"THE OLD MAN AND THE SEA..." 'Bettejo Dux' (Vintage Bettejo)

Bettejo Dux has lived on the cosmic Garden Island of Kaua'i for over 40 years.

Bettejo is a regular opinion writer in the Garden Island news and is the author of the

famed novella, "The Scam."  Her latest fiction

 "Children of Extinction" is now  released and available on Amazon!

www.bettejodux.com

www.amazon.com

 

THE OLD MAN AND THE SEA

It was September, 1952. I was on Oahu. On the way home from a brief shopping trip-we didn't call them sprees in those days- I sighted and purchased a copy of Life Magazine. Cost me twenty cents. Earnest Hemingway was on the cover. Like everyone in those days, who loved to read, Papa Hemingway was my favorite author. Flipping to page 25 I read this: The Editors of Life Magazine proudly present for the first time and in full a great new book by Earnest Hemingway. The Old Man and the Sea. It sold five million copies in two days.

This work went on to win the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1953 and the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1954.I went home to open three cans of Campbell's soup for dinner- three soup plates-I went without. I read my dinner.

Today, March 26, 2015, I shared my dinner-soup, made by hand, not canned- with another old man and the sea, Robert Redford-a best acting winner for his brilliant performance-in ALL IS LOST. This is a must see. Inspiring. Stunning. As a sailor I sat glued to my seat, holding my breath, totally lost in his perilous adventure. This was a 21st Century update, in Technicolor and sound- almost mute-on steroids. I think Hemingway would have loved it. I imagined my husband sitting beside me loving it, too.

Reviews read: "GRADE A: REDFORD'S PERFORMANCE IS POWERFUL" "DAZZLING: CINEMA AT ITS PUREST. REDFORD IS TRIUMPHANT."

What struck me, however, was an almost poetic metaphor. Today. Versus yesterday. 2015 versus 1952. A world too rich. A world too poor. Santiago and his skiff and his marlin and his run of bad luck. A 75-year-old man-the character-one character, he's not given a name-in ALL IS LOST and a Columbia 39. Virginia Jean. The mast is 65 feet tall! The monstrous cargo containers that pass him in broad day light in the shipping lanes and see him not. Bad luck.

This old man's courage-his strength, his attitude, he never gives up-reminds me of so many of us on Kauai who battle a force as strong as the wind and the weather and the sea. Forces that would destroy our lives-and the beauty and life of this magnificent island paradise- as surely as the laws of nature and bad luck will destroy this man and his yacht. Forces over which we have no control.

I don't mean to indulge in hyperbola. To be dramatic. I mean to express a real life battle- a seemingly undefeatable battle-so overwhelming, so exhausting- we despair. We lose courage. We lose strength. We need a break but we don't get one. But we don't give up.

The forces of nature are that. Natural. Cruel.

The forces we face here on Kauai are unnatural. Insane. They seem to despise nature. Defy nature. Vast land masses turned into dollars. The production of food grown for profit, not nourishment. Beauty turned to concrete. Fresh water defiled. Fresh air vanquished. Like the old men, we weaken.

But we don't give up.

P.S.
This blog also appeared as a feature column on 
Sunday April 29,2015 in The Garden Island Newspaper;
http://thegardenisland.com/news/opinion/guest/the-old-man-and-the-sea/article_a3c72b62-d5c8-11e4-9891-2732fdce4f00.html

Sunrise therapy can be seen daily on
James "Kimo" Rosen's
Facebook Timeline. 

Hana Hou, (Encore) Shared from Facebook...

"Finally a solution to traffic Gridlock on Kaua'i..." 'Special fools edition, Kimo's world #65'

James “Kimo” Rosen is a retired professional photographer 
living in Kapa'a with his best friend Obama Da Dog,
 Rosen also blogs as a hobby...

Special fools edition, Kimo's world #65
Finally a solution to traffic Gridlock on Kaua'i

I was as surprised as anyone on Kauai that the Planning commission recently approved a  4 lane toll road from Princeville to Lihu'e!

The road is said to be  elevated most of the way and will  employ over 200 full time construction workers to get this project completed in a record predicted 13 months. When completed the toll road is said to employ over 50 full time workers and 30 part time and seasonal.

The toll road usage fee will cost $8.00 each way but a monthly pass can be purchased for $200.00. That is a huge savings if you commute daily.

 Kauai county's new county manager  was quoted as saying,"Finally a solution to traffic Gridlock on Kauai."

This  project is being funded by  a  group of venture capitalists that also star on a syndicated reality show. 

The only thing  that stands in the way is a group calling themselves, 'Friends against anything and everything,'  which is being spearheaded by none other than local political activist April Foolze.

  Happy April Fools Day!  ;-)

Disclaimer
Please note for those of you who take life too serious this is an April's fools joke...  ;-)

Sunrise therapy can be seen daily on
James "Kimo" Rosen's
Facebook Timeline. 

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"The Young Doctor..." 'Obama da Dog' (Source)

Obama Da Dog is a lifelong Hawai'ian.
Obama likes to watch the Sunrise and Sunset with her
best friend James "Kimo" Rosen...

The Young Doctor

A woman went to the doctor's office and was seen by one of the new young doctors. After about four minutes in the examination room, she started screaming and ran down the hall.

An older doctor stopped her and asked what the problem was, and she told him her story. After listening, he told her to sit down and relax in another room.

The older doctor marched down the hallway to the back where the first doctor was and demanded, "What's the matter with you? Mrs. Terry is 63 years old, she has four grown children and seven grandchildren, and you told her she was pregnant?"

The new doctor continued to write on his clipboard and, without looking up, said, "Does she still have the hiccups?"

Sunrise therapy can be seen daily on
James "Kimo" Rosen's
Facebook Timeline. 

Hana Hou, (Encore) shared From Facebook...

"Back issues and the Doctor's waiting room..." 'James "Kimo" Rosen' (Kimo's world #64)

James "Kimo" Rosen is a retired Professional photographer and publisher.

Rosen lives on the  beautiful Garden Island of Kaua'i with his best

friend Obama Da Dog. Rosen also posts the Sunrise daily on his Facebook Timeline.

Kimo's world #64

 Back issues and the Doctor's waiting room

 I was recently in a common  area waiting room  representing many medical surgeons. A beautiful state of the art office and waiting room.

There are stacks of 'Time','People' and many other  magazines with the address labels torn off. Most these magazines are at least 2 months old. The most current periodical was a 5 day old Garden Island newspaper.
I understand the need to recycle, however surgeons are some of the highest paid doctors in the medical profession. Why can't they have current  reading materials for their patients?

Not only was I there for back issues but all the reading material and magazines had  back issues of their own.

This meme was used this past week
to promote this blog on Facebook

 Frugal is one thing and cheap is another. Magazine subscriptions are not expensive, plus if your a doctor with  a waiting room and they are for your patients, they're a 100% write off. 

Please medical professionals give us the  respect of fresh reading  material in the waiting room. It could be our last wait.

P.S.
Check out this YouTube of a guy drinking beer while surfing!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMLjoyTAooU

Sunrise therapy can be seen daily on 
James "Kimo" Rosen's
Facebook Timeline. 

Hana Hou, (Encore) Shared from Facebook...

"My father can finally rest in peace..." 'Judith Whitehead' (Inspiration Sunday)-Alav Ha-sholom-

Judith Whitehead lives in Amherst New York.

 and has worked in the ophthalmology
 field of medicine for over 30 years

My father can finally rest in peace

Many women spend a great deal of their lives  and time nurturing and caring for their children and families.  We start out,  if we are lucky enough to have children, helping them grow into independence but never stop caring and watching over them.  Our lives take on many twists and turns as the years go by and what was important and necessary years ago, are not quite the same in  the years that are to come.

I took on the role as nurturer and caretaker 16 years ago as my mom passed away; it was my promise to her to look after my dad.  He was 9 years her senior and had much life ahead of him.  As he began to start anew we kept tabs on him daily, spent many a dinner with him and  enjoyed many a Broadway  show. 

Many days he spent on the porch sunning himself like a cat. We spent all   holidays celebrating with him and when he was unable, we would bring the celebration to him. He enjoyed   evening strolls 
and reading all magazines and newspapers , until he began to become more frail in his 90’s.  

Forced to make the choice to place him in continuing care in a facility  brought us much grief and sorrow.  My life now 
had totally revolved around my dad, daily visits, watching over him to make sure he was clean and comfortable, bringing him his favorite foods and watching him transform from a stoic, independent and proud man to an invalid depending on aids in the nursing  home to move him from wheelchair to bed for 
many months.  It was as if I had a child all over again which I never resented,  for he had been  a great father and always kind to me.

 Recently God decided to take him under his care during his sleep and joined him with my mother of  who he was lost without.   I suddenly am faced with a new pattern to my life.  I no longer have to plan my life around his needs and am afforded an unknown freedom that I have to come to grips with.  

As I mourn his absence, I am relieved that he is no longer suffering in a world he never imagined or wanted to become  part of and he can now rest in peace.  As I drive by his nursing home I still feel the emptiness but am trying to hold on to  the many memories we shared together in better times. 

I realize that none of us know how long we will be on this earth but accepting and dealing with the passing of both parents is never easy at any age, young or old. We take for granted that our parents will 
live on forever and soon realize that they will live forever in our hearts and not always on this earth.

 With the many losses we have had this year, once again I am reminded that life is short and fleeting and age creeps up on us all too soon.  Living life with purpose and happiness is more important to me than ever now.   

If possible, do those things that you have been putting off, take a trip you have yearned to take, start that hobby you have always wanted to do and live a fulfilled life.  No regrets!

Alava Ha Sholom
May he rest in peace...

Sunrise therapy can be seen daily on
James "Kimo" Rosen's
Facebook Timeline. 

Hana Hou, (Encore) Shared from Facebook...

"CONFLICTING VIEWS OF DEMOCRACY AND RELIGION..." 'Bettejo Dux' (Vintage Bettejo)

Bettejo Dux has lived on the cosmic Garden Island of Kaua'i for over 40 years.

Bettejo is a regular opinion writer in the Garden Island news and is the author of the

famed novella, "The Scam."  Her latest fiction

 "Children of Extinction" is now  released and available on Amazon!

www.bettejodux.com

www.amazon.com

CONFLICTING VIEWS OF DEMOCRACY AND RELIGION

 If you deny there are conflicting views, you’re in denial. Religions, all religions, are hard-nosed. You quote your books, chapter and verse, you quote your silly Gods, you interpret your books and fight with each other over the interpretations. But all over the world, in the Islamic world, in Israel, in America, South America, voices of reason,  voices of the people,  are rising.

We speak out against war, we speak out against dictators, religious fanatics and other un-evolved humans. Strong words here, but appropriate. 

Muslim women are fighting for the right not to wear the veil. Our troops, many of them, come home sick to the heart about our senseless carnage of innocent people, men and women and children who have done us no harm. We speak out about a ridiculous economic system that never has and never will work. 

We dare to speak out against those who silence us with guns, with ridicule, with lies, with stupidities. Dare I mention Limbagh, Grundge, and other purveyors of your drivel.

How was your God in America been hijacked by the rich? By the powerful? By the killing machine?  By Cheney, by Palin, by the Waltons, by the lunatic religious televangelist? Who was it that said, wisely, “We love you, Jesus, we just don’t like the guys you hang around with?”

At the very base of this madness lies, in his crypt, your murderous patriarchal Gods. I love to hear the nonsense from the leaner brained evangelical bunch who sputter, “God has no sex.” Are you nuts? He seems to be everybody’s father and as most of us recall fathers are usually male. And, further, we are all sinners in his eyes. Well, I ain’t baby and you ain’t gonna stick that thorny feather in my blue bonnet. May I quote a few quotes?

“Religion, which should most distinguish us from beasts, and ought most peculiarly to elevate us, as rational creatures, above brutes, is that wherein men often appear most irrational, and more senseless than beasts themselves.” John Locke.

“There are scores of great religions in the world, each with scores or hundred of sects, each with its priestly orders, its complicated creed and ritual, its heavens' and hells'. Each has its thousands or millions or hundreds of millions of ‘true believers’; each damns all the others with more or less heartiness–and each is a mighty force of graft.” Upton Sinclair.

“I regard monotheism as the greatest disaster ever to befall the human race. I see no good in Judaism, Christianity, or Islam-good people, yes-but any religion based on a single, well, frenzied and virulent god, is not as useful to the human race as, say, Confucianism, which is not a religion but an ethical and educational system.” 
Gore Vidal

“The way to see faith is to shut the eye of reason.” 
Benjamin Franklin.

And last, but not least, “…the government of the United States, is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion…” 
President John Adams on June 10, 1797.

'Sunrise therapy' can be seen daily on
James "Kimo" Rosen's Facebook timeline.

Hana Hou, (Encore) Shared from Facebook...

"The best way for a close shave..." 'Robert Bitos Gandia' (Source)

Guest-blogger,Robert Bitos Gandia.Robert is an avid cook (ono gandule rice) and always laughing!!
Robert lives in Kekaha on Kauai's west-side and loves football!!

The best way for a close shave

A man enters a barbershop for a shave. While the barber is foaming him up, he mentions the problems he has getting a close shave around the cheeks. "I have just the thing," says the barber taking a small wooden ball from a nearby drawer. "Just place this between your cheek and gum." 

The client places the ball in his mouth and the barber proceeds with the closest shave the man has ever experienced. After a few strokes, the client asks in garbled speech, "And what if I swallow it?" "No problem," says the barber. "Just bring it back tomorrow like everyone else does."

P.S.
Check out this short YouTube of how to make bacon sushi. Meat lovers will love this!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PUFjjM5on3Y


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