Stuff I've made...

I've been pretty busy lately with things that need doing but that are not particularly inspiring or photo-worthy, and I realize that I've neglected my blog.

So as I was doing a little FB housekeeping, weeding through my photo albums yesterday, I thought why not share some photos of recent (and other) jewelry projects of mine...?

Why not, indeed...so here you go:

The style these days leans to the big chunky beaded stuff, but that has never really appealed to me. I prefer to do more delicate, simple pieces.

These are from my Twilight-inspired Halloween efforts:




I really liked working with the dark gunmetal chain and charms for a change. And the little blood-red Czech glass drops are a nice, if macabre, touch, yes?




I took a try at real beading a while back and came up with this pressed glass lei:



In the process, I discovered that beading is a bit of a pain, even if the result is lovely.

In my travels, I'm always looking for little bead stores...I like the boutique-y ones better than the big warehouse kind, because I find unique things to inspire and enjoy. The giant stores are overwhelming and I end up buying nothing. Like when we were in Beijing last summer and found floor after floor of beady business in the silk market. Spent nary a yuan.

But I can drop $100 on a vendor at a trade show without blinking. This is NOT a cheap hobby.

I came across some suede cuffs in a bead store in Agoura Hills CA a couple of years ago and made a pink ribbon watchband to go with the pink ribbon memory wire bracelet that I was inspired to do by an article in Bead and Button magazine:



My latest passion has been working with small, but authentic, semiprecious stones and silver charms I bought from HipChick, a vendor at last year's Whole Bead Show here in Honolulu.

I don't sell my stuff, but I do make things as gifts for special people in my life. Sometimes they even wear them. That always makes me smile, because when I'm making a gift, I choose my components very specifically and design the piece for that person...with a little whimsy. So if you are the recipient of one of my pieces, know that as I am crafting it, I am thinking of you every step of the way.

Like these earrings -- designed for my DIL - a busy mother of 3. The silver shows the swirl of activity she's swept into each day, balanced by the lapis stones. Lapis brings peace to the wearer.



These two necklaces were Christmas gifts for my nieces. The back of the charm on the black leather reads "only the heart really knows" and the back of the charm on the silver chain with the bird reads "I sing because I'm happy". Suited the spirits of each of them perfectly.








Of course, my best "customer" is ... ME!! Here is a piece I made for myself with HipChick components -- a necklace that symbolizes the love of my life. My birthstone is garnet, his is emerald and together we are pearl. Awwwww...



I really like being able to craft a little something to go with what I'm wearing. That was the genesis of these earrings:



I really enjoy doing this, but it comes in fits and starts. Last year I took a notion to make my Christmas gifts, so I had to start in the summer. I got a bit burnt out by the time I was finished -- some designs just don't work out and I have to start over.

It may be a while before I crank back up again. But I have drawers full of bits and pieces awaiting my next inspiration!

Why I prefer Facebook to blogging

I started a lovely post about our waterfall (see text below) including a video because the sound of it is even more pleasant than the appearance.

I had just posted 2 such videos to my facebook page and it took less than 5 minutes start to finish to accomplish the task. So I thought, how hard would it be to put this video on my blog??

Answer: Damn near impossible.

I got it uploaded but over an hour later it was still "processing the video", so I shut it down and went to bed. Started over this morning...left it run while I cooked breakfast started a load of laundry and cleaned up the kitchen. Still not "processed".

So, here are some photos, but if you want to see/hear a video of my damn lovely waterfall, you'll just have to "friend" me on facebook!











Here's the back story:

When we went to China last year, we toured the YuYuan Gardens in Shanghai and fell in love with the place.

I casually -- casually, mind you -- mentioned to my husband that we should put a waterfall in our backyard. Within a month after we returned, there were people digging holes and moving giant rocks and Bob's yer uncle...we had a backyard waterfall!!

My only stipulation was that they couldn't disturb my lovely Haden mango tree or the indigenous plants (aka pretty weeds) growing around it.

It makes a lovely soothing sound -- so soothing in fact, that I'm usually sound asleep 10 minutes after sitting down out there.

It has good chi. I'm happy.

Up In the Air...

Living on an island makes every trip a long one. And I travel a lot...partly because my job requires it, partly because I love to explore so even when I'm on vacation I want to be going someplace. Which is ironic because when I first moved here, I was a real white-knuckle flyer. But I quickly came to realize that I'd be rockbound for life if I didn't get over myself pretty quick. I subsequently developed a Zen approach to flying that has stood me in good stead for well over a million airmiles since.

I loved the movie "Up In the Air". I found George Clooney's character quite relatable. And although I have a lovely home and wonderful partner to come home to, I can still understand the dis-connectedness that comes with spending a lot of time on the fly.

And the obsession with affinity program perks. Making my first million miles with Delta was a really big deal for me. I'll never make 10 million, but each million is quite a milestone. And being greeted by name in the club room is kind of cool too.

I appreciate the "almost home" feeling from staying at the same hotel often enough that the concierge and bellmen know you by name.

And I've picked up some helpful habits along the way (a few of which I was gratified to see practiced by Clooney's character):

1. My favorite scene in the movie was when he trimmed Anna Kendrick's luggage from that huge checked pullman down to a 21" Travelpro. Especially when he trashed her pillow-from-home.

Keep luggage to a minimum. Most of my trips are 4-5 days on the road, so it can be a challenge, but where possible, I keep it to my 2 allowable carryons. Keep the largest of the carry-ons at 21", since that will fit on most all but the tiniest commuter equipment. And if you have to have to check a bag, make sure that you don't take more than you can manage by yourself -- you'll probably have to.

I can't say enough about Travelpro. Lightweight and durable; rolls easily. My test for any bag, checked or carryon, is that I have to be able to comfortably lift the empty bag with just my pinkie finger.

2. Keep valuables and essentials in the smaller of your two carryon pieces just in case the larger one doesn't fit on a commuter leg and has to be gate checked.

3. Never ever ever check laptops, cameras and other electronics, jewelry or prescriptions. Never.

4. Keep your wardrobe simple. Try to pick clothes that can stand double duty -- darker slacks/skirts work best.

For biz trips it's easy. I carry mix/match jackets and pants (pantyhose are a PITA anywhere) with a couple of shells and accent scarves.

For vacations, I choose my travel wardrobe a week in advance and hang the clothes up in the guestroom. Throughout the week I pare it down -- always ending up with less than I started with. Since I began this practice, I never bring a piece of clothing home unworn.

5. Pack your jewelry (in your carryon, duh!). Wear a watch and essentials to the airport, but not much more. It's astonishing how LITTLE metal will set off some TSA scanners. In fact, I usually wear a leather-band watch on the plane.

6. Do I still have to tell you to NOT wear a belt and to wear shoes that don't lace or buckle? You WILL have to remove your shoes at security and if you are spending an eternity getting out of those stunning but skintight stilletto boots to put them in the bin, I'll be leading the lynch mob.

7. Get a zipper-free sleeve for your laptop. Easier for security and more protective.

 

8. Compartmentalize. I use the Eagle Creek packing cubes and find that they give me multiple advantages:

• Security can check my stuff without touching my stuff;
• I can put my stuff in hotel drawers without my stuff actually touching the drawers (don't ask...you don't really want to know) and
• It's really easy for me to find everything and make sure that I have everything I need.

9. If you travel more than once a year, please invest in a small luggage scale. Know how much you'e got BEFORE you get to the airport. There is absolutely NOTHING more pathetic (or annoying) than standing in line behind someone who is now frantically repacking their bags to avoid surcharges.

 

10. Toys rock! Toys make long trips bearable, delays tolerable and average jaunts positively delightful. My must-haves (fully charged, of course!):

• Smartphone (for checking flight status, weather, business -- it's indispensable);
• iPod (with tunes and TV shows - movies are difficult on that little screen if you're over 40) -- accessorized with a little awesome speaker for the hotel room and a patchcord to hook it up to my rental car -- just $10 at BestBuy;
• Kindle (a veritable library at my fingertips...my reading tends to be mood driven, and I can't possibly drag enough books along to anticpate what I'll have an appetite for at any given time) and
• My ever present camera. Never know when that amazing once in a lifetime photo might present itself.

 

 

11. About "fully-charged" -- iGo is the best thing since sliced bread. One charging cord and converter with the appropriate little tiny adapter tips will let me charge every single device I carry.

 

Reducing both bulk and weight for a minimal expense -- HOORAY!! -- and the splitter I got lets me charge 2 devices at once.  I also have an attachment that lets me charge in the car.

 

(The case was Deb's -- it's the only piece of Coach that I own.) 

I also keep a spare headset and a couple of adapters in there for use with the airline's on board entertainment.

 

 12. If you fly more than a couple of times a year, it's well worth joining frequent flyer (and sleeper) programs and managing the points. Otherwise it's almost like throwing money away.

  

 13. Go online and get your seat assignments when you book the flight. http://www.seatguru.com/is a great website that shows you the size, location and desirablilty of the seats on every imaginable aircraft.

   

 Then check those seats periodically up until your departure. Sometimes there are equipment changes that turn your 10th row aisle into a 42nd row middle in the blink of an eye. 

14. When you board the plane, remember that there are people behind you and sitting all around. Especially if you are wearing a backpack. In fact, if you have a backpack, take it off and carry it in front of you for boarding. Smacking a fellow passenger in the face with your luggage is not the best way to begin your travels. Karma is slow, but inevitable. 

15. In fact, throughout your travels, remember all the same courtesies and practical matters you would normally think about at home. It's astonishing how many travelers appear to leave their brains (and manners) behind -- especially when they are on vacation.

16. Patience and a sense of humor are the most prized travel accessory. Stuff happens, and the more you take it in stride, the more pleasant travel becomes for you. Remember, especially when all is going wrong, that the smile you give the gate agent may be the first smile they've had all day. That alone makes it worthwhile.

  

I'll be back with photos, and more. What have you learned in your travels?

  

17. Best travel accessory site, with great travel tips? It's http://www.magellans.com/store/catalog?Args= by far.

  

18. Many airlines have stopped providing pillows and blankets. Some for economic reasons, others for health. I haven't used them in years, preferring to bring my own substitute: pashmina scarves. They fold down to nothing (fit in my purse) and can be very warm and comfy. Plus, they are lovely accessories to your outfit and if you find yourself in unexpectedly cold weather at your destination (or points in between) they give you that extra warmth

  

 19. I found out years ago that life was so much easier if all my travel docs were in one place...ID, affinity program cards, boarding passes, a spare $20 just in case, and amenity vouchers.  I got this pretty blue one ages ago at the Levengers' outlet store for a song.  Loved the color -- apparently I was the only one.

  

20. My latest small carryon -- it's a Lug with lots of compartments and zippers. I recently lost a Bluetooth earpiece because I was using an open ended bag. Never again.

  

Remember that I've been accumulating this stuff (by trial and error) for almost 15 years.

 

 Back with more:

  

21. TSA's http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/screening_experience.shtm website has great easy to follow information on security regs (which DO change and are therefore worth monitoring. The key thing to keep in mind is 3-1-1. No more than

• 3   oz bottles, all in a
• 1   qt sized ziploc bag, with
• 1   such bag per person.

   I can get a fair number of 3oz bottles and tubes (toothpaste counts) in that bag -- and don't forget that hotels have shampoo/conditioner, lotion and mouthwash, so you don't really need most of that stuff.

 

22.  More on luggage -- the only thing that keeps me from being as hooked on luggage as I am on acquiring shoes is the sheer size and storage issues.  But I love a good piece of luggage.  For me, the expression "Love ya like my luggage" carries some real weight. 

For my vacations, I eschew my workhorse roll-aboard and use a great little convertible wheeled backpack.  It rolls like a dream, but if I'm in a pinch and need that extra hand, voila! - the straps come out and it's a backpack.

Third time's the charm...

I spent a whole lot of Valentine-less Valentine's days. And yet somehow managed to find the love of my life anyway. And the really intriguing part is that finding him was a by-product of discovering myself.

Not that I went on any Big Deal walkabout of self discovery or anything. I just shook myself loose of some long held notions, and there I was. And soon after, there HE was. Some luck, huh?

We are probably not going to make 57+ years together like my Mom & Dad -- got too late a start. But I look forward to seeing how many we do manage to chalk up...and making each one count.

Here's my favorite picture of M&D:



I hope that you love this Valentine's Day -- and that you remember that romantic love is just a tiny part of the love that is out there -- there's all kinds of love to embrace, if you just open yourself up to it. And the more receptive you are to that greater love, the more love will find you.

Love you! <3

To boldly go...no more???

I grew up on the space coast -- just an hour or so north of Cape Canaveral. When NASA launched a rocket, we knew it. We stood outside in the schoolyard in May of 1961 and watched the contrail when Freedom 7 took the first American into space.

We were glued to the television 8 years later, watching a clearly gobsmacked Walter Cronkite commenting on the first moonwalk.

Then it all became quite ordinary, as more and more missions were carried out. Until we all watched in horror in 1986 as Challenger, on the 56th manned mission, exploded in a heart stopping moment.

The question is often asked, especially in financial times like these, "Why spend all this money on space exploration when there are so many more pressing causes here on earth?"

I would offer that these efforts are no less important, in the grand scheme of things, than the money we spend on the arts. And I believe that the arts are absolutely essential.

The advances in technology and medicine that have been made as offshoots of the space program are many, and there are thousands of jobs at stake.

I'm so proud of my brother the rocket scientist (who took us touring around the Space Center over the holidays.)

I just wish I could once again see kids with the passion about science that drove so many of my generation into math, physics and engineering. To dream of life beyond the bounds of our earth.

Write your Congressman. Write the president. How can a man who supposedly is interested in creating jobs be taken seriously when he is seeking to shut down what amounts to an industry? How can the same administration that has sought to take over banks and auto companies and healthcare on the one hand, be driven to privatize the space program?

Stop this nonsense about pulling NASA funding for manned exploration.

Sunrise/Sunset

I shot this rather random photo sitting in rush hour evening traffic in LA. Finding peace amidst chaos is a talent I wish to nurture.

Reflecting on a decade past (and stealing a FB meme to do it)...in the first 10 years of the new millenium, I

> Turned 50 and had 3 birthday parties to celebrate -- my husband threw me a surprise party with 80 of my closest friends, my work buddies surprised me again in Florida a couple of weeks later and the party with my sister (in Vegas) basically lasted 3 days.

> Became a "grandmother" 3 times -- not genetically, but certainly from the heart. And twice more by proxy!

> Went on a family reunion cruise to Alaska -- the coolest reunion ever.

> Visited 25 countries around the world, on 5 continents.

> Lost my father and my sister, both to cancer.

> Discovered new friends through the internet, many of whom I have yet to meet in real life.

> Expanded my duties (and responsibilities) at work.

> Spent 10 more years with my best husband ever!

So what's in store for the next ten years? Who knows, but I hope it includes

> Turning 60 (I know that's not something most people -- mostly women -- look forward to, but since the odds of my making 50 were in question at one point, 60 looks damn fine to me.)

> Spending as much time as possible with family -- hopefully here in Hawaii one of these days.

> Logging time on two more continents: South America and Antarctica.

> Meeting more of my on-line friends face to face.

> Enjoying my job til it's time to pack it in.

> Packing it in.

> Having 10 more wonderful years with the love of my life.

The original Guitar Hero

My first guitar. I was almost 2 years old. I don't know what happened to that one (it had strings AND a little crank-driven music box inside), but I do still have a Yamaha 12-string that hasn't been out of its case in a couple of years and is probably hopelessly out of tune. Maybe one day I'll take it in to be restrung and start playing again.

And maybe I'll turn into a unicorn instead.

Equally likely, at this point.

Merry Christmas, y'all!!

Oh... and just out of curiosity, I dug out a photo of my last "real" Christmas tree -- in my little apartment downtown in 1994. Note the lone Nutcracker in the background - my first. Soooo -- First Nutcracker, Last Live Tree.

More Christmas

More photos from Christmas. Still not happy with the night shots, but too lazy to dig out the good camera. This little Nikon serves a purpose (I keep it in my briefcase, and it runs on regular AA batteries) but my Sonys take much better photos. Maybe I'll get inspired and take some artyfarty ones before everything goes back into crates in the garage.

The first thing that I set up each year is, of course, the Advent Wreath. When I was younger, it served as a neat countdown to Christmas day (and goodies.) Now it's more a call to focus and reset myself amidst the tumult.

Then comes the tree, which I posted earlier. Here it is all lit up and magical and stuff.

This year, since the big tree is in the living room, and our living is mostly accomplished in the family room, I incorporated a small tree-let in my Santa display back there.

I have 3 seperate collections -- Santas, Nutcrackers and Snowmen. The first two come out every year no matter what, and are ever expanding. The Snowmen often fall victim to my desire to not put more out than I'm willing to put up.

I still go to the Hawaii Ballet production of the Nutcracker -- a scrumptious one at that -- at least every third year. Not annually, though. Seems to lose it's magic if I see it too often. One of these years I'm going to see the Sendak production of it in Seattle.

Wish you could come see this stuff in person...I just baked spiced fruit drops, and made Black Forest bites too. And Kona coffee. Or eggnog, with a little Cap'n Morgan if you like.



Oh -- and this one's for Deb.

Oh Tannenbaum, my tannenbaum

Du kannst mir sehr gefallen!

And it was ever thus...

My first Christmas: December, 1951. Dad and some of his friends would go out in the woods and cut down trees for us. Didn't buy a tree from a tree lot until I was older and we moved to Florida. Few ornaments, lots of tinsel.

The checkered doll was named "Dot". I carried her around for a couple of years. I still remember the piggy bank, too. And this is about as close as I ever got to horseback riding (except for one forgettable experience on my Aunt's farm).

I love to decorate for Christmas. I start with my Advent wreath and the creche, then the house virtually explodes with holiday accumulata. Unfortunately, I don't like UNdecorating, so I rarely put everything out. This year, I've limited it to my Santa collection and my Nutcrackers (which are always part of the decor no matter what). And, of course, the tree.

This is my 2009 Christmas tree.

It looks very like the 2008, 2007...and back to around 1999 trees, since we have a silk one. We get the pine scent in the house with a real wreath.

I love our tree...it takes about 3 days to get it fully decorated. I use the Martha Stewart method (don't judge me!). It's a 4 step process.

1. Place the lights from the trunk outward, winding each branch seperately. It's a pain, but I only have to re-do them about every three or four years so it's worth it.

2. Hang the shiny glass balls deep toward the trunk. They reflect the lights and it gives it a lot of depth.

3. Hang the special ornaments all round the tree. I've reached the point where I could decorate 2 trees quite easily. We get an ornament from each place we visit, and for many years I made a new ornament each year - mostly angel variations. I haven't done that in about 3 years. Just run out of time/energy.

4. Drape the tinsel garland. I don't miss those individual strands of tinsel at all. I could drape a strand at a time for about 15 minutes, then it was just fling gobs at the tree til I ran out. Garland is easier.

I even have a wee tree on my desk at work, with tiny ornaments I've accumulated from here and there. My Aunt Mary crocheted the doily under it many many years ago.

Maybe I'll get around to taking a couple of pictures of my Santas and Nutcrackers while they are out...until then, enjoy the holidays!

Thanksgiving memories

That's me -- MSHS Buccaneer band geek extraordinare. Fall of my senior year we marched in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. (That would be November 1967...42 years ago!..if you're counting).

It marked several turning points in my life -- first big trip without my family, first trip to NYC, falling in love with NYC, falling out of love with my steady beau (temporarily, but portent-iously) and being on TV for the first time. Of course, I was in uniform with 125 identically dressed others, marching down the street, but STILL!

We were the band that leads in the Santa float -- that guaranteed us pretty good screen time. And we were behind the float that carried Dionne Warwick. Took me years to get "Say a Little Prayer for You" out of my head. Damn. It's back.

It poured down rain for almost the entire duration of the event. We queued up in the Central Park staging area and someone issued us throwaway clear plastic raincoats. We had to stuff our bright gold plumes inside our shakos (the West Point style hats that went with our cadet clone uniforms) to keep the dye from running down onto our faces.

When we got to the marker that cued us to the main viewing stand in front of Macys, we doffed the raincoats, stuck the plumes back in our caps and performed our brains out. (Almost all of us ended up with strep throat by the time we got home!)

When we went to NYC in 2007, we stayed in a hotel near that Macy's -- THE Macy's -- and I was tickled to death to see that the painted street markers are permanent. Of course they need to be touched up each year before the big event, but I can honestly say that a full 40 years after my turn on that tarmac, it still made my heart leap just a little to see it.



I have a recording of the medley we performed - if I knew how to post an MP3 here I would. We were pretty good.

A photo of me walking in Times Square with my soon-to-be-temporarily-ex boyfriend and two of our friends was in our home town paper, along with interviews. The clippings are in a scrapbook at Mom's or I'd scan them in here. It was a pretty big deal back then. Hope it still is.

I still watch the Parade every year -- growing up we called it the Macy's Day Parade and I thought that Macy was the reason for the holiday. I'm still thankful for Macy's. I first read the book "Miracle on 34th Street" when I was a very young child, and the original movie version (1947 B&W with Natalie Wood as Susan Walker and Edmund Gwenn as Kris Kringle) is still one of my very favorite holiday films. So to have actually perfomed in that parade was huge for me.

And my favorite part ever year is each and every one of the bands. Because I know how hard they worked to get there -- the fundraising (humiliating door to door sales of everything you can think of), the endless practice sessions (marching in the parking lot after dark to get the feel of miles of asphalt.) It was all so very worth it.

So if you watch the Parade this year, think of me and all of those sweet band geeks getting their moment. And enjoy!

When you live in Paradise, why travel?

I'm frequently asked where people who live in Hawaii go for vacation. These days, frankly most don't. And a stay-cation here is pretty awesome, all things considered.

But I do love to travel -- even though my job has me on the road (in the air) about 20% of my time. I love to explore new places, to see places I've only read about or seen in movies/TV. And I find that now, having been to a lot of places, seeing them or reading about them is even more fun than before. I will even admit to buying the book '1000 Places to See Before You Die' and flagging them as I go. Doin pretty good so far.

Travel is our big splurge. We don't live in a fancy house, and while our cars are nice, we also tend to keep them for 10 years at a stretch. I don't do designer clothes. But we try to take a major trip a year. We started doing that right after we married, and I finished chemo. I think it was the latter that motivated us -- appreciation for every minute we are given in this life, and refusing to put off enjoyment of that life until some vague tomorrow. Even during stretches where the means were thinner, we've found a way.

I like approaching the world like a buffet - so many different tastes to sample, so little time. That's why we tend to prefer cruises...unpack once and have the hotel follow us around. We've covered an awful lot of ground that way. And there are places that we have merely touched that we would like to return to for more exploration. Some day. After more tours to the unknown.

My friend eque does the more in-depth travel, taking wonderful trips on horseback in exotic locales. I love reading about her trips and seeing her pictures, because I know that it would not be for me personally, but I enjoy the vicarious experience.

It's a little like food -- some are grazers, always looking for the next dish. Others enjoy the lavish meal, savoring each morsel. But in either case, it's nourishing.

My favorite trip of all that we have taken to date is still our Vietnam tour in 2004 (pictures posted elsewhere on this blog). I arranged, over the internet, a private tour, with a driver and guide. We rode around that beautiful country from the Mekong Delta in the far south to Hanoi and Halong Bay in the north. To see the peaceful countrysides and industrious cities that I had previously associated with (needless) war and destruction was a revelation. It left me changed forever. In a good way.

I'm really blessed to have had the confluence of desire, means and ability to have had these experiences. And I eagerly look forward to the next trip.

Look out! It's BEHIND you!!

Nothing to say -- just clearing off the holiday post. I can't stand to leave decorations up past the holiday in question. Just looks pathetic.

This was taken a couple of years ago, on a tour round the leeward coast up past Makaha with some friends from Australia. The big white golf ball is a radar outpost. I just liked the contrast.

Halloween is NOT lame...

Been reading 'round the blog-sphere (my little corner of it, anyway) that Halloween is lame. That's lame.

There are some things about Halloween that have deteriorated over the years that may be behind that notion, though.

Like when the scariest monsters turned out to be the strangers with candy.

Or when our collective imaginations became so jaded and atrophied by endless exposure to bad movies that we forgot the fun of designing and making our own costumes. Those were always the best.

And when the calculated horror in those movies that drew entirely upon those imaginations was replaced by mere gore -- which to me is much more nauseating than frightening. Not what I'm going for.

It takes a lot more time (and, frankly, intelligence) to draw us in, disarm us, then scare us to death with the bump in the night. Not seeing what's out there is far more scary than seeing. At least for those of us blessed with a vivid imagination.

I always enjoy Jorge Garcia's blog (Dispatches from the Island). He is a true Halloween afficionado, and for all the right reasons. He decorates, dresses up and carves the coolest pumpkins ever...and shares it all with his readers. I love his character (Hurley) on Lost -- one of the more complex characters in the plot IMHO, but I love reading the real guy's posts even more -- especially 'round Halloween.

So I will follow Jorge's blog, enjoy the Travel channel's tours of scary places, watch a well-crafted horror movie or two (Silence of the Lambs scared me a heckuva lot more than any Saw movie ever could -- The Shining is another), wish I had a costume party to go to (or a kid to dress up), and enjoy my candy corn for one more week.

What do you think of Halloween, dear reader? (And I know that there's just the one of you -- maybe two on a good day).

Day is done

There's something poetic about a sunset. May be something poetic about sunrise, too. I don't see enough of them to know. But everyone...and I mean everyone...stopped their activity to watch. I like the pause reflected in this picture. Seems as though they realize it's time to pack up and go for the day, but don't really want to leave.

I took this on our way from Saturday evening mass at St Augustines on Waikiki to dinner at Seafood Village (opakapa in black bean/ginger sauce and sizzling shrimp satay), the night before my 15th Komen Race for the Cure.

We have started using the race as an excuse to play tourist for a weekend on Waikiki. We do this largely for the same reason that I do the race each year -- because we CAN. For me, it is a celebration of life. For us, it's a celebration of our life in paradise.

Our Scotland branch has gotten into the house-swapping thing for vacations. This is the pool for the house that they had for 2 weeks this summer, just north of LA.

The house itself is lovely, but the backyard was exceptional. On the side of a hill, they managed to capitolize on the slopes and view beautifully.

There's more to Disney than the mouse house...

The swoops and swags of the Disney Concert Hall's exterior -- iconic. I didn't grab an exterior shot because we were kind of pressed for time both pre and post concert (Cal Phil doing "Swords and Chivalry" -- excellent! And this place has unbelievable acoustics.).

You can see it here: http://www.laphil.com/about/wdch_overview.cfm

And if you ever get the chance to hear a concert there -- don't miss it!

I did pull off a couple of interior shots during intermission...like this Escher-esque stairwell:

And these beautiful supports:

A friend of ours worked on the design team for this project. I have so many questions I wish that I could ask him, now that I've seen (and heard) it for myself. But he's gone now. Damn cancer.

Ya done good, Scott.

Tranquility

Cruising through the Lesser Gorges off the Yangtze was a breathtaking way to spend a leisurely morning.

God Bless America!

Land that I love.....

Want to Feel Really Small?

Stand on something really really BIG!

Like the Great Wall of China. This photo was taken on the Wall at Badaling. One more for the bucket!

Because it has to be said....

One inescapable fact of foreign travel, especially in Asia for some reason (but not exclusively there), is the scarcity of what is delicately described as "Western facilities".

Now, in my own defense, my need for the Western-style 'throne' is purely physiological...I simply cannot easily arise from a squatting position. Simply stated: weak knees + fat ass. And since the women in my travels are for the most part strangers, and would frown on my husband coming in to help me up....there you have it.

Fortunately, our guides have always been most helpful in identifying 'acceptible' facilities. In China, we had a rating system:
5-Star: clean, Western 'throne', toilet paper, seat covers
4-Star: clean, Western 'throne', toilet paper
3-Star: clean, Western 'throne'

I never went below 3-Stars. I do carry my own travel kit of seat covers and travel TP (after a particularly traumatic experience in Moscow years ago).

I asked our guide if they (the guides) all thought that all of we female Western tourists (a) had extraordinarily weak bladders because we were always taking advantage of stops and (b) were incredibly picky. He politely dodged the question.

Here's a shot taken in a 4-Star. It isn't particularly well composed, because when you are taking a photograph inside a ladies restroom it's best to start with a vacant one and take the shot really fast, lest someone come in and think you a pervert.

The sign on the right means 'for mom's - has changing table'. The next is, of course, the 'Western throne' and rest are all the more traditional 'squat' toilets.

To be fair, they were all quite clean...everywhere we went. And I really think that we're being the picky ones. And I totally appreciate the fact that other societies are indulging us our weakness.

And I'm still peeved that men don't even have to think about this stuff!!!!!