A Move In The Right Direction...

That is the motto of Envirosax and their philosophy is to "help create a better future for our planet by spreading the environmental message through colour and script using the Envirosax® eco-friendly reusable bag as the vehicle".

So I jumped on the bandwagon to try and make our future planet better by purchasing their Flora collection. We were bringing home a lot of plastic bags from grocery shopping and I keep thinking about the various pushes for reduction of plastic bags, whether it's in media form (TV, radio) or lectures about pollution prevention. Did you know plastic bags are made out of petroleum?

I looked to purchase those plain canvas bags to utilize for shopping but they were just not fashionable...Kidding...Okay, maybe not kidding that much. But anyways, I stumbled upon the Envirosax bags and thought they were nice eco-friendly, reusable bags that are pretty strong and can hold quite a bit. You can even get a small bag credit at Safeway (That will eventually add up to the cost of the reusable bags way down the line)!

Go Green! Now I just need a hybrid version of my vehicle. ;)

Here are some tidbits and links to advocate pollution prevention, water and energy conservation:
* Most cost-effective form of environmental protection is pollution prevention as it eliminates or reduces wastes at the source of generation.
* Reduce, reuse, recycle and re-buy (Buy recycled content products).
* Choose service providers who also promote waste reduction (Green businesses).
* Check for leaks and repair right away.
* Energy saving tips online:
- Hawaiian Electric Company (HECO) - http://www.heco.com
- Hawaii Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism - http://www.hawaii.gov/dbedt/info/energy/efficiency
* Hawaii Department of Health, Solid and Hazardous Waste Branch - http://www.hawaii.gov/health/environmental/waste/sw/wastemin.html
* City & County of Honolulu, Department of Environmental Services - http://www.opala.org
* Western Regional Pollution Prevention Network - http://www.wrppn.org
* Household Products Database - http://householdproducts.nlm.nih.gov/

Shout-Out To Gee

After many days of sad thoughts that I had to actually utilize other people's wireless networks to access the Internet (and possibly have to spend money to get the baby fixed), tried the Option-Command-P-R until I heard the beeps as recommended by Gee Why last week. Still no recognition of the built-in network card on the iMac, and thereby still no Internet connection (except the free wireless). However, I realized I didn't have the network cable plugged in (Duh!), so plugged it in and then tried again. It worked! Thank you very much!!! I'm no longer sad because, you know, using other people's wireless connection is just so wrong.

Flying Inflatable Bouncers

Wow. Just talkin' about lovin' bouncers here and here along with candid memories involving adult men doing flips or trying to do flips, and almost "breaking [themselves] in half" (you know who you are), this article came out about an incident that happened on Saturday, and about possible regulation of those things. Scaaary. Be careful.

Some Parent Favorites

There was a post in the Hawaii Moms forum about Moms' Favorites, but we're all about equal opportunity to speak your mind here so let's also hear from the dads. List your favorites. Here are my/our current ones, with comments of course. They'll probably change in months, years

Favorite Baby Store: Baby Emporium (No big compaints yet)
Favorite Kids' Clothing Store: Carter's (Cute but pretty inexpensive)
Favorite Toy Store: Thinker Toys (Interesting toys; We also get toys from other stores)
Favorite Restaurant to Take the Kids: Big City Diner (They gave balloons)
Favorite Family Attraction: MSO (Just kidding!)
Favorite Free Activity: Playground (Obon season is underway; Almost anything free is a favorite right?)
Favorite Mall: Ala Moana Center (Although the damn layout is frustrating, don't they have the most stores?)
Favorite Beach: None (Still wary of the sewage spill and just haven't made the effort to go)
Favorite Park: Neighborhood park (Should be plural - parks - as they're all fun, except with smokers around)
Favorite Birthday Cake Bakery: Costco (But Liliha is sounding good) Shortgirl (& Co.) =)
Favorite Birthday Party Activity: Bouncer (Just don't constantly watch the children bounce 'cause it can actually make you feel nauseous)

Random Introspection

* Having a sick child in the household has got to be one of the worst things ever!

* Hope MSO doesn't have a pinched nerve.

* Gosh, when did we last wash the dog?

* I got to make a check up appointment for the dog.

* Heard the same song on the way to work that I heard yesterday on the way home at almost the same location.

* Someone must've burned their popcorn.

* How many more years of work to go?!

* Wayne's World really needs an intervention.

* What month is this already?!

* I'm liking my Mio watch so far.

* How's Phoebe doing?

* I need a car wash.

* Sorry to Shortgirl for the missed phone message.

* Great additions on the way for Gee Why.

* Sympathy sentiments to Tabasco Man.

Whole Foods Market To Open

It was sad for some to see the closing of Star Market at Kahala Mall, but time marches on and we'll see the opening of Whole Foods Market at that vacant location. I'm interested to see what Whole Foods has to offer, partly because I always see famous people shopping there while perusing the entertainment news. LOL

I hope the statement that says they have "a reputation for supporting local farmers" is true. On the other hand, they will give the "smaller natural foods stores" here some competition. Those smaller natural foods stores better work on their customer service if they want to maintain their market share (from me).

Momergency Kit

Gee Why asked me if I had this little gem of a kit (Thanks!) that's supposed to rescue you from the travails of your curious and/or defiant toddler, the bothersome extra piece of material that you get free with various shirt purchases, and the all too wonderfully timed malfunctioning of child gear on hand. I actually don't have it but MSO can argue that my bag, aka purse, heavy piece of Mommy equipment, etc., will give this kit some competition.

One item that I almost always carry around with me, sometimes when I don't even have our child in tow, is what's pictured. It has become somewhat handy when going shopping solo with our child. Looking at the list of items that comprise the Momergency Kit, I count 7 items that I'm packin'. Dice with instructions for dice games?! Yeah, go ahead and teach your kids while they're young how to get the bones rollin'. Yikes.

What are things you can never be without when you’ve got your kid(s) in tow?

Miss Drunken Independent But True

Although Kelly Clarkson was recorded in a drunken spell, I gotta say she is true. True in the sense that she does what she does because she wants to do what she does. True in the sense that she stood up to challenge Clive Davis, but will get her album released next month as she intended, although later than anticipated. True in the sense that she wrote on all 14 songs on that album which sounds like it's filled with a lot of angst, pain, and sadness. What I really like and can relate to her is that she favors musicians who can tell a story through their music, though they may not have written their own music. She mentions Melissa Etheridge, Bono, and Reba.

For me, some of my favorite artists that can "tell a story" are Sarah McLachlan, Tori Amos, Alanis Morissette, Eminem, among others, and they write their own music. Come to think of it, I've always looked at the credits to see if the artist wrote the songs on that particular album. So, I'll be making that My December purchase when the time comes. Hey, a lot of people get drunk and get recorded in that drunken state at some point in their lives. MSO is a good bad example. I won't chastise her for it. Standing ovation for Kelly!

I Must Not Be A Mother

Either MSO did not get the memo that it was Mother's Day yesterday or I must be that bad to not get a card or even a "Happy Mother's Day"...for the second time in my motherhood of a life. Lifehacker has a post about giving your mom the gift of self-care. Did I get any of that? Nope. No day off from any kind of responsibilities for me. Washed, hung, and threw in the dryer about four loads of laundry among other household things without having a chance to relax and take care of myself. What's the gift of time?! In MSO's eyes, moms must not do a lot of work and need any type of pampering to be recognized on even the second Sunday of May...But he can tell you what teams are leading their respective series in the NBA playoffs. I'm so lucky!

Retreat, The Pool, And Farewell

Made my way to another stamp retreat and it was fun, fun, fun! Would never have thought at my age I'd be stampin', yet go to a retreat with a bunch of other (older) people. But there I was and here I am with all my stamp accoutrements, almost addicted, creating stuff I hope people appreciate.





You pay a flat fee upfront but all the supplies are provided. Walking away with the finished products and with the many ideas to add to your repertoire is priceless for me. Door prizes are also given away. I won a folder full of idea sheets. Thought about becoming a demonstrator but time was a concern and I wanted to put the time and effort into being there for my family and enjoying that.


And this weekend we did that with some friends at the pool.








On my way to the destination, I encountered this but could not show any drivers my mad waving skills as there was no flag to wave. Bummer.








It was a nice, sunny, and hot day. We hope everyone enjoyed themselves. A lot of thanks to CL for allowing us to bask atop (sort of) the Tower.






No time for much relaxing before we made our way to the Waikiki Beach Walk to go to Holokai Grill to get some chow. The Grilled Vegetable Penne with Seared Ahi was good.






Got a taste of the Kaimana Mango Mojito, and that was good. KeM appeared to enjoy (His) Banana Hammock and its "special surprise". ;) Don't think the female diner on the other table enjoyed her surprise of finding out she left the price tag on the dress she was wearing. (Couldn't get a picture to post.)




Next it was onward to Yard House. "Yard House features a transparent keg room containing more than 600 barrels, and a signature island bar displaying a fleet of tap handles with over 130 varieties of ice cold draft beer."





Yeah, over 130 varieties and what does MSO get first? A Bud Light.








First thought when I got in there was loud and crowded. Must be getting old and even more boring. Thought the architecture with the keg room was cool. Going to the restroom with the booth seating was a little challenging.







Hmmm, so many choices with no indication of prices. Drink up!










Check out the Beer Facts. I think Wayne's World might be taking Beer Fact 1 to heart based on his posts here and here.










The Six Pack Sampler sampled by SDC.








My choice of the night was Slo Blueberry Ale. Not many would like fruity with their beeah but I liked it.

Here's to you, LS! Farewell and see you when you get back or when we see you there...

Industrial Fallout

Was talking with Super K and he mentioned that a fallout is occurring from the construction of none other than Keola La`i. Super K started noticing his wife's car, although not a new car, is rusting. He further surmised that something had gone amiss when conversing with a guy who mentioned his wife's car is parked in the same area during the day and her BMW(!) is also rusting. This is three blocks away! Yes, three blocks away. Boy, oh boy.

Apparently this has been a complaint in numbers. Super K, after talking with a few people and getting in touch with their construction office, was able to easily arrange a visit to have his wife's car evaluated in order to resolve the issue. No hassles, no runarounds. What a surprise. Still, I'd be pissed if that happened to my vehicle. And imagine people just walking around that area! You gotta use some type of mask. As much as possible keep away from areas where all those (money-draining) condos are being built.

Tooth Decay Rising

Reading the news can be very informative but yet so disturbing. That's why I tend to read fun and uplifting stories. Same goes for movies - comedy, action, happy ending-type movies are preferred. How does this tie in to tooth decay? It's because tooth decay is on the rise due to preschoolers (!) eating too much sugar in the form of processed snack foods, fruit snacks, juice boxes, candy, and soda!

Now don't get me wrong, there are many other news pieces that are waaay more disturbing but a rise in preschoolers with tooth decay?! That's important stuff! You only have one set of teeth that's supposed to last you to the grave. Yeah, there are alternatives but how gross is that.

"Parents should begin bringing their children to the dentist at age 1." Age 1 huh? Dentists must have some patience with their patients. =S
"Parents also must help their young children brush properly." Adults can barely brush properly. (Can we say electric toothbrushes?)

Addicted To Blogging?

In response to Gee Why's post about blog addict signs...

• Bloglines, Google Reader or some other RSS reader is constantly open on your computer's desktop. Trying out Google Reader...

• You tell customers that you missed a project deadline because "some things" came up but in reality, you were blogging. Missed project deadlines? Not yet...

• You periodically dream that you are blogging. Can't say I've done this but I did have a dream (or nightmare) about missing an exam. Major panic, and I'm not even going to school!

• You get inspiration for new blog posts at the strangest times - in the Jacuzzi, sitting on the toilet, during marital activities (cough, cough)... you get the picture. Guilty of being inspired during the "strangest times" and just in everyday life situations with baby, the dog, and MSO (not during THAT marital activity!).

• Before blogs, you used to tuck the kids into bed at night. Now you check for unapproved blog comments before heading to bed yourself. No time and no energy before our child's bedtime which could also be considered my bedtime.
  

• In order for your family to keep up with what's going on in your life, they have to read your blog. Furthermore, if they want to communicate with you, they have to comment on your blog. Guess my family doesn't have time to read my nonsense.
  

• You have actually considered setting up a blog for your pet of which you would post the entries pretending you are your pet (weirdo). Weirdo?!
  

• You can't remember dates for your wedding anniversary, kids birthdays, etc., but you know what your Technorati rank is. Can't remember a lot of things now (blame motherhood), and didn't know it before but looks like Baby Dog Days got a rank of 1,077,900. Whoo hoo!
  

• You blog about anything and everything including bad meals, your pets, getting your car stuck in snow, conversations you have in the bathroom, etc. Uh duh...Definition of 'blog' courtesy of Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary:
  Main Entry: blog
  Pronunciation: 'blog, 'bläg
  Function: noun
  Etymology: short for Weblog
  : a Web site that contains an online personal journal with reflections, comments, and often hyperlinks provided by the writer

• Keeping a blog is no longer enough but you now have to record your every move on Twitter. Kind of like kittycaht (that doesn't know how to spell cat) recording her packing of a suitcase to go on her New York trip. Oooh myyy goodness.
  

...So am I a blog addict? Nah!

Island Life Tidbits

Do your part for environment: Don't wash clean clothes

Liberate yourself from the laundry, recommends Joanna Yarrow in "1001 Ways to Save the Earth." Yes, detergent ads push for washing clothes after every wearing, but sometimes, that's not necessary. "That's not to say you should wait until they can walk to the washing machine by themselves," she writes, "but don't launder them until they're actually dirty." That saves the environment and extends the life of your clothes. (A rule of thumb: Give them the sniff-and-stain test, checking for odor or spots. If they pass, separate them from the dirty clothes and hang them up immediately.)


Geezerhood creeping up on you? "1,003 Ways to Stay Young" offers these tips:

# Throw away your flowered bathing cap.

# Never use a three-way mirror again.

# Never admit you don't know how to use your iPod.


Final Word

"Once we cross 10 billion gallons (of cellulosic ethanol) there is no question in my mind we will be below $1 a gallon."

Vinod Khosla | co-founder of Sun Micro-systems who is building three factories to produce cellulosic ethanol fuel made from biomass, in Men's Journal.

Bring Back RHS Memories?

Lost $585!

Well, never really had it...None of my partners could manage a mere 198 with handicap...So sad.

Yay For The Institute of Medicine!

Reasons Celebrities Make Lousy Parents

According to Helen A.S. Popkin, MSNBC contributor, these are the top 10 reasons why celebrities shouldn't have kids. It's funny writing but at the same time it's sad 'cause you have to realize that these are actual parents and kids with actual feelings that get so magnified via the paparazzi and media.

1. Innate inability to distinguish between healthy parent-child communication and “Glengarry Glen Ross.” The verbal abuse received by most kids isn’t nearly as eloquent as that now infamous (and well-annunciated) rant Alec Baldwin deposited on his 11-year-old (or 12-year-old, he doesn't seem sure) daughter’s voice mail...

2. Amicable divorces even creepier than those that go DEFCON 1. Yes, yes, a decade-plus of well-publicized avarice among Baldwin and Basinger is shameful, ugly and undoubtedly damaging to their only child...

3. Inability to choose appropriate stepparents. Uncle Ashton indeed!...

4. Insistence on wrecking soccer games for everyone. Who’s going to pay attention to little Isabelle or Connor Kidman-Cruise kicking a goal, when you can gawk at the paparazzi gawking at...

5. Don’t allow biological children nearly as much press as those Third World kids Mommy and Daddy keep adopting. It’s bad enough when rich-and-famous moms, dads or both force real-world values by making their kids do chores and throwing away toys left out of the toy box...

6. Can’t find child-size Louis Vuitton dog carriers. Teacup Chihuahua breeders would do well to take note of People magazine’s popular “baby bump” issues...

7. Safety schmafety! Though it seems obvious to us regular folk, you don’t dangle babies from balconies (Michael Jackson) or...

8. The whole naming thing. This point is obvious and overplayed. Yet celebrities still don’t get it. Nobody’s getting a Golden Globe for...

9. Even more reality shows. If celebrities aren’t willing to put children first, at least they should consider their fans. Screwed-up celebrity children...

10. No wire hangers. Ever. We don’t want to read their tell-all memoirs either.

Hey, these reasons are not according to me. I think it is rather difficult for them to always be under the radar so to speak but at the same time it's not impossible to be a loving, sensible, and present parent too. They have such a tough life. (Sarcasm intended)

Pet Peeve Web Site

Saw this article today via The Honolulu Advertiser and it made me think what my pet peeves are. Alright, I know I've mentioned some here, here, here, and here in the past but could I possibly have more? Although I try not to sweat the small stuff, I indeed do have more. And you probably got at least one too. As the article and the Web site says, "just about everybody out there had a pet peeve." If you feel like sharing, what are some of yours?

Farewell...