There are some stories that are best conveyed by video. Press the PLAY button on the video windows to watch.

2008.01.19, Champuru vlog #29 - Chinese New Year - A short videolog sharing scenes from today’s Chinese New Year festivities at the Chinese Cultural Center in Honolulu’s Chinatown. Too bad we just missed the lion dances! (RT: 58 sec)

2007.12.28, Champuru vlog #28 - Last appointment, for now… - Another video update on my IVF procedures as we head into the home stretch. (RT: 4 min 56 sec)

2007.12.19, Champuru vlog #27 - Bells & Whistles - What the heck? You mean I’m still setting off alarms everywhere I go? Will it end tonight? (RT: 1 min 55 sec)

2007.12.17, Champuru vlog #26 - So Far, So Good - Another IVF update. (RT: 3 min 12 sec)

2007.12.15, Champuru vlog #25 - Wallet Woes - I shared my wallet woes in the past. You may think that I am intent on making a grand entrance when I enter a room, but it’s not my vanity that sets off bells and whistles wherever I go: it’s my Coach wallet. This issue has caused me much consternation for many months, but the frequency at which we’ve been at the mall during this Christmas season has only exacerbated my frustration. This videolog entry is a tribute to the end of my wallet woes. (RT: 2 min 47 sec)

2007.12.07, Champuru vlog #24 - IVF Update - Giving you an update about the latest goings-on with my in vitro fertilization procedure. (RT: 3 min 41 sec)

2007.12.06, Champuru vlog #23 - The Day After the Storm - Scenes from the North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii, the day after the big storm barreled through the islands, leaving damaged property, downed power lines, and general havoc in its wake. However, it seems to be business as usual in Haleiwa. (RT: 37 sec)

2007.09.15, Champuru vlog #22 - Bon Dance Edition: Autumn Matsuri - Held at the Hawaii Okinawa Center in Waipio, Hawaii. The last bon dance of 2007. The summer is so fleeting! (RT: 7 min)

2007.09.01 - 09.02, Champuru vlog #21 - 25th Okinawan Festival - This Labor Day weekend marked the 25th straight year that the Okinawan Festival was held in Hawaii. Kapiolani Park was buzzing with 60,000+ festival-goers, enjoying the Okinawan food, shopping, activities and entertainment. The video features a slideshow of the parade and highlights from the weekend. (RT: 4 min)

Longer videos of particular acts from the festival are below:

2007.08.17 and 08.18, Champuru vlog #20 - Bon Dance Edition: Mililani Hongwanji - Highlights from the Ukwanshin Kabudan and introducing the faces behind the “Dancing Fools.” Guest host: Mahealani. Special thanks to TheStuffGuy and Christina L. for lending their mad video skillz. (RT: 3 min 35 sec)

Full length versions of the following dances are also available from the Mililani Hongwanji bon dance:
Asadoya Yunta (RT: 4 min 20 sec)
Tenyo Bushi (RT: 3 min 57 sec)
Shichigwachi Eisa (RT: 3 min 21 sec)
Jintubido (RT: 4 min)

2007.08.11, Champuru vlog #19 - Bon Dance Edition: Pearl City Hongwanji - This was the first time we attended the Pearl City Hongwanji bon dance and we enjoyed it immensely, thus earning itself a spot on the champuru bon dance posse calendar for next year. And, a serendipitous meeting with some old friends made the night extra special! (RT: 2 min 58 sec)

2007.07.27, Champuru vlog #18 - Bon Dance Edition: Jikoen Hongwanji Mission - Inclement weather prevented me from getting more footage, but at least I was able to film a little bit of the Young Okinawans of Hawaii (YOH) shisa. (RT: 1 min 27 sec)

2007.07.21-22, Champuru vlog #17 - Bon Dance Edition: Rissho Kosei Kai Hawaii - Rissho Kosei Kai is definitely one of my favorite bon dances of the season — and not just because our music/dance group (Ukwanshin) takes the lead on the Okinawan numbers! They also have the best selection of food of any other bon dance I’ve attended — bar none. Check out the vlog and see why the champuru bon dance posse looks forward to RKK each year. (RT: 3 min 32 sec)

2007.07.14, Champuru vlog #16 - Bon Dance Edition: Waipahu Hongwanji - More bon dance vlog goodness. To change things up, there’s more dialog, less dancing footage and a bit about teru teru bozu. (RT: 3 min)

2007.07.07, Champuru vlog #15 - Bon Dance Edition: Moiliili Hongwanji - Bon dance vlogs continued. This week: Moiliili Hongwanji. (RT: 1 min 25 sec)

2007.07.04, Champuru vlog #14 - 4th of July Celebration - Vlog #14 takes us to Sills Field on Schofield Barracks, Hawaii for an all-American celebration of the birth of our nation, complete with fireworks. (RT: 1 min 56 sec)

2007.06.30, Champuru vlog #13 - Bon Dance Edition: Honpa Hongwanji - Vlog #13 captures the sights and sounds of the Honpa Hongwanji bon dance. (RT: 2 min 05 sec)

2007.06.23, Champuru vlog #12 - Bon Dance Edition: Wahiawa Hongwanji, vlog #12 - Vlog #12 takes us to the Wahiawa Hongwanji Bon Dance. NOTE: For the sake of better quality, I am exporting the video at 15 fps (rather than 12 fps), so the file size is larger. Please bear with the slightly longer download time. Mahalo! (RT: 2 min 44 sec)

2007.06.02, Champuru vlog #11 - Bon Dance Edition: Waipahu Plantation Village, vlog #11 - The first bon dance of 2007 was held at Hawaii’s Plantation Village in Waipahu. Here are a few scenes from the event. Featuring guest host, Kamuela K. (RT: 2 min 40 sec)

2007.05.27, Life Lesson: Making the most of any situation, vlog #10 - When plans go awry, just roll with it and enjoyment can be found in just about any situation. (RT: 1 min 22 sec)

2007.05.10, Post-op, vlog #9 - It’s been three months since my last video log entry, so it was high-time for an update. Since my last entry, I had major surgery, four glorious weeks off from work, and went in for my post-op appointment where I learned what’s in store for the very near future. (RT: 5 min 7 sec)

2007.02.02, Focus on Health, vlog #8 - An update on my last visit to the infertility specialist, what’s in store on the journey to parenthood, birth control pills, and exercising. (RT: 7 min 2 sec — sorry, it’s a long one.)

2007.01.06, Introducing Shari, vlog #7 - Good friends are hard to come by. I’ve managed to retain this one for decades. Thanks for being a great companion and the punky little sister I never had. Love ya, sis!

2007.01.05, Karaoke Madness, vlog #6 - Karaoke, Hawaii style. Scenes from our January 2, 2007 outing with Mahealani, her new husband Eric and his visiting family from New Jersey.

2007.01.01, Easy Ozoni, vlog #5 - Sharing a secret famiy recipe for the traditional Japanese new year’s soup, mainly so I can remember how to make it next year.

2006.12.31, Journey to Parenthood, vlog #4 - A follow up to the previous vlog entry, after my first appointment with the infertility specialist.

2006.12.27, Journey to Parenthood (Hopefully) - vlog #3 - First vlog entry about the ongoing saga of our hopeful journey toward parenthood.

2006.12.25, Resolutions - vlog #2 - What are you resolving this new year’s day?

2006.12.23, Two Days Before Christmas - vlog #1 - Documenting the mall situation two days before Christmas and to commemorate the completion of my Christmas shopping. woot!

2006.02.17, Promotion Party - Friends gather at Shokudo Japanese to celebrate my appointment.

2006.01.07, Missing Japan - Reminiscing about my February 2005 trip to Japan.

2005.09.24, Kachashi - Entertaining Rinkin and Tomoko of the famous Okinawan Uchina pop group, the Rinkin Band, at 3660 on the Rise — and, not surprisingly, they end up entertaining us.