Almost Paradise

So far I’m just seeing cloudy skies, but let’s hope this New Year’s Eve storm isn’t a repeat of the Halloween Eve flood.

[Oops -- I didn't realize that the linked image constantly refreshes itself. Where'd that big storm go?]

A while ago I got this postcard in the mail from a realtor offering her services. It didn’t inspire much confidence in me. She sold a unit for less than 4% of the listed price??

Boy, I sure wouldn’t want her to sell my unit for me.

[Later: Ohhh, I get it now. What she meant to say was, "I sold the unit and as my realtor's fee I charged the seller less than 4% of the listed price." That makes more sense, but it took me until now to figure it out.]

A few years back I was talking with my dad about his health. He ruefully chuckled and said that when he looks in the mirror, sometimes he’s surprised to see a white-haired old man looking back at him… because inside, he still imagines himself being twenty. His words never really registered with me until recently.

Most of the time, I forget how old I actually am. It usually seems like my school days were only a little while ago. But every now and then I catch a glimpse of myself as I actually look these days, not just how I think I look, and I have to admit that that’s not the face of a twenty-year-old any more. (Or the hairline.)

Now that was quick. An hour ago, the lightning and thunder began flashing and booming and the droplets started lightly pattering down. Thirty minutes ago, it was pouring buckets and you couldn’t hear yourself think for the pounding of the rain. And now, it’s almost clear again. Of course, that’s just here in Kalihi; the rest of O’ahu is still getting it. The weather radar tells it all:

If it weren’t already more than enough that aloha means hello, goodbye, and love in its original Hawaiian, it’s amazing how many other meanings it has. People say that aloha is also a:

Pre-Ethernet network transmission protocol
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ALOHAnet)

Computer model for Areal Locations of Hazardous Atmospheres
(http://response.restoration.noaa.gov/cameo/aloha.html)

Neighborhood of Portland, Oregon
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aloha,_Oregon)

Guideline for heart disease prevention
A—Assess your risk and rank yourself as high, intermediate, or lower risk.
L—Lifestyle recommendations are priority No. 1 in heart disease prevention.
O—Other interventions are prioritized according to the expert panel rating scale.
H—Highest priority for therapy is for women at highest risk.
A—Avoid medical therapies called Class III.
(http://circ.ahajournals.org/cgi/content/full/109/10/e158)

Teaching method for Alternative Learning On Higher Arithmetic
(http://www.aloha.com.ph/new_whatis.html)

Research project on Airborne Lidar Observations of the Hawaiian Airglow
(http://www.geo.nsf.gov/egch/solar/gc_solar_cedar.html)

A Long-term Oligotrophic Habitat Assessment
(http://cdiac.esd.ornl.gov/pns/acronyms.html)

Hey, I don’t make these up, I just google ‘em.

I’ve been bicycling to work for almost four months now. It’s only a little slower than commuting by car, I get regular exercise, and it’s actually kind of fun.

The daily afternoon commute in downtown Honolulu. Boy, do I miss it. Not.

(more…)

Asagi Hatchery has been around for years. Mike Asagi was a co-founder of Pacific Poultry, the original “Huli-Huli Chicken” brand. In fact, Pacific Poultry is right next door. When I drive home from work, I always pass by this place.

The Asagis occasionally make gifts to the City & County of animal feed, or sometimes “meatbirds, brown nick cockerels, and brown pullets [...] to feed animals at the Honolulu Zoo”. I guess those are the ones that don’t get sold as chicks. Is it better to end up as food for humans, or food for zoo critters?

They have a daughter, Lisa Asagi, who is writing a book about growing up among the chickens called The Hatchery Diaries. Sounds like it’d be a fun read.

Balut and game bird supplies. Now, that’s full-service.

Everybody’s got ‘em. Some sort of quirky personal things that make your desk yours. Photos of your kids, a favorite saying on a plaque, mementos from some fondly remembered time in your life. When people look at mine, they either get a puzzled “what the hell are those” expression, or they start laughing in recognition. Having Kikaida, Kikaida 01, Hakaida, Kamen Rider V3, and all seven Rainbowman dolls on my shelf nails down my age better than practically any other pop culture kitsch could.