As a member of America's finest branch of the military--the Navy--David is required to attend physical training twice a week in order to pass his physical fitness test twice a year. Although he tries his best to get out of it whenever possible, David normally attends PT every Monday and Wednesday after work and always comes home tried, sweaty, and spotted with Hawaiian red dirt. Normally, I send him off to the shower as soon as he arrives home in such a state, but after watching the fourth season of The Biggest Loser and getting into the current season, I've been feeling compelled to get more active and stay in better shape. Plus my doctor told me on multiple occasions that birthing babies is a whole lot easier if you have strong stomach muscles so I'd like to work on that. So last week, after David came home from PT, I had him lead me in a mini-PT and let me just say that 1) I am very sore; 2) I am not cut out for the military; and 3) I think David is trying to kill me.
It's not like we did much. We went on a short run (but I've never been much of a runner so I find even short distances painful) and then David made me do sit-ups, push-ups (girly ones at that), lunges and other equally difficult and painful exercises that caused many sore muscles and intense hatred for David's encouraging words like "You can do it!" and "I'm not even working you that hard!" Hopefully, as we continue wife PT, I'll get stronger and in better shape because apparently, I've really let myself go.
In high school and all growing up, I was really active. Like incredibly active. I played soccer, did track and field, attempted to dive, joined the color guard (which despite all appearances is actually quite physically demanding), and spent a lot of time on the go. I never really paid attention to my weight (I can't even tell you how much I weighed in high school) or what I ate, but staying so active allowed me to eat whatever I wanted and not really worry about it. By my senior year, I had slowed down in my activity level, but not in my eating, and I never considered the need to find other activities to keep me in shape. While at BYU, I became very body conscious, for the first time. I made feeble attempts at running, getting active, and playing sports but it was always intermittent and I definitely gained weight. By the time I moved to Monterey to live with my sister (who finds running SO MUCH FUN!!!!), I had embraced my laziness and the extra pounds. I wasn't fat by any standards and I figured getting in shape wouldn't be that hard.
Then I moved to DC. I didn't have a car and I relied on public transportation and my own two feet to get me around. I walked everywhere. DC is a very walkable city, which I love. Plus, I could work out in GW's gym for free and, since they had nice facilities, I started to go to the gym at least once a week. So in between walking miles and miles every day and going to the gym to do an easy workout that generally consisted for 30 minutes on the elliptical machine and 30 minutes of weight lifting and muscle toning, I dropped about 20 pounds in the space of 4 months. And I didn't even notice until I came home for Christmas and everyone started telling me I looked skinnier.
So when I got married, I once again forgot that in order to stay the same size and to fit into all the new clothes I had bought, I'd have to eat better and stay active. And that sort of didn't happen. (I blame David. He never eats enough of the cookies, cakes, and brownies I bake. Loser.) Anyway, after two days of military training, I've also come to realize that even losing weight didn't mean that I was in better shape. I did very easy workouts in DC and in 30 minutes, David manage to beat me down into a tired and sweaty mess. So yes, I am a whimp.
My goal is to fit in my wedding dress for as long as possible. My mom used to put her wedding dress on every year on my parent's anniversary and for years, even after a few children, she still fit into it. (My mother was 105 pounds when she got married.) And since I'm absolutely in love with my wedding dress, I hope that I can stay fit enough that I'll be able to wear my dress when I'm 35. Here's to hoping that in a few months, I'll be back in shape, can run at least a mile without wanted to faint, and can bust out the non-girly push-ups without my arms quivering in shame.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Friday, September 26, 2008
If I were a reality show contestant....
I don't know when or why it happened, but I love reality shows. Love them. In the old days, when reality shows consisted of The Real World, the Bachelor, Survivor, or Who Wants to Marry a Millionaire, I wholeheartedly believed that reality television was a waste of time. I mean, who wants to watch a bunch of vapid "contestants" vying for the romantic attention of a man in front of ten cameras and all of America? I don't take much pleasure in watching people being idiots or conniving backstabbers or eating roaches.
Then, about 3 years ago, I caught the tail end of a Project Runway marathon on Bravo and was instantly hooked. I enjoy reality competitions like PR because the contestants are required to have some amount of talent....and the judging is (theoretically) based on talent and hard work and not always on personality. Since falling in love with Project Runway, I've slipped under the trap of several other reality shows. A whole lot of reality shows. More than I care to admit. Some are somewhat respectable to like (PR, Top Chef, The Biggest Loser) and then there are others that I pretend I don't watch (America's Next Top Model, Shear Genius, Top Design, and yes, even Dancing with the Stars) to name a few. Even though I hate that the producers play up the drama and often keep around less deserving people, I still can't stay away from these shows. And everytime I watch PR, I start to think back to the two clothing classes I took in high school and imagine that I could sew something awesome and after an episode of Top Chef, I take to the kitchen with newfound zeal. After watching contestants sweat off the pounds on The Biggest Loser, I always look at my sad self sitting on the couch, eating peanut butter M&M's and feel guilty (more on that later), and after eleven cycles of ANTM (which I still watch even though I've come to hate Tyra Banks), I've started smiling with my eyes. Whatever that means.
See, reality shows suck you in. Not that I think I could qualify being a contestant on a reality show (since I am neither a fashion designer, chef, interior designer, hair stylist, has-been celebrity, or a vacant 18 year-old who thinks she can model but can't walk in a straight line) but I often wonder what kind of contestant I would be on one of these shows since so much of how a person is portrayed is dependent on the editing. I mean, they take thousands of hours of footage, interviews, judging panels, etc. and whittle it down to a digestible 45 minute segment each week. And sometimes the editing monkeys are not kind. From my vast experience watching reality shows, I've determined that there are certain roles that need to be filled each season. And it makes me wonder.....which role would I fill?
The villain: The one you hate but who sticks around FOREVER because they create drama. These are the backstabbers, bad-mouthers, and sore losers who think they deserve to win because they are overly confident and feel entitled from day one. These are also the contestants who are most aware of their status as a reality TV personality and understand what makes for good drama. They strategize and manipulate and seem to care more about the big money prize at the end of the day, then getting recognized for their talent, work ethic, or basic human decency.
The whiner: Sometimes the whiner and the villain can be the same person (see Kenley, PR, Season 5). And that is the worst kind of person to have to watch. They complain about the challenges, they blame everything on the other contestants or the judges, and never take responsibility for their own bad choices, shoddy work, or eliminations. They are judgmental hypocrites but lucky for them, they don't know it.
The one with anger issues: There's always one who can't stop themselves from yelling or screaming or cursing at another contestant or judge, who hit inanimate objects in frustration, or who finally let go of their passive-aggressive behavior to have a big blow-out with another contestant over the stupidest and most inconsequential thing. Sometimes it's just an isolated incident that's played up for big effect, but you're always waiting for that person to blow their lid once again.
The nice guy: This is the contestant who more often than not you root for. They are hard-working, have their stuff together, and don't draw attention to themselves unless it's for their work ethic, excellent work, or creativity/innovation. They make friends easily, obviously have a moral compass and personal integrity, and accept criticism and critiques gracefully. They hardly have a bad thing to say about another contestant and even when they have an "off" day, the judges are sometimes a little more forgiving. Or they cut them loose, because nice guys never win.
The one with no personality: It depends on the show (ANTM is infamous for this edit) but there's always one or two contestants who get overlooked or ignored until they get eliminated for being forgettable. It's unfortunate because I often suspect that these "forgettable" people are actually the most intelligent, interesting, and genuine people in the bunch, but they just don't make for good TV. It's too bad because this are the type of people I like to watch, not the ignorant, loud-mouthed backstabbers who make you want to strangle your TV.
The ringer: The person picked from day one to be the "one to beat." They always get eliminated. Always. Or, at least, if they make it to the final, they hardly ever win. But they walk around with that X on their back until the day they finally lose. Sometimes you want them to win and sometimes, you just want them to go away.
The adorable gay man: Now, this isn't always a staple character, but they are always present on any show hosted by Bravo. (See Kayne, PR Season 3; Daniel, Shear Genius Season 2; and Nick, PR Season 2.) They are talented, but they also offer up the most hilarious one-liners, adeptly mock their fellow contestants, and have the most outlandish (and amusing) reactions to difficult situations. In short, they are fun to watch because they never loose their cool, stay grounded to who they are as a person, and don't mind showing their silly sides to all of America.
The lunatic: There's always one. The one who is slightly off their rocker or who is so ridiculous in their personality, personal style, or mannerisms, that you wonder what the producers were thinking when they allowed this person to be on their show. And by sheer dumb luck, they often remain a few weeks too many. (See Vincent, PR, Season 3.)
Certainly, this list doesn't encompass all the types and characters who enter reality competitions, but regardless of how you are edited, I believe there is a shred of truth to how you are presented. You really need to be on your best behavior, but that could run you the risk of being kicked off, but on the other hand, you could become hated by all of America. As much as I'd love to be the "nice guy," I'm often afraid that I'd get the "mean girl" edit because sometimes I can help thinking or saying mean and judgemental things. Or I think I'd be the one with no personality because I'd be so afraid of saying something bad that I wouldn't say anything at all. In the end, I've concluded that I would never want to be on a reality show (a game show like Jeopardy, I'm all in) but it's lucky for me that there aren't any reality shows out there for unemployed military wives who spend their time cooking, baking, shopping at Wal-Mart (because there are no Targets) and watching reality TV all day long. At least there's that.
And now that I've spent way too much time thinking about reality shows, I'm going to go to Wal-Mart.
Then, about 3 years ago, I caught the tail end of a Project Runway marathon on Bravo and was instantly hooked. I enjoy reality competitions like PR because the contestants are required to have some amount of talent....and the judging is (theoretically) based on talent and hard work and not always on personality. Since falling in love with Project Runway, I've slipped under the trap of several other reality shows. A whole lot of reality shows. More than I care to admit. Some are somewhat respectable to like (PR, Top Chef, The Biggest Loser) and then there are others that I pretend I don't watch (America's Next Top Model, Shear Genius, Top Design, and yes, even Dancing with the Stars) to name a few. Even though I hate that the producers play up the drama and often keep around less deserving people, I still can't stay away from these shows. And everytime I watch PR, I start to think back to the two clothing classes I took in high school and imagine that I could sew something awesome and after an episode of Top Chef, I take to the kitchen with newfound zeal. After watching contestants sweat off the pounds on The Biggest Loser, I always look at my sad self sitting on the couch, eating peanut butter M&M's and feel guilty (more on that later), and after eleven cycles of ANTM (which I still watch even though I've come to hate Tyra Banks), I've started smiling with my eyes. Whatever that means.
See, reality shows suck you in. Not that I think I could qualify being a contestant on a reality show (since I am neither a fashion designer, chef, interior designer, hair stylist, has-been celebrity, or a vacant 18 year-old who thinks she can model but can't walk in a straight line) but I often wonder what kind of contestant I would be on one of these shows since so much of how a person is portrayed is dependent on the editing. I mean, they take thousands of hours of footage, interviews, judging panels, etc. and whittle it down to a digestible 45 minute segment each week. And sometimes the editing monkeys are not kind. From my vast experience watching reality shows, I've determined that there are certain roles that need to be filled each season. And it makes me wonder.....which role would I fill?
The villain: The one you hate but who sticks around FOREVER because they create drama. These are the backstabbers, bad-mouthers, and sore losers who think they deserve to win because they are overly confident and feel entitled from day one. These are also the contestants who are most aware of their status as a reality TV personality and understand what makes for good drama. They strategize and manipulate and seem to care more about the big money prize at the end of the day, then getting recognized for their talent, work ethic, or basic human decency.
The whiner: Sometimes the whiner and the villain can be the same person (see Kenley, PR, Season 5). And that is the worst kind of person to have to watch. They complain about the challenges, they blame everything on the other contestants or the judges, and never take responsibility for their own bad choices, shoddy work, or eliminations. They are judgmental hypocrites but lucky for them, they don't know it.
The one with anger issues: There's always one who can't stop themselves from yelling or screaming or cursing at another contestant or judge, who hit inanimate objects in frustration, or who finally let go of their passive-aggressive behavior to have a big blow-out with another contestant over the stupidest and most inconsequential thing. Sometimes it's just an isolated incident that's played up for big effect, but you're always waiting for that person to blow their lid once again.
The nice guy: This is the contestant who more often than not you root for. They are hard-working, have their stuff together, and don't draw attention to themselves unless it's for their work ethic, excellent work, or creativity/innovation. They make friends easily, obviously have a moral compass and personal integrity, and accept criticism and critiques gracefully. They hardly have a bad thing to say about another contestant and even when they have an "off" day, the judges are sometimes a little more forgiving. Or they cut them loose, because nice guys never win.
The one with no personality: It depends on the show (ANTM is infamous for this edit) but there's always one or two contestants who get overlooked or ignored until they get eliminated for being forgettable. It's unfortunate because I often suspect that these "forgettable" people are actually the most intelligent, interesting, and genuine people in the bunch, but they just don't make for good TV. It's too bad because this are the type of people I like to watch, not the ignorant, loud-mouthed backstabbers who make you want to strangle your TV.
The ringer: The person picked from day one to be the "one to beat." They always get eliminated. Always. Or, at least, if they make it to the final, they hardly ever win. But they walk around with that X on their back until the day they finally lose. Sometimes you want them to win and sometimes, you just want them to go away.
The adorable gay man: Now, this isn't always a staple character, but they are always present on any show hosted by Bravo. (See Kayne, PR Season 3; Daniel, Shear Genius Season 2; and Nick, PR Season 2.) They are talented, but they also offer up the most hilarious one-liners, adeptly mock their fellow contestants, and have the most outlandish (and amusing) reactions to difficult situations. In short, they are fun to watch because they never loose their cool, stay grounded to who they are as a person, and don't mind showing their silly sides to all of America.
The lunatic: There's always one. The one who is slightly off their rocker or who is so ridiculous in their personality, personal style, or mannerisms, that you wonder what the producers were thinking when they allowed this person to be on their show. And by sheer dumb luck, they often remain a few weeks too many. (See Vincent, PR, Season 3.)
Certainly, this list doesn't encompass all the types and characters who enter reality competitions, but regardless of how you are edited, I believe there is a shred of truth to how you are presented. You really need to be on your best behavior, but that could run you the risk of being kicked off, but on the other hand, you could become hated by all of America. As much as I'd love to be the "nice guy," I'm often afraid that I'd get the "mean girl" edit because sometimes I can help thinking or saying mean and judgemental things. Or I think I'd be the one with no personality because I'd be so afraid of saying something bad that I wouldn't say anything at all. In the end, I've concluded that I would never want to be on a reality show (a game show like Jeopardy, I'm all in) but it's lucky for me that there aren't any reality shows out there for unemployed military wives who spend their time cooking, baking, shopping at Wal-Mart (because there are no Targets) and watching reality TV all day long. At least there's that.
And now that I've spent way too much time thinking about reality shows, I'm going to go to Wal-Mart.
Sunday, September 21, 2008
The miracle of life
Do you see that? That tiny little green bulb of a growing tomato? My tomato plants are finally growing some tomatoes!!! I'm terribly excited about it because not only are tomatoes expensive but to not kill a plant is a tremendous achievement. I wish I could take credit for my wondrous tomatoes but alas, the credit all goes to David. I was so excited when I bought my two tomato plants a few months ago, but a combination of too much water and not enough sun prevented them from gaining any ground and they never grew. I decided they were a hopeless cause and just about gave up on them, when in a bid to give them more sunlight, I put them out on the front porch to soak up the last remaining rays of light. David came home and moved them onto the railing but the wind blew them off and the poor tomato plants fell to the ground below, breaking several branches and looking altogether miserable and spent. By then, I was sure the tomatoes were done for. But David, whether out of guilt or just good sense, moved the tomatoes to a better, more secure location in the house, and he nursed them back to health, watered them every night and talked to them. And lo and behold, David made our tomatoes grow! I can't wait for them to get bigger and bigger and soon enough, for us to eat them. Fresh home grown tomatoes are absolutely fabulous. The miracle of life is great indeed.Speaking of the miracle of life, my newest niece (well, only niece) was born last Sunday! Anna Teresa weighed in at 8 pounds, 4 ounces and measured 20 inches long. Baby and mom are doing great and I can't wait to meet her! Is there anything more adorable than new babies? I think not.
Anna sleeps while her big brother James looks on. I don't think he's quite realized that she's here to stay.
How cute is that little bow in her hair?
So while my sister gets to enjoy her new baby, I'll continue to watch the growth of my tomatoes with rapt excitement. And maybe in a year or two, I'll be ready for a baby of my own, but only after I've ensured that I can at least keep a plant or two alive.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
A smattering of good things
Ever since getting married, my life has taken a very decided turn into boringness. Not that this is a bad thing--believe me, it's not--but everytime a friend or family member asks me what's new, I just have to shrug my shoulders and say "Nothing!" And while sometimes, my life seems uneventful, I thought I should take a moment to list 10 different things/events/moments/people that have made me happy this past week just to remind me that my life isn't totally boring or uneventful!
1. My sister had a baby girl! I got the call last night from my mother to inform me that my sister had her second child who weighed 8 pounds 4 ounces and 20 inches long. I only have one nephew, an adorable 17 month year old named James (from the same sister) and I'm positively enamoured with him. Every little thing he does is downright adorable and I can't imagine that I'll be any less enthralled with Anna Teresa (named after my mother: Teresa Anne). There's no pictures yet (hopefully soon) but I can't wait to buy clothes for her. My brother-in-law is deployed to Afghanistan right now but he was able to be on the phone during the delivery and will have leave next month to see his new baby. Babies make me very happy. I'm happy it's not MY baby (I have to have babies in moderation or else I'll start getting baby hungry and it's too early for that) but it's definitely news that deserves some mention.
2. Our microwave died. Now this is not happy news by any means. But when an appliance dies the only thing to do is buy a brand new one. So we ended up picking up a nice, relatively inexpensive simple microwave that will hopefully last longer than our last one. (Granted, David got that one for free.) Now we just need to replace our rice cooker since that decided to go kaput a few weeks back too. I do love shiny new things.
3. We downloaded Super Mario 3 onto our Wii and there's just one word for it: AWESOME!!! Oh, my youth has come back to me. I was surprised how many tricks and secret things I remembered from playing it for hours and hours as a child. Those were the good days of video games.
4. Getting on track with a potential job. There is nothing more discouraging than looking for a job during a recession in an economy that is already notoriously weak and lacks major industries besides tourism and the military. Despite being a competent and well-educated person, I've been turned down at every job I've applied to, because I was too over-qualified (what kind of excuse is that?) or they didn't have the money to hire me (so why advertise?). I've been looking into teaching and am going to apply for teaching positions at some of the colleges out here for next semester, if one of my professors ever sends me that letter of recommendation... I'd also looked into substitute teaching but was unsure of how to proceed because Hawaii's educational system is set up much differently than most states (as in there are no school districts--the Department of Education handles everything for all the islands). To make a long story short, one of David's friends from the single's ward, who works at an elementary school nearby, just happened to tell David what I needed to do to become a sub and also helped me arrange to meet with the principal at her school in order to get started. I have to take a month-long course before I can begin subbing (and I got the last spot available in the class that begins next week) but I finally feel like something is falling into place. Substitute teaching pays very well here (much better than what my mother makes in California), offers me a flexible work schedule, and will allow me to get some much needed teaching experience. I'm starting to feel more and more that getting a teaching certificate and becoming a high school history teacher is a good career move for me. Though I will never stop dreaming of getting my Ph.D. or becoming a curator at the National Museum of American History, teachers are always in great demand and it's a job that I can have no matter where we live. I'm just glad to be moving forward toward some goal and to have something to occupy me for the next month.
5. A Whole Foods just opened in Honolulu. Granted, it is extremely out of our way--we don't go into Honolulu if we can help it--but I'm already planning on when we can make a trip out there to load up on good natural products.
6. LDS.org's downloadable church music. Ever since we discovered that you can download nearly every song in the Children's Songbook or hymnal, David and I have been using it every week during FHE and it has greatly improved our singing ability. Or rather, it helps to mask our attempts to sing. You can download just the music (with intro), the song broken up in parts, or the entire song with words. I love it.
7. Classic black and white movies. The aforementioned friend of David's came over on Friday night for a girl's night (David was working a double shift) and we watched a movie and chatted about life. Nothing beats a little girl time with a side helping of Cary Grant.
8. Annual Primary program. I haven't been in a family ward in oh.....seven years so it's been a long time since I've enjoyed a Primary program. There's nothing that can beat the off-key renditions of favorite childhood hymns as sung by a motley group of children, ages 5-12 and tiny little Sunbeams discovered how much fun the microphone is.
9. Home cooking. Our stake president also happened to be David's mission president during the first five months of his mission in Taiwan. The Kims, who are in our ward, are the kind of people who are well-known throughout Hawaii and Taiwan for the impact they have on people. Since yesterday was a Chinese holiday to celebrate the harvest moon, Sister Kim invited David and I, a bunch of Taiwanese students from BYU-H, and a few other couples over to celebrate the night with lots of delicious homemade Chinese food. While David relished a bit of the food he came to enjoy on his mission and got to speak Chinese to a bunch of native speakers, I learned that I have a long way to go before I'll be making any authentic Chinese food. It sure was tasty though.
10. So I wrote something sickly sweet about what a wonderful husband David is, but no one really cares about the details. But for the record, he is a wonderful husband and he makes me laugh everyday. If you can't be grateful for that, what can you be grateful for?
It's always a good exercise to reflect on life and to realize that it's not so bad after all. It's something I should do far more often. It's all about the little things in life.
1. My sister had a baby girl! I got the call last night from my mother to inform me that my sister had her second child who weighed 8 pounds 4 ounces and 20 inches long. I only have one nephew, an adorable 17 month year old named James (from the same sister) and I'm positively enamoured with him. Every little thing he does is downright adorable and I can't imagine that I'll be any less enthralled with Anna Teresa (named after my mother: Teresa Anne). There's no pictures yet (hopefully soon) but I can't wait to buy clothes for her. My brother-in-law is deployed to Afghanistan right now but he was able to be on the phone during the delivery and will have leave next month to see his new baby. Babies make me very happy. I'm happy it's not MY baby (I have to have babies in moderation or else I'll start getting baby hungry and it's too early for that) but it's definitely news that deserves some mention.
2. Our microwave died. Now this is not happy news by any means. But when an appliance dies the only thing to do is buy a brand new one. So we ended up picking up a nice, relatively inexpensive simple microwave that will hopefully last longer than our last one. (Granted, David got that one for free.) Now we just need to replace our rice cooker since that decided to go kaput a few weeks back too. I do love shiny new things.
3. We downloaded Super Mario 3 onto our Wii and there's just one word for it: AWESOME!!! Oh, my youth has come back to me. I was surprised how many tricks and secret things I remembered from playing it for hours and hours as a child. Those were the good days of video games.
4. Getting on track with a potential job. There is nothing more discouraging than looking for a job during a recession in an economy that is already notoriously weak and lacks major industries besides tourism and the military. Despite being a competent and well-educated person, I've been turned down at every job I've applied to, because I was too over-qualified (what kind of excuse is that?) or they didn't have the money to hire me (so why advertise?). I've been looking into teaching and am going to apply for teaching positions at some of the colleges out here for next semester, if one of my professors ever sends me that letter of recommendation... I'd also looked into substitute teaching but was unsure of how to proceed because Hawaii's educational system is set up much differently than most states (as in there are no school districts--the Department of Education handles everything for all the islands). To make a long story short, one of David's friends from the single's ward, who works at an elementary school nearby, just happened to tell David what I needed to do to become a sub and also helped me arrange to meet with the principal at her school in order to get started. I have to take a month-long course before I can begin subbing (and I got the last spot available in the class that begins next week) but I finally feel like something is falling into place. Substitute teaching pays very well here (much better than what my mother makes in California), offers me a flexible work schedule, and will allow me to get some much needed teaching experience. I'm starting to feel more and more that getting a teaching certificate and becoming a high school history teacher is a good career move for me. Though I will never stop dreaming of getting my Ph.D. or becoming a curator at the National Museum of American History, teachers are always in great demand and it's a job that I can have no matter where we live. I'm just glad to be moving forward toward some goal and to have something to occupy me for the next month.
5. A Whole Foods just opened in Honolulu. Granted, it is extremely out of our way--we don't go into Honolulu if we can help it--but I'm already planning on when we can make a trip out there to load up on good natural products.
6. LDS.org's downloadable church music. Ever since we discovered that you can download nearly every song in the Children's Songbook or hymnal, David and I have been using it every week during FHE and it has greatly improved our singing ability. Or rather, it helps to mask our attempts to sing. You can download just the music (with intro), the song broken up in parts, or the entire song with words. I love it.
7. Classic black and white movies. The aforementioned friend of David's came over on Friday night for a girl's night (David was working a double shift) and we watched a movie and chatted about life. Nothing beats a little girl time with a side helping of Cary Grant.
8. Annual Primary program. I haven't been in a family ward in oh.....seven years so it's been a long time since I've enjoyed a Primary program. There's nothing that can beat the off-key renditions of favorite childhood hymns as sung by a motley group of children, ages 5-12 and tiny little Sunbeams discovered how much fun the microphone is.
9. Home cooking. Our stake president also happened to be David's mission president during the first five months of his mission in Taiwan. The Kims, who are in our ward, are the kind of people who are well-known throughout Hawaii and Taiwan for the impact they have on people. Since yesterday was a Chinese holiday to celebrate the harvest moon, Sister Kim invited David and I, a bunch of Taiwanese students from BYU-H, and a few other couples over to celebrate the night with lots of delicious homemade Chinese food. While David relished a bit of the food he came to enjoy on his mission and got to speak Chinese to a bunch of native speakers, I learned that I have a long way to go before I'll be making any authentic Chinese food. It sure was tasty though.
10. So I wrote something sickly sweet about what a wonderful husband David is, but no one really cares about the details. But for the record, he is a wonderful husband and he makes me laugh everyday. If you can't be grateful for that, what can you be grateful for?
It's always a good exercise to reflect on life and to realize that it's not so bad after all. It's something I should do far more often. It's all about the little things in life.
Monday, September 15, 2008
Dental Hygiene is important...
David and I are committed to having good dental hygiene. But we're also very picky about the items we use to achieve healthy, clean smiles. I don't normally consider myself a brand name buyer...there are very few brands for which I have any sort of long-term affinity. I'm generally much more concerned with price and often pass up a so-called "better" brand for one that shaves a few cents off the price. But when it comes to my mouth, I have suddenly become a brand snob, willing to go far and wide to attain the products I love and trust.
David is really at the root of this die-hard devotion to all things natural, organic, and eco-friendly. I was just fine using cheap $2 toothbrushes handed out by dentists or bought on sale at Target and glopping them full of minty Crest. (I think I preferred Crest over Colgate. And I always went for the "whitening" formulas. Lot of good those did.) When I started dating David, he introduced me to Tom's of Maine toothpaste, a small brand of natural personal care items made with no artificial or animal ingredients. I quickly become a devoted fan. It wasn't long before I began to notice small stacks of Tom's products on the bottom shelf of the toothpaste aisle, making company with lines and lines of Crest and Colgate in ordinary grocery stores and superstores like Target (oh how I miss thee....we've been such good friends these last 10 years) and Wal-Mart. But these small contributions are generally only limited to their peppermint and spearmint flavors of toothpaste--good, staple flavors, but generally too strong and too over-powering for my tastes, especially when Tom's has a very extensive list of toothpaste/dental products. Instead, I hunted down wintermint in even greater speciality stores like Bed, Bath, and Beyond (the only place I found that carried it in the metro DC area, besides Whole Foods) and I would walk over a mile to the nearest store just for toothpaste. Wintermint and I were on very good terms until David came to DC for an extended stay in January of this year.
By then, David had moved on from his preferred flavor (cinnamint) because he believed that the mint flavoring and SLS (often used as a foaming agent) poured into toothpastes was causing unwanted affects and he wanted a milder, gentler toothpaste. David then found Tom's of Maine Clean & Gentle Care, SLS-free Antiplaque + Whitening ToothPaste, Fluoride-free naturally foaming toothpaste in cinnamon-clove. According to Tom's:
While the cinnamon-clove always leaves my mouth feeling clean and fresh, its subtle flavor lacks the minty fresh just-brushed-my-teeth-clean that most toothbrushers have come to expect. And though that zesty flavoring is missing, it in no way compromises how wonderful of a product I think it is. I especially love that it contains no fluoride--which isn't as great as we once thought it was. Of course, this toothpaste is even more difficult to find. In DC, the only store that carried the toothpaste was Whole Foods but only the Whole Foods in Old Town Alexandria and not the one in the Adams Morgan neighborhood of DC. Obviously, these were both extremely out of my way, but yet, I would often make the trek there just for my toothpaste. Now in Hawaii, where there are no Whole Foods (sigh), we have to order our toothpaste off from Drugstore.com .
David is really at the root of this die-hard devotion to all things natural, organic, and eco-friendly. I was just fine using cheap $2 toothbrushes handed out by dentists or bought on sale at Target and glopping them full of minty Crest. (I think I preferred Crest over Colgate. And I always went for the "whitening" formulas. Lot of good those did.) When I started dating David, he introduced me to Tom's of Maine toothpaste, a small brand of natural personal care items made with no artificial or animal ingredients. I quickly become a devoted fan. It wasn't long before I began to notice small stacks of Tom's products on the bottom shelf of the toothpaste aisle, making company with lines and lines of Crest and Colgate in ordinary grocery stores and superstores like Target (oh how I miss thee....we've been such good friends these last 10 years) and Wal-Mart. But these small contributions are generally only limited to their peppermint and spearmint flavors of toothpaste--good, staple flavors, but generally too strong and too over-powering for my tastes, especially when Tom's has a very extensive list of toothpaste/dental products. Instead, I hunted down wintermint in even greater speciality stores like Bed, Bath, and Beyond (the only place I found that carried it in the metro DC area, besides Whole Foods) and I would walk over a mile to the nearest store just for toothpaste. Wintermint and I were on very good terms until David came to DC for an extended stay in January of this year.
By then, David had moved on from his preferred flavor (cinnamint) because he believed that the mint flavoring and SLS (often used as a foaming agent) poured into toothpastes was causing unwanted affects and he wanted a milder, gentler toothpaste. David then found Tom's of Maine Clean & Gentle Care, SLS-free Antiplaque + Whitening ToothPaste, Fluoride-free naturally foaming toothpaste in cinnamon-clove. According to Tom's:
Our Clean & Gentle Care toothpaste leaves your teeth and mouth feeling clean
and fresh-without using sodium lauryl sulfate. (SLS). SLS foams and disperses
ingredients but for some may cause mouth and gum irritation. Our breakthrough
formula uses the gentle ingredient glycyrrhizin (purified from licorice root)
for natural foaming and xylitol to help soothe a dry mouth.
While the cinnamon-clove always leaves my mouth feeling clean and fresh, its subtle flavor lacks the minty fresh just-brushed-my-teeth-clean that most toothbrushers have come to expect. And though that zesty flavoring is missing, it in no way compromises how wonderful of a product I think it is. I especially love that it contains no fluoride--which isn't as great as we once thought it was. Of course, this toothpaste is even more difficult to find. In DC, the only store that carried the toothpaste was Whole Foods but only the Whole Foods in Old Town Alexandria and not the one in the Adams Morgan neighborhood of DC. Obviously, these were both extremely out of my way, but yet, I would often make the trek there just for my toothpaste. Now in Hawaii, where there are no Whole Foods (sigh), we have to order our toothpaste off from Drugstore.com .
While this is not generally a problem I am quite disgruntled by their services at the present time. I ordered 5 boxes of our preferred toothpaste over 3 weeks ago, and having waiting for the mail expectantly every day--and watching our last remaining tube of toothpaste dwindle to nothing--our shipment never came. (I called and complained twice and they re-sent the order priority mail....hopefully it will get here by Tuesday. Luckily we had an old tube of Tom's cinnamint to see us through.) Now, I wonder why I go through all this trouble when every grocery store and Wal-Mart in America is packed with rows and shelves and nearly full aisles of generic, rubbery, foul-tasting Crest or Colgate products that are cheaper and last longer (per box) than my beloved Tom's in its old-fashioned metal tubes. But now that I've made the switch to a natural, organic, and gentle toothbrushing regiment, I can't bear to go back to that nasty stuff. Call me a snob...I don't care. My teeth are happily and healthier than they've been in years (which is good because I haven't been able to afford to visit a dentist for years).
But it doesn't end there. No, David has also converted me to Preserve eco-friendly toothbrushes made from recycled yogurt cups. Not only are they fun colors, but the 45° curved handle and super soft bristles make for a delightful toothbrushing experiencing. I know I sound like a TV commercial, but these toothbrushes rock.
But that's not all! Preserve is also committed to recycling their already recycled toothbrushes:
When it is time to replace your toothbrush (dentists recommend switching it
every three months) send the toothbrush and case back to Preserve using our postage-paid label to be re-processed into plastic lumber for picnic tables, boardwalks and decks.
So this post totally sounds like an advertisement but it was mostly prompted by my missing toothpaste and why it matters so much to have good toothpaste. Maybe I should go see if the mail has come today.
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Good ole home cooking....ethnic style!
I always find it interesting the foods I crave when they are most difficult to find. After a few months in Italy, surrounded by the most delicious fresh (and cheap) ingredients for Italian food--mozzarella balls, gnocchi, spinaci, cheeses, etc.--we suddenly grew desperate for anything that wasn't pasta. We made our own handmade flour tortillas. We mashed our own refried beans. We went to Hard Rock Cafe just to have real cheddar cheese on a massive hamburger. I hoarded my jar of Skippy extra chunky peanut butter like it was the most sacred truffle oil in the world. We bought a bottle of maple syrup for an exorbitant fee and drizzled it conservatively onto French toast. After a lot of the same stuff, anything that wasn't Italian was a much needed culinary break. Now, of course, I'd cut off my right hand to find fresh mozzarella balls for only 5o euro cents or delicate gnocchi for a euro a pound.
As Americans, we've adopted the cuisines of many other nations, and have one of the most varied palates in the world. One thing I loved about D.C. was the sheer variety of ethnic restaurants. My American Studies buddies and I would frequently try out different cuisines--Thai, Lebanese, Indian. There were always a lot of different choices for each group and we were always guaranteed to find excellent food. Hawaii has its own unique culinary style here--macaroni salad, poi, taro, and fish--not to mention the rampant over-infusion of Asian foods. It's generally not so bad, but lately I have been craving different foods...most especially Indian.
My sister took me to my first Indian restaurant in the Notting Hill neighborhood of London where you can find some of the best Indian cuisine outside of India. Through the years, Indian food has become one of my favorite exotic food pleasures....the aromatic spices, the creamy curries and long-grain rice, the buttery naan bread and flavorful scorch marks from the tandoori oven. My absolute favorite Indian dish--chicken tikka masala--was supposedly created in England in the 1950s or 1970s (it's origin is heavily debated); the recipe is always different, but no matter where you find it, chicken tikka masala is absolutely delicious. So, after scouring the internet to find a simple yet seemingly authentic recipe, I decided to try it for myself. It was no small undertaking. For those who might be interested, the recipe I used can be found here: http://www.cooksillustrated.com/recipe.asp?recipeids=4526&bdc=54312#topOfPage.
I tried to find a recipe that gave enough instructions (I'm always surprised by recipes that just assume you know how to do something) and didn't utilize too many hard-to-get exotic or expensive ingredients. The most difficult item to find was garam marsala (which McCormick makes and is sold in the spice aisle). I couldn't find it at first, but the recipe also helpfully provides a substitution and I had all the ingredients to make it except for cardamon. So I went to the Safeway across the street (which I never shop at because it's so dang expensive) only to discover that a bottle of cardamon costs $14, but that they had the garam masala mixture for only $3.50, so that's what I ended up purchasing. The recipe is not terribly complex but it did require a lot of time, as most new and untested recipes often do. I did not include the peppers because I do not like really spicy foods but I added more of the other spices to add more flavor. The tikka masala came out really well and was very tasty, if I do say so myself.
As Americans, we've adopted the cuisines of many other nations, and have one of the most varied palates in the world. One thing I loved about D.C. was the sheer variety of ethnic restaurants. My American Studies buddies and I would frequently try out different cuisines--Thai, Lebanese, Indian. There were always a lot of different choices for each group and we were always guaranteed to find excellent food. Hawaii has its own unique culinary style here--macaroni salad, poi, taro, and fish--not to mention the rampant over-infusion of Asian foods. It's generally not so bad, but lately I have been craving different foods...most especially Indian.
My sister took me to my first Indian restaurant in the Notting Hill neighborhood of London where you can find some of the best Indian cuisine outside of India. Through the years, Indian food has become one of my favorite exotic food pleasures....the aromatic spices, the creamy curries and long-grain rice, the buttery naan bread and flavorful scorch marks from the tandoori oven. My absolute favorite Indian dish--chicken tikka masala--was supposedly created in England in the 1950s or 1970s (it's origin is heavily debated); the recipe is always different, but no matter where you find it, chicken tikka masala is absolutely delicious. So, after scouring the internet to find a simple yet seemingly authentic recipe, I decided to try it for myself. It was no small undertaking. For those who might be interested, the recipe I used can be found here: http://www.cooksillustrated.com/recipe.asp?recipeids=4526&bdc=54312#topOfPage.
I tried to find a recipe that gave enough instructions (I'm always surprised by recipes that just assume you know how to do something) and didn't utilize too many hard-to-get exotic or expensive ingredients. The most difficult item to find was garam marsala (which McCormick makes and is sold in the spice aisle). I couldn't find it at first, but the recipe also helpfully provides a substitution and I had all the ingredients to make it except for cardamon. So I went to the Safeway across the street (which I never shop at because it's so dang expensive) only to discover that a bottle of cardamon costs $14, but that they had the garam masala mixture for only $3.50, so that's what I ended up purchasing. The recipe is not terribly complex but it did require a lot of time, as most new and untested recipes often do. I did not include the peppers because I do not like really spicy foods but I added more of the other spices to add more flavor. The tikka masala came out really well and was very tasty, if I do say so myself.
The chicken tikka masala simmering in its pan. 
I also attempted to make naan bread. Unfortunately, this endeavor did not turn out as good as the main dish, but some of the pieces were still okay and I know what I did wrong so that in the future, I can improve on it. Naan bread is so tasty. My rooommate Erin used to cook hers in a hot pan which works just as well as a pizza stone. I tried both methods. I haven't decided which I like better.
The dinner spread. It was an absolutely delightful and delicious meal. As always with new recipes, I learned what I did wrong, what can be improved for next time, and how to make it go much quicker in the future. I'm glad I have all the spices I need now for making this dish again and again. I have a feeling I'll be craving it again in the near future. Once all the leftovers are gone.... Now if I could just find some tamarind paste, I can set about re-creating my other favorite ethnic meal--pad thai. It's such comfort food.
Monday, September 8, 2008
Weekend hiking
On Saturday, David and I finally rolled out of bed around 10:30am (lazy bums!) and then decided to find an easy hike in order to get us out of the house for some physical activity. We drove up the Pali Highway, which cuts through the island from Honolulu to the windward side of the island (near Kanehoe and Kailua) and goes up and over (and sometimes under) some big mountains. We stopped at the summit, at the Pali Lookout where you can see some absolutely stunning views of the windward side of the island. It is incredibly windy up there but it feels nice. Unfortunately, I forgot to bring our camera along so David took some pictures with his phone. Not the best quality, but at least it gives you an idea of how gorgeous it is up there:
This is looking down at Kaneohoe on the windward (or east) side of the island.
The hike David and I went on was off the Pali Lookout. We walked about a mile down an old access road that I think was once part of the old highway. It's been completely overrun by plants and guava trees and at some parts, the road was almost entirely gone. Once we got on the trail, which was slightly muddy, we hiked up and around the side of the mountain, at times running almost parallel to the H3. We hiked for another 1-2 miles before turning around and heading back to the lookout and our car. It was a nice hike, slightly wet and muddy at parts, but nicely shady although there was a lot of fallen and rotting fruit on the trail which gave off a sickly sweet smell. We thought there was a waterfall about 1.5 miles in, but we were sadly mistaken. The trail went on for about 10 miles and we met other hikers who told us the waterfall was about 2 hours away. We decided at that point to turn around and head back but not before snapping another picture of us nice and sweaty at an opening in the trees.
This is looking down at Kaneohoe on the windward (or east) side of the island.The hike David and I went on was off the Pali Lookout. We walked about a mile down an old access road that I think was once part of the old highway. It's been completely overrun by plants and guava trees and at some parts, the road was almost entirely gone. Once we got on the trail, which was slightly muddy, we hiked up and around the side of the mountain, at times running almost parallel to the H3. We hiked for another 1-2 miles before turning around and heading back to the lookout and our car. It was a nice hike, slightly wet and muddy at parts, but nicely shady although there was a lot of fallen and rotting fruit on the trail which gave off a sickly sweet smell. We thought there was a waterfall about 1.5 miles in, but we were sadly mistaken. The trail went on for about 10 miles and we met other hikers who told us the waterfall was about 2 hours away. We decided at that point to turn around and head back but not before snapping another picture of us nice and sweaty at an opening in the trees.
I hope we can go back sometime soon and I'll try to take my camera so I can actually get some good shots. In any case, it was nice to try out one of Oahu's many hikes. Unfortunately most of the cool hikes are "illegal" but that shouldn't stop us for too much longer.
Guess the Movie....the answers!
It's been enough time that I'm going to post the answers to all the quotes from my favorite movies from my post two weeks ago. Almost all of the quotes were guessed, so good job guys! I was quite impressed. Also, special recognition to Kara for guessing the most. Just goes to show that after 15 years of friendship, you and your friends will still like the same things. :-)
1) Stranger Than Fiction, guessed by Kara -- This is my favorite movie of the last few years. I think the writing is so clever, the plot very fresh and new, and the acting is wonderful. I really like Will Ferrell in this role and of course, I'm a big fan of Emma Thompson. If you haven't seen this movie, I recommend you rent it right now. Go now!
2) When Harry Met Sally, guessed by Christa -- Romantic comedies come and go, but this remains my absolute favorite rom com. I love that after 13 years, two friends finally realize that they are perfect for one another.
3) Pride and Prejudice, guessed by Kara -- I've really come to enjoy the new version of Pride and Prejudice with Kiera Knightley (who I do not always love), but this quote, from the 1995 A&E miniseries with Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle, can never be surpassed.
4) Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, guessed by Kara -- I love these books and I love this movie. The sequel (which David very kindly took me to see) is not as good as the original but was still fully satisfying. It combines the last 3 books together so it can be a little hard to follow if you haven't read the books.
5) Stardust, guessed by Christa -- Such a great movie. This is one of David and my favorites and is one of the few movies that is better than the book.
6) The Cutting Edge, guessed by Kara -- Back in the day, when I used to figure skate, I used to come home from after practice and watch this movie and dream of going for the gold just like Kate and Doug Dorsey. Didn't take long for that dream to be quashed, but I still love this movie a whole big bunch.
7) Toy Story, guessed by Kara
8) Zoolander, guessed by Kiersten
9) Moulin Rouge, guessed by Kara -- This movie holds the distinction of being the movie I saw the most number of times in the theatre: 8. If you can make it past the first 30 minutes, this movie is absolutely stunning.
10) "She weaves all things together." I'm not surprised that no one guessed this one. This is from Terrence Malick's The New World, a rough interpretation of the Pocahantas story with Colin Farrell and Christian Bale. Though I'm generally rather hesitant about movies that take a literary license with historical fact, I actually love this movie. The cinematography is simply breathtaking and you come away with a very real sense of life in the New World with the arrival of white men to Virginia shores.
11) Sabrina, (the original), guessed by Kara -- My favorite Audrey Hepburn movie.
12) Empire Strikes Back, guessed by Kara
13) Jane Eyre, guessed by MJ -- What can I say? I'm a sucker for period dramas and literary adaptions. This version, recently released by Masterpiece Theatre, is very faithful to the book.
14) The Mirror Has Two Faces, guessed by MJ
15) Iron Man, guessed by Christa
Runners-up:
16) Stranger than Fiction, guessed by Kara
17) Stardust, guessed by Kara
18) Toy Story 2, guessed by Kara
19) Zoolander, guessed by Kiersten
20) Moulin Rouge, guessed by Kara
21) Sabrina, guessed by Emily
22) "I don't date these girls because they're well-read. I gave one of them a copy of "Farewell to Arms". She thought it was a diet book." This is another quote from The Mirror Has Two Faces with Barbra Streisand and Jeff Bridges.
1) Stranger Than Fiction, guessed by Kara -- This is my favorite movie of the last few years. I think the writing is so clever, the plot very fresh and new, and the acting is wonderful. I really like Will Ferrell in this role and of course, I'm a big fan of Emma Thompson. If you haven't seen this movie, I recommend you rent it right now. Go now!
2) When Harry Met Sally, guessed by Christa -- Romantic comedies come and go, but this remains my absolute favorite rom com. I love that after 13 years, two friends finally realize that they are perfect for one another.
3) Pride and Prejudice, guessed by Kara -- I've really come to enjoy the new version of Pride and Prejudice with Kiera Knightley (who I do not always love), but this quote, from the 1995 A&E miniseries with Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle, can never be surpassed.
4) Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, guessed by Kara -- I love these books and I love this movie. The sequel (which David very kindly took me to see) is not as good as the original but was still fully satisfying. It combines the last 3 books together so it can be a little hard to follow if you haven't read the books.
5) Stardust, guessed by Christa -- Such a great movie. This is one of David and my favorites and is one of the few movies that is better than the book.
6) The Cutting Edge, guessed by Kara -- Back in the day, when I used to figure skate, I used to come home from after practice and watch this movie and dream of going for the gold just like Kate and Doug Dorsey. Didn't take long for that dream to be quashed, but I still love this movie a whole big bunch.
7) Toy Story, guessed by Kara
8) Zoolander, guessed by Kiersten
9) Moulin Rouge, guessed by Kara -- This movie holds the distinction of being the movie I saw the most number of times in the theatre: 8. If you can make it past the first 30 minutes, this movie is absolutely stunning.
10) "She weaves all things together." I'm not surprised that no one guessed this one. This is from Terrence Malick's The New World, a rough interpretation of the Pocahantas story with Colin Farrell and Christian Bale. Though I'm generally rather hesitant about movies that take a literary license with historical fact, I actually love this movie. The cinematography is simply breathtaking and you come away with a very real sense of life in the New World with the arrival of white men to Virginia shores.
11) Sabrina, (the original), guessed by Kara -- My favorite Audrey Hepburn movie.
12) Empire Strikes Back, guessed by Kara
13) Jane Eyre, guessed by MJ -- What can I say? I'm a sucker for period dramas and literary adaptions. This version, recently released by Masterpiece Theatre, is very faithful to the book.
14) The Mirror Has Two Faces, guessed by MJ
15) Iron Man, guessed by Christa
Runners-up:
16) Stranger than Fiction, guessed by Kara
17) Stardust, guessed by Kara
18) Toy Story 2, guessed by Kara
19) Zoolander, guessed by Kiersten
20) Moulin Rouge, guessed by Kara
21) Sabrina, guessed by Emily
22) "I don't date these girls because they're well-read. I gave one of them a copy of "Farewell to Arms". She thought it was a diet book." This is another quote from The Mirror Has Two Faces with Barbra Streisand and Jeff Bridges.
Friday, September 5, 2008
Midnight Sun
Another post about Twilight? I know what you're thinking....enough already! I never meant to post one blog entry about the books, and am a little chargrined that this makes number two. The thing is, I don't consider myself an above-average fan of the Twilight series. I don't have a passionate crush on Edward Cullen, I do not wish I were Bella Swan (Elizabeth Bennett, most definitely; Bella Swan, no thanks), and I most certainly have never dreamed of being a vampire or being in love with a vampire or meeting a nice vampire in a darkened alley. I've read the books, and despite some of my literary critiques of writing, plot, and characters, I've enjoyed them a great deal. I have not read the books a dozen times nor do I spend a lot of time obsessing about the Meyer universe (which is fabulous, by the way). I do, however, have a lot respect for Stephenie Meyer as an author, person, and (whether she likes it or not) ambassador of "the Mormons are normal people" club. Plus, she is very generous with her fans and truly is grateful for them, even when they threw hissy fits and called her a bad fanfic writer after the release of Breaking Dawn. (For the record, I liked Breaking Dawn. I won't go into more detail, but suffice it to say, I found it to be a very satisfying conclusion.) I am not embarrassed to admit that I often visit Stephenie's website (www.stepheniemeyer.com) because she posts a lot of extra tidbits and answers common questions with astounding detail and consideration.
Meyer started working on on a fifth book in the Twilight series, this time from Edward's perspective, which she calls Midnight Sun, some time ago. She even posted the first chapter on her website and I have to admit, I was very excited by the idea of the book. Although I like Edward as much as you are supposed to like an incredibly handsome, rich and talented man, I never really understood him and didn't feel the same literary lust for him as I do for the likes of someone fictional like Mr. Darcy. But I was excited for the prospect of getting to read the finished product sometime and to see the story from a different angle. Recently, however, the first twelve chapters of the manuscripted were leaked on the internet. Meyer decided to post the draft on her website for her fans, but unfortunately, she has also suspended her work on the book. She explains it so much better than I do. You can read about it and access the link to the draft here: http://www.stepheniemeyer.com/midnightsun.html I have a few reasons for commenting on this:
Meyer started working on on a fifth book in the Twilight series, this time from Edward's perspective, which she calls Midnight Sun, some time ago. She even posted the first chapter on her website and I have to admit, I was very excited by the idea of the book. Although I like Edward as much as you are supposed to like an incredibly handsome, rich and talented man, I never really understood him and didn't feel the same literary lust for him as I do for the likes of someone fictional like Mr. Darcy. But I was excited for the prospect of getting to read the finished product sometime and to see the story from a different angle. Recently, however, the first twelve chapters of the manuscripted were leaked on the internet. Meyer decided to post the draft on her website for her fans, but unfortunately, she has also suspended her work on the book. She explains it so much better than I do. You can read about it and access the link to the draft here: http://www.stepheniemeyer.com/midnightsun.html I have a few reasons for commenting on this:
- I have great respect for how Stephenie Meyer responded to this violation of her copyright and that she made a very difficult decision to consider her fans and to still post the draft for them. Though she was understandably upset to do it, I felt that it showed tremendous character and intergrity to respond in the way she did.
- She taught her fans a huge lesson about respecting the rights of artists, writers, and musicians and their copyrights, but also about dipolmacy, tact, and fairness.
- I debated whether or not I wanted to read the manuscript, since I knew SM felt that it was poorly edited and it was, more importantly, unfinished. I hate not knowing the ending to a book. (Even though in this case, we all know how it ends.) But my curiosity got the better of me so I read it. And I'm glad I did, mostly because it allowed me a chance to understand Edward better. I'd never understood the attraction between Edward and Bella, and hearing Edward's side of things, I finally got it. Not only that, but I discovered that Edward is a far more noble creature than I had ever expected. I'm not jumping on the Team Edward bandwagon just yet, but I appreciate the chance to understand the character more. Perhaps if, and when, I decide to re-read the Twilight series, I can do so with a little bit more love in my heart for Edward, a better understanding of the nature of his and Bella's relationship, and more respect for the characters Stephenie Meyer has created.
Sorry for those who don't care about Twilight, but for those who do, check out Midnight Sun if you are interested. You might have a few revelations, just like I did. I can only hope that in time, Stephenie will return to her draft and finish it. I for one, enjoyed being inside Edward's head instead of Bella's.
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Picture Tag
I've been tagged by Kara! So here it is. The rules: The rules are you have to take ten pictures of the following things. And you have to do it right away. No straightening, cleaning or wiping your child's nose. Then you tag five others.
1. The kitchen sink:
Okay, I have to confess, I did the dishes before I took the picture, but you can see all the dishes in the dish rack. The sink is nice and big but I wish we had two separate sinks. It would make washing dishes by hand much easier.
2. The toilet(s):
Our glorious commode. It's the only toilet we have. The previous owners re-did the bathroom and it's pretty nice now, although a tad cramped. All space is at a premium in Hawaii.
3. The laundry room:
More like the laundry closet in our case. But I like our machines. They do good work. David deals with most of the laundry. He's quite proficient at removing stains from clothing, particularly all the chocolate I manage to get on myself.
1. The kitchen sink:
Okay, I have to confess, I did the dishes before I took the picture, but you can see all the dishes in the dish rack. The sink is nice and big but I wish we had two separate sinks. It would make washing dishes by hand much easier.2. The toilet(s):
Our glorious commode. It's the only toilet we have. The previous owners re-did the bathroom and it's pretty nice now, although a tad cramped. All space is at a premium in Hawaii.3. The laundry room:
More like the laundry closet in our case. But I like our machines. They do good work. David deals with most of the laundry. He's quite proficient at removing stains from clothing, particularly all the chocolate I manage to get on myself.4. The refrigerator: 
We just went to the grocery store last night so it's rather packed now, mostly with a lot of water. You can't tell, but behind the milk and orange juice are more rows and rows of water bottles. Most of the second shelf is taken over by our flour and sugar which we keep in there so the humidity and scavenging ants and bugs don't attack it. I can't wait to get a Foodsaver. That'll hopefully free up some room in there.
5. Your spouse/children RIGHT NOW:
I took a lot of these pictures this afternoon and I tried to get a good shot of David arriving home from work but none of those shots turned out really well. Since it's taken me a few hours to finally post this tag, I decided to take a more recent picture of David, looking very annoyed while doing his history homework.
6. Favorite shoes:
Like many, I have my favorite cute shoes and then my favorite shoes that I wear everyday. I love my black Reefs (above) but sadly they are almost worn through. And this is my third pair of them! Below are my current favorite shoes which I just bought last weekend. Red is a lot of fun. And David quite approves. :-)
7. Favorite room:
Don't have very many rooms to pick from but I love our bookcases and the Wii is a lot of fun.
8. Dream vacation:
I pretty much want to go everywhere--and there's no place I'd say no to--but I'm most looking forward to exploring Asia if and when David and I live in Korea. We've talked a lot about going to China, Taiwan (where David served his mission), Thailand, India, Japan and any other country we can possibly visit there. I'm most excited to see China. Although, truth be told, if I could magically appear in any location right this second, I'd want to go back to Rome, to the Piazza Santa Maria in Travestere where I could sit on the steps of the old fountain and eat gelato. That would be pure bliss.
9. Self portrait:
I took another one. As usual, this is about as good as it gets for me right now. I hardly wear my hair down anymore because it gets too hot and sweaty. I've threatened to cut it all off but I know it would sadden David and I'd soon regret it. Hopefully somewhat cooler weather will start blowing our way.
ETA: After posting this tag and taking all the pictures, I realized that the instructions say there are 10 photographs to take, but yet others who had done the tag before me were only posting 9 photographs. So I did some investigating and discovered the tenth photograph is supposed to be your closet (actually it should be number 8 in the lineup). So here is a picture of my closet from a few weeks ago. Believe me, it looks the same:
So I guess now I'm supposed to tag 5 people. Since Kara and Emily were already tagged, that leaves about 3 other people who I know read this blog so.....you're it!
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Family Fun Fest
Every Labor Day for the past ten years, the Mililani Stake has held the "Family Fun Fest," a day of food, family, and carnival-like rides and games delightful for all ages. The Stake Center and another church building share a large tract of land--and parking lot--in Mililani and every year, they set up inflatable bouncy things on the grass and those cheap carnival rides in the parking lot. Throw in lots of food, and it's pretty much the hottest ticket in town on Labor Day. Apparently a family in the stake or related to someone in the stake owns the company that rents out these rides and games. In addition to the games, your admission into the Fun Fest (no charge) comes with a hot dog, cotton candy, shaved ice, and popcorn, not to mention the potluck lunch that each ward puts on.
It was a fun day of eating food, talking to old and new friends, and reliving the joys of childhood. Obviously, most of the rides are meant for the younger population, but that didn't stop David and I from partaking in some of the fun:
The Rat Race: Two people compete against each other in this obstacle course to climb up walls, jumps through hoops and dive through holes to beat the other person. David soundly beat me. I mean, it wasn't even close! I got caught in a couple of places and kept falling down and laughing so much that I could barely go on.
It was a fun day of eating food, talking to old and new friends, and reliving the joys of childhood. Obviously, most of the rides are meant for the younger population, but that didn't stop David and I from partaking in some of the fun:
The Rat Race: Two people compete against each other in this obstacle course to climb up walls, jumps through hoops and dive through holes to beat the other person. David soundly beat me. I mean, it wasn't even close! I got caught in a couple of places and kept falling down and laughing so much that I could barely go on. 
The Shark slide! Pretty fun although I learned the hard way that plastic burns. Ouch!
David and I enjoying our shaved ice.
A view of the madness in action.
All in all, it was a delightfully fun day, although David and I both got a little sunburnt. You'd think I'd learn by now with all the sunburns I've collected over the years. We came home and enjoyed the rest of the holiday playing the Wii. I'm awesome at Wii Tennis, and I used to be quite good at Wii Bowling but I'm suddenly starting to suck and it makes me unhappy. We would buy more games but Wii Sports and Guitar Hero keeps us so entertained, that we haven't felt the need to spend $50 on a new game....although we're just waiting for Rock Band 2 and Guitar Hero World Tour to come out. Yay for holidays.
Monday, September 1, 2008
The mysteries of life...and Mormon culture
David and I are proactively saving our marriage (before it has really begun) and are currently taking the church's 6 week course, Strengthening Marriage, which was organized by LDS Services and is taught by an old married couple in our stake. It really is a great class and if your stake offers it, I highly recommend it. It doesn't offer insights you might not have already made, but it does force you and your spouse to discuss things you might not have contemplated before.
During last week's lesson, entitled "Fostering Equality and Unity," our teachers gave us each a quiz on who should decide certain questions in the marriage like "What hobbies should the wife pursue?" or "How much time should each spouse spend pursuing hobbies or interests?" These two questions in particular raised the following exchange:
Me: "I think we both can decide our own interests, as long as it doesn't interfere with what needs to be done at home."
Lady Teacher: "What if you [meaning me, the woman] decide to take up scrapbooking? It can be a huge drain on finances and take up a lot of time."
David: "...."
Me: [looks at David] "I will never take up scrapbooking."
David: "Thank you."
I know there are people out there--people I call friends even--who enjoy scrapbooking and are quite good at it. But I don't get it. Well, I do get it: it's a creative and artistic outlet that allows you to document your memories with cute paper and random cutouts, stickers, and doodads. I tried it out once but was not very successful. Plus it takes forever. I'm still trying to find the patience to organize all my wedding photos so that I can slip them into the little plastic covers of the photo album I bought. Even that is proving to be too complicated for me. So why do so many women spend so much time and money on this particular hobby?
I read an article once that basically said that the popularity of scrapbooking is greatly attributable to Mormon women. Yay for us I guess. If there's one thing I love to investigate--and to mock--it's Mormon culture. What about our religion breeds the desire to spend hours agonizing over the layout of one page of a scrapbook, attending scrapbooking galas, and buying up papers, crazy cutouts, themed kits, and stamps to enhance a few photographs?
I'd really like to understand the allure of scrapbooking and why, as a Mormon woman, it's almost expected that I should be a scrapbooker. So, for the few who read this blog, and the even fewer who comment, why do you scrapbook? Why do you think it's so popular in the Mormon community besides as a way to "document family history"? And do you think the stereotypes surrounding the scrapbooking community are really fair?
One of my mentors at the Smithsonian, who is very interested in ephemera, wrote a book about scrapbooking. She suggested that scrapbooking is a new evolution of women's domestic work which, until the 20th century, mainly consisted of sewing and embroidery and odd little domestic crafts. (Check out Godey's Lady's Book or Ladies Home Journal from the latter half of the 19th century. I saw one how-to guide to make a hair pin holder using a dead lobster carcass. How's that for crafty? Martha Stewart has nothing on these ladies.) In a way, scrapbooking has replaced quilts has the means through which women tell the stories of their lives and to gather together for social purposes. But quilts always served a more utilitarian function (to keep one warm) but do scrapbooks have any functions beyond words and photographs on a piece of paper?
I feel a research project coming on...
During last week's lesson, entitled "Fostering Equality and Unity," our teachers gave us each a quiz on who should decide certain questions in the marriage like "What hobbies should the wife pursue?" or "How much time should each spouse spend pursuing hobbies or interests?" These two questions in particular raised the following exchange:
Me: "I think we both can decide our own interests, as long as it doesn't interfere with what needs to be done at home."
Lady Teacher: "What if you [meaning me, the woman] decide to take up scrapbooking? It can be a huge drain on finances and take up a lot of time."
David: "...."
Me: [looks at David] "I will never take up scrapbooking."
David: "Thank you."
I know there are people out there--people I call friends even--who enjoy scrapbooking and are quite good at it. But I don't get it. Well, I do get it: it's a creative and artistic outlet that allows you to document your memories with cute paper and random cutouts, stickers, and doodads. I tried it out once but was not very successful. Plus it takes forever. I'm still trying to find the patience to organize all my wedding photos so that I can slip them into the little plastic covers of the photo album I bought. Even that is proving to be too complicated for me. So why do so many women spend so much time and money on this particular hobby?
I read an article once that basically said that the popularity of scrapbooking is greatly attributable to Mormon women. Yay for us I guess. If there's one thing I love to investigate--and to mock--it's Mormon culture. What about our religion breeds the desire to spend hours agonizing over the layout of one page of a scrapbook, attending scrapbooking galas, and buying up papers, crazy cutouts, themed kits, and stamps to enhance a few photographs?
I'd really like to understand the allure of scrapbooking and why, as a Mormon woman, it's almost expected that I should be a scrapbooker. So, for the few who read this blog, and the even fewer who comment, why do you scrapbook? Why do you think it's so popular in the Mormon community besides as a way to "document family history"? And do you think the stereotypes surrounding the scrapbooking community are really fair?
One of my mentors at the Smithsonian, who is very interested in ephemera, wrote a book about scrapbooking. She suggested that scrapbooking is a new evolution of women's domestic work which, until the 20th century, mainly consisted of sewing and embroidery and odd little domestic crafts. (Check out Godey's Lady's Book or Ladies Home Journal from the latter half of the 19th century. I saw one how-to guide to make a hair pin holder using a dead lobster carcass. How's that for crafty? Martha Stewart has nothing on these ladies.) In a way, scrapbooking has replaced quilts has the means through which women tell the stories of their lives and to gather together for social purposes. But quilts always served a more utilitarian function (to keep one warm) but do scrapbooks have any functions beyond words and photographs on a piece of paper?
I feel a research project coming on...
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