Nā Mana'o 'o ulu Since May 31, 2001

March workout goals. Workout today. Pic of dinner.

2008-03-02T00:00:18Z

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.

Workout tonight

2008-03-01T04:05:45Z

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

Morning meeting

2008-02-29T17:39:19Z

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 those who know me... they already know that I have some Pfizer stock. Pfizer produces Lipitor. I have no plans on being on any meds now or in the future but I realize that some people mistakenly think that pills cure. They don't. Amazingly walking is free yet some people don't realize that. Then again I have some Pfizer stock. Because some people do not listen... I buy Pfizer stock and try to tell my friends and family and people whom I care about to walk. Some do. Some don't but I have Pfizer stock and walking is FREE. Enough said but some people think it's mean of me to buy Pfizer stock. I plan to give the stock away one day to those less fortunate. An irony of course is that some people have high blood pressure when in SOME cases it can be helped by walking more so I have no problem with my investment in Pfizer stock. No problem at all.

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.

When I was near DC I found this

2008-02-29T00:03:16Z

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 these for awhile now BUT

2008-02-28T23:08:26Z

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.

Double yay

2008-02-28T06:44:28Z

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.

Yay

2008-02-27T20:41:48Z

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

2008-02-26T22:52:52Z

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.

Nothing spectacular

2008-02-26T04:14:14Z

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. Hawaiian food is not that fake "lu'au" food that they serve for tourists to devour part of our culture which is devoid of any truth to of what our food and thus who our people are because the implication is that because we sometimes eat raw food and scraps that we are supposedly less than human but what is less than human is slaughtering innocent women and children and/or giving them pox-infected blankets in order to kill them which is what many Americans have done to native people just being who they are. I know that Scottish people have a similar history with the Kingdom of England so it's not just a non-white thing. Instead it's universal but I digress :P

* Devoid: Adj. To deplete or strip of some quality or substance.

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.

Workout tonight

2008-02-24T00:53:45Z

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.

Good deed for the day, my workout, and stuff

2008-02-21T03:38:26Z

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

2008-02-19T02:51:09Z

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 and a failure to execute

2008-02-18T17:45:38Z

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.

Back to black

2008-02-16T22:58:40Z

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

About to go

2008-02-11T23:06:53Z

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.

Well this past weekend I found some nice clothes at a thrift store. I found some Hippie jeans for about $2, Tommy Hilfiger jeans for $7.17, a Ralph Lauren t shirt for about $2.12, a nice orange handbag for about $4, two pairs of heels for about $3 each, and some blouses for work. They were about $2 or $3 each. I'll be re-donating some of the clothes I bought from other thrift stores. Amazing but people with whom I work with would never guess. I do have an eye for fashion though. I call it Thrift Store Fashion haha.... One of my friends whose family owns a Chinese restaurant in Kona teases me about it too but then I have no shame in saving money or with being frugal. I notice I go for quality even if it's used clothes. Some people have a problem with that but I don't LOL....

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.

On the Fleecing of Hawaiians and On the In-justice to Hawaiians

2008-02-10T16:23:37Z

My twin sister asked me to write about what I thought about the recent incident involving the fleecing of Hawaiians. In this case of Hawaiian children.

I am a graduate of the Kamehameha Schools which was first established in 1887 partly because Punahou School was created solely for children of missionaries. That is... for rich white Americans and Europeans.

Thus the Kamehameha Schools was created to help Hawaiian children because some people did not give a damn about them. Fortunately Princess Ruth Keelikolani and Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop gave a damn about Hawaiian children. It's because of them that many Hawaiian children are being helped today. To me they are some of the most beautiful women in the world because they gave a damn about children. In this case they gave a damn about HAWAIIAN children:

In any case recently my alma mater, the Kamehameha Schools, which is the only school for Hawaiian children was fleeced of seven MILLION DOLLARS.

Read about it here: http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2008/Feb/08/ln/hawaii802080371.html

Anyone who harms the Kamehameha Schools harms Hawaiian children irrelevant of ethnicity, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, etc. In this case these people who are harming Hawaiian children are American lawyers who embarrass this country (the U.S.)

For those who know me I hold dual citizenships with the United States and with the Hawaiian Kingdom. Some people don't understand that which tells me that they haven't read about Hawaiian history.

If you read the article in the hyperlink above you will see that Goemans is suing the plaintiffs who sued Hawaiian children. Money grubbing leech. Sadly these kinds of people do not serve much time if any in jail for the fleecing of Americans and/or Hawaiians but he needs to be DISBARRED.

Anyway this is another example of

1. Racism against Hawaiians
2. The fleecing of Hawaiians
3. The fleecing of Hawaiian children and
4. How some people are HURTING Hawaiian children.

Totally embarrassing our country, the U.S. TOTALLY embarrassing. These attorneys should be disbarred for violating the rights of Hawaiian children. ASSHOLES!!! Also for those people who do not think this is a big deal. It is because if they do this to Hawaiians then chances are they do it to AMERICANS TOO.

Returning to the DC area next weekend

2008-02-10T03:11:26Z

On the plane I was pau reading another book and I am almost pau with another book. I have only about ten more pages left to read in the latter book.

Seattle here I come!!!

I just made reservations to return to the DC area again this Saturday through Monday. I will be there again only for the weekend.

Well I had a GREAT day today because I found an Asian grocery store near HomeHome where "Home" is Hawai'i and "HomeHome" is on the East Coast but not in the DC area *LOL* I found miso soup and choi sum. Yum! (I am Chinese too.)

Today my blood pressure reading was 119 mmHg systolic 73 mmHg diastolic and my bpm was 58 which is way better than it was awhile ago. Recap for personal use:

October 12, 2007: 127 mmHg systolic 75 mmHg diastolic

October 25, 2007: 118 mmHg systolic 69 mmHg diastolic

November 4, 2007: 119 mmHg systolic 76 mmHg diastolic

November 10, 2007: 119 mm Hg systolic 74 mmHg diastolic

December 15, 2007: 115 mmHg systolic 69 mmHg diastolic

February 9, 2008: 119 mmHg systolic 73 mmHg diastolic

I am stoked!!!

Anyway I will be in the DC area this coming weekend then again from February 21st to the 28th. I return again later in March. I like Virginia way better though because to me the people seem kinder than the people near DC LOL....

Kung Hee Fat Choy to all my Chinese Homies And Other Asian Homies

2008-02-08T02:14:41Z

On the East Coast I haven't seen much celebrated for the Chinese New Year. This happens every year. Even with the products from China that are lead tainted.

Do people honestly think it's JUST China? No. Just lead? NO.

Examples:

1. Pendants and Candle Charms Recalled Due to Risk of Lead Exposure - Made in Korea

2. John Deere Tractors Recalled Due to Collision Hazard - Made in the U.S.

3. Candy wrappers with lead - Made in Mexico

I know the real reason why they single out and target China and thus Chinese people is because they are racist against Chinese partly because China's Gross Domestic Product is approaching the top. China's GDP grew 10.7% in 2006 the fastest in 11 years so in order to try to stunt their GDP... they single out and target China and only China and thus Chinese people.

BTW I am Chinese too so I read stuff like this and it doesn't surprise me.

Anyway for those who are Chinese and Asian too (genetically and in the Haole World and in Haole Terms which is not the same as in the Hawaiian Culture LOL... I am one-eighth Chinese)

KUNG HEE FAT CHOY!!!!!!!!

Happy Chinese New Year!

My kupuna

2008-02-05T21:54:16Z

I write a lot about my kupuna which can mean an individual grandparent... or collectively as in all of my grandparents. That is partly why the Hawaiian language is my favorite language over all languages that I study because like its language... the people are inclusive.

Even its people. Most Hawaiians are of mixed ethnicities and while some people laugh when I say this... because our ancestors spread their legs to non-Hawaiians. Unfortunately some people try to portray us though we are less than human and some try to make like we are racist. There are some Hawaiians who are racist against Haole people but most Hawaiians whom I know are not. It works both ways though and I don't tolerate racism of Haole people since DUH I am Haole too....

One thing that annoys me is when some people say "dumb haole" like a racial slur but "haole" is not a racial slur. It can mean "American or British" but not what some people think it means. Why? Because some dumb asses use it as a racial slur. Then again racism is partly based on ignorance and power but I digress.

My kupuna (Agnes Kahoe of Kaupo, Maui) lived to be 102 years. She make (i.e. died) on July 4th of all days.

Of course she outlived both of her husbands (one who was Chinese and the other who was Hawaiian and Chinese.) She is on the left of this picture while her daughter, my paternal grandmother, is on the right:

She spoke fluent Hawaiian, Chinese (Cantonese), and English.

Some Hawaiians can tell that they are "royal" by their feather capes. Yes... I am royal too and sometimes I do tend to act it LOL.... One day I will wear one of their capes because I CAN LOL....

Seriously she didn't eat crappy American food. Instead she ate fish and poi and drank lots of beer. While there are advantages to lifting weights... she didn't lift weights. I like to lift weights but some Americans seemed obsessed with strength instead of being #1 in terms of life expectancy. Okinawans are #1 and Japanese are #2. Americans are low on the list at #18. I aspire to live til I'm 102 too like my kupuna.

Anyway I leave the DC area later today then return on February 21st through the 28th. I won't miss the cold.

Racism against Hawaiians

2008-02-04T18:54:11Z

The Hawai'i Haole-People-Who-Are-Racist-Against-Hawaiians Reporter reared its racism against Hawaiians and this time they were CAUGHT comparing us Hawaiians to animals which are what... less than human. Assholes.

Of course I am against Kau Inoa which OHA has been trying to push onto us to try to disrespect our kupuna and their wishes. In this Hawai'i Reporter's racist piece what they have tried to do is compare Hawaiians to COWS. WTF? Is it because we are fat and dying partly because of the crappy food they have been trying to replace for poi. We are still surviving even though they thought we would be gone by the 1940s but this latest illustration shows their racism against Hawaiians while they deny that they are racist. This is evidence.

Here is the illustration:

Which was shown publicly here: http://www.hawaiireporter.com/story.aspx?d44d4c25-f8c9-4ff9-ae3c-c96610c811c6

A response to their racism can be found here: http://www.hawaiireporter.com/story.aspx?d66b37c2-3084-46f5-a99e-4c08f2729254

I like this one too. She states it well:

"Show us your true and hateful colors; the only makes us more steadfast in our quest for justice.

Keep attacking us; we have persevered in spite of your attacks for over 200 years.

I am thankful for growing distance you have put between us, Hawaiians and non-Hawaiians. This cartoon reminds me that you teach your children hate while we teach ours of aloha and lokahi. You abuse a rhetoric of freedom while we fight for ours."

Seen here: http://www.hawaiireporter.com/story.aspx?24273002-0ddc-4b54-9f89-588b56ec9eb4

Unfortunately this would never be tolerated for some others but when it comes to Hawaiians somehow this racism is tolerated. We should never tolerate racism of any kind period.

Anyway racism against Hawaiians is alive and well in Hawai'i and beyond. These assholes embarrass America. I call them the Stains of America because they are shitty and have shitty attitudes towards Hawaiians and if they think this of Hawaiians chances are they think similarly of other people too. Racist assholes!

Workout tonight

2008-02-02T03:29:19Z

I had another amazing workout tonight. Lasted for about one hour:

Proform arc trainer with upper body for 30 minutes for cardio - for my heart
Stretch then for strength:
Legs then calves - heavy
Back then biceps - heavy
Some kata
Stretch then abs then splits stretching then stretch
Pau!

I need to change my playlist for February. (I have two Creative Zens --- one exclusively for Hawaiian music. The other for Spanish and English music.)

Tomorrow is another day.

I made it

2008-02-01T20:07:02Z

After a three-hour delay I made it to the DC area. Fortunately I packed two books, my monthly calendar to work on my schedule for February, and enough food to last me awhile. Though I didn't take any pics I was too busy focused on finishing reading another book which I did yay... I packed the following:

- grilled salmon

- chopped grilled chicken (sorry to the vegetarians and vegans who may read this though I used to be a vegetarian for about 10 years while in college)

- brown rice with a little of shoyu, garlic, and oil that I simmered previously for my tofu that I ate again yum)

- a small salad that consisted of lettuce and tomatoes

- vegetables that I warmed up in my microwave

- and my Mickey Mouse fork/spook/chopsticks set.

One of the flight attendants commented on how nice my Mickey set was. I laughed because it's true. It's so cute! Fortunately there was about EIGHT PEOPLE ON THE FLIGHT LOL

I could have left today but decided not to because today's flight to the DC area may have been delayed too. I ended up reading, writing out my schedule in my monthly planner, and eating some of the salmon, chicken, brown rice, and some veggies.

I also brought my empty water bottle which I filled up with water while at the airport.

On the plane I read another book that I brought with me. I am almost pau with that one too.

Later tonight I'm heading to the gym. Tomorrow I'm heading to spend the day in Virginia. It's currently raining and COLD near the DC area. I basically went from about 77 degrees to about 40 degrees *LOL*

Anyway my schedule for February is already full. I had to reserve at least one day off per week even though I am ahead of my schedule. February will be another busy month for me. In addition I return to the DC area AGAIN from February 21st to February 28th. So far I have been enjoying my baby, my SUV, that is fully paid off. I bought it used. It doesn't even look like it's nearly 15 years old. I may post a pic of it but looking at it and driving it... I must "say" that I take really good care of it. I get to drive my SUV again when I return so I am stoked! :)

P.S. This is partly why I travel on Southwest instead of on private planes: http://www.wxii12.com/news/15194588/detail.html

P.S.S. I have decided to go for a recall and a replacement of a board of directors.

P.S.S.S. I have also decided to include 20% for shared ownership to working class non-Hawaiians in my proposal as a good-will gesture and to be inclusive instead of exclusive which is exactly how the Hawaiian Kindgom was and is. Hawaiians are INCLUSIVE. That is why most of us are of mixed ethnicities so in my proposal... I will reflect this in my proposal for shared ownerships by and for Hawaiians and for SOME poor non-Hawaiians as a goodwill gesture.

My Bally Total Fitness Membership

2008-01-31T14:54:53Z

I have had a gym membership with Pacwest (which was gobbled up by Bally) since about 1990.... which is a long time. Every two years I would alternate an additional membership between YMCA and Gold's Gym. For the last three years it's been YMCA and Bally memberships. I doubt I will return to Gold's Gym mainly because it's located on a highway that has many car accidents and deaths. Well since about 1990 I have maintained my Bally membership because I travel a lot and I make it a point to workout and/or walk as much as I possibly can.

I'm leaving for the DC area again today so I had to make sure my membership was paid. The total for annual renewal was $196.02 which comes out to about $16.33 per month. (I pay about $62 per month for our family membership at the local YMCA.) Even though I have two gym memberships I still walk, bike, and swim. I am fortunate that I have my own pool but even then I would still walk. It's free after all.

Which reminds me... yesterday I inspired someone to walk. I hope she walks more. For her heart and health's sake :-)

Anyway today I'm heading to my office to do some work then I'm gonna be leaving for the DC area later tonight. I still haven't heard from my cousin Emma yet and I hope to hear from her soon.

He aha

2008-01-30T20:46:36Z

When I was a little girl we were very poor but my mother always managed to serve vegetables. I miss the water cress that they have in Hawai'i. On the continental U.S. I have never been able to find water cress like that. Well today I hussled at work. I went to my office then left soon after getting my shit done then went to my other office then left soon after I got more shit done. I don't sit and listen to the negativity. If I did then I wouldn't be at 17% of my portfolio goal LOL

Well today I packed some sliced cucumbers and tomatoes drizzled with Greek salad dressing. I bought the salad dressing bottles for two for 99 cents. (I am very frugal.) This is a pic I took of it before leaving:

While my crappy cell phone pictures do not do it justice... it was amazingly good. I also cooked some oil mixed with garlic and shoyu then drizzled it on some tofu. Yum!!!

For my flight tomorrow I plan to pack the following:

Grilled fish
Some brown rice
Some veggies
Some leftover tofu
Maybe some grilled chicken too or a small grilled chicken salad that I plan to prep at home
Some sliced cheese to snack on

The flight is about two hours plus waiting time for about four hours total so I have to take lots of food.

(I may take a picture or two or three then post them if I can remember and/or if I have time.)

Anyway yesterday I rode my bike around my neighborhood for awhile. It was nice. I like my bike and so does my husband *LOL* He wants one just like mine. Later tonight I will be going to the gym. Tomorrow night I leave for the DC area again and will be in Virginia on Saturday just for one day then on Sunday I plan to return to the DC area. From there I leave on Tuesday. If my family and friends reads this... you know where I will be :P

When I don't update

2008-01-29T15:08:55Z

Prior to my last post I didn't update for five days. Evidently some of my friends were suspicious especially my bestest friend. I don't know why they would considering but I have been busy with work, workouts, chores, and other things. I don't feel the urge to update sometimes. Sometimes I update twice a day then stop for awhile.

I am sure they can understand with gas and food prices increasing while incomes have not they can understand why I am on an Internet Diet. I have drastically cut down on my Internet time yet ironically when I don't post some of my friends and family write to me asking me why I haven't been updating.

Well since I like positive vibes/energy (I tune out negative people and/or energy that are downers simply because they are down they want others to be down with them) I will post some blessings that have been happening lately:

1. I finally set up my super duper color laser printer with built-in fax. This will enable me to increase my portfolio. So far I am at about 17% of my portfolio goal. Well it took me about 30 minutes to fully set up and it was relatively easy. I am stoked because now I can crank up my work.

2. Last night I spend the latter part finishing 49 letters out. I like to get out at least 100 letters per week so before I leave for the DC area I have about 51 more to go to reach my weekly goal and it's only Tuesday.

3. I got to sleep in this morning.

4. It's sunny and warm.

5. My 1993 SUV is paid off and has been for the last five years which helps greatly. I am lucky that I bought it used and it's paid off. I was paying about $538 per month which is a lot of money.

6. I have been having awesome workouts.

7. I took a huge load of donations to Goodwill yesterday and spoke to the person stationed to accept donations which was nice. I like to be nice to hard-working people so I succeeded yesterday.

8. At Walgreen, H.I.P. make up was buy one get one free so I bought some eyeshadow and lipsticks. I am liking them... a lot.

Anyway I updated so now my friends and family (some of whom do not have a Livejournal) know what I'm up to which is nothing out of the ordinary. I am busy working, reading, working out, paying bills, decluttering, etc. The usual plus I leave for the DC area again this Thursday. I will be living there for five days so obviously I don't have much time to update LOL They make me laugh....