Adventures in Japanese

The second stop on our three-country Asia tour will take us to Fukuoka, Japan.  After getting a primer on Suggestions for Daily Life: Rules and Manners* through informative (and amusing) videos for visitors to Fukuoka -- like the importance of being considerate in the spirit of "wa", or "thinking of others" -- I started compiling a list of useful Japanese phrases, similar to the one for Cantonese.  Here are my Top 20:

1. Hello.  今日は (konnichiwa)
2. How are you?  お元気ですか？ (o genki desu ka?)
3. I'm fine, thanks.  And you?   はい、元気です。あなたは？ (hai, genki desu. anata wa?)
4. What's your name?   お名前はなんですか? (o-namae wa nan desu ka?)
5. My name is...   ...です (...desu)
6. Where are you from?   どちらからですか (dochira kara desu ka?)
7. I'm from...   私は ... からです (watashi wa... kara desu)
8. Pleased to meet you.   初めまして (hajimemashite)
9. Good morning.  お早うございます (ohayo gozaimasu)
10. Good bye.  さようなら (sayonara)
11. Excuse me.   すみません (sumimasen)
12. Sorry.  ごめんなさい (gomen nasai)
13. Thank you.  ありがとうございます (arigato gaizaimasu);  どうもありがとう (domo arigato)
14. You're welcome.  どう致しましてどういたしまして (do itashimashite)
15. Where's the toilet?  便所はどこですか (benjo wa doko desu ka?)
16. How much is this?  いくらですか (ikura desu ka?)
17. Do you speak English?  英語ができますか (eigo ga dekimasu ka?)
18. Do you have an English menu?  英語のメ二ューはありますか (eigo no menu wa arimasu ka?)
19. Help!  助けて! (tasukete!)
20. My hovercraft is full of eels.  私のホバークラフトは鰻でいっぱいです (watashi no hobakurafuto wa unagi de ippai desu)

The phrase that I'm most eager to use when we arrive: Konnichiwa.  Hakata ramen, kudasai!  (Hello.  Hakata ramen [a popular local noodle dish], please!)

__________

*Suggestions for Daily Life (Fukuoka city website)

Adventures in Cantonese

We're planning a trip to Asia this year and are looking into basic phrases that may prove useful in our host countries.

First stop: Hong Kong, where Cantonese and English are the official languages.  Considering English is only spoken daily by less than 5% of the population, though, I figured we should probably learn some Cantonese.  Here are the top 25 phrases* that I'm going to have us memorize (...as my traveling companion goes, "Yay!"):

1. Hello.  你好 (néih hóu)
2. I’m fine thanks. and you?  我幾好，你呢？ (ngóh géi hóu, néih nē?)
3. What's your name?  你叫乜野名呀？ (néih giu mātyéh méng a)
4. My name is...  我叫... (ngóh giu...)
5. Where are you from?  你係邊度人呀？ (néih haih bīndouh yàhn a?)
6. I'm from...  我係...人 (ngóh haih ... yàhn)
7. Pleased to meet you.  好開心見到你 (hóu hòisàm gindóu néih)
8. Good morning.  早晨 (jóusàhn)
9. Goodbye.  再見 (joigin); 拜拜 (bāaibaai)
10. Excuse me.  請問 (chéngmahn) - to get attention; 唔該 (m̀hgòi) - to get past
11. How much is this?  呢個幾多錢呀? (Nīgo géidō chín a?)
12. Sorry.  對唔住 (deuim̀hjyuh)
13. Thank you.  多謝 (dòjeh) - for a gift; 唔該 (m̀hgòi) - for a service
14. You're welcome.  唔駛 (m̀hsái)
15. Where's the toilet?  洗手間喺邊度呀？ (sáisáugāan hái bīndouh a?)
16. Do you speak English?  你識唔識講英文呀? (neih sīkm̀hsīk góng yìngmán a?)
17. I don't speak Cantonese.  我唔識講廣東話 (ngóh m̀hsìk góng gwóngdùngwá)
18. Please speak more slowly.  請你講慢啲 (chéng néih góng maahn di)
19. Please say that again.  唔該你講多一次吖? (m̀hgòi néih góng dō yātchi a)
20. Sorry, I didn't get that.  對唔住,我唔明白 (deuim̀hjyuh, ngóh m̀h mìhngbaahk)

21. I understand.  我明白嘞 (ngóh mìhngbaahk la)
22. I don't understand.  我唔明白 (ngóh m̀h mìhngbaahk)
23. Do you have an English menu?  你地有冇英文餐牌呀? (néihdeih yáuhmóuh yìngmán chāanpáai a?)
24. Help!  救命呀! (gau mehng a!)
25. My hovercraft is full of eels.**  我隻氣墊船裝滿晒鱔 (ngóh jek heidínsyùhn jòngmúhnsaai síhn)

Full disclosure: I actually spoke informal Cantonese with my grandmother until she passed when I was 11 years old.  While we may get lost in our Hong Kong meanderings, we will likely not starve, thanks to my food-focused childish vocabulary.

*Source: Omniglot (http://www.omniglot.com/language/phrases/cantonese.php)
**Hovercraft drawing: Google Image

RTG Day 7: Pack rat,...or Sentimentalist?

Rediscovering the Groove, Day 7: Tell A Story.

Hello.  My name is Squeaks.  And I'm a pack rat.  (Rodent metaphor completely coincidental.)  Maybe not to the extent of deserving a spot on Hoarders, but I do tend to hold on to things that may not be... immediately useful anymore.

I would argue, though, that this trait has proven valuable when I've been able to triumphantly dig out an old e-mail from my stash of thousands,... or rediscover my almost 20-year old French class notes before our trip to Paris,... or trace my evolving volunteer interests over the years through countless folders of planning notes.

At some point, though, I guess there has to be a limit, a need for intervention.  But what is that threshold?  And what is exempt?  I will never destroy my journals or attempts at creative writing, even though no one may actually ever read them.  I have concert t-shirts from over 2 decades ago that sit in a very heavy chest, which may never see the light of day again until someone busts it open for an estate sale.  Are these items being hoarded by a pack rat,... or one who appreciates souvenirs from the past?  That can provide good fodder for posts like this?

Four Play concert t-shirt, circa 1986.

Take this t-shirt, for example.  My sister got it for me in the mid-80s, at a concert at IMU's Alumni Hall on the Indiana University campus in Bloomington.  I was 14, I think, and it was during a period when I thought it was so cool that my college-aged sister let me tag along with her and her friends to R-rated films -- like Blue Velvet -- and rock concerts -- like Genesis (my first!) and this one, featuring four relatively new bands at the time: Will and the Kill, The Northern Pikes, Hurrah!, and The Royal Court of China.  (Awesome, they're all still around.)  While I finally conceded to retire this thread-bare, hole-in-the-armpit piece of history earlier this year -- it had served me well for countless workouts -- I still wonder whether I should have given it up.  Well, at least good memories like this can live on, even in the absence of a "thing" that takes up drawer space.

RTG Day 6: Got A Hard Habit to Break?

Rediscovering the Groove, Day 6: Ask a Question.

New York Times reporter Charles Duhigg recently released "The Power of Habit," which delves into the psychology of repetitive, unconscious behaviors that are sometimes tough to quit.  He explains that habits form when there's (1) a cue (or trigger) that tells your brain to switch to auto mode, (2) a routine, and (3) a desirable reward.  When you fall into a habit of doing something, the behavior becomes automatic and unconscious -- like how you probably tie your shoes or brush your teeth in exactly the same way each time -- allowing your brain to focus on other things.

So let's say you have a bad habit.  What's the best way to break it?  Duhigg suggests trying it while on vacation, when the usual cues and routine are broken, or the same rewards aren't around.  This apparently works better during vacations because there's the opportunity to form a new pattern.

I've seen this "break the habit while on vacation" theory work with my guy, a chain smoker for over a decade, quit cold turkey during our road trip honeymoon across the country.  He had tried for years to quit smoking previously, but being with me 24/7 for a full week and waking up in a new place every day helped him finally kick it.

Of course, not everyone can go away often enough to break all our bad habits, but the main thing is to somehow to "change things up" to break the usual routine.  Similarly, it may be easier to start a new habit by introducing it in a different setting, instead of trying to fit it into a regular pattern.

I've been wanting to get back into practicing Spanish at least 30 minutes each day, either by chatting with someone, watching a video, reading, or writing en Español.  Starting tomorrow, I'm going to set my alarm a half hour earlier, shift my entire work day up a smidge, and have an extra half hour at the end of the day for Spanish.  Let's see how it goes...

What about you?  What habits do you want to break,... or start, and how will you tackle it?  Well,... let's do it!

RTG Day 5: How To Ride the Chicago "L"

Rediscovering the Groove, Day 5: Write A Tip Post

I have fond memories of riding the "L" every day when I lived in Chicago.  Now, on my occasional trips back to the Windy City for work and even less often visits for pleasure, I cherish each CTA train ride as a novelty and, at the same time, a familiar homecoming.  Here are a few tips on how to ride -- and appreciate -- the L:

1. When you enter the station, purchase or top up your transit card at a Transit Card vending machine.  As of March 2012, it costs $2.25 for a single-ride of any distance on the L.  (The fare was $1.50 when I lived here 10 years ago.)
2. Find a map, either on the wall or in a pamphlet, and figure out (a) where you are, (b) where you're going, and (c) the last station in the direction that you're traveling.
3. To enter the paid part of the station, approach the turnstile, insert your transit card into the card reader, then pull it out.  Look for the green "Enter" light, and push your way through the turnstile. Most turnstiles will also have a screen that indicates the remaining balance on your card.
4. Look for signs that indicate the last station in the direction that you're traveling, and proceed to that platform.  While some stations (e.g., in the Loop) are underground, most CTA trains are "ELevated," as the name suggests.  Either way, expect to navigate some stairs.
5. As you wait for the train, stand behind the bumpy blue strip at the platform's edge for safety.  
6. If there's a chill in the air (and it's between November 1 and March 31), seek shelter under the heat lamps on the platform.  You may meet some interesting characters as you join the huddle of shivering strangers.
7. Enjoy the performers while you wait.  Several underground stations in the Loop have designated areas for buskers.  They're required to get a permit from CTA, so presumably (and I've noticed that) they're pretty good.
8. When the train arrives, check the front and side placards to make sure that they indicate the last station on the route you want.
9. When the doors open, stand to the side and make way for folks exiting the train before boarding. 
10. Board the train carefully, and...mind the gap!

I always enjoy the communal nature of public transportation and often find inspiration from the experience.  Feel free to share your views and encounters on mass transit.

RTG Day 4: Ode to Stars & Flags

Rediscovering the Groove, Day 4: Write A Link Post
(...an assignment that I'm interpreting as simply, "Include links in the post.")

This is an Ode to Stars and Flags.  Not the patriotic kinds, but rather, the ones that highlight important and pressing messages in my Inbox.  Thanks to Google's stars and Apple Mail's flags, I'm able to stay true to my packrat-ness -- hello, 40,000+ messages! -- while keeping my e-mail priorities relatively organized.

During those computer "downtimes" when I take inventory of my e-mails throughout the day, the stars and flags help me zoom in on what I should focus on next.  It's like in the film, Memento, where -- spoiler alert! -- whether I star or flag something (equivalent to Guy Pearce taking a Polaroid or taking notes) determines whether I'll remember to "get to it" later.  Woe to that important message that I neglect to star or flag, though,...'cos sender, you'll probably have to send me another note!

RTG Day 3: Hops & Hominy Review

Rediscovering the Groove, Day 3: Write A Review

I met AT for dinner at Hops & Hominy last night, a 3-week old restaurant on Union Square that hopes to satisfy the city's "down-home cookin'" palate.  We were part of the early evening crowd, arriving at 6p, and were promptly seated at a neat rustic table for two.  I had a good view of the bar -- where the tender seemed to be busy shaking drinks all night long -- and an interesting mural by Audra Knutson featuring bunnies and a peacock gathered around a cobwebbed tree.*

YAYs

• Complimentary cornbread and sweet butter.
• My order of lip-smacking buttermilk fried chicken, served on top of a bed of bacony brussell sprouts, plus a wonderful side of mac and cheese.
• They let us stay -- and replenished our water -- for the 5 hours we were there.
• Nice attentive waiter who thoughtfully labeled my to-go box with the contents and date.

MEHs

• Two different versions of the menu, which was explained as an "oops, we've only been open for 3 weeks, and the menu's been changing." 
• Our eager request for alligator bites was...denied.  Sorry, wrong menu.
• Our beignet dessert too closely resembled our own failed attempt at making beignets previously.  (Cafe du Monde, you've ruined it for everybody! No one can make 'em like you!)
• AT's rabbit fettuccine, which we agreed was tasty but wouldn't necessarily order again.  
• My $10 Whiskey Smash could have used more lemon and mint, the two other main ingredients in the drink.

While I did enjoy my dinner entree, we gave the place 3 stars overall.  Now..., where to next?

_________

*Photo credit: SF Eater.

Rediscovering the Groove (Day 2)

Day 2: Answer A Question.

How does one swallow?  Well, I'm glad you asked.  (And thanks for playing along.)

Ever since my 84-year old "Eema" -- or Mum's older sister -- had a stroke a month ago, I've become acutely aware of certain unconscious body movements that I would normally not think about.  My bodily function of interest for today is...the "simple" act of swallowing.

First of all, I thank God that my dear Eema was rushed to the hospital in time.  With an aggressive PT regimen and capable Singaporean doctors, she's making slow but steady progress each day -- re-learning what the right side of her body used to be able to do and, possibly the toughest challenge, realizing that some abilities may never be regained.

While we remain hopeful, she isn't able to swallow.  Dysphagia is what it's called, and until she overcomes it, she gets her nourishment through a feeding tube.  Medicinenet.com describes swallowing as a "complex action" and lists the 8 steps involved:

1. Food is chewed in the mouth and mixed with saliva.
2. Tongue propels chewed food into the throat (pharynx).
3. Soft palate elevates to prevent food from entering nasal passages, while the upper pharynx contracts to push the food into the lower pharynx, and the voice box (larynx) is pulled upwards so that the epiglottis can bend downwards, preventing food from entering the windpipe (trachea).  (What the...)
4. Pharynx contracts to push the food along.
5. Muscle that encircles the upper end of the esophagus relaxes, allowing the wave of contractions to push the food into the esophagus.
6. Wave of contractions continues from the pharynx down the entire length of the esophagus.
7. Another muscle that encircles the lower end of the esophagus where it meets the stomach relaxes so that food can enter the stomach.
8. After the food passes, the lower esophagus muscle tightens to prevent food from coming back up. 

Wow.

Through slurred speech, Eema tells me she dreams about coffee and ice cream and char kway teow (a Singaporean fried noodle dish).  My heart sinks as I join her in a forced chuckle.

Rediscovering the Groove (Day 1)

Exactly 3 1/2 months since my last post.  Now that's blog apathy.  So I Googled "need motivation to write!" and stumbled upon this intriguing project that I'm embarking on today.  Day 1: Write A List.  Here goes.

I found myself curled up in a fleece blanket on Sunday night, a Hornsby's Hard Cider in one hand and an iPhone in the other, watching the Grammy's while playing Words With Friends during commercials and the less interesting thank you's.  In the midst of all that "activity," I came up with...

Squeaks' Gimme Chills Mix
1. Arms (Christina Perri)
2. Almost Lover (A Fine Frenzy)
3. Someone Like You (Adele)
4. Glitter in the Air (Pink)
5. Hold My Heart (Sara Bareilles)
6. Cosmic Love (Florence + The Machine)
7. I Never Told You (Colbie Caillat)
8. Falling Slowly (Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova)

Hard pressed to come up many non-operatic "gimme chills" songs by guys,... but I welcome suggestions!

All Hallow's Eve

Twenty-eight years ago tonight, an 11-year old doing her best John Wayne ambled across Spartan City -- the cluster of old barracks that comprised student family housing at San Jose State University until the late 80s -- dressed in tight Levi jeans with the cuffs rolled up, a maroon shirt with tassels, matching brown leather vest with tassels, and a coon fur cap.

"I'm Danielle Boone!" she would announce, after chorusing "Trick or Treat!" with the other kids, as her sister-chaperone -- dressed similarly in a larger-sized version of her outfit except without the cap -- gave her a gentle shove to make sure that she got a share of the candied handout.  She carried her loot in a blue felt sack that her Mum sewed together, now bulging with candy corn that she didn't find tasty but had pretty colors; soft bubble gum, the kind with a riddle on the wrapper; a couple of apples; and an assortment of Hershey's miniatures.

That was my first Halloween in the U.S. -- my first Halloween ever -- and mental snapshots from that night linger with me more vividly than ones that followed.  That indelible memory still makes me eager to receive strangers at my door each October 31st, dressed as a monk on this particular night with a Frankenstein-themed bucket filled with mini Kit Kats and Reeses Pieces, our favorite chocolates that we'll look forward to savoring in the coming weeks.

Halloween night will always be special to this Danielle Boone.

Bumper Cars

As I awaited my turn at the traffic light this morning, the freeze frames through my rearview mirror looked like this:

#1 - Fast approaching car, driven by a scrunchy-faced man, squinting intently against the glaring sun.

#2 - While approaching car maintains its speed, frowning driver's face is replaced with wide-eyes and the slow-motion mouthing of "OH S%$T."

#3 - Grimaces by all parties involved and... CONTACT.   

Snapshots of the continuing scene outside the cars:

#4 - The other driver and me, peering at each other's bumpers -- and the exchange of each other's green and grey paint. 

#5 - Me photographing the offending driver's license (w/iPhone).

#6 - Me recording him reciting his phone number (w/iPhone).

#7 - Drivers politely bidding each other farewell, with promise of follow up if any soreness or alignment issues ensue.

The smoothest and friendliest car accident I've ever had! 

Plumbing Musings

Thanks to the plumbers who came padding through our house in booties over their steel-toed shoes in the last 2 days, I am now dangerously competent in the language of snakes, blow bags, P-traps, and cleanouts.  When the culprit of the washer drain line clog was discovered, a hush fell across the room, followed by murmurs of "What the...?"  (Okay, so the audience was just one guy and me.)  How this giant bolt-looking object got in there remains a mystery.  Now comes the almost equally arduous (and costly) task of closing up the big hole.  Aah, the joys of homeownership!

Hot-lanta: Warm in other ways

The last time I was in Atlanta was for my guy's cousin's wedding.  On 7/7/07, to be exact.  This time, it was for environmental justice-related work, the same reason that first brought me there in 2000.  Besides the meaningful nature of the work and the cherished time spent with family, I was struck by one thing:  The kindness of the people I encountered, unexpected in some cases...

• Take the foul-mouthed trio who sat behind me from SFO to ATL.  "F"-this, "nigga"-that; language that normally wouldn't make me flinch, except in the presence of little ones.  There were at least five munchkins in the immediate area.  As we gathered our belongings upon arrival -- and during what seemed to be the height of the f-bombing -- I was pleasantly surprised when, while reaching for my bag in the overhead compartment, a dreadlocked member of the group interrupted himself to ask, "Miss, can I help you with that?"  You had me at "Miss".  As he effortlessly lifted my bag out of the bin, his two homies were helping an elderly couple bring down theirs. 

• Take the odd pair who helped my ride find me in the maze of Clark Atlanta University by patiently taking turns giving him directions over my phone.  A small Shanghainese post-doc, who eagerly approached me upon spotting a fellow Asian (a rare sight in those parts); and a brawny security guard, who alternated between politely greeting co-eds entering the campus and sternly demanding of a rowdy bunch, "Show me your student IDs."

• Take the intimidating 300-pound tough guy in the low-riding Cadillac that blasted a bass rhythm strong enough to cause a brief heart arrythmia, who didn't hesitate to turn down the din and give us detailed instructions when asked how to access the freeway.

Brutal summer humidity aside, I left Atlanta feeling welcome to return.

Right About Now

It's been a month and 2 days since I returned from Ensenada, Mexico, where 14 of us from Sunset Church worked alongside a local Missionary family, the Camachos, to run a week-long camp. The day camp served about 100 children from two colonias, rustic communities on the outskirts of town that lack paved roads, drinking water, and electricity. Snapshots from a day:

6:30 AM

Right about now... The roosters in the farm next door are starting to call us awake, followed by a chorus of barking dogs and squealing pigs. It's not long before those of us on the "ladies' floor" are stretching out from our sleeping bags and squinting at the sunlight streaming in.

7:30 AM

Right about now... I'm piling into a van with five others, bound for Bodega Aurrera (like a Walmart) to buy supplies for tortas (sandwiches) that we made daily for the kids' lunches. By the end of the week, we got really good at ordering "ciento cincuenta pan (150 bread), jamon (ham), y quesos (cheese), por favor!"

9:30 AM

Right about now... We're cleaning up after a tasty breakfast of cereal, torta, or pastries with our teammates. I'm on bus duty today, so I climb into the old black-and-white striped school bus to pick up kids and, most importantly, make sure they don't fall out the back door with the broken hinge.

10:00 AM

Right about now... We're at the colonia! Several of us are assembling tortas in the humble home of a sweet woman with an easy smile, bemused by our weak attempts to engage her in Spanish. The others are outside in the mounting heat, playing jump rope and soccer in a cloud of dust.

12:00 PM

Right about now... It's lunchtime! The tortas look so tantalizing, dripping with melted cheese due to the 100+ degree heat. Tiny hands reach eagerly for jalapenos and drinks. Some of the kids tuck their sandwiches under their shirts and ask for another -- what I thought was an act of mischief, until I learned that for many of them, it's their only meal of the day.

2:00 PM

Right about now... The kids are climbing onto the school bus to head to the park, many still happily clinging on to the crafts that they had just made. With big smiles on their faces, they drag us around the playground, occasionally stopping for a hug, to kiss us on the cheek, or ask us to chocola (give a high-five and fist bump).

4:00 PM

Right about now... We're calling out across the park, "Ninos! Al autobus!" -- "Children! To the bus!" Time to go home. After triple checking the headcount and lots of hugs and chocolas, the rickety school bus pulls away from the curb as we wave and run after it.

Right about now... and so often since our return, my thoughts drift to those children and our blessed time with them. Hasta luego, ninos. Until we meet again. Que Dios los bendiga. May God bless you.

Airtime Musings

First Leg: SFO-PHX

As this A320 levels out and the lead flight attendant grants us permission to use "approved portable electronic devices", most of us are fist-rubbing our eyes like toddlers and relishing a good cat stretch in our seats. Funny how, for many, the period between lift-off and cruising altitude means... naptime.

I'm getting good vibes from this crowd. Starting with the warm greeting at the doorway, then observing how eagerly folks responded to pleas for divided families to be reunited in seats that were closer together. It didn't matter that the seat shuffling caused some who were originally in aisle or window seats to be squeezed into less spacious middles - as long as junior or little missy were within mama and papa's reach.

The pilot announces that Phoenix is already in the 90s...at 10 am. Hace mucho calor! As I tuck into my second breakfast (a chocolate croissant), the cheerful Filipino couple to my left bust open a take-out box of pancit, a tantalizing noodle dish. I inhale deeply to steal a taste, then flip open my book, wink at Bookmark Aragorn, and settle in for the ride.

Second Leg: PHX-ABQ

The window shades must be taking a beating, but they rock. They're all pulled down to keep the cabin cool, and amazingly, despite the 110 degrees outside, conditions in this CRJ200 puddle jumper are rather comfy. Everyone seems to be moving in slow motion and limiting interactions while boarding the aircraft, as if to minimize heat generation.

As pilot Charlie revs the engine at the runway start line, solo flight attendant Chris attempts to recite the entire safety spiel with no pauses, possibly setting the record for the fastest demo with the fewest breaths in the history of safety spieling.

Maybe I should take another nap. To conserve energy.

Epilogue

Here's the scene that welcomed me at my destination: As I stepped off the plane, three law enforcement officers -- two wearing Bernalillo County Sheriff Department patches and one aviation cop -- greeted me with warm smiles... before approaching the man behind me, showing him a mugshot of himself, and slapping handcuffs on him. The young guy in an oversized white t-shirt looked indifferent as he was quietly escorted away. Nothing was said. No fanfare... except in my own racing mind.

I'm Baaaack...

For now. After a >4-month hiatus. Greetings!

Weeks 8-11 in Review

Hitting "pause"... to catch my breath ... after a whirlwind action-packed month.

Squeaks's Top 5:

1. Quote from Oscar night - "You're my mast through the storms of life." Christian Bale to his wife during his acceptance speech for Best Supporting Actor. Re-gifting this one for my guy, who's especially living up to these words lately.
2. Food experiences - Curry Up Now truck in the Financial District; El Metate in the Mission.
3. Transitions - Found a buyer for our place (sans Open House) and became buyers of another, all in 1 week. The race to close escrow is ON.
4. Transitions (part 2) - Retired my Ericsson candy bar and got my first SmartPhone. Dude, this thing is rocking my world.
5. Wisdom - "It's not the load that breaks you down. It's how you carry it." Lena Horne (1917-2010), featured in an Oscar Tribute.

Hawai'i Free Press Top 5:

1. Dopers, anti-Superferry activists duke it out for control of Maui Democratic Party (2/27/2011).
2. More than 150 dogs seized from puppy farm (3/1/2011)
3. Panos on geothermal: Can Hawaii catch up with Philippines and Iceland? (3/6/2011).
4. Hawaii Red Cross helping local victims, taking donations for Japan (3/13/2011).
5. Scientists predict Japan's tsunami trash to hit Hawaii shores in 18 months (3/19/2011).

Hitting "Play" ... and on to the next.

Cell Phone Lot

Nestled amidst . Other manned buggies . Engines at rest . Mostly

Patient chauffeurs . Sip from coffee mugs . Poke at iPads . Or snooze

Incoming call . Jars serenity . Disturb the peace . "I'm here"

Prius wakes up . With a hushed whisper . Jeep rumbles, groans . To life

So long, lot mates . Soon it'll be my turn . Summoned to leave . The pack

Week 7 in Review

Squeaks's Top 5:

1. Priceless time with old friends. Spent a couple of hours each, catching up with two faraway friends whom I've known since Middle School. Friends who were there... by my side, chorusing "trick-or-treat!" when I was Danielle Boone; at my birthday party when I first put on make-up; at the next table in the cafeteria when I was asked out on my first date. How far we've come, ladies.
2. Me gusta espanol. Two good Spanish practice sessions con la vecina y los amigas de la iglesia.* Update on #4 of "2011 To Do's": Esta llendo bien.**
3. Promising Open Houses. Keeping our cool to temper possible disappointments,... while the excitement mounts...!
4. Tasty aged meat. Birthday festivities for my guy continued with a friend's invitation to dinner at Alfred's, the oldest steakhouse in SF. Either we lucked out or the unimpressed Yelp reviewers have a different palate, but all three of us swooned over every dish we ordered, from the fried calamari, to the hearty split pea soup, to the thin crispy fries, to the juicy steaks themselves. My martini (Priscilla) and the chocolatey desserts were also hits.

5. "Free" Lucky cookware! Traded in my 70 Lucky Supermarket rewards stickers for a 10.2" Thomas Professional frying pan worth $50. Amazed by the Use & Care Instructions in 22 languages, incl. the very unfamiliar "Svenska", "Suomi", "Eesti Keel", and others with characters un-typeable on this keyboard.

Al Jazeera English's Top 5:

1. Gaddafi's hold on Libya weakens.
2. Egypt gears up to evacuate citizens.
3. Iranian navy ships enter Suez canal.
4. Quake rocks New Zealand city.
5. Cyclone Atu batters Vanuatu islands.

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*...with the neighbor and friends from church.

**So far so good.

Photo credit: Squeaks.

Week 6 in Review (feat. Vegas weekend)

Week 6 of Gregorian Year 2011 -- or Week 1.5 of Lunar Year 4709 for you LNY revelers -- started out as a lazy stroll,... then picked up speed over a tasty mid-week Peruvian dinner at Limon with long unseen friends,... and culminated in a race towards our weekend getaway to sin city, Las Vegas -- which brings us to...

Squeaks's Vegas Top 5:

1. Seeing the Jabbawockeez! More awesome than expected. My face is still sore from grinning so much. When's the next hip hop class?
2. Roadtrip to Hoover Dam. Far cooler than the website, especially with a ka-boom!-flappa-flappa (or blown bus tire, in non-Batman lingo) en route and engineering buds who were pretty pumped up about the tour.
3. Casino time: Slipping $1 into a 2-cent slot machine, then leaving with $28.88 and a swagger 10 minutes later. Peering over my guy's shoulder at the roulette table and whispering "lucky numbers"... that were all bad, but he still emerged with winnings. *whew*
4. Quotes by... (a) Bell Trans shuttle driver: "If you're drunk or feeling sick to your stomach, let me know. Respect yourself and respect me. Enjoy the ride." (b) TV ad for defense attorney: "Charged for the crime but don't want to do the time? You know who to call!"
5. And last but definitely not least,... Priceless time with friends. *aw shucks*

And as we tried in vain to avert our eyes from the gyrating table dancers,...

Las Vegas Sun's Top 5 (headlines):

1. Owner of unfinished Wyndham hotel files for bankruptcy.
2. Giunchigliani releases first video in Las Vegas mayoral race.
3. Missing Las Vegas man found dead Friday night in desert.
4. Drivers behave when they're being watched.
5. Sean Kingston celebrates the big 2-1 at Tryst.

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Photo credit: Google image