OH MY GOD!!

It’s that time of year where I start planning for the kid’s birthdays. Chris is on February 3rd, and Sianna is on February 1st. I usually let them pick what they want to do on that day, and then I throw them a party on a separate day so that they can invite their friends. For the past several years it has been at a park overlooking Pearl Harbor. Last year about 70 of their friends was in attendance. Last year for Sianna’s night we took her out to dinner of her choice. Chris on the other hand went with a suggestion I gave him. We went to see ‘The Marriage of Figaro’ at the Neil S. Blaisdell Concert Hall put on by the Hawaii Opera Theatre. This season, the Opera Theatre is featuring 3 operas … La Traviata, Salome, and Carmen. Chris chose to see Carmen. I wanted to see Salome, but it’s his birthday. Once again, we got awesome balcony seats (not bad for 70 bux a pop). We usually dress up a bit and go to dinner before the show. I like this bonding experience I share with Chris. We both love classical music and what a great way to share our interest. Of course, we would ask Sianna to join us, be she’s not into the classical stuff yet. I give her a year or two … that’s how Chris was at her age.

The party is set for Sunday, February 17th. The part I dread is planning a menu. I finally figured out what I’m making. This year I’m thinking of doing an array of ethnic foods. Since we’re Korean, I’m having John barbecue some kalbi … marinated shortribs. I’m also preparing beef broccoli (Chinese) and chicken long rice (Hawaiian). All I need now is a chicken dish. I was originally planning on ordering orange chicken, another Chinese dish, but I’m missing a Filipino entrée. I was thinking of making chicken adobo which is marinated chicken with vinegar, soy sauce, peppercorns, bay leaves, patis (fish sauce), and some other good stuff (Logi, you would love this one). Then there’s the other usual stuff … the pasta salad, rice and/or sushi, vegetable platter with ranch dip, and the fried noodles or yakisoba. All this talk of food is making me hungry already. The guest list for Chris is he’s invited 70 of his friends and Sianna has invited 30 of her friends. This was about the same amount as last year with just a little over half of that showing up … and that’s not including my friends.

It’s off to find an outfit for this Saturday. Chris is performing and I want to get something new to wear.

Laters,

Hapa

STRESS MANAGEMENT

Here is a stress management technique recommended in all the latest
psychological texts.

Picture yourself near a stream. Birds are softly chirping in the crisp,
cool, mountain air. No one knows your secret place. You are in total
seclusion from that hectic place called "the world."

The soothing sound of a gentle waterfall fills the air with a cascade of
serenity. The water is clear. Really clear.... so clear you can easily make
out the face of the person you're holding under the water...

There now... feeling better?

Amazingly, this has actually worked for me in the past.

I'm out,

Hapa

I am in the same predicament as Ghost. I really need to get away and the opportunity actually arose a few weeks ago. I have a few friends that, twice a year, go rock climbing and they’ve invited me to join them this April/May. The last time I’ve been off this rock was back in June of ’98 when I went to visit Ghost, Logi, and Skye. Actually, I have been to Maui for Christmas the following year, but technically it’s the same rock. John and I are taking the kids with us when we fly out to Kauai on their Spring Break in March. What I really need is time for myself. The rock-climbing gig is tempting, but it means that I will need to start training for it now. I need to get my upper body strength back. Three months is not really adequate time to train, but it’s something. I dislocated my left shoulder at work 15 months ago and it’s still bothering me so it might play a factor in my final decision to go. This trip, they plan to go to New Mexico, Utah, and Arizona. The trip will be about a month, if I go, I’ll probably only join them for a week. Oh yeah, another factor in my decision is the company that’s going … if Riley the bitch goes (he’s a major pain in my ass), my decision will lean more towards no.

I’ve been playing Upwords at games.com since last May. I love that game. I bought the board game some 6 years ago. Anyway, I’ve been kicking ass for the longest time. I took about three months off from it because of all the kids that has been playing … well, actually quitting in the middle of a game. That shit really pisses me off, if you’re losing, suck it up and play till the end. I started playing again the past two weeks. The last two nights I got my ass kicked, not too bad, just enough to lose my status. My level, up until two nights ago was a Red. I am now down to an Orange. I think it’s a 60-point difference, it’s still a kick in the ass. I am determined to get my Red level status back and I know I will do it within the next week or so. Anyone wanna challenge me?

I’m gonna get another game in before I hit the hay … have a great day!

Hapa

I was supposed to go in for an operation tomorrow, but because a blood test revealed I’m anemic … again … it’s been postponed to a later date. Nothing major, really, just to take samples of my uterus and to see the extent of the contents inside. Besides, I’m over a week late so now I have to do some other tests. I’ll keep you posted.

Hey, where the heck is Logi? Hope all is well with her.

Chris started his own blog, but it’s not a blog … it’s a different site. He won’t give me the address and I know he’s talking some mad smack about me. I’ll just wait until he makes an entry to get the address … aren’t I sneaky?

Speaking of the boy, he got his Winterball pictures back today. Some really nice stuff. I got two different 8x10 pictures in a frame on the entertainment system with the rest of the other stuff. Which reminds me, I have to order the Homecoming Court pictures. It’s a double frame with the whole court on one side, and the Freshman couple on the other side. I’m kinda bummed cause my video camera decided not to work on the day of Homecoming so I couldn’t get the parade nor the half time festivities on tape. There was a guy who was further down the street from me that looked professional and it turns out he’s a friend of one of Chris’ friend’s family. I really want a tape! Chris looked really grown up in his tuxedo waving to everybody sitting on top of the Mustang convertible during the parade.

I’m off to bed cause I don’t feel all that great. I hate taking iron supplements because they make me constipated. Too much info, huh? On that note, I’m off to la la land …

Hapa