably because it's not my first language so I am always so bored with it LOL.... Live it up. That's what I say. 

Lately I've been taking and posting some pics that were taken with my shitty cell phone camera. It's a Motorola Q. My bestest friend copied me and has the same phone. Just joking. He has the same phone as I do. I don't like the camera though because it takes such shitty pics. However I bought it on sale for $79.99 U.S. plus tax. I waited for the price to drop and it did. Frugal is me. Or at least I try to be :P

Well when I was near DC, I found this Lock & Lock set at a Korean grocery store. It cost $16.99 U.S. plus tax:

New in bag:



Top of bag:



Three containers included:



One with dividers:



When I am at my primary residence I have to drive about 40 miles to the nearest oriental market. (I am Chinese too and have no problem with the word "oriental.") I like to buy fresh vegetables there but I have to limit my trips there to one per month at most. Even then they don't have much selection when it comes to lunch jars, tea sets, etc. I am Chinese too so I like uh Chinese stuff LOL.... Of course my husband thanked me for finding that particular oriental grocery store because he likes jasmine tea, green tea, and rice flour while I like being Asian. He makes me laugh :O


I was so happy when I found it near DC. Why? Because these containers make it easier for me to pack my meals and snacks. This one can be used for when my husband and I go out for the day like when we go to the beach which we do often. It will help us a lot.

Anyway I worked like mad today. Tomorrow I will have to push myself a bit. Add more walking or rather add walking period to my day LOL Then gym time. I plan to work this weekend too mainly because I leave again on March 27th and will be gone til April 6th. It's crunch time. Again.

I have wanted to buy these for awhile now:

and





They sell for about $75 total for both sets including shipping from Australia. I have put off getting them because I have been trying to save $1000 per month minimum and spend $30 per week MAX on food.

Today I spent about $28 for food for the week. I bought three dozen eggs, two cauliflower heads, some chicken breasts, some romaine lettuce, some fresh mushrooms, and some paper towels. I noticed a martial artist in there and he kept staring at me. Normally when some people see me wearing my bikini or when I swim in the pool at the gym or go in the sauna or hot tub at the gym... Japanese and Okinawans can SEE my tattoos. The guy in the store kept staring at me. I think he could tell but then I don't know do I LOL.... I was wearing blue jeans that I bought at a thrift store for about $6.50, an orange long sleeve shirt that I bought at a thrift store for about $4, and black heels. Nothing spectacular.

Today I found a set at Target that will do. It's a Sterilite combination with orange, blue, and green lids:



The set ran me $19.99 (plus tax.)

I bought these matching "juice" containers which are not Sterilite but the colors match :P I like to take water with me when I pack my lunch and snacks so this is perfect!

They were about $1.65 each plus tax:



Here they are infront of the box of the containers that I found today at Target:



Total cost: About $27 U.S. including tax

Compared to the sets that I REALLY wanted but didn't wanna spend that kind of money: About $75 total. It's not only that. I don't like to use so much stuff especially when I eat at Boston Market sometimes. Don't get me wrong but I like the protein and veggies but they use lots of plastic which is not recyclable so I have drastically cut down on eating there. Instead I try to pack my lunches and snacks because when I'm at one of my two offices I like to get my shit done before I leave. In fact I stay until I get my shit done for the day even though I can leave earlier.

Well I am quite pleased and stoked.

Anyway lately I have made it a point to consume at least one cup of brown rice daily. At most 1.5 cups of brown rice but brown rice has returned. Some white rice too. Just one cup to 1.5 cups MAX per day. I have also changed my lifting to no more than 12 reps per set for awhile now. I have also been doing more walking. Period.

Last night I was bundled in my white jacket, blue jeans, and black boots. It was cold. My long one-length hair contrasted nicely with my tanned face and white jacket. Today it is sunny and warm. My freckles are happy LOL....

Someone on my Friends List posted a professor's last lecture. Yes I heard about it but never watched it (until he posted it) for a variety of reasons. One of them being I have been filtering out time leeches. Another being that I limit my time online. I don't even watch much television. In fact I never watched an episode of "Lost" or "American Idol."

Today's workout I hope to do some major walking out of the gym then later tonight lift, do some cardio, kata, and stretch stretch stretch. Some people don't believe in the importance of stretching. Well I can do the splits on both sides and I was able to attain the American splits when I was 33. What can they do? LOL Then again I am 40 and I strongly believe in the importance of stretching for flexibility. To date I have yet to meet many other lifters who can do the splits which is an epitome of flexibility. One of many.

I remember Flex Wheeler though some younger lifters mistakenly think that lifting is "new." It's not LOL Then again it may be the younger generation acting like gym elitists. The Ipod is new. Weights are not. It makes me laugh.

Watch Flex Wheeler at about 4:17 in this video: http://www.bodybuilding-pics.com/video/GOaz1P79DHc/Best-of-Flex-Wheeler.html

Or here:





I know very few bodybuilders and powerlifters who can do the splits like how he can yet they act like know-it-alls. Like they are Mr. Olympia even :O My husband is a bodybuilder turned powerlifter. I have helped him and other powerlifting team members wrap up at power lifting competitions. Did they act like know-it-alls? Nope so there are cool lifters and there are uncool lifters. I notice the uncool ones eventually get injured and drop out like flies. Karma is a bitch and they are served Humble Pie. Serves them right LOL


Anyway for those like me who sometimes get to things later... thanks to the person for posting it in his ElJay here it is:

http://video.stumbleupon.com/#p=ithct48cqw

It's about 11:32 seconds of something nice.

My return flight went well. No glitches. On time. I couldn't ask for anything more. I even finished reading the second book that I took up with me. I guess I surprised myself. I even started on the third book.

Tomorrow I have to re-stock groceries. I still plan to spend no more than $30 per week on groceries or try to anyway. I have to check the local farmers' market and see if they are still remodeling. Hopefully they are pau because they have fresh veggies there at lower prices.


Anyway it was about 25 °F when I left the DC area. It was sooo cold! Outside where my primary residence is... it's about 50 °F. Tomorrow the forecast is a sunny 72 °F. Saturday is predicted to reach 78 °F and Sunday is predicted to reach 80 °F. I am fortunate.

I am hoping my flight out tonight isn't delayed. So far it's on time.

I return to the DC area again from March 27th til April 6th. Hopefully it will be warmer.

Later this year I will be going to Las Vegas for the Kamehameha Schools' All Alumni Class Reunion. For those on my Spyspace read more about it there and for other Kamehameha Schools' graduates I will be there for sure. Hope you attend too.

I forgot to take pics of my fork, spoon, and chopsticks set yesterday. Here it is:









One flight attendant once told me that he thought it was cute. I think so too LOL....

I pack my food in one of my Ralph Lauren totes. I brought the black one with me to the DC area. It looks like this:





Anyway I am set to return later tonight. Hopefully while waiting for the plane and while I'm on the plane I will be able to finish reading the other book. I have about halfway left to go. I would surprise myself if I get done reading it by the end of the day. Meanwhile I have SO much work to do when I get back.

The one time I take pics of the food that I've packed... my flight out of the DC area was super delayed so I decided to change my return to tomorrow night instead. Thanks to a kind person at the airlines reservations phone line... I didn't have to pay a penalty. Yay for cool people!

Here are some pics of the food that I packed though I took them with my shitty cell phone camera that cost me an arm and half a leg :P:

1. Romaine lettuce with cubed tomatoes and Ranch dressing on top (left) and mashed cauliflower (right):

Uncovered:



Covered:



2. Veggies with stir-fried chicken on right:

Uncovered:




Covered:




3. Heating my food jar in the sink:



4. Packed food jar:



5. Wet rag on left to wipe my hands and tofu with some shoyu on right:



Missing are pics of the sliced apple that I took with me and a pic of my Mickey Mouse fork, spoon, and chopstick set.

Anyway I was supposed to leave tonight but my plane was delayed so someone kindly changed it for me for tomorrow night without a penalty. Yay!!! I actually drove to the airport then turned back when I checked the flight status online. It's a blessing in disguise.

Tonight's workout wasn't spectacular. Instead it was something and looked like this:

• Walking on track for 30 minutes
  
• Stretch
  
• Splits stretching
  
• Abs
  
• Stretch
  
• Back
  
• Chest
  
• Triceps
  
• Stretch
  
• Splits stretching
  
• Abs
  
• Some kata
  
• Stretch
  
• Pau!
  

It lasted for about an hour. Note that my goal is not to look good nor to be "muscular" or to be skinny. Instead it's to live to be at least 102 like my paternal great grandmother, Agnes Kahoe, of Kaupo, Maui who is on the left of this picture:



Everyone works out for a variety of reasons. Mine is to live to be 102 -- free of cancers and diabetes both of which run in my family but I know in American culture it seems popular to want to be "muscular" or to be "buff" or to have six-pack abs. Neither are my goals. Instead it is to be 102 one day. That is... good health coupled with longevity. Personally I think that is one thing wrong with American culture. Instead of thinking about longevity we collectively think about looking good. No wonder Okinawans, Japanese, and Chinese kick our ass (though I am Chinese too)... we are number 18 on the list in terms of longevity. Number 18. Humbling isn't it? Well it certainly humbles me.


Well afterwards I heated up a bag of frozen poi and ate it with some sardines and shoyu. Those who know me already know that Hawaiian food is my favorite food. ( Rant )

My favorite food is aku palu, ake, poi, raw crab, poke, etc. That is... fish and poi so after my workout I ate you guessed it... fish and poi LOL:

1. Preparation... ready to put in microwave:



2. After about 10 minutes... stir:



3. Add a little water:



4. Squeeze poi out of bag then allow to sit in order for it to cool down:



5. Prep canned sardines and small packets of shoyu courtesy of my mother:



6. Poi and fish are ready:




It can be quite challenging to eat fish and poi since I am presently on the East Coast but as we all do... I adapt. It was good.

Anyway I am near DC until tomorrow night. I plan to pack my dinner in my lunch jar and plastic containers. I'm going to try to take pics but I usually forget to do so but I will try. I forgot to mention... I am pau reading one book. I am about halfway through another which can be difficult because there are so many distractions that can distract us and I am easily distracted. Lately I have been doing well in filtering out the stupid. Who knows if it will last or not.

For those on my Friends List I've posted a pic of my mug in the last locked entry so if you wanna see my mug make sure you log in.

I'm still near DC. Today after I worked out my husband and I went to a couple of Asian grocery stores and I found a Lock & Lock set that I have been hunting for. I also found some silicone cups at Target for a batch of six for only one dollar. I am stoked.

Lately I've changed my workouts. Okinawans, Japanese, and Chinese outlive Americans (Americans are #18 in longevity) so their actions speak loud and clear. One of my goals is to stay active. I'm 40 after all.

Today looked like this:

• Elliptical trainer for 30 minutes
  
• Stretch
  
• Abs
  
• Splits stretching
  
• Stretch
  
• Shoulders - Heavy
  
• Chest - Heavy
  
• Triceps - Heavy
  
• Stretch
  
• Splits stretching
  
• Some kata
  
• Pau!
  

It lasted for about an hour. Lately I have cut my reps down. Drastically down to no more than 12 reps each exercise... but good health does not necessarily correlate with "lifting weights." Asians who outlive Americans are evidence of this so I don't want my family and friends to think that I am pro-gym because I'm not. Instead I am pro-active and pro-activity.

I also notice that some people are "gym elitists." Going to the gym means shit when it comes to longevity. Then again I'm not sure if it's an American thing or not but some people whom I know think they know so much when we are number 18. Not number one but number 18. That's nothing to brag or boast about yet some Americans do. They seem like know-it-alls when they don't know it all. Seriously... if they knew it all then we would not be number 18 now would we? LOL.... FWIW I'm Chinese too. Mixed. (See my pic in the last (locked) entry to see the Asian in my eyes LOL....)


Then my husband and I did alot of walking. That is key and best of all it's free.

Anyway it's so cold. So cold. Fortunately I will be heading back to warmth on Tuesday. I'm fortunate and appreciate it so much.

Today's good deed for the day was that I chaired an important meeting and did most of the talking. Right before the important meeting I took a short nap. Work was extremely tough today so I took a hot shower then went back to bed for 30 minutes then chaired an important meeting. It took me about 10 minutes to re-apply my makeup. I am so loving the H.I.P. eyeshadow that I bought. I use MAC too but lately I have been cutting my expenses. Drastically. The meeting went well. Of course inside I couldn't stop laughing. It was mainly because I DID IT!

Then I went to the gym. Worked out for about an hour. It was hard. I made it hard :P

• Elliptical trainer for five minute warm up (I'm 40 and in my humble experience warming up my body helps me so I make it a point to warm up and stretch.)
  
• Stretch
  
• Splits stretching
  
• Abs
  
• More stretching
  
• Back - REALLY hard; no more than 12 reps; low reps
  
• Biceps - same
  
• Triceps - same
  
• Stretch
  
• Some kata (for muscle memory)
  
• C2 rower for 10 minutes + Recumbent bike for 21 minutes = 31 minutes
  
• More stretching
  
• Pau!
  

Tomorrow I leave for the DC area again. I will be going from 76 degree °F weather to 22 degree °F weather. I don't particularly like being bundled up. I was born and raised in Hawai'i. I prefer to be as close to naked as I can. Of course it may snow tomorrow. I don't mind the snow since I lived in the Seattle and Eastside of Seattle area for about 13 years but I prefer the sunshine. I'm not complaining. I am very fortunate so I count my blessings. Always.

P.S. Resistance is futile. I think this shirt is cute:

My quest to fight inertia occurs daily. I want to workout. I don't want to workout. It can suck :P Don't get me wrong... but I am 40 and while I don't feel as though I am 40 sometimes I just don't want to fight inertia. I just want to veg out. Slack. Know what I mean?

Tonight I worked out. I changed my routine a bit. (I do so once in awhile.) I have mixed feelings about lifting weights partly because Okinawans and Chinese (I'm Chinese too) don't have a weight-based exercise regimen yet they outlive Americans. I lift for strength though I notice in America somehow "strength" is correlated with "health." Sometimes "muscles" are correlated with "health" too but they don't necessarily correlate with each other. To me (in my humble experience of working out for 25 years :P) "strength" is only one factor of many.

Well it was brutal tonight. Brutal.

Here is what it looked like:

• Arc trainer for five-minute warm-up
  
• Stretch
  
• Splits stretching
  
• Abs
  
• Stretch more
  
• Shoulders
  
• Triceps
  
• Treadmill on incline then decline for about 30 minutes - varying mph and incline/decline respectively
  
• Some kata
  
• Stretch
  
• Pau! (Done/finished/fini!)
  

A couple of things that annoyed me:

1. I annoyed myself tonight :P I didn't wear any make up though I usually have some residual make-up on because I go to the gym at about 7 or 8 p.m. at night after I'm pau with work. When I don't wear make up my eyes seem to look more Asian so I look more Eurasian. Ironically whenever I don't wear makeup I get some weirdos asking me to dinner or asking me out so I annoyed myself tonight :P

2. Younger guys crowding the weight racks so that some of us couldn't get to them. They were very rude but I just minded mine and just got the weights even though they were in my way. Manners. They're free.

One surprising thing about the gym where I worked out at tonight (this time one of two YMCAs I have access to) upgraded their televisions. Now they have five flat screen t.v.'s in the gym. I don't even have a flat screen t.v. at home LOL

Other than that I did a Good Deed for the Day today. I called my girl friend to give her the number of one of her friends. She lost her number and I had it so I relayed it to my girl friend so they could re-connect with each other.

* I leave for the DC area again this Thursday. Will be there til next Tuesday. In case my twin sister reads this. A box filled with Valentines' Day candies for the little sweeties is on its way :)

I wrote about my kupuna (a word that is inclusive and that can refer to one grand parent... or many... general or specific but I called her "kupuna" because she was my kupuna as in a grand parent. Paternal great grandmother to be exact. Well she lived to be 102 and I have been trying to match that:



That's her on the left and my Kaimuki Grandma (paternal) on the right.

I asked my mother what she knew about her lifestyle and this is what she told me which is somewhat diametrically opposed so what so-called "experts" say is "good" for us:

- She would drink a little beer and vodka every day (Sorry I can't do that :P)
- She would eat some poi, some rice, some vegetables, some fruit, some fish, some meat... a little of every thing
and the shocker to me
- She loved her sweets and would eat sweets regularly.
- No soda though and no coffee. I don't remember her ever drinking coffee.
- She didn't workout in a gym. She didn't lift weights.
- She would garden. A lot. That's it.

She was Hawaiian. That's it. Just Hawaiian and I do not like to say "pure Hawaiian" because between and among Hawaiians there is NO blood quantum and they don't see us any less of a person because we are mixed though in the Haole World they like to try to make us less of a PERSON so they use percentages and fractions. ANYWAY... she also had two husbands. Her first husband was Chinese (Lum). Her second husband was Hawaiian (Kahoe).

Brief breakdown of how I am of mixed ethnicities which is common in Hawai'i though some people on the continental U.S. mistakenly see the world as either "white" or "black" and if you are neither "white" or "black" then the default is "Spanish." If you're not "Spanish" then they say we are "Oriental." Huge WTF LOL I have no problem with being called "Oriental" though. No problem AT ALL.

Okay briefly:

Father: Hawaiian, Chinese, Haole (i.e. American or European or WHITE)
Mother: Portuguese, Moroccon (i.e. North African i.e. POPOLO i.e. sweet black berry!) Hawaiian, Chinese

I won't post my grand parents' ethnicities because one can safely deduce what they are based on my parents' :P

On my birth certificate it states: "Hawaiian, Chinese, Caucasian." SO INACCURATE LOL... but yes I really am Hawaiian. There are about 401,061 other Hawaiians out there. That's it! Yet we still survive the pilau. I like to tell people... the strong stay standing and we are still here though they mistakenly thought we would die off by the 1940s. We didn't :P


Of course some people forget to mention that there were/are some Hawaiians who live to be 100. We only hear and see those who eat themselves to death. We (collectively) have been consumed with gluttony. I am trying hard to stop that from happening when it comes to Hawaiians especially because we (collectively) are eating ourselves to death.

Anyway I have been trying to model my food plan after my great grandmother and after some Okinawans since well... they outlive Americans. Americans are what... #18 on the list while Okinawans, Japanese, and Chinese outlive Americans so lately I have been trying to tweak my lifestyle because it's about THE Lifestyle. Whatever the hell that is heeheee But don't get me wrong. I LOVE America. It's one of the best countries ever but we do have this thing about having the best of everything yet we fail to execute. Asians have outperformed us in the longevity and health departments. Good for them but we are eating ourselves to death. I also think about cars. They end up killing us whether through car accidents or due to us relying on cars as a mode of transportation so we hardly if ever get out and walk. Just a thought. Don't mind me.... When I lived on Long Island and saw people in Manhattan... wow they looked like they were in fantastic shape partly because they walk so much so lately I've been trying to include more walking and keep up with my gardening as a stress reliever because I want to live to be at least 100. Maybe 102. Hopefully :P An irony of course is that even if we lift, run, walk, etc there are no guarantees.

P.S. I'm 40. I will be 41 in May. My husband thinks I look young for my age probably because I don't have wrinkles (yet!) and tells me that I will probably look the same when I am 60. Yeah right *LOL* My girl friend and her ex fiancee thought I was 32. Story of my life.

I'm back and I am leaving again on Thursday for the DC area again. I have so much work to do and then some.

Thanks to Kalani he told me that two people have quoted me. Hmmm did I ask to be quoted. Um... NO! LOL.... Lately we have been discussing some things and he makes me laugh because he knows how I am about Pseudo Intellectuals. They make me laugh.

Some people say that this is tacky but every Valentines' Day I buy candies the day after Sweetie Day because I refuse to overpay. Like every year, I bought lots of candies on sale. I'm giving lots to my husband and give the rest away to my nieces and nephew. While I don't like to condone consuming sugar to them... one day out of the year is fine. I believe moderation is key.

Well tonight's workout looked like this and lasted for about an hour:

• Elliptical for five-minute warm-up
  
• Stretch
  
• Abs
  
• Splits stretching
  
• Legs
  
• Calves
  
• Back
  
• Some kata
  
• Stretch
  
• Recumbent bike for cardio - 22 minutes then the person working there informed me that the gym was closing. Oops! I forgot this particular gym closes at five p.m. on Saturdays.
  
• Stretch
  
• Pau!
  

One of my Good Deeds for the Day was when I left I pulled up and parked my car so that I could pick up a glass bottle in the parking lot. (I'm going to start mentioning a Good Deed for the Day because I know my twin sister reads this and laughs her ass off *LOL*....)

Tomorrow I plan to walk, do yard work, catch up on papers, go to the gym, and hopefully finish reading another book. There are so many distractions which can be difficult for me but lately I have been on an Internet Diet which has helped me just a little.


Anyway I have been doing lots of chores, keeping up with paperwork, trying to finish reading another book, trying to finish some work... all before I leave again on Thursday. It's so not easy. Fortunately I have had some time to cook and bake some pumpkin bread. I even had a chance to bake a chocolate mousse cake. I love to cook and bake. Love it. Well I can't wait to go to the DC area because I love how they have Asian grocery stores. I love it when other Asians see the Asian in me. Weird I know but those mixed breeds know what I am talking about :P

I am too tired to post the updated dates. Went to my office super early. I have mass chores to do. Paperwork too but I changed my return trips once again. Must workout tonight. I'll be leaving again soon so if I don't post for awhile (and I know my friends and family read this) if I don't post for awhile you know where I will be. No need to worry about me or have crazy thoughts about me LOL Seattle then back to the DC area and Las Vegas for the best prime rib yum.

( My latest thrift store finds )

I've also been thinking about how I am conversant in Hawai'i Creole English which is pidgin English. Some people look down on it when it is a sythesis of many languages and thus a synthesis of people working together in Hawai'i but English in the form of American Standard Diction is NOT my first language. Surprisingly some people seem to mistakenly think that their paradigm is other people's paradigm. Well for me it was not. Some of my teachers told my mother that I had to stop speaking pidgin English when I was little which I thought was rude LOL Now I am conversant in many languages while I bet some of these teachers are conversant in what... only one language: English LOL.... I also despised Advanced Placement English because they tried to make a non-homogenous person (because I am of mixed ethnicities) fit into a homogeneous way of thinking (in this case Haole or "white" or "American" or "European") which is not ever gonna happen nor did it... but looking back... it gives me a good laugh.

Anyway I may post the updated dates later when I am not so tired :P My twin sister may read this that's why.