Letters, Author Unknown
A place between Heaven and Earth, where streams of consciousness merge.
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Saturday, March 03, 2001
Mornings, So Sweet
O beside me. F, vying for position. T, snuggling close. Surrounded by my true loves. Each with simple wants. A head scratch, a kiss, a snuggle. I generously oblige. With an added smooch on the forehead, each and every one. Mornings, so sweet.
Loved, I am loving. Loving, I am loved.
As much as I want to be up in the mountains, T & I decide to postpone our snow weekend to next week. T's right, first things first, stomp out this pesky cold. The ZAND seems to be working; this will be just a teensy tiny invasion, just enough to serve its purpose of keeping my immune system beefed up.
I'm wearing my Cat-In-the Hat hat -- my writing cap.
O&F didn't quite "get it" when I put it on, and carried on for a few moments. F regressed to his puppy skittish self, barking at it and backing away. O, ever The Fearless & The Curious, came right over to sniff it. I doffed my hat, setting it on the floor. O sniffed it aggressively, nudging and pushing on it, as F looked on a few feet away.
Seeing that it was harmless, F joined O in her sniff-fest. Apparently, the hat passed the sniff-test, as F's barking subsided, although he's still keeping a wary eye on it. If O had her way, she'd be tearing it apart right now as she does toilet paper rolls, then shredding it to tiny pieces as she does Kleenex.
For safekeeping, I stuck THE HAT back on my head, and it's been perched there ever since. Like wedgie sandals, this hat makes my petite self feels taller, except in the other direction. Statuesque. Wearing it, I'm at least... 6' 2"!
Sweet T cooked up my favorite breakfast, Hawai`i style. Eggs, perfectly over easy (or is it easy over?) with hot, snow white rice and a dollop of jet-black nori and one chopstick serving each of fiery kim chee (Korean), bright yellow takuan and chunky brown sanbaizuke (pickled Japanese radish). A beautiful arrangement of textures and contrasting colors.
And the juxtaposed flavors. Mmmmm. With steaming cups of black Colombian coffee -- my little contribution to the breakfast.
A home-cooked breakfast with my precious family, under a glittering crystal chandelier, and listening to our musical favorites (BB Shawn, Keali`i, Na~ Leo, Batdorf & Rodney) Aloha Joe's Hawaiian Music Radio Show, live on Saturdays via the Internet. AJ's on now for three hours instead just one hour, and it is not too much of a good thing at all.
As I said, my favorite kind of breakfast.
Simplicity is simply stunning.
Friday, March 02, 2001
Read Across America
Flashback: A couple months ago, a teacher friend, Mry Jn Fjmr, had asked if I would be a reader for READ ACROSS AMERICA, a day to celebrate Dr. Seuss' birthday. Happy to share my love for books, I said, "Sure."
This morning, I awoke groggily with that funky malaise that precedes a cold. I stoically fought the urge to snooze for just a few more minutes, dragged myself out of bed, got dressed, spiked my coffee with a dropper-full of ZAND to squelch the Invasion of the Cold Germs.
Dear T dropped me off at the Lmptn Elementary School in N at 9 am, and waited in his truck, using the next half hour on class preparation.
I found the school's office, and was warmly greeted by another friend, Principal Cndy Rybrn, who, I overheard, is also recovering from an ailment. VF to Cndy.
Assigned to Room 80, Mrs. Brch's class, I was greeted by a reading cornerful of 18 first/second graders. Their lit faces were a delightful sight to behold, and I wasted no time passing on my energy to them.
After a brief introduction, I proceeded to celebrate Dr. Seuss' birthday by reading a book of my choice: "ALOHA BEAR & THE MEANING OF ALOHA". With the help of the book, the children learned these most important of Hawaiian words: Aloha, mahalo, `ohana, and Hawai`i Nei.
I then spoke about my passion for books:
- of growing up in my village without a library or bookstore -- waiting for the bookmobile that visited our village every two weeks;
- how I still carry a large handbag, always with a book or two tucked inside (today, THE EYE BOOK and CHOCOLAT) -- how books are portable compared to a TV;
- how books allow you to travel the world -- to faraway places-- with your eyes and your mind ("We all just went to Hawai`i, didn't we?!")
- among my favorite places on Earth are the bookstore and the library.
I shared with them how it was Dr. Seuss who in 1950 (51 years ago!), coined the word, "nerd".
"nerd"And loving books and the computer as I do, and since it was a word invented by Dr. Seuss, I am most proud to be a book nerd *and* a computer nerd. "Nerd is a compliment in my book."
I shared with them my mahalo (appreciation) for my eyes, which allow me to read. I passed on some eye/reading tips: "Arm-elbow-knock-no closer" reading distance; excellent lighting falling on the page; and "focus faraway" breaks every 15 minutes when reading and especially when playing hand-held, myopia-inducing computer games like GAMEBOY.
The kids were great! Animated. Attentive listeners. Full of questions. Gorgeous faces. Puppy energy. I wanted to hug each and every one of them, but not willing to share my maybe-cold, I wished them a heartfelt ALOHA!
I gifted them with the book itself, hoping that they would peruse the pictures, the words, and revisit Hawai`i in their minds. Most of all, I hope I've gifted them with my love for the written word and books. I have a huge, unlimited supply, and I am happy to share as much as they wish to absorb for themselves.
When I returned to the school office, Cndy gifted me with a certificate of appreciation and....instant karma: a Dr. Seuss Cat-In-The-Hat hat!
T drove me home, and I excitedly recounted my last half hour. In no time we were home. I threw back on my favorite Cloud Nine pajamas, took another swig of ZAND, crawled into bed, hat in hand, and immediately zonked out, almost as soon as my head hit the pillow.
When I awoke with the direction to preserve that special half hour in words by blogging it here, my fingers were still clutching a funny looking Cat-In-The-Hat hat.
Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss! I hope you enjoyed my birthday gift to you -- the most enthusiastic sharing of the joy of reading with those beautiful children. I did my best to honor you. Mahalo for your guidance and inspiration.
P.S. I absolutely love my new hat! I will wear it often, thinking of you. May it be my lucky writing talisman from you, infusing the miraculous, magical effects of your writing into mine. Mahalo me ke Aloha no ke~ia keiki o kau `ohana ka~kau mai Hawai`i Nei.
Toast?
As I was leaving work last night, C was hurrying to close the books. Hooked on the reality TV series, SURVIVOR II, she said, "Tonight, somebody gets hurt."
I had channeled-surfed onto SURVIVOR II a few weeks ago. The aspiring actress, Jerri, exuded enough bitchiness to be a literal turn-off, and learning that she was responsible for the banishment of the most able and "hoddiest" SURVIVOR, Kel, off with underhanded tactics was enough for me to tune out.
C's interest was contagious, and although I'm squeamish, her parting comment had peaked my curiosity enough to peek in.
YEEEEEEEOW!
Intense pain and agonizing anguish -- and skin hanging off hands and forearms! A ‘Survivor’ gets taste of barbecue was the ultimate in reality TV. I, the true empath, was moaning, groaning and writhing in abject pain with Mike. This was rivetting, primal scream TV at its best.
I was moved by Mike's touching and noble leave-taking. A very REAL guy, this one. With the bluest of eyes. What a complete relief to learn today that he is not toast. He has recovered well. Thank goodness.
The chatter on the accident at the message board is huge. And I especially appreciated this URL posting: Mike Skupin- President, Co-founder- Rhinosoft Interactive, Inc.
Maybe I'm hooked? Maybe not. The most appealing SURVIVOR is gone. He was a tremendous competitor. A man of faith. Tough. With heart. The REAL winner of this too-real game.
Wednesday, February 28, 2001
This is that INFJ part of me peeking through again...
"Furthermore, the Counselor is most likely of all the types to demonstrate an ability to understand psychic phenomena and to have visions of human events, past, present, or future. What is known as ESP may well be exceptional intuitive ability-in both its forms, projection and introjection. Such supernormal intuition is found frequently in the Counselor, and can extend to people, things, and often events, taking the form of visions, episodes of foreknowledge, premonitions, auditory and visual images of things to come, as well as uncanny communications with certain individuals at a distance."
I just found out about the 6.8 Seattle earthquake. Seattle did move over.
Yesterday, Heaven cried its eyes out.
Seattle, move over.
Our desertlands provided the broad shoulders on which Heaven now cries. This year, it has rained more here in the flatlands of Southern California than in Seattle.
Wet and cold, the weather is getting a lot of buzz.
After the rain shorted my car's security system causing an alarmingly noisy ruckus, I reached back for the umbrella on the back seat floor. Popping it open for the first time in a year, I scurried under its protective cover arm-in-am with T to his truck. The alarm, we determined, just needed time to honk itself out, "regroup" and reset itself. Instead of waiting in the pouring rain, we decided to make the most of the situation.
Instead of driving home then back, we decided to pass the time at a nearby Chinese vegetarian restaurant down the street for mock drumsticks and steaming hot pot dinners.
The alarm system righted itself in our absence, and we returned to a silent and calmed car, which started up without incident.
Today, looking out of the window behind me, the skies are grey, without the slightest hint of blue, and I am not blue about this at all, because...
The snow is piling high in the mountains, and I love snow. I love its white purity. Its pristineness. Its quiet fall. Its bracing freshness. I especially love walking in it on a sunny day, right after a fresh fall. The glistening -- like zillions of sparkling diamonds -- just takes my breath away.
Frozen H2O. Crystallized water. Ahh, a beautiful image of frozen Kegon Falls in Nikko just floated by down the Stream of Consciousness. Lovely.
How grateful I am to now live in snow in winter -- on weekends, for now, and within a few years, whenever and how ever long I choose to remain in winter.
And the lake this summer will be filled to the brim. There shall be no worries of water shortages. Our flower gardens will drink deeply and be happy, and so will we.
A private place to stream a consciousness
First things first:. Mahalo au i ke Akua. Mahalo au i na~ kia`i.
And a special acknowledgment to a living spirit, Eve/Gingko, who inspires me:
http://jade-leaves.com/journal/
A Blogger Arrival -- Signed, Sealed & Delivered
au
The letters stand for Author Unknown
Au means "I am" in Hawaiian.
The breadcrumbs that lead me to this site:
Jach's List: http://online.diarist.net/zach/zach97fall/lnk01.html that lead me to Maggie's:http://www.kia.net/maggy/ that lead me to Blogger:http://www.blogger.com
Ok, now that I'm here, what exactly *is* Blogger?
Not quite sure what I signed up for and for what purpose, but the Guidance is strong --confident-- and from what I have read, I think I'm liking Blogger already:
Blogger is a free, web-based tool that helps you publish to the web instantly --
whenever the urge strikes.
I love the 'Net. And huge thanks to the Blogger-creators.
And now for some legwork to figure out how this all works. Time to."READ THE INSTRUCTIONS IN THE BOX".http://www.blogger.com/help.pyra#30019