Sugar Cane

Reminiscing of after school treats from my childhood days in Hawaii. One of my favorites was the rare treats of freshly cut sugar cane (about six inches worth) for a nickel and gnawing on it all afternoon long while hanging out with friends on the sidewalk, shooting the breeze. Such simple pleasures ...

Other people's facebook photos of ME -- Hawaii Edition

I occurred to me that putting old photos of me in a blog that other people have put on facebook may serve as a great back-up. So here are a few of them:

Uilani, Dave Wright, Me

Dave posted this picture of us hanging out at the Hale 2 lounge with Ui. That was the most happening lounge on campus!

Marshmallow so good, I have to close my eyes to fully savor the flavor.

Marlyn posted this one of a ward bonfire activity. I can only think of a few places where we'd hold the activity: Hukilau Beach, behind the Bear House or the Canoe House. I remember the guy standing behind me is named Jeff. Todd Tamura is the one in the coral sweatshirt talking to a girl. Kim Archibald is the one sitting next to me assembling his s'more.

About to be tossed into the crater.

Marlyn  also posted this one. I believe we were on our annual pep band trip on the Big Island when these boys decided that they would sacrifice a virgin to the Volcano Goddess, Pele. As you can see, our band director, Bro. Sorenson, was oblivious to the whole thing and just stood there ...

Dave's Graduation

Dave posted this one.  I wish I could remember that day, but can't. Chances are I was probably hopping from one person to another wishing them well. I close my eyes and can almost smell those flower leis ....

Back in the day ...

Inge, Elder Nelson and Lisa

Lisa posted this picture on facebook over the weekend ... oh, the memories it brings ... and look at the great tan and skinny arms I had back then.

I think this was taken at the time Lisa took the missionary discussions. I can't think of too many places in Laie where there would a fountain or pool, so it has to be on the temple grounds, because I very much doubt that we were at the pool with the elders.

Define "Sandwich"

Today at work we had our monthly birthday party and a few people made ice cream sandwiches out of the chocolate chip cookies and ice cream we had as part of the array of desserts available.  So, it reminded me of what I used to do with my siblings when we lived in Hawaii.

We were latch key kids with both parents working and/or going to school.  Mom would usually call us mid-afternoon to check up on us. Inevitably one of us would complain that we're hungry and wanted something to eat, so mom would always tell us to go make ourselves a sandwich.

Well, define "sandwich" ... according to Webster's dictionary a sandwich is " two or more slices of bread or a split roll having a filling in between." Doesn't say what the filling HAS to be, so our favorite was NEAPOLITAN ICE CREAM! Why choose one flavor when you can have the three basic  flavors of chocolate, vanilla and strawberry flavors in one container? Don't judge me!

And before you make faces at this, let me just tell you that in Indonesia you pay extra to have bread with your ice cream! I'm sure it wasn't what mom had in mind, but oh well ... Ahhh, childhood ...

How Great Thou Art ...

I can't believe that I shared this picture with facebook a week ago and had not made the time to blog about it. I had actually been thinking about the Koolau mountain range for a while and last week I surfed the internet and found a picture that depicted the mountains as I will always remember them. When Julie taught her lesson on The Creation a couple of months and asked me to help out, I brought a bunch of pictures of nature I had taken throughout my travels and also shared a story about these mountains. I love the water falls that form and cascade down the crevacis of the mountains after a good rain storm. I remember riding the bus into town one day and as I came out of Wilson Tunnel, this vista appeared.  The words of a hymn I love came to mind:

O Lord my God, When I in awesome wonder,

Consider all the worlds Thy Hands have made;

I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,

Thy power throughout the universe displayed.

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,

How great Thou art, How great Thou art.

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,

How great Thou art, How great Thou art!

When through the woods, and forest glades I wander,

And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees.

When I look down, from lofty mountain grandeur

And see the brook, and feel the gentle breeze.

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,

How great Thou art, How great Thou art.

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,

How great Thou art, How great Thou art!

While the Rocky Mountains that sorround me here in Utah are beautiful, it's a different type of beauty and majesty. I love the Koolau mountain range ... these are the mountains I grew up watching ... I miss those water falls! God is GREAT!

May Day is Lei Day in Hawaii

May Day is Lei Day in Hawaii,
Garlands of flowers everywhere,
All of the colors in the rainbow,
Maidens with blossoms in their hair.

Flowers that mean we should be happy,
Throwing aside a load of care,
Oh, May Day is Lei Day in Hawaii,
May Day is happy days out there.

So, today is May Day which is Lei Day in Hawaii. When I was in elementary school, they would hold May Day Celebrations with a royalty court and sing the song above and have all sorts of dancing and singing performances representing the various major ethnic groups in Hawaii. The King and Queen would be Hawaiian and their court would be representatives of ethnic groups. In my sixth grade year at Laie Elementary School, I and Kenneth Macatiag were chosen to represent the Phillipines (close enough, I guess, I'm from that region of the world). I'll have to see if I can find the pictures and scan it in to share.

United Colors of Benetton

If I remember correctly, they took this picture to advertise a Visiting Teaching Convention at BYU-H about 1988. I love the diversity depicted in this photo. Yes, we are the world. Just wish I had written down people's names, date, event, etc.