"The beauty of Kaua'i..."

The beauty of Kaua'i is like that of a beauty queen, beautiful, breathtaking and gorgeous on the outside.

From a distance or as a spectator one is in awe, but once you get to know most of them, you find huge ego's and much distress on the inside.

They always said, "find a girl with a good personality," which meant, not really good looking, but will treat you like a king.

Do you want awesome eye candy beauty or do you want to be treated like a king.

I opt for the latter.

"Students talk about local elections..."

When I taught English a s a second language in Japan, I always enjoyed having the students talk about local elections.

Since the Japanese pronounce L's to sound like R's, they just have a hard time pronouncing R's.

'Election day,' became 'Erection day.'

I would laugh to myself internally but in essence the Japanese have it spot on.

What is an erection? To erect means to build or construct., erect, means big, and all the politicians I have met have big ego's, and love to construct anything with their name in bold print.

What did you think I meant?

May the best sign waiver win!

"May the best wave win..!"

Surfers live for the right wave, Visitors to Hawaii love to watch waves.

The political waves are something I look forward to every two years in all their various motions.

You can gather alot by the way politicians hand wave, for instance the Shaka wave means they think they are awesome, usually they are the only ones that think they are so awesome.

There is the five finger stationary common wave. a very conservative wave, like the missionary position of waves so to speak.

Not very creative, but gets the job done.

The washing the window wave is associated with beauty pageants and parades, most people possessing this wave believe they are gorgeous.

I do not read what a candidates positions are since most of what they say are UN-truths and make promises they never keep.

Therefore before entering the voting booth, I always ask myself, how does that candidate wave? There are as many variety of waves as there are politicians, however as long as they have not given me the one finger hand wave, I will considering voting for them.

May the best wave win!

"What's next, Potluck weddings?.."

Potlucks gatherings are popular in Hawaii and I have been invited to my share of potluck dinners over the years.

They ask you to bring a dish to feed 5-20 or more people and sometimes if it's a public event they will ask for a donation at the door besides bringing a dish.

I can go to the local Chinese restaurant and buy a fresh plate to go with two entrees, fried rice and chow mein for $5.99. tax included. The restaurant needs to pass state health regulations which gives me insurance that the food is fresh and not going to give me salmonella, on the other hand going to potlucks and eating various foods from strangers, who knows if they changed their babies diapers on the same table their cutting mushrooms for the salad, or if the fish was refrigerated properly before making the sashimi.

If someone throws a party, throw a party, but insisting your guests bring a dish is craziness.

I will take Chinese takeout verses making a potluck dish that would cost me four times as much. Why pay four times as much to go to a potluck with the food in question when you can eat out for a fraction of the price and be safe.

Potlucks may be nice for a family of 5, but for a single guy it just doesn't pay, unless of course you like indigestion.

What's next potluck weddings?

Don't sweat the small stuff...

I go to my Doctors office for the results of a recent ct scan since a nodule was found on my right lung.

The time frame between the scan and when you find out the news seems like years. The radiologist cannot legally tell you the results, you need a medical doctor.

My scan was done on a Friday, my follow up visit with my good doctor was on a Tuesday, four long days. During that time thoughts of all sorts are rummaging through my brain. (what happens if it's cancer, how will my life change?) How long do i have, will the chemo and radiation hurt, will i get tired and nausea?)

The drive to the doctors was deliberately slow. They call me into the doctors office. I am waiting for the doctor and I see the folder and CT scan results on top of my file. Should i sneak a peak or wait for the doctor? My heart is pounding, I will wait for the doctor, OK I won't wait for the doctor... I couldn't stand the tension, I took a look, and as I am reading it says, noted is a 2.5 cm non-calcified module, I am thinking the worst, until the last sentence that said, the nodule has not changed since 2007 and is currently stable, no further CT examinations.

I can feel my blood pressure going down and a love of G-d and life infiltrate me. I start thinking about all the small stuff that gets me upset, and now I am just thankful for being alive and a happy ending to my CT scan.

Ironically all this happening in the midst of the birthday of creation, the birthday of Adam and Eve, The Jewish new year, Rosh Hashanah, the head of the new year. A time for renewal and forgiveness, to ask the Lord to enter you into the book of life and pray you are granted another year on planet earth.

There are no guarantee's in life, but somehow I feel this is going to be one good year. "Remember to not sweat the Small stuff."

Happy Jewish New year, La shana Tova, (may you all be entered into the book of life!)

"A Hui Hou Perry's..."

I read with sympathy the recent article in the Staradvertiser, the closing of Waikiki's famous restaurant, "Perry's Smorgy."

There was one time in my life I had very little money and for three years on a daily basis, I would sit and relax and eat like on a king while people watching from my favorite table facing Kuhio Blvd.

I would start with the awesome salad bar, then the drink bar for a few lemonades. I would finish and start on sliced turkey, prime rib, shrimp, mahi mahi, beef stew, pizza, and an array of many other entrees to choose from, along with corn on the cob, mashed potatoes, gravy, rice and more...

I would need to rest, then proceed to watermelon, cantaloupe and papaya form the fruit bar, with a small dish of vanilla ice cream from the sundae bar, occasionally I would also sample the puddings, jellos cakes and cookies.

I would finally finish eating, I would read the paper, relax and have a cup of Lion coffee which Perry's was famous for serving.

Back then it was only 4.95 for all you could eat and drink. Most people never tipped but I could feel like a hot shot and leave one dollar and they were ecstatic.

I now live on Kauai and when I visit Honolulu I always looked forward to visiting Perry's. Many ties when visiting I would take the bus directly from the airport to Perry's.

It comes with great sorrow that another great Hawaiian Institution is closing it's door.

To Perry's, you were more than a restaurant, you were a friend and lifeline. I say mahalo and A Hui Hou,

"Sporks for Sprunch..."

The 'SPORK' never really gained any momentum or took of to be a competitor with the knife fork and spoon.

The fast food restaurant chain taco bell is famous for it's disposable 'spork.'

The 'spork' is a spoon with 4 teeth that can be used as fork or spoon. it is a genius piece of cutlery that no home or restaurant should be without.

Brunch is a combination of breakfast and lunch. Why hasn't someone invented the "SPRUNCH," a combination of supper and lunch, hence "SPRUNCH."

Ideally one could eat "Sprunch with a 'spork' and not look like a dork, unless of course you use your fork.

Try it, Sporks with Sprunch!