Just Who Will You Be - Maria Shiver

I tore out three pages of a magazine I found lying on the office table. The life experience of the interviewed woman spoke to the inner chords of my soul that were defraying, detangling, and coming undone in the season of life of learning to “let go”. I read the particular article three more times in the Spring. And after returning from a Los Angeles trip, CK left a gift for me in my car--it was the book from which the article was based.

I’m a life philosopher, so unlike those who simply live their lives day by day until they wake up one morning and realize that 50 years have gone by…I am one who continually thinks about life, the meaning of life, and how to live it authentically, passionately, and faithfully. Living life with passion comes easy at times and hard at others. My recent struggle has been to let go of a career path that I not only have put an absorbent amount of energy into, but one that I am actually doing well and succeeding in. With the awards and accolades earned over the years, I am expected to walk a certain path. The challenge is to align my life actions with my heart, convictions, and beliefs. It’s a fight, but one worth fighting for. It's a fight for the authentic me, and the authentic life of integrity I seek to live.

The article I mention was an interview conducted between Maria Shriver and Oprah. Maria is the former NBC newscaster and the First Lady of California (married to the state Governor Arnold Swartzenneger). Yes, only in California do we elect Hollywood actors (Arnold and Ronald Regan) to public office. The interview touched me because Maria reflects upon the inward changes in her life at age 50. Growing up as a Kennedy, she lived to fulfill the high expectations placed on her to "change the world". And she did. Maria intentionally chose a career outside the political light and worked her way from the bottom up in the television news industry while leading volunteer community campaigns on the side. One day after 25 years of service she was unexpectedly fired from her job. Devastated, she had never failed at anything and had spent invested hours and years working her way to the top. This devastation however led her on an inward journey to finally free herself...and allow herself to receive the gift of living out her true life from the inside out. In the last pages of her book “Just Who Will You Be” Maria writes:

“I was always scrambling to live up to the myth, always worried others would think I wasn’t fulfilling my role. I now realize that’s no way to live. Many of you may also feel that you’re scrambling to fulfill your roles in everybody’s life but your own. You may feel you’re not entitled to show up as anyone but the perfect student, the perfect son or daughter, the perfect spouse or partner, the perfect employee or parent. (82)

…But what I’ve come to understand is that we are first and foremost human beings in our own right. We’re entitled to our own lives, our own dreams and goals, our own legacies. (83)

…Now that I’m no so obsessed about whether I measure up to other people’s expectations, I’ve found anew gentleness and kindness in myself, for myself and for others. What matters most to me now is what I expect of myself. What matters most to me now is that I know myself—what my heart feels, what my inner voice is telling me.
(84)

…But most important, I will try to live an authentic life that feels true to me—which means living life as myself, not an imitation of anyone else, and not the reflection of myself in anyone else’s eyes.” (88)

I thank DP for the O magazine and CK for the thoughtful book. Both gifts speak volumes into my soul.

Photography - Foster Gardens

Today's shoot was to practice macro photography. The cloudy and drizzling weather forced me to adjust the white balance settings which made a huge difference in the coloring of the foliage and flowers. I borrowed a heavy duty pro-tripod with fancy leg and neck settings that allow one to get very close to the subject matter. It was heavy and alot of work to set up each shot. I prefer taking macro shots by hand.

Photography - Abstract Flowers

I used a macro lens to shoot these flowers with a bit of creative abstraction. Some of the flowers were rather tiny but it made the process all the more fun.

When Jesus Draws Near

A morning ponderance…

When we are able to embrace Jesus in His humanity we allow ourselves to reclaim an intimacy with God. This humanity helps us to remember that Jesus’ coming to earth not only restores a broken relationship between humankind and God the Father at the theological level, but that this brings a restored closeness with a God who loves us so much that He continually draws near to us in our everyday moments. Intimacy with God is restored when we see Christ with us ‘as’ we pray, not as a God in the distant heavens who died for us thousands of years ago and who awaits our future coming. Jesus isn’t sitting on a lofty cloud apart from us, rather He walks loving and graciously with us, sits next to us, and puts His arm around us when we pray. Embracing the humanity and deity of Christ together allows us to remain emotionally and spiritually connected to and comforted by God as friend, healer, counselor, and as the One who not only stands with us, but advocates for us, hurts with us, and roots for us in our everyday.

This post is dedicated to Dr. Ray Anderson in congratulations of his retirement from Fuller Theological seminary. I’m grateful to have taken the last course that he taught.

Photo Flea Market

Professional Photographers of Hawaii Association
is holding their annual flea market

Oct 19, 2008
10am - 3pm
University of Hawaii Art Building

Buy pre-owned camera lens, tripods, bodies, lights, and anything you can think of.
Hosting your own booth is $20 for members, $25 non-members.

Hawaii International Film Festival

This weekend...check out some great films at the

Hawaii International Film Festival
Oct 9-19 at the Dole Cannery Theaters

for movie schedule see: www.hiff.org


Sample movies from heavy to light...

CHILDREN OF THE DARK

Junji Sakamoto 2008
The theme in this case is the drastic fate of Thai children trapped in the machinations of child prostitution and the black market in human organs. This new work from established Japanese director Sakamoto Junji does not console audiences with the idea of events taking place in a far-off land, and points a finger at Japan's association with the problem, the key grounds for which are shown as apathetic dismissal, the unwillingness to acknowledge problems beyond the borders of one's own country and the burden of guilt upon those who create the demand for child prostitution and trade in children's organs.

THE BOY IN THE STRIPED PAJAMAS

Mark Herman 2008

Adapted from the John Boyne's best-selling novel, THE BOY IN THE STRIPED PAJAMAS is a fictionalized story told through the eyes of an eight-year-old boy largely shielded from the reality of World War II. This unforgettable tale follows a forbidden friendship that forms between Bruno, the son of a Nazi commandant, and Shmuel, a Jewish boy held captive in a concentration camp. Though the two are separated physically by a barbed-wire fence, their friendship grows and their lives become inescapably intertwined.

THE KILLING OF A CHINESE COOKIE

Derek Shimoda 2007

For nearly a century, people have turned to this prophetic dessert for advice, inspiration, and even winning lottery combinations. While the fortune cookie has been a source of fascination and a Chinese cuisine staple in North America, it remains nearly non-existent in China. This film will examine the heated debate over the true origin of the fortune cookie, the mixing of eastern and western cultures that produced it, and the cookie's rise from a simple pastry to a pop culture phenomenon.

butterflies & dreams

I had a vivid dream while I was in Italy and a part-two extension when I arrived in Hawaii...it had to do with butterfiles and life.

I love this design. It's in my favorite color (I went from loving sage green to orange over the past couple years), there are symbolic butterflies everywhere, the girl can pass for an Asian American, and her wear and sunshine above looks as if she lives in Hawaii. There is a confident boldness in her stance and the graphics have a contemporary feel. When I first came to Hawaii and saw this image I said "wow, this is totally me!" I spent months re-looking for this image (by Vector Designs) and am glad I came across it today.

Ice, Ice, Baby

Catchy rap song...until you listen to the lyrics promoting drug abuse. I didn't know at the time that's what the song was about, it was just a catchy tune.

Here's a new use for "ice"that applies to your cell phone:

(I)n (C)ase of (E)mergency

There's a national campaign to get people to store into their phone a list of contact persons to call in the event of an emergency. In your cell phone store these contacts as ICE1, ICE 2, ICE 3, etc. in the order of preference. Next to the label ICE include the contact's name and phone number. This is a standardized way of allowing paramedics, police, health officials, and even friends and co-workers to know where to look and who to call if you are unconscious, immobilized, or need of urgent care.

So the next time you pick up your cell phone, think *ice*...and just spend the minute to do this!

SIGG Kids & Cleaning Tablets

I’m not sure exactly what the tablets do (am I a sucker? is it just a clever money maker?), but it’s funny that I do feel like my SIGG bottle is somehow freed from bacteria build up. Maybe it's just psychological. Since I already bought and used the product I need to convince myself that it was worth the buy.

For $10 one gets 20 "Bottle Clean" tablets. All you do is fill you’re your SIGG bottle with warm water and drop in one tablet. Let it sit for 30 minutes then rinse it out. What my guess is that the tablets do, is gently bleach the inside of your bottle to aid in both possible discoloration and fight off germs and bacteria. (See my other posts to understand why SIGGs are great).

SIGGs also come in small sized bottles for kids. They come printed with fun designs and flip tops to avoid spills.

In Honolulu you can buy SIGGs and SIGG bottle cleaners at Lily Lotus in Kaimuki. (It’s fun store, particularly if you like yoga wear, locally made jewelry, or need meditation books, CDs, pillows and other relaxing home accessories.)

Where to go:
Lily Lotus (kaimuki; lilylotus.com)
Whole Foods (kahala)
REI online (rei.com)

Tax - Arizona, Hawaii, Oregon

I was inquiring about a photography conference in Arizona and learned that if one rents a car from the Phoenix Airport, they charge a 52% tax. This is outrageous. It seems a bit over priced. Does anyone know if this is really true?

Hawaii is a great place to shop. With sales tax at 5% it's cheaper to buy things here than the mainland. However, with airline prices going up and paying $15-25 per luggage, it might be best for mainlanders to purchase items on the mainland. Camera stuff, ipods, Tiffany's jewelry, clothing, watches and other small packable items are recommended to get on the Islands.

Oregon was my favorite place to shop. No sales tax! I hear that some people in Washington move closer to the Oregon border to save money--to shop they just drive a couple miles across the border to the nearest store to save on taxation.

Photography - Food

I don't know why, but I love taking photos of food! (Maybe it's because I love to eat so much.)

Photography - Local Flowers

Yalumba Muscat – Dessert Wine

I’m sitting here having an eighth of a glass of South Eastern Australian dessert wine. It’s a Museum Reserve Yalumba Muscat from Angaton in the south continent. It earned a high rating of a 96 which caught my eye and convinced me to try this bottle. It is in many ways a deserving rate, however, as a dessert wine it’s too strong, heavy and reminiscent of a port for my personal taste. I enjoy the light, fruity and crisp dessert wines of the Muscato di Asti’s and various ice wines I’ve tried at the Amuse Wine Bar and Formaggio Wine Bar.

The Yalumba Muscat is full bodied, deep and rich. It’s a long wine with a nice blend of apricot and currants, resembling in my imagination as a fruity port. It’s too strong for my taste but because of it’s full bodied flavor I can imagine someone sipping this on an old leather wing back chair near a burning fireplace on an autumn day.

While I will not purchase this bottle again it was well worth the experience of sipping an grade A dessert wine. Two sips of this, however, and I’m done. Would anyone like the rest of the bottle? Just let me know.

WiFi Places to Eat & Work

Honolulu is not like the OC, where it's almost common place to find free WiFi at malls, outdoor shopping plazas and eateries. Here, one must hunt high and low to find access to free internet availability. Here are a couple unexpected places that I like to simultaneously eat & work at:

Cafe Laufer, Kaimuki Great pastries, warm gourmet sandwiches, and cherry blossom themed decor make this place a delight to eat at. It's a cross between a cafe in Paris and Japan, leaving me to often feel unsettled in this space. Nonetheless, weekdays during the daytime are not crowded and a great place for free WiFi. Just turn on your computer and you'll be automatically connected.

Teddy's Burger, Hawaii Kai Yup, I'm here right now blogging away over a Veggie burger which is actually moist and filled with sunflower seeds and other fresh ingredients. As an American Airlines member I also get 5 miles for every dollar spent. Plus free WiFi. Not bad.

Big City Diner, Kaimuki I like BCD because I can watch football while I work. They have great floats and because I'm not a diner food kind of gal, I usually order the salads. They don't have free access per se, but one of the workers did tell me the password to catch Cafe Laufer's signal after hours: it's "pastries." But shhhh don't tell anyone!

Photography - Ihilani Resort

Photography - Zoo

Cartoon Network - Hakjoon

My friend Hakjoon is an amazing professional illustrator who works for the Cartoon Network (Batman, Teen Titans, etc). I had never heard of the CN back in the day but made sure to watch my dose of 'toons after meeting him. It was so cool to see his work on TV and have the chance to ask him questions about the design process and how he came up with different ideas.

You can see the variety of Hak's work--from MTV music videos, cartoon illustrations, to church designs at:

http://be4be4.blogspot.com/2007_02_01_archive.html

Hak is also entrepreneurial, working on projects with Google and starting up his own company which intersects media, gaming, and social media. His team created Google's Lively--online rooms and avatars. (A whole new world for me). Congrats on this technology and design, Hak--quite impressive!

Photo Geek - Composition Tips

Photo Geek Tips - Composition

If any of these composition terms makes sense to you, you are a bona fide photo geek. If not, the words are self explanatory, just implement them into your shots:

Rule of Thirds
Symmetry
Birds eye view
Close up
Diagonal
Leading lines
S- curve
Repetitive lines
Reflections
Animals & People
Portraits
Story
Shadow Art
Wide Angel
Low Horizon
High Horizon
Low Perspective
Group
Products

Happy Belated Birthday to my dearest friend, Julianna!

Here's the perfect cupcake for the perfect friend ~ Dark chocolate cake dipped in tempered chocolate ganache topped with a cloud of Bailey's Irish Creme butter creme and hazelnuts. It's their specialty cupcake, deep, rich and elegant with just a touch of alcohol. Just the way Jules would like it! Cheers!

Film - Gary Gets Married

Gary is a mild mannered, introspective artist-type, a UCI grad I knew from my InterVarsity days. A few years ago a handful of us flew to Chicago to attend the Willow Creek Leadership Conference. It was an un-leadership leadership conference where we all took an oath of silence to keep the Chicago-week under wraps. Had the church pastor not come down with a cold leaving us to our own demise, it would have been a very serious, ministry minded, prayerful trip of debriefing and strategic planning. As it turned out, we left our leadership hats in LA and had so much fun exploring the Windy City; it was truly a memorable bonding experience.

I lost touch with Gary but was glad to hear that he was married two February's ago. In his own Gary-style and humor he created the un-wedding wedding video to show at his reception. Check it out:

http://be4be4.blogspot.com/2006_03_01_archive.html

I noticed that Gary included some of his self portraits from our Chicago trip in the film. Way cool!

Famous Photographers

I attended just one of Foresberg's $200 photography class at the UH and knew within the hour that I needed to get a refund. It was horrible. Perhaps the instructor was a good artist, but she was not a good teacher of art. Her mind ran in abstract circles that were un-followable. She could not teach, explain, and break down terms, was administratively disorganized, and painfully struggled to facilitate a class discussion. By the break many students were frustrated and I knew that I had to drop the class. What did come out of attending the first class was a list of these famous photographers. I figure at some point I should study them for each of their contributions to the field:

Bruce Davidson | Gary Winogrand| Robert Frank | Minor White
Uta Barth| Alex Webb |Peter Beard
Diane Arbus | Gerd Ludwig| Philip Lorca di Corica
Sally Mann | Hiroki Sugimoto | Chuck Close
Sylvia Plachy| Nikki S Lee

I did use Nikki Lee's work in my Asian American Studies course when I devoted a lecture to the role of Art and Artists in building, sustaining and empowering this panethnic community.

Asian Americans & Music

I found a children's illustration on the web of an Asian American girl playing the violin. (I had it posted here but the image has been taken down from the artist's website). What came to mind when i saw the image is the stereotype that all Asian American kids know how to play a musical instrument--usually the piano or violin. The more and more people I meet, the more I laugh when I find that in many cases it holds true within my circle of Asian American friends.

I suppose what one learns from music is self-discipline (yes, the hours of daily practice doing piano scales and other methodical exercises), the development of the creative left brain, training in public performance (someone, even if it's just one's family member can't help but to hear one's work), mechanical thinking (understanding measures, time fractions, music composition), and emotional expression (playing from one's heart). Perhaps Asian American parents have been keen on seeing this holistic learning process, or maybe not.

After many years of Bach, Beethovan and Mozart, I finally found my true piano expression through the music sheets of Yanni. Yes, go ahead and laugh, but I think playing Yanni on the piano was when I finally felt like piano playing was for me...not just for the weekly lessons with my teacher. Playing Depeche Mode and church music was fun too, but Yanni was the last thing I played (before getting carpol tunnel) that I truly loved.


I dedicate this post to my piano teacher and Cliff who always had his piano lesson before or after me (no matter what days I changed it to) throughout our elementary school days. Cliff is the only childhood friend who I attended elementary, high school and college with > not to mention all the piano recitals and carpools to algebra classes at MK High School when we were in 7th/8th grade. Years later when I finally went to my first Yanni concert, who did I see sitting infront of me? Why Cliff, of course! Who else would have bought tickets to see (shhh)...Yanni live!

Photography - Practicing People

Some formal & informal shots from the Summit:

In attendance: National Futurists, Senator, State Rep, CEOs, Non-Profits, Architects, Designers, Military Leaders

All down to earth people whose presence and conversations I enjoyed.

Photo Geek - Tripod Tips

Photo Geek Tips - Buying a Tripod

What to look for when buying a Tripod:

Must Consider
Carbon Fiber (or light weight to carry)
Height (proportionate to your height at eye level)
Quick release legs (metal)
Quick release camera mount (a must in my opinion)
Insulation in legs (need in cold weather or won't open up) > or cover with foam
Cross bar lock (to lock legs)

Optionals
Seperate tripod head (with hand grip, trigger)
Level (to ensure even horizon)
Strap or bag (to carry tripod)
Center hook (for camera bag; weighs down tripod so camera does not tip over)
Ability to lower and widen legs (for macro shots) or lower middle bar down horizontally

Brands to Consider
Getzo
Gioto
Bogen
Velbon

Hawaiian Sunset

This weekend I had the opportunity to do a photo shoot at the Ihilani Resort, known for displaying beautiful Hawaiian sunsets. Here's what the evening brought...

Photo Geek - Lens Tips

Photo Geek Tips - Camera Lenses

Camera Body | The 5D Mark II is coming out in November 2008. Should price at around $3K. Eventually Canon will make all camera lines body full framed (the 50D line for example will turn full frame within the next year, two or three to beat out it's competitor, Nikon). Nikon recently changed to full frame to keep up with Canon. Eventually, we'll all be able to purchase full framed cameras at a reasonable consumer price.

Lenses | Buy the most expensive full framed lens you can afford. If you can't afford it, then wait until you can (rather than buying low and upgrading later). Also buy the fastest lens you can afford. It will make a difference in your photo quality and creativity. Some people only work with primes, others like zooms, and yet others like myself like to work with both.

Long zooms lenses | While a 20-300 won't get you the clearest shots at the end ranges (plus vignettes), these lenses are great for travel. For domestic shots (at your home, on assignment) opt to carry multiple lens such as a 17-85 and 70-200 for example. More flexibility and better quality.

Storage | Place your camera in air tight containers with silicon to absorb moisture. Algae, particularly in humid climates, will permanently scratch your expensive camera lens.

Let Your Life Speak - Vocational Call

My old copy of Let Your Life Speak sits in a box in Los Angeles. Using my Border's bookstore 20% off coupon, I decided to purchase another copy here in Hawaii. Not that I have the extra cash, but it's a timely book worth reading at this juncture. An excerpt by Parker Palmer that I identify with:

"Vocation, the way I was seeking it, becomes an act of will, a grim determination that one's life will go this way or that whether it wants to or not. If the self is sin-ridden and will bow to truth and goodness only under duress, that approach to vocation makes sense. But if the self seeks not pathology but wholeness, as I believe it does, then the willful pursuit of vocation is an act of violence toward ourselves--violence in the name of a vision that, however lofty, is forced on the self from without rather than grown from within. True self, when violated, will always resist us, sometimes at great cost, holding out lives in check until we honor its truth."

"Vocation does not come from willfulness. It comes from listening. I must listen to my life and try to understand what it is truly about--quite apart from what I would like it to be about--or my life will never represent anything real in the world, no matter how earnest my intentions."

Excerpt from: Parker Palmer, "Let Your Life Speak" (1999): 4

Restorative Yoga

Restorative Yoga can help by releasing patterns of deeply held tension in the body and re-patterning the nervous system to release stress.

Myfavorite place to do restorative yoga is at Body of Light in Wailuku, Maui. We spend most of the time resting in gentle poses--almost like sleeping with your body twisted comfortably. Emphasis is on breathing, letting go of tension, and being kind to your body. When my mind is frazzled from school, work, or life this type of yoga helps to center me. Body of Light offers discounts for 5 classes, 10 classes, monthly and yearly passes. The studio offers different types of healing and restorative yoga classes through out the week. My favorites ones are taught by the owner, Elizabeth. She is nurturing, present, encouraging, patient and centered.

On Oahu, restorative yoga classes can be taken at Yoga Hawaii in Kaimuki. I've only tried their "free beginners classes" for first time visitors. It was nice to be in an actual yoga studio again and the class was actually pretty good. I will soon visit their restorative yoga classes: Wednesdays, 11am-noon (no class Oct 8 & 15).

Where to go:
Body of Light
1995 Main Street, Suite 2-O
Wailuku, Maui
808.264.8263
www.bodyoflightyoga.com

Yoga Hawai, Kaimuki
808.739.YOGA
www.yoga-hawaii.com

Back to Healthy Living

Now that Whole Foods Market is in town and I’m back to practicing yoga on a weekly basis, Hawaii is starting to feel a bit more like home. I do wonder if I’ll return to being vegetarian again. My vegetarian kick ended the day James took me to eat at Rainbows as a “welcome” to the island. Yup, I learned that two scoops of rice is too much carbs for one meal and that panko fried chicken steaks and beef patties with a sunny side egg on top (Loco Moco’s) are no way to stay healthy in Hawaii.

A couple weeks ago I was getting dressed to go to the Pearl Ultra Lounge for a birthday party. The scary thing is that I couldn’t button my blouse…nor could I fit into any of my pants--any. I'm not exaggerating--I spent 40 minutes going through several creative outfits and finally had to settle on wearing a black dress..because it was the only thing that could fit my waistline. “What the heck happened?!,” I wondered to myself. Hawaii happened…and for me that meant too much ono food here and a lack of nice planned-community-walking trails for daily exercise. The great thing about living in Irvine is 1) Trader Joe's was ½ a block away 2) my yoga class was a 2 block away 3) Irvine hosts the second largest Whole Foods in the nation after New York 4) there are grass lined cement walking paths and biking paths everywhere in the city and 5) the feeling of open space, green scape, pink sunsets, happy people, and safety abound. It’s a great “quality of life” type of city to live in.

But back to Hawaii. It’s nice out here but for different reasons. The people are great and the pace of life is slow. People aren’t materialistic here and it lends to a much more simplified style of living. It’s refreshing to live this way and I’m glad that I’m here.

Photo Geek - Flash Tips

Photo Geek Tips - Flash

Buying a Flash | Get the most powerful flash you can afford. This is one area where it's not worth it to save a few bucks to get a lesser flash. The level of flash power makes a huge difference.

Flash brackets | Not only positions the flash directly above the camera body with height, but also allows you to take portraits *vertically* while avoiding black spaces in portraits.

Flash and portraits | For those with blue and light eyes, always position the flash from the top down to prevent red eyes. Learn how lighting bounces off ceiling and subjects using the 3 positions of the external flash.

Omni Bounce & Flash Diffuser| The omni bounce softens the skin. The plastic diffuser bounces light off the ceiling less harshly. The textured clear cover is to diffuse light for wide angle shots.

Flash Chord | Allows you to hand hold flashes to catch side lighting. Attach a hand chord to the flash so you don't drop the flash while setting camera functions for the next shot.

Lithium batteries | Drains fully, longer life, and weighs less. Alkaline drains quickly, has a slow death (flash operates slower and slower over time), and will leak in your camera.

My $2 Yoga Class

It's so good to get back to practicing yoga again. I was pleasantly surprised by the rigor of the class I'm taking--at $2/class I didn't know what to expect. Surprisingly I found that I was tired after only 1/3 of the way done of the 1.5 hour class. This class is no introductory level class--it is quite intense. The students are already familiar with the poses and the teacher pushes us hard and fast. I was pleasantly surprised and know that I will return week after week. The instructor is trained in Iyengar, the school of yoga that I was trained in so this was an added plus for me. My body will be sore tomorrow, I’m sure, but it hasn’t felt this good since I was practicing in LA.

For more info see: State of Hawaii Adult Education Classes – Kaimuki High School

Yoga classes are usually the first to fill up. Participants line up at 7am in the morning on the first day of registration to ensure enrollment (registration starts at 8am). People in Hawaii are nuts in this way, but I guess when resources are limited people get eager!

Whole Foods Hits Hawaii

After a long nine month delay from the targeted opening date, Whole Foods has finally arrived in Hawaii. The grand opening week was a mad house. I could barely walk around the market; it was packed shoulder to shoulder as if the entire island had planned to do a shopping run on the same day!

It’s on the small side, but it has the basics and the only in-market kitchen for Asian food and Pizzas. On my first visit, I ordered two scoops of gelato—it shocked my wallet at $8.00! The sign for gelato prices weren't up yet, so after I mentioned this the cashier she sold it to me for $2.99. What a rip off that would have been! (Or perhaps she charged me wrong—I’m sure everyone was learning on the first day on the job).

I returned to Whole Foods today. It was empty and I felt so happy walking down the aisles. It’s like I was back at home, in my element of having the option for healthy living again. Organic produce, eco friendly products, fresh cooked meals, organic body products, vegetarian microwavable foods, and healthy life style magazines made me smile inside. Today I came home with: Terra vegetable chips (miss these!—though I don’t recommend the Terra "Kettles" line), Soy crisps, organic milk (miss this), Wallaby (Australian) yogurt, and hot food to go—lemon chicken (not too tangy, just right) and orange chicken (like Panda Express) on a bed of brown rice. Ah, my refrigerator is happy too.

The biggest disappointment for me was the limited yogurt section. I miss my Five Grain Mediterranean yogurt and was most looking forward to this as I anticipated Whole Foods' opening. Perhaps the Whole Foods at Ward Center will be bigger and have a bigger selection!? Otherwise I’ll have to fly to Irvine just to see the entire wall of neatly lined yogurt and find the one I miss the most.

Where to Go
Whole Foods Market is located at Kahala Mall on the bottom floor next to Starbuck, Jamba Juice.

Asian American Film Festival - Austin & Philadelphia

It's so nice to see that there's a growing awareness of an Asian American politic and presence in cities that are often overlooked as traditional Asian American communities.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
October 10, 2008
http://phillyasian.bside.com/2008/schedule

Austin, Texas
October 11, 2008
http://www.aaaff.org/

Spoof on the Canon 5D Mark II

The All-In-One Camera

Supposedly the upcoming November 2008 release of Canon's full framed pro-lined camera is said "to do it all." This spoof shows that Canon cameras certainly live up to their promise. (See the various buttons on the camera) [click on image to see full view].

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