My dearest Grandma Mae! 

"There is a certain part of all of us that lives outside of time.  Perhaps we become aware of our age only at exceptional moments and most of the time we are ageless."

"The most amazing thing of all has been you, Mr. Nakata. You changed my life. These past ten days, I don't know--things look different to me now. Stuff I never would've given a second glance before seems different. Like music, for instance--music I used to think was boring really gets to me now. I feel like I've gotta tell somebody about this or bust, somebody who'll understand what I've gone through. Nothing like this ever happened to me before. And it's all because of you. I've started to see the world through your eyes. Not
everything, mind you. I like how you look at life, so that's why it happened. That's why I've stayed with you through thick and thin, why I couldn't leave you. It's been one of the most meaningful times I've ever had in my life."

Haruki Murakami, Kafka on the Shore

 

I'm nearing the end of this book, and I have to say...I'm kinda sad about it. These characters have all grown on me and I always feel that the end of the book shouldn't be the end--but I know the story has to stop at some point. Funny enough, I used to have a high school art teacher called Mr. Nakata. One of the better teachers in my high school! I remember signing a petition to keep him in the art department, because budget cuts were forcing the administration to lay off some teachers--like my French teacher, Madame Zeleznik and my Physics teacher Brian (who bore an uncanny resemblance to a younger Gene Wilder and whose last name is escaping me right now). Looking back, my high school days weren't so bad. I was a recluse most of the time, but hey it paid off. My teachers were a lot more interesting than most kids at my school anyway.

This weekend we celebrated my brother's birthday with a "pizza party" and chocolate haupia pie, which is delicious for those of you who haven't tried it yet.  On Sunday we went back to Mokuleia beach, and I think it has become something of a ritual every weekend this summer.  Just like when we were children.  Get up early at the crack of dawn, make spam musubis, lug all the gear into the truck, and make sure we don't leave anyone behind.  This summer all the purple cassia trees are in bloom in Wahiawa, and all the pineapple plantations around the North Shore have disappeared, only to be replaced by wild grasses and red dirt.  But there is always that sense of liberation just to see the vast land pass by, knowing that at least some parts of this island are not being used for the military.

 

Mon ami Jacques et moi, nous sommes allés au Premier Vendredi pour voir des arts, crées par les artistes du coin. Après, nous avons dîné au resto Mei Sum et nous avons mangé la cuisine chinoise. C'était un bon répas avec lui parce qu'il est trop drôle tout le temps !
 
I took these photos while I was waiting for him near the Nu'uano canal.

*** P.S. It's also my brother's birthday! On D-Day, no less! He's 19 now.

That's right, it's my kid sister's 17th birthday! Today she had school but her adorable boyfriend got her a big panda plushie, a Wii game and a bottle of bubblestuff. :) I wish I had that kind of love at 17, but she's lucky. (They even colour-coordinate their outfits). We're taking her to Ice Palace this weekend.
 
The Spring 2009 Zoetrope issue has a Latin American theme, so all the authors are Latin American. Guillermo del Toro (I hope his name is familiar to some of you) wrote an introduction as well as supplied hand-drawn images from his old diaries, which now sprinkle the pages of this wonderful issue. It's quite engrossing!

The summer wind came blowing in
From across the sea it lingered there
So warm and fair to walk with me
All summer long we sang a song
And strolled on golden sand
Two sweethearts and the summer wind

Le vent d'été est arrivé à l'improviste

à travers la mer il y a persisté

si chaud et clair pour se promener avec moi

Tout l'été nous avons chanté une chanson

et nous nous sommes promenés sur le sable d'or

deux amours et le vent d'été

I live in Hawaii, but I also spend most of my time in the city, so it's rare that I ever go to the north shore or "countryside" of this island. But when I go... the beach is an absolute must. I went with my family this time, including the dog, and we got her addicted to the ocean. :)

je crois qu'une vraie amitié ne se termine jamais.
patrick, ma confrère et mon ami, je te souhaite bonne chance dans
l'avenir et j'attends jusqu'à notre prochaine rencontre. merci
beaucoup et bon voyage.

spent a lazy saturday afternoon on the shore of waikiki, reading and
indulging in vietnamese booth cuisine from the symphony fair. bunch
of bodyboarders plopped down next to me under a palm tree, dripping
wet and reeking of sea water and sunscreen--oh how i wished i brought
my swimsuit.

 later in the day we took aikopan (my dog) to kapiolani park where she
roamed freely under our watchful eyes. a few japanese tourists sat
down at a table and watched us being chased by the fearsome aikochan!

 and now i am graced with an awkward and telling sandal tan for not
applying sunscreen to my feet. i'll do it all again tomorrow.

spring is the only time of the year that the cassia trees blossom all
over the islands. they are truly magnificent, i would say on par with
sakura or ume, but their fruits are rather pungent (and hardly edible
for mere humans).

 still, life is good when they're around. :)