Wednesday, February 24, 2010

eat pray love


the lyrical writing of elizabeth gilbert touched the pallete of my visual eye the way that perfectly seared foie gras melts on your tongue with buttery smoothness. it's a delicious read that captured my mind's imagination as i ate the words of her pen one by one. like biting into the flesh of a ripe pommegrante, a carefulness as to not stain yet to enjoy its burst of unexpected sweetness.

gilbert is a gifted novelist. her sentences are packed with so much color (i studied her use of adjectives and adverbs with amazement) that i often felt like one phrase would send me around the world and place me standing right beside her.

i fell in love with, for example, the world's best pizza in italy (which made me so delirious i thought that it actually loved me back), medidated with frustration on the hard cold floors of india, and opened my heart in indonesia. her global escapades and year's journey are chaptered by the seasons she spends in the three countries she chooses because they start with the letter, "I".

it was actually the perfect read for my month sabbatical on maui. my own little adventure of food, faith and new friendships. i suppose my journey could be chaptered by the letter "F".

i read five books that month, but this one was my favorite. it tickled my tastebuds with delightfully smart prose.

some critique the book for being an elitest work, a journey that only a white woman with wealth and priveledge could have access to. rather than offering readers a fanticiful escape through some 200 pages, critics find repulsion to gilbert's understated support for literal escapism (via travel), her quests an unrealistic option for the average American reader who similarly faces divorce and depression.

for once i tried to not think analytically of a book, and enjoyed it for what it is. and i found "eat, pray, love" to be a humorously light memoir built on a foundation of skilled and colorful writing, and one that brought a new smile and welcome invitation to my soul.

Monday, February 15, 2010

Google 466453



As I've confessed before, I'm a google-girl. Appreciate their technology-forward contributions and philosophy of global-tech democratization.

I've been using their handy google text service alot lately. Just send a text message with a business or company name in 3 seconds you will receive the address and phone number.

(yes, count it out loud "one one thousand, two...")

It's quick and easy!

Here's the number to text: G-O-O-G-L-E (or type in the respective key pad phone numbers: 466453)

For example, I was recently driving to my favorite Honolulu furniture store, Inspiration, but wasn't sure if the store hours had closed. I didn't have the store's phone number so I pulled over to the side of the road and typed the words "inspiration honolulu" unto a text message and sent it to the recipent "466453". In 3 seconds, I received a text message back providing me with the store name, store address, and store phone number. I was able then able to quickly call Inspiration to confirm their store hours and get back on the road.

Just think of it like doing a google search on your computer--but on your cell phone. It just costs the price of a text message (free, 10, 20 or 25 cents depending on your provider). All you need to do is type in key words for google to do it's search: (e.g. store name, city, zip, and such).

I stored the 466453/Google number in my cell phone and use it whenever I need store directions/hours/customer service and don't have access to the internet or am on the road!

This google service is available with many of the major cell phone network carriers: AT&T, Nextel, Sprint, T-Mobile, Celluar, Verizon Wireless and Virgin Mobile (and more).


Mahalo to Ace for passing along this super helpful tip!

Monday, February 8, 2010

news



To get instant news from around the world, the "Newseum" is a nifty online site that allows you to read the daily headlines from around the world. Just place your mouse on the interactive map, and roll over the city you want to see.

To read the Honolulu news line, for example, drag the U.S. map to view the Hawaiian islands and place your mouse over the dot in Oahu. And whala, there's your headline!

The world is certainly getting smaller and smaller with each info-tech advancement.

Click here to see the Newseum site.