Archive for August, 2006

Aug 28 2006

eco-unfriendly

Published by Donna under mind

How eco-friendly are you? My current course, “Environmental Ethics” is prompting me to stop and think about how our actions impact our environment. I wish I could proclaim that I am a responsible, environmentally-conscious citizen, but truthfully, I am not. This course, however, is teaching me to be more mindful.

Ecological Footprint

Ever wondered how much “nature” your lifestyle requires? You’re about to find out.

This Ecological Footprint Quiz estimates how much productive land and water you need to support what you use and what you discard. After answering 15 easy questions you’ll be able to compare your Ecological Footprint to what other people use and to what is available on this planet.

How much “nature” does your lifestyle require? Take this quiz and share your results!

You may also take this quiz to find out how many trees you will need to plant in order to off-set your carbon footprint. According to my results, I need to plant 14 trees to “go zero.”

8 responses so far

Aug 26 2006

Obaachan

Published by Donna under ohana

Grandma
Tanjoubi omedetou, Obaachan!

Tonight, we celebrated Hubby’s grandma’s 90th birthday. Ninety and still as strong as ever. Grandma likes to give those strong, back-slapping hugs. It still stings. It made me chuckle when I saw Hubby instinctively covering the incision site on his back when he hugged Grandma tonight. He knew that if she slapped him there, he would be in a world of pain.

When she grasps my hands tightly as she talks to me, I am reminded of the many trials she endured and how she has always prevailed. She is to be admired. Happy birthday, Grandma.

3 responses so far

Aug 23 2006

Happy Hearts

Published by Donna under foodie, tomodachi

Assorted Mochi
Assorted haupia mochi by “Happy Hearts” mochi,
a.k.a., the “mochi lady”

Talk about serendipity! A late afternoon phone call from Renee resulted in a quick detour off my afternoon commute and sent me home with a “bento box” full of the most delectable mochi ever.

Strawberry Azuki Mochi
Strawberry Azuki Mochi

When I got home, I handed it to Hubby and told him that it was a “get well” gift for him. However, he couldn’t eat it until I was done photographing it. The look on his face was priceless. (I felt a little remorse for torturing him like that, but it was fleeting.) He waited eagerly as I carefully staged the mochi on pretty plates that we never use for daily consumption and photographed the mochi from various angles.

Peanut Butter Mochi
Peanut Butter Mochi

Finally, I was done. The sweet taste of mochi on his lips was enough to lift his spirits after a tough week of recovery. Thanks for being so thoughtful, Renee! That act of kindness certainly blessed our “happy hearts.”

5 responses so far

Aug 21 2006

2 more to go

Published by Donna under mind

I just finished my COMM/315 tonight. Phew!

Just 2 more classes and I’ll be done with my B.S. So close… Must. Endure.

6 responses so far

Aug 20 2006

Mililani Hongwanji Obon

Published by Donna under culture, tomodachi

Mililani Hongwanji Obon
Mililani Hongwanji Bon Dance
August 18 & 19, 2006

I may add some commentary later, but for now, enjoy the visuals. More photos are also available on my Flickr site.

Jikata
Ryukyu Bon Dance Group - The Jikata

Kamu and Mahea
Kamu and Mahealani

Kris and Shari
Kristie and Shari

Eileen, Donna and Doreen
Eileen, me and Doreen

Mike
Mike

Joyce and Donna
Joyce and me

Keith and Donna
Keith and me

3 responses so far

Aug 20 2006

All Look Same

Published by Donna under meme

I saw this fun little link on The Kitty Retreat and decided to give it a try.

My real looks must actually be in the ~26% that doesn’t constitute a 100% match in these celebs. In my opinion, the only thing that I have in common with these gorgeous women is that I am Asian. Just to prove that the rest of the world thinks we Asians “all look same“, here’s my celebrity collage from MyHeritage.com. So, who do you look like?

4 responses so far

Aug 18 2006

Hubby

Published by Donna under love, ohana

Laupahoehoe
Hubby gazes into the distance at Laupahoehoe (Big Island)

I had never seen him in such pain: the kind of pain that brings you to your knees and brings tears to your eyes.

With numbness and shooting pain in his leg, in addition to the excruciating back pain, the doctor diagnosed him with a pinched nerve. The MRI indicated that he actually had 2 herniated discs and the two words that Hubby hoped never to hear: “back surgery” fell from his doctor’s lips like a ton of bricks.

He was admitted on Wednesday for the first surgery of his life. Sitting in the waiting room to be called seemed like an eternity, watching the breaking news coverage on the arrest of the JonBenet Ramsey murder suspect on CNN. When his name finally came up, they escorted him in and made me wait outside while they got him changed and hooked up to the IV.

Hubby donned a hospital gown, complete with paper shower cap and booties and I stood by and watched as they prepared him for the procedure. I gave him a quick kiss, said “I love you” and watched as they rolled his gurney to the OR. As I caught his glance and he gave me a grin, tears immediately started flowing down my cheeks. I grinned like a goof, waved and turned away. I was so disappointed in myself because I had so wanted to give him a brave face, a bright smile, and a strong aura of confidence. Instead, the last image he had before heading off to the OR was my tear-stained face. Good job, Donna, you big wuss.

Instead of driving all the way home, I opted to stay in town and wait for Hubby. I went to Ala Moana, had lunch at 2:30 at Shirokiya and walked aimlessly around the mall for 3-1/2 hours. Honestly, I don’t enjoy my own company and rarely go out by myself, so cruising the mall for an extended period of time like that was a first for me. Honestly, it was quite nice. When my cell phone rang at 6 pm, I was relieved to hear the surgeon’s voice telling me that the surgery went well and that Hubby was doing just fine.

I sat in the empty hospital room that they had prepared for him. About 10 minutes later, they wheeled him in. Obviously still feeling the effects of the anesthesia, he asked me, “where am I? Did they do the surgery yet?”

Those were the same post-op thoughts that I had following my tonsillectomy. It took a couple of hours for the anesthesia to wear off, but I was so glad that he was doing well.

Later that evening, Hubby was walking around, albeit very slowly, but walking nonetheless. I didn’t realize how much back surgery has progressed. I had always thought of back surgery as a very iffy procedure with a lengthy recovery period, rendering the patient bedridden for weeks. I never expected that Hubby would be on his feet in a matter of hours. The miracles of modern medicine!

Hubby is still in quite a bit of pain and trying to refrain from taking the Percocet because he doesn’t like the sedated feeling. It’s still difficult for me to see him in such pain, but I am confident that the back surgery will help him in the long run. If you are so inclined, I would certainly appreciate your prayers for Hubby as he is on the road to recovery.

iTuned to: “Seabird” by Olomana

10 responses so far

Next »