The Newtown Shooting in Connecticut was last Friday. In the aftermath, the nation has come together to support the victims and survivors. The massacre has also spawned a renewed gun control debate. Those in favor of gun control, NY Mayor Bloomberg and California Senator Dianne Feinstein among them, are more outspoken. A few pro-gun individuals have also come out to support an assault weapons ban (which the president had campaigned on in his first term, but did not accomplish) as well as a ban on high capacity magazines. The NRA has stayed silent until today, when it came out with a message offering condolences as well as an announcement that they'll have another announcement on Friday. Pro-gun legislators have gone into self-exile, but whether this is because they feel now would be an unpopular or inappropriate time to bring up the issue, or because they are waiting for leadership (from the NRA or some other politician), or because they are struggling with their own ideals, has yet to be seen.
One idea that I find ludicrous has been the idea that we should arm our educators and school administrators. I for one am a huge fan and supporter of teachers, but keeping firearms at school with the absurd notion that they would do good than harm is sickening. Having guns in the home is bad enough. Used properly, they can be an asset, but all to often individuals find a false sense of security which dulls them to other options aside from the one of last resort. An intruder on their property? Shoot him. Let that f'ing idiot suffer for trespassing - he should have known better. It feels great to wield that much power. It feels great until the police respond to your 911 call only to unmask the culprit who turns out to be your son who was playing a practical joke, sneaking out, or sneaking back in from a late night rendezvous. That's an exception - how often is that going to happen, you ask.
Actually, it happened just a few months ago. A father was contacted by his daughter next door who thought there was a prowler. The father went outside with his gun and saw a masked individual with a knife. When the person failed to identify himself, the father shot him. He then sat on the grass and waited for the police to arrive. It was the police who revealed the son's identity hours later, with the father sobbing and vomiting at the realization of what he had actually done. The father was a good person - he and his wife had adopted the son & daughter whose father was on his way to prison. His students and coworkers reported that he was an excellent and popular teacher. Guns can visit evil on even the best intentioned people. Even professionally trained law-enforcement officers have killed innocent individuals because of misunderstandings (children playing with unmarked toy guns) or injured innocent bystanders (NYPD - again just a few months ago) in pursuit of an actual "bad guy".
Individuals in opposition to gun control offer varying arguments. On my way to work this morning I had the unfortunate opportunity to listen to a couple local dunces on a pop music station. Their main arguments included 1) I have a constitutional right to bear arms and 2) these guns were the mom's, not the son's. I wanted to go and punch the guys in the face. When the constitution was written, a few guys with automatic or semi-automatic rifles which were non-existent at the time probably could have taken out a whole regiment of soldiers; the only sweat would be from holding up the gun and dealing with the recoil. I'm sure our founding fathers did not intend that each of their citizens have the right to pack cannons in their backyard sheds. Secondly - YES, a ban on assault weapons and/or high capacity magazines may have prevented this tragedy! The mother recently bought those weapons. She and the son went to the range and practiced using them! If a ban had been in place, she likely wouldn't have had them.
This brings us to the final, and most absurd, portion of the argument against an assault weapons & high capacity magazine ban. The shooters could always have found other ways of killing their victims. ABSOLUTELY TRUE. They could have built a bomb, mowed people down with a car, killed with a knife or a hand gun. All of that is completely and absolutely true as well as complete and absolute bullshit. If I plan on making a bomb, I need to purchase the ingredients and fly under the radar of my family, my neighbors, law enforcement, and the individuals selling me the indivual components - I can't just take my mom's bomb, or steal my friend's bombs. Next, I'd have to find a place where I could detonate the bomb and have a large number of people around me to inflict maximum carnage. It sounds easy, but it's not. Next, I'd have to get the bomb in place unnoticed and then I'd have to set it off without interference. Possible? Yes. But it's NOT AS EASY as taking an automatic weapon to a mall, movie theater, or school to mow people down!
A car? People can run out of the way. A pistol? You can't shoot as many rounds, and you can't shoot as quickly. A knife? Less deadly, close range, and susceptible to being taken down or disarmed. Still going to happen? Yes. Fewer deaths? Most definitely.
So this brings me back to the whole "arm our teachers" thing. Our teachers, I believe, enter their professions because they want to do right by the next generation. They go into schools to educate our children in the hopes that they can help them become productive citizens. How much harm do we want to inflict on them? What kind of psychological impact would it have on our educators when faced with the decision to pull the trigger on their own student(s)? What kind of challenges would we face when kids, feeling that they are unfairly treated by a teacher, or in fear of their teacher, bring their own guns to protect themselves? There are simpler, less deadly ways.
Violence will continue regardless of gun laws, just as the killing of rare animals will continue regardless of endangered species lists. That does not mean we shouldn't have them. It doesn't mean that shouldn't try to enforce them. We may not be able to save everyone, but if your child, brother, sister, parent, cousin, friend, lover, partner, co-worker, neighbor, mentor, loved one, or companion is that one person that it does save, wouldn't you want that law in place? I would.
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
My biased take on the presidential election
I'm not currently registered with any political party. However, Democrats tend to get my vote in national politics, and here's why:
Republican inconsistencies.
Sanctity of life makes a lot of sense. However, you can't claim that unless you apply it to all ages. If you are Pro-Life, then you can't also be Pro-Death Penalty. Apparently there is something else going on there. The GOP tries to paint Democrats as killers, but most of the Democrats I know are pretty consistent. They have their own opinions which vary widely, but all agree that the final decision is not one that the government should be making, which leads me to my next point.
MORE Republican inconsistencies.
Small government! Republicans make a huge deal over having smaller government. This makes perfect sense - we want our independence, we want our personal freedoms, we don't want interference in our personal & private lives. Unfortunately, this does not apply to women's healthcare when it comes to abortions and it doesn't apply when 2 consenting adults want to get married. Dems get the nod on this one too. The government is necessary to provide needed services - relief following Hurricane Sandy for example. Not that Dems are solely responsible for the relief (though Obama seems to have done much better than Bush did with Katrina), but the point is that the Democrats are pragmatic and refrained from making blatantly inconsistent claims.
Compassion.
This is something that Republicans seem to lack. They lack it in relation to women - preferring to mandate vaginal probes into people who wish to opt for an abortion. They lack it in relation to immigrants - scapegoating and villainizing people, in some cases allowing police to detain them because they look/act/speak in a certain way. They lack it in relation to the gay community - apparently, religion is great only if they conform to the religious precepts that they approve of. Poor - whether its Romney speaking about the 47% or people on Facebook complaining about the "uneducated masses" tipping the balance in favor of Obama, it seems people who make less money are also of less value.
Trust.
Comparing the two parties, one obviously tries hard to incorporate diversity, while the other speaks a great game while acting incongruently. If the Republican Party really wishes to reach out to a wider swath of the population, then they need to change their policies to incorporate a larger segment of said population. They need to put action behind their words so that people will actually believe them when they say a vote for them will be to their own benefit. Generalizing about how 47% of the population believes they are victims does not really engender trust. Defying science in favor of an ancient text, endorsing creationism over evolution, and backing a few scientific outliers to defy a much stronger argument for the case of climate change - definitely not building trust! Telling women that their bodies can naturally shut off a pregnancy when it is a result of rape, endorsing someone who claims such non-sense, or even refusing to denounce such an offensive statement - again, not building trust! Trust is built by protecting those who cannot protect themselves. Newsflash - rich people can afford lawyers.
Diversity.
This relates to trust. If other people like me haven't found a reason to trust you... ie. you have zero diversity... then there's probably a good reason for it. I found it riotous to listen to Rush Limbaugh the morning following Romney's loss. I recall him lamenting about how the GOP has been reaching out to people of color, rattling off the names of Black and Latino leaders in their party. That's about as backwards thinking as someone saying "I'm not a homophobe - I have a gay friend!" Well whoopdee-doo! We're not looking at the faces you put out front - we're looking at the policies you're supporting, we're looking at the families you're affecting, and... occassionally... we look at your crowds on TV... which definitely do not reflect diversity. Take a look at the crowd at the GOP convention and put it next to a shot of who was at the Democratic convention.
Go ahead and claim any number of reasons why people of color, women, youth, and the gay community sway heavily Democrat - level of education, group think, pandering policies, etc.... The reality is - there are people who sit in the middle, and each election cycle they sit around and think "Who best represents me?". Newsflash - with the way our demographics are changing, unless the GOP evolves, that answer will increasingly be a Democrat politician. In a year where a Republican businessman faced an incumbent Democrat with a poor economy, the GOP better learn something. That something can be one of two things - how to be more inclusive of the electorate, or how to be better losers.
Republican inconsistencies.
Sanctity of life makes a lot of sense. However, you can't claim that unless you apply it to all ages. If you are Pro-Life, then you can't also be Pro-Death Penalty. Apparently there is something else going on there. The GOP tries to paint Democrats as killers, but most of the Democrats I know are pretty consistent. They have their own opinions which vary widely, but all agree that the final decision is not one that the government should be making, which leads me to my next point.
MORE Republican inconsistencies.
Small government! Republicans make a huge deal over having smaller government. This makes perfect sense - we want our independence, we want our personal freedoms, we don't want interference in our personal & private lives. Unfortunately, this does not apply to women's healthcare when it comes to abortions and it doesn't apply when 2 consenting adults want to get married. Dems get the nod on this one too. The government is necessary to provide needed services - relief following Hurricane Sandy for example. Not that Dems are solely responsible for the relief (though Obama seems to have done much better than Bush did with Katrina), but the point is that the Democrats are pragmatic and refrained from making blatantly inconsistent claims.
Compassion.
This is something that Republicans seem to lack. They lack it in relation to women - preferring to mandate vaginal probes into people who wish to opt for an abortion. They lack it in relation to immigrants - scapegoating and villainizing people, in some cases allowing police to detain them because they look/act/speak in a certain way. They lack it in relation to the gay community - apparently, religion is great only if they conform to the religious precepts that they approve of. Poor - whether its Romney speaking about the 47% or people on Facebook complaining about the "uneducated masses" tipping the balance in favor of Obama, it seems people who make less money are also of less value.
Trust.
Comparing the two parties, one obviously tries hard to incorporate diversity, while the other speaks a great game while acting incongruently. If the Republican Party really wishes to reach out to a wider swath of the population, then they need to change their policies to incorporate a larger segment of said population. They need to put action behind their words so that people will actually believe them when they say a vote for them will be to their own benefit. Generalizing about how 47% of the population believes they are victims does not really engender trust. Defying science in favor of an ancient text, endorsing creationism over evolution, and backing a few scientific outliers to defy a much stronger argument for the case of climate change - definitely not building trust! Telling women that their bodies can naturally shut off a pregnancy when it is a result of rape, endorsing someone who claims such non-sense, or even refusing to denounce such an offensive statement - again, not building trust! Trust is built by protecting those who cannot protect themselves. Newsflash - rich people can afford lawyers.
Diversity.
This relates to trust. If other people like me haven't found a reason to trust you... ie. you have zero diversity... then there's probably a good reason for it. I found it riotous to listen to Rush Limbaugh the morning following Romney's loss. I recall him lamenting about how the GOP has been reaching out to people of color, rattling off the names of Black and Latino leaders in their party. That's about as backwards thinking as someone saying "I'm not a homophobe - I have a gay friend!" Well whoopdee-doo! We're not looking at the faces you put out front - we're looking at the policies you're supporting, we're looking at the families you're affecting, and... occassionally... we look at your crowds on TV... which definitely do not reflect diversity. Take a look at the crowd at the GOP convention and put it next to a shot of who was at the Democratic convention.
Go ahead and claim any number of reasons why people of color, women, youth, and the gay community sway heavily Democrat - level of education, group think, pandering policies, etc.... The reality is - there are people who sit in the middle, and each election cycle they sit around and think "Who best represents me?". Newsflash - with the way our demographics are changing, unless the GOP evolves, that answer will increasingly be a Democrat politician. In a year where a Republican businessman faced an incumbent Democrat with a poor economy, the GOP better learn something. That something can be one of two things - how to be more inclusive of the electorate, or how to be better losers.
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Auntie Chronicle 2
My aunt loves gameshows. I'm not exactly sure what it is that draws her to them, but my guess is that the draw is similar to how it draws the rest of us. We literally feel the emotions of the people competing. My aunt doesn't get a lot of social interaction in her daily life, but I would guess that the gameshows give her a measure of excitement that she would otherwise be lacking.
This post has little to do with any of that though.
A few days ago we were watching a rerun of Family Feud (and when I say "we", I mean she was watching it and I was being nice and sitting through it. I enjoy some of what she watches, but I usually have other preferences. She would say the same about the shows I watch). The survey topic was: Name something that kids dare eachother to eat.
Worms. I believe that was the number one answer. Vegetables. No one got that one. Boogers. Yes, that was another correct answer. I was cooking dinner at the time, but I heard the answer and laughed from the kitchen.
Then I hear my aunt's voice - "Huh? What's that?" I thought she had misheard, so I repeated. "Boogers! You know - kids dare eachother to eat their boogers!?" No answer. I stuck my head out from the kitchen area. "Really? You don't know what is booger?" (grammatically incorrect, but that's pigin for ya).
"Nope," was her answer. She went back to watching the show. I popped my head out again. "Auntie Sally!" I exclaimed. When she looked up I made a fake nose picking motion.
Her response: "Ew! I wouldn't eat that!" as she furrowed her brow.
I hope not!!!
o_O
This post has little to do with any of that though.
A few days ago we were watching a rerun of Family Feud (and when I say "we", I mean she was watching it and I was being nice and sitting through it. I enjoy some of what she watches, but I usually have other preferences. She would say the same about the shows I watch). The survey topic was: Name something that kids dare eachother to eat.
Worms. I believe that was the number one answer. Vegetables. No one got that one. Boogers. Yes, that was another correct answer. I was cooking dinner at the time, but I heard the answer and laughed from the kitchen.
Then I hear my aunt's voice - "Huh? What's that?" I thought she had misheard, so I repeated. "Boogers! You know - kids dare eachother to eat their boogers!?" No answer. I stuck my head out from the kitchen area. "Really? You don't know what is booger?" (grammatically incorrect, but that's pigin for ya).
"Nope," was her answer. She went back to watching the show. I popped my head out again. "Auntie Sally!" I exclaimed. When she looked up I made a fake nose picking motion.
Her response: "Ew! I wouldn't eat that!" as she furrowed her brow.
I hope not!!!
o_O
Monday, September 17, 2012
Ego
I am so not qualified to talk about one's ego, but that's the point of a blog isn't it? I get to throw up my own senseless drivel up here with absolutely no background whatsoever in the subject.
So what is "ego"? I could look it up on a dictionary site, but then so can you since you're obviously already on the internet. Well, I'm not going to do that. It's cliche. Sadly, I just noted that the little accent mark over the last "e" in "cliche" doesn't automatically appear. That, my friends, is ego. You see, I purposely noted that fact so that you wouldn't think I'm an idiot. I needed to project intelligence in order protect my ego - my image of self. Intelligence defended? check. Ego intact? double check. (double, because I am now informing you that I purposely did not capitalize for dramatic effect.)
I've always enjoyed discussion about ego. Our concept of self plays a crucial role in how we interact with the world, and life is so much easier when we just let that go. I'm in no way saying that I've accomplished this... I'm probably as far as you can get from it. It is interesting to observe it in action though. So many of our problems are of our own creation, though we often do our best to blame outside influences in order to protect this concept we have of ourselves as perfect beings.
While the creators of our religions may or may not have realized it, religion is one of the biggest exploiters of our ego in the world. Some teach us that people are to be cherished because we were created in the image of an all powerful God who protects us, grants us salvation, and guarantees our survival after death. To think that we are so central to the universe that a creator exists and purposely made and selected us as his/her/its chosen people is a supreme act of conceit. But that's the whole purpose of religion - to create this aggrandized ego in order to protect ourselves from one another. Basically - it's a way to scare us into being civil with one another. Hard to argue with that. Of course, it then prevents us from realizing what a gift life is. Imagine all of the actions that had to occur, from the Big Bang up until your conception, in order to make sure you were born. The odds of you coming out as you are are incalculable, and a much better reason to protect and cherish you, regardless of whether you hold the same personal views as me.
But ego is exercised in our everyday lives in much more mundane circumstances. Deciding how to present ourselves is a daily exploration of ego. Glasses or contacts? How, or even whether, to do our hair. Choosing what to wear. Deciding on what to cover, or not cover, our feet with.
The object, or purpose, is not to not care. The object is to care about others more, and about ourselves less. For with less ego, we experience more life, and we experience more joy. Imagine a person who is being introduced to a new dance. A young boy or girl might just jump into the experience, while those who have learned to protect their ego might try to observe, or even refuse altogether, so that they don't "embarrass" themselves. And the ego isn't involved only with learning new things, it continues on throughout our experiences. Veteran dancers showing off their moves can be just as concerned about their ego - fine tuning everything so they look good in front of a crowd - as the newbie. The joy comes in the experience, or just doing it - living it - and once you realize that you are, you've let the ego back in. Thinking "I'm doing this right - I've let go of my ego" is your ego coming back and latching on. Kind of hilarious if you ask me. Dancing though - "good" or "bad" - is hardly destructive. So how else can it affect us?
Ego gets in the way the most when we pay the least attention to it. The professional musician who pooh-poohs another person's performance because it doesn't conform to their personal ideals. The angry friend who boils over because someone hasn't spoken to them in what they've determined as "too long". The supervisor who allows their own personal judgement about a person override tangible evidence of that person's performance.
As I write that last paragraph I wonder how many people can identify with those situations. Next, I wonder how many will analyze whether or not they've been on both sides of those scenarios. And now... I'm humbled to think whether or not I truly turn the mirror on myself. I hope I do. Any of us can get caught in any one of those situations - we might currently be in one, or all, and not even realize it. The point is - our egos interfere with our lives on a daily basis. They have the power to make us miserable. The crazy thing is that it's ourselves that are making us miserable and that while we might be tempted to lecture other people about how they need to control their ego, much more would be accomplished if I just tended to my own.
So what is "ego"? I could look it up on a dictionary site, but then so can you since you're obviously already on the internet. Well, I'm not going to do that. It's cliche. Sadly, I just noted that the little accent mark over the last "e" in "cliche" doesn't automatically appear. That, my friends, is ego. You see, I purposely noted that fact so that you wouldn't think I'm an idiot. I needed to project intelligence in order protect my ego - my image of self. Intelligence defended? check. Ego intact? double check. (double, because I am now informing you that I purposely did not capitalize for dramatic effect.)
I've always enjoyed discussion about ego. Our concept of self plays a crucial role in how we interact with the world, and life is so much easier when we just let that go. I'm in no way saying that I've accomplished this... I'm probably as far as you can get from it. It is interesting to observe it in action though. So many of our problems are of our own creation, though we often do our best to blame outside influences in order to protect this concept we have of ourselves as perfect beings.
While the creators of our religions may or may not have realized it, religion is one of the biggest exploiters of our ego in the world. Some teach us that people are to be cherished because we were created in the image of an all powerful God who protects us, grants us salvation, and guarantees our survival after death. To think that we are so central to the universe that a creator exists and purposely made and selected us as his/her/its chosen people is a supreme act of conceit. But that's the whole purpose of religion - to create this aggrandized ego in order to protect ourselves from one another. Basically - it's a way to scare us into being civil with one another. Hard to argue with that. Of course, it then prevents us from realizing what a gift life is. Imagine all of the actions that had to occur, from the Big Bang up until your conception, in order to make sure you were born. The odds of you coming out as you are are incalculable, and a much better reason to protect and cherish you, regardless of whether you hold the same personal views as me.
But ego is exercised in our everyday lives in much more mundane circumstances. Deciding how to present ourselves is a daily exploration of ego. Glasses or contacts? How, or even whether, to do our hair. Choosing what to wear. Deciding on what to cover, or not cover, our feet with.
The object, or purpose, is not to not care. The object is to care about others more, and about ourselves less. For with less ego, we experience more life, and we experience more joy. Imagine a person who is being introduced to a new dance. A young boy or girl might just jump into the experience, while those who have learned to protect their ego might try to observe, or even refuse altogether, so that they don't "embarrass" themselves. And the ego isn't involved only with learning new things, it continues on throughout our experiences. Veteran dancers showing off their moves can be just as concerned about their ego - fine tuning everything so they look good in front of a crowd - as the newbie. The joy comes in the experience, or just doing it - living it - and once you realize that you are, you've let the ego back in. Thinking "I'm doing this right - I've let go of my ego" is your ego coming back and latching on. Kind of hilarious if you ask me. Dancing though - "good" or "bad" - is hardly destructive. So how else can it affect us?
Ego gets in the way the most when we pay the least attention to it. The professional musician who pooh-poohs another person's performance because it doesn't conform to their personal ideals. The angry friend who boils over because someone hasn't spoken to them in what they've determined as "too long". The supervisor who allows their own personal judgement about a person override tangible evidence of that person's performance.
As I write that last paragraph I wonder how many people can identify with those situations. Next, I wonder how many will analyze whether or not they've been on both sides of those scenarios. And now... I'm humbled to think whether or not I truly turn the mirror on myself. I hope I do. Any of us can get caught in any one of those situations - we might currently be in one, or all, and not even realize it. The point is - our egos interfere with our lives on a daily basis. They have the power to make us miserable. The crazy thing is that it's ourselves that are making us miserable and that while we might be tempted to lecture other people about how they need to control their ego, much more would be accomplished if I just tended to my own.
Thursday, August 30, 2012
It's election season. I don't know why I pay attention to this stuff. It's obvious, that as a gay man, I'm going to be voting for the party that believes I should be able to marry the consenting adult of my choice. It's still frustrating to hear Republicans run away from social issues by claiming "it's not that topic that people come to talk to me about when I'm at my office." At least Linda Lingle had the decency to reply to an email I sent to her office not long ago.
--------------------------------
Aloha Brian,
Governor Lingle’s personal belief is that marriage is between a man and woman, but once individual states decide how they define marriage, I think those decisions should be respected by the federal government. Therefore, she would not oppose repealing the Defense of Marriage Act.
Mahalo for your questions and we look forward to hearing more from you in the future.
Campaign Team
Linda Lingle Senate Committee
808-777-8845
Lingle2012.com
Facebook Twitter
--------------------------------
What happened to Republican values that I keep hearing about? What happened to the Golden Rule? If someone (or a group of someones) doesn't treat you equally in the social realm, do you think they're somehow more likely to treat you equally in any other? Sorry... my logic just can't make that leap.
--------------------------------
Aloha Brian,
Governor Lingle’s personal belief is that marriage is between a man and woman, but once individual states decide how they define marriage, I think those decisions should be respected by the federal government. Therefore, she would not oppose repealing the Defense of Marriage Act.
Mahalo for your questions and we look forward to hearing more from you in the future.
Campaign Team
Linda Lingle Senate Committee
808-777-8845
Lingle2012.com
Facebook Twitter
--------------------------------
What happened to Republican values that I keep hearing about? What happened to the Golden Rule? If someone (or a group of someones) doesn't treat you equally in the social realm, do you think they're somehow more likely to treat you equally in any other? Sorry... my logic just can't make that leap.
Thursday, August 23, 2012
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Auntie Chronicle 1
It's been over 8 years since I moved to Maui to live with my Auntie Sally. Other than her hair, which is now shorter and more manageable, and her job, which she was laid off of, not much has changed. Before I start writing more, I feel like I need to give a bit of a back story. I was born and raised in southern California - 2000 miles away from my current home on the island of Maui. My family growing up primarily consisted of my relatives on my dad's side of the family (grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins, etc...), my grandparents on my mom's side of the family, and my Auntie Sally. Dad's side was huge, and we were pretty close as well. There was the core family, plus their relatives who were in varying degrees of closeness, and also their friends - also in varying degrees of closeness. For a kid, it was pretty complex, and occasionally confusing.
My mother's side was much easier. There was Grandma, Grandpa, and Auntie Sally. There were other relatives to be sure, but I saw them so rarely that I would have been hard pressed to recognize them, let alone get their name right. Grandma and Grandpa were not so complex. Grandma seemed like a typical Japanese grandmother (except without an accent). She was tidy, liked plants, didn't really strike me as the hugging type, and was the bane of my existence when I was younger since her appearance usually meant my mom was going somewhere. And God forbid my mom ever leaving my side! As for Grandpa - I wasn't a big fan. He smelled because of his heavy pipe/cigar smoking, and he was a jokester... with me often being the butt of his jokes. I was definitely not close to him. In fact, I usually tried to stay far away.
Auntie Sally on the other hand - she was different. Very different. I don't know how old I was when I realized it, but the PC term nowadays is intellectually challenged. Since she was a part of the family since I was born, I didn't really think anything of it. She lived with my grandparents, would come visit at the same time as them, she would occasionally get scoldings from my parents, and was socially awkward, though I'm sure I didn't see it as a negative thing. In actuality, I didn't really see much difference between her and other people, which can be a good thing, but it also means I didn't really see all things that make her a unique individual.
I wanted to write about her for one reason: So other people can get to know her. (Subconsciously, it's probably also so I can get some pity, but hey - it's my blog. I get to do what I want to.) There are days when she drives me nuts. Actually, there are probably swaths of multiple weeks when she does, but since her quirks are relegated to the home, most people don't notice them. Her quirks also tend to be subtle enough that most people miss them completely. And every once in a long while, something happens that makes me think "Wow, if only other people could be like her."
Eight years ago I moved to Maui because I wanted a change from the city life of LA, and also because I knew Auntie Sally needed someone around to watch over her. In my coming Auntie Chronicle posts, I'll share some stories that will hopefully be entertaining, and hopefully there will be a few in there that will actually be meaningful. I'll start off with a short one:
As I noted earlier, I wasn't ever really close to Auntie Sally. I knew she was "slow", but I never knew to what extent. It really didn't seem all that bad based on my interactions with her in the past, and that's exactly what you would hear from most people who know her. So when I moved here, I didn't really know what to expect. I got a big wake-up call the first week that it was just her and me.
Milk and Eggs. That's all it was. Milk and Eggs. There might have been another item or two, but I distinctly remember being at Safeway in Kahului - my very first grocery outting with Auntie Sally - and it was a simple stop to pick up a couple staples. Milk and Eggs. At the checkout counter I realized I had forgotten something. Looking back, tt was actually probably the best mistake I could have made at the time. Standing in line at Safeway, I realized that I had left my wallet at home. Thankfully, I had Auntie Sally with me. More importantly, I had Auntie Sally's purse with me.
Looking at what we were planning to purchase, I figured the total would be small enough that I didn't have to worry about her having enough money. At the time, I probably used my phone number from California for their customer loyalty program - aka the Safeway Card. So at least they got my name right this time around. The cashier dragged our items across the glass pane, and the machine beeped our prices onto the screen. Less than $10 - no prob! I turned to Auntie Sally and let her know - "Auntie Sally, can you pay for these? I left my wallet at home - I'll pay you back later." She responded - "Oh? Yah, I think I have enough money."
I waited as she pulled the purse off her shoulder and clunked it down on the little purse table that they have there. She was slow, but that was expected - she had never been a quick-moving person, and I'm a pretty patient guy. Dig dig dig. Auntie Sally was rummaging through her overstuffed purse. She easily finds her wallet and slowly removes it, glancing around to see where she can put it down. She settled on resting it on top of her purse, at which point she began struggling with the tiny zipper that runs across the length of it. All the while, I'm casually leaning against the counter - waiting.
ZIIIIIIIP. She finally got the zipper open - and as she slowly tugs it across the teeth of her dull brown over-used (what my mom would call "ratty") wallet, the clam shell-like folds burst open with sheaves of green parchment. My mouth dropped open into a gape, and my eyes opened to twice their usual size. As her fingers began running through the bills, I could see that every single corner was printed with a nice, crisp "100" on it. I was in disbelief. In less time than it took my chin to hit the floor, my right arm shot out to grab the first Benjamin it touched, while my left simultaneously clamped the walled closed. I honestly don't recall Auntie Sally's reaction, nor do I remember the cashier's reaction. All I know is that I paid with the bill, closed the purse, picked up my groceries, and then collected the $90+ in change all while keeping a close eye on the purse. I may even have carried it to the car.
My first question? I have no idea. I just know that my main priority was to get to the car safely and lock the doors. The main contenders for what came out of my mouth after the door locks were in position would be "Oh my god - what are you doing!?" and "Why are you carrying around that much money!?" In summary, the answer I got was "Oh, I don't know how much I'm going to have to spend." Once home, I counted it. Over $2000 in cash. And yet, her explanation never changed. Auntie Sally honestly thought that there might be a day when she would go to the store and need to spend $2000. Not only that, but she had another $1000 or so stashed in the house - in case the $2000 wasn't enough.
Numbers. Not Auntie Sally's strong suit. That was 8 years ago. It took less than one before it was apparent I needed to manage her finances for her. Apparent to me that is. I've made it simple for her - she's not allowed to buy anything unless she asks for permission first. Yes - anything. Some people think that's harsh - especially those who see us at a grocery store and she has to ask if she can by oatmeal. The problem is, she doesn't understand the difference between the money it takes to buy oatmeal, and the amount it costs to purchase designer accessories.
If you don't believe me, you can test her when she walks by you at the park in her frumpy sweatpants sporting her $800 designer prescription glasses. And those glasses? They were purchased AFTER she was told to consult me before making purchases. Oh well. They'll go well with her Gucci bag.
My mother's side was much easier. There was Grandma, Grandpa, and Auntie Sally. There were other relatives to be sure, but I saw them so rarely that I would have been hard pressed to recognize them, let alone get their name right. Grandma and Grandpa were not so complex. Grandma seemed like a typical Japanese grandmother (except without an accent). She was tidy, liked plants, didn't really strike me as the hugging type, and was the bane of my existence when I was younger since her appearance usually meant my mom was going somewhere. And God forbid my mom ever leaving my side! As for Grandpa - I wasn't a big fan. He smelled because of his heavy pipe/cigar smoking, and he was a jokester... with me often being the butt of his jokes. I was definitely not close to him. In fact, I usually tried to stay far away.
Auntie Sally on the other hand - she was different. Very different. I don't know how old I was when I realized it, but the PC term nowadays is intellectually challenged. Since she was a part of the family since I was born, I didn't really think anything of it. She lived with my grandparents, would come visit at the same time as them, she would occasionally get scoldings from my parents, and was socially awkward, though I'm sure I didn't see it as a negative thing. In actuality, I didn't really see much difference between her and other people, which can be a good thing, but it also means I didn't really see all things that make her a unique individual.
I wanted to write about her for one reason: So other people can get to know her. (Subconsciously, it's probably also so I can get some pity, but hey - it's my blog. I get to do what I want to.) There are days when she drives me nuts. Actually, there are probably swaths of multiple weeks when she does, but since her quirks are relegated to the home, most people don't notice them. Her quirks also tend to be subtle enough that most people miss them completely. And every once in a long while, something happens that makes me think "Wow, if only other people could be like her."
Eight years ago I moved to Maui because I wanted a change from the city life of LA, and also because I knew Auntie Sally needed someone around to watch over her. In my coming Auntie Chronicle posts, I'll share some stories that will hopefully be entertaining, and hopefully there will be a few in there that will actually be meaningful. I'll start off with a short one:
As I noted earlier, I wasn't ever really close to Auntie Sally. I knew she was "slow", but I never knew to what extent. It really didn't seem all that bad based on my interactions with her in the past, and that's exactly what you would hear from most people who know her. So when I moved here, I didn't really know what to expect. I got a big wake-up call the first week that it was just her and me.
Milk and Eggs. That's all it was. Milk and Eggs. There might have been another item or two, but I distinctly remember being at Safeway in Kahului - my very first grocery outting with Auntie Sally - and it was a simple stop to pick up a couple staples. Milk and Eggs. At the checkout counter I realized I had forgotten something. Looking back, tt was actually probably the best mistake I could have made at the time. Standing in line at Safeway, I realized that I had left my wallet at home. Thankfully, I had Auntie Sally with me. More importantly, I had Auntie Sally's purse with me.
Looking at what we were planning to purchase, I figured the total would be small enough that I didn't have to worry about her having enough money. At the time, I probably used my phone number from California for their customer loyalty program - aka the Safeway Card. So at least they got my name right this time around. The cashier dragged our items across the glass pane, and the machine beeped our prices onto the screen. Less than $10 - no prob! I turned to Auntie Sally and let her know - "Auntie Sally, can you pay for these? I left my wallet at home - I'll pay you back later." She responded - "Oh? Yah, I think I have enough money."
I waited as she pulled the purse off her shoulder and clunked it down on the little purse table that they have there. She was slow, but that was expected - she had never been a quick-moving person, and I'm a pretty patient guy. Dig dig dig. Auntie Sally was rummaging through her overstuffed purse. She easily finds her wallet and slowly removes it, glancing around to see where she can put it down. She settled on resting it on top of her purse, at which point she began struggling with the tiny zipper that runs across the length of it. All the while, I'm casually leaning against the counter - waiting.
ZIIIIIIIP. She finally got the zipper open - and as she slowly tugs it across the teeth of her dull brown over-used (what my mom would call "ratty") wallet, the clam shell-like folds burst open with sheaves of green parchment. My mouth dropped open into a gape, and my eyes opened to twice their usual size. As her fingers began running through the bills, I could see that every single corner was printed with a nice, crisp "100" on it. I was in disbelief. In less time than it took my chin to hit the floor, my right arm shot out to grab the first Benjamin it touched, while my left simultaneously clamped the walled closed. I honestly don't recall Auntie Sally's reaction, nor do I remember the cashier's reaction. All I know is that I paid with the bill, closed the purse, picked up my groceries, and then collected the $90+ in change all while keeping a close eye on the purse. I may even have carried it to the car.
My first question? I have no idea. I just know that my main priority was to get to the car safely and lock the doors. The main contenders for what came out of my mouth after the door locks were in position would be "Oh my god - what are you doing!?" and "Why are you carrying around that much money!?" In summary, the answer I got was "Oh, I don't know how much I'm going to have to spend." Once home, I counted it. Over $2000 in cash. And yet, her explanation never changed. Auntie Sally honestly thought that there might be a day when she would go to the store and need to spend $2000. Not only that, but she had another $1000 or so stashed in the house - in case the $2000 wasn't enough.
Numbers. Not Auntie Sally's strong suit. That was 8 years ago. It took less than one before it was apparent I needed to manage her finances for her. Apparent to me that is. I've made it simple for her - she's not allowed to buy anything unless she asks for permission first. Yes - anything. Some people think that's harsh - especially those who see us at a grocery store and she has to ask if she can by oatmeal. The problem is, she doesn't understand the difference between the money it takes to buy oatmeal, and the amount it costs to purchase designer accessories.
If you don't believe me, you can test her when she walks by you at the park in her frumpy sweatpants sporting her $800 designer prescription glasses. And those glasses? They were purchased AFTER she was told to consult me before making purchases. Oh well. They'll go well with her Gucci bag.
Monday, May 21, 2012
Hidden Mickeys
One of the Maui Taiko families is going to Disney World in the next couple weeks, and of course my advice to them on their trip was - LOOK FOR HIDDEN MICKEYS!!! Haha. I'm such a nerd. Anyhoo... I'm a Disney freak. I'm for anything that brings in a healthy dose of magic in my life, even if that magic happens to be prefabricated.
Of course, by magic, I simply mean that spark of joy and wonder that you get when you experience something unexpected, or the special feeling that you get when it seems like you're in on an inside joke.
I love that Disney animators throw in references to other Disney movies and characters... like when the Genie in Aladdin pulls Sebastian out of his bag or when the Sultan has a Beast toy among his animal figurines. Maybe it's just my appreciation for small details. Or maybe I just like it when people go that extra mile and reward you for paying close attention.
Or... maybe I just need to grow up. Try telling me that sometime. My answer will probably be "Never!" Hmm... reminds me of Peter Pan... another Disney Movie! Speaking of which, if you find yourself at the Peter Pan Adventure ride in Disneyland, walk across to the Snow White ride and train your eyes on the window above the entrance area. Every 30 seconds or so, the evil queen pulls the curtains open and peers out the window. Details! Love the details!
Of course, by magic, I simply mean that spark of joy and wonder that you get when you experience something unexpected, or the special feeling that you get when it seems like you're in on an inside joke.
I love that Disney animators throw in references to other Disney movies and characters... like when the Genie in Aladdin pulls Sebastian out of his bag or when the Sultan has a Beast toy among his animal figurines. Maybe it's just my appreciation for small details. Or maybe I just like it when people go that extra mile and reward you for paying close attention.
Or... maybe I just need to grow up. Try telling me that sometime. My answer will probably be "Never!" Hmm... reminds me of Peter Pan... another Disney Movie! Speaking of which, if you find yourself at the Peter Pan Adventure ride in Disneyland, walk across to the Snow White ride and train your eyes on the window above the entrance area. Every 30 seconds or so, the evil queen pulls the curtains open and peers out the window. Details! Love the details!
Sunday, May 20, 2012
Fleeting thoughts...
Impermanence is a fundamental Buddhist teaching that seems so easily understood in concept, and yet is so difficult to grasp and incorporate in life. I'm no philosopher, and I hardly ever make it in to service on Sundays, but I like to think that, in some small insignificant way, I try to incorporate Buddhism in to my every day life.
To me, impermanence is about letting go of attachment. It's about forgiveness, and it's about moving on. Also, I think it's really about ourselves - we are not permanent. We often forget that, and when we're reminded of it, or when we're forced to accept it, it can be at best an uncomfortable moment, and at worst - tortuous.
We experience impermanence in daily life. It looks at us as we drive by dilapidated buildings, it wafts into our noses in the form of a dying flower arrangement that adorns our work or living space, and it occasionally jolts us in our seats when we pass over road kill. We usually don't take a second look. Even deaths in the family seem inevitable and something we won't have to face in the near future - at least not for ourselves. It's when we lose the precious things, the ones we never thought to miss because they were always supposed to be there, that Impermanence comes and does a tango on our backside.
An acquaintance of mine was recently murdered. Brutally stabbed and left to die in the street. He was younger than me, healthy, attractive, always a lively and fun person to be around. I didn't know him well. We knew one another well enough to say hi, and we had mutual friends, but that's about it. Still, even though we weren't close personal friends, I feel a sense of loss.
He was so much to so many people, and just like that - he's gone. I don't understand. I suppose that's the point though. Life is not a simple progression. Life is... unpredictable. It can take twists and turns that no one would expect, and it can all come to an abrupt end for no rhyme or reason. The choice really is what we do with that time. Live each day like its your last. I've heard that so many times. I wonder if it will ever sink in.
Bobby - if it is true that we are judged based on how we lived our lives, then I know you're in good hands. You were always a joy to be around, and brought smiles not only to your friends, but to the faces of people who hardly even knew you. I know a few who are really devastated by your loss, and I hope they find strength in the memories that you share. Impermanence teaches us that things like this happen, however it is up to us to make sure that your loss was not in vain. If we ever find ourselves crossing paths again in this universe, or any other, I'd be honored to share your company.
To me, impermanence is about letting go of attachment. It's about forgiveness, and it's about moving on. Also, I think it's really about ourselves - we are not permanent. We often forget that, and when we're reminded of it, or when we're forced to accept it, it can be at best an uncomfortable moment, and at worst - tortuous.
We experience impermanence in daily life. It looks at us as we drive by dilapidated buildings, it wafts into our noses in the form of a dying flower arrangement that adorns our work or living space, and it occasionally jolts us in our seats when we pass over road kill. We usually don't take a second look. Even deaths in the family seem inevitable and something we won't have to face in the near future - at least not for ourselves. It's when we lose the precious things, the ones we never thought to miss because they were always supposed to be there, that Impermanence comes and does a tango on our backside.
An acquaintance of mine was recently murdered. Brutally stabbed and left to die in the street. He was younger than me, healthy, attractive, always a lively and fun person to be around. I didn't know him well. We knew one another well enough to say hi, and we had mutual friends, but that's about it. Still, even though we weren't close personal friends, I feel a sense of loss.
He was so much to so many people, and just like that - he's gone. I don't understand. I suppose that's the point though. Life is not a simple progression. Life is... unpredictable. It can take twists and turns that no one would expect, and it can all come to an abrupt end for no rhyme or reason. The choice really is what we do with that time. Live each day like its your last. I've heard that so many times. I wonder if it will ever sink in.
Bobby - if it is true that we are judged based on how we lived our lives, then I know you're in good hands. You were always a joy to be around, and brought smiles not only to your friends, but to the faces of people who hardly even knew you. I know a few who are really devastated by your loss, and I hope they find strength in the memories that you share. Impermanence teaches us that things like this happen, however it is up to us to make sure that your loss was not in vain. If we ever find ourselves crossing paths again in this universe, or any other, I'd be honored to share your company.
Monday, May 14, 2012
Unspecialness
The right place at the right time. Psychologically speaking, there must be some name for the idea that someone is always in the right place at the right time. It probably has something to do with the person NOT actually being in the right place at the right time, but rather remembering the times he/she is in the right place rather than remembering all the times she/he is not. (Pet Peeve #1: English has no unisex singular pronoun; and for those of you who make fun of Filipino's who confuse he/she, it's because in their language(s), all pronouns are unisex - so stop making fun of them!)
Actually, now that I think of it, I also have a penchant for being in the wrong place at the wrong time too...so I guess I have nothing more to write about other than recognizing my observation that I'm not as special as I'd like to think. haha.
Speaking of unspecialness, I need to think of a theme for this blog. As you can see, it's still Subject to Change. A taiko (Japanese drumming) blog sounds fun and intriguing, but I fear I might not have much to write about, me being an amateur and all. Hmm... actually, just writing that makes me reprimand myself for thinking that just because we're a small group on a rural island that people wouldn't find interest in it, or more importantly, that I couldn't find interest in it enough to fill out a blog.
On the other hand, does that mean I'm limiting it to taiko? What about all the other stuff going on in the world (and by "world" I mean the small spacious area located between my ears). I work at an agency that works with kids who have special needs (and I'm on a break right now, so there), there's my personal identity as a gay, Japanese American, and then there's the broader community of Maui, the Japanese Cultural Society of Maui (which I recently became president of by default... right place at right time? or wrong place at wrong time?), and of course there's the family stuff... and I have lots of stories about my Auntie that should probably be documented somewhere just because she's a riot and doesn't even know it.
Perhaps my blog will be permanently subject to change... per my whims of course. Is that an oxymoron?
In other news: this past weekend was Maui's Charity Walk. Imua Family Services raised just under $5,000 to help the Charity Walk raise over $550,000. I was a co-chair of the 12th Annual Maui Matsuri this year. The other co-chairs did most of the heavy lifting - I was happy to help out and look forward to doing more next year. Maui Taiko performed at the matsuri of course, and we also sold Teriyaki Mini-bentos. Sharon Westfall introduced Isobeyaki (mochi, grilled - w/ shoyu & togarashi, wrapped in nori). So ono - $2.00 each - sold out and the $$$ will be used to help with our Japan Trip. Perhaps more on that in a future post.
Actually, now that I think of it, I also have a penchant for being in the wrong place at the wrong time too...so I guess I have nothing more to write about other than recognizing my observation that I'm not as special as I'd like to think. haha.
Speaking of unspecialness, I need to think of a theme for this blog. As you can see, it's still Subject to Change. A taiko (Japanese drumming) blog sounds fun and intriguing, but I fear I might not have much to write about, me being an amateur and all. Hmm... actually, just writing that makes me reprimand myself for thinking that just because we're a small group on a rural island that people wouldn't find interest in it, or more importantly, that I couldn't find interest in it enough to fill out a blog.
On the other hand, does that mean I'm limiting it to taiko? What about all the other stuff going on in the world (and by "world" I mean the small spacious area located between my ears). I work at an agency that works with kids who have special needs (and I'm on a break right now, so there), there's my personal identity as a gay, Japanese American, and then there's the broader community of Maui, the Japanese Cultural Society of Maui (which I recently became president of by default... right place at right time? or wrong place at wrong time?), and of course there's the family stuff... and I have lots of stories about my Auntie that should probably be documented somewhere just because she's a riot and doesn't even know it.
Perhaps my blog will be permanently subject to change... per my whims of course. Is that an oxymoron?
In other news: this past weekend was Maui's Charity Walk. Imua Family Services raised just under $5,000 to help the Charity Walk raise over $550,000. I was a co-chair of the 12th Annual Maui Matsuri this year. The other co-chairs did most of the heavy lifting - I was happy to help out and look forward to doing more next year. Maui Taiko performed at the matsuri of course, and we also sold Teriyaki Mini-bentos. Sharon Westfall introduced Isobeyaki (mochi, grilled - w/ shoyu & togarashi, wrapped in nori). So ono - $2.00 each - sold out and the $$$ will be used to help with our Japan Trip. Perhaps more on that in a future post.
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
POTUS supports Gay Marriage
Wow! Today President Obama announced publically that he supports gay marriage. Many of my friends were happy to hear this, though there were a few that were rather miffed. Those who expressed their displeasure seemed to be the Republicans who were more concerned about what this meant for Mitt Romney's chances at the presidency than anything else. I know I have a number of friends who support "traditional marriage" and oppose "marriage equality" - I didn't hear much from them.
For those who honestly believe that marriage between two people of the same gender is wrong for religious reasons, I completely understand. If I was under the impression that a change to a certain policy would result in the moral corruption of my children, hey - I'd be a bit concerned too. There's not really much arguing with that. You gotta do what you gotta do, and these individuals will either have an experience that changes their opinions - whether that be a change in church policy or a personal revelation, or they'll go on for the rest of their lives just as they always have - as decent human beings who follow their beliefs as they understand them. I certainly don't agree with them, but I respect their convictions.
On the other hand, I kind of feel sorry for my friends who happen to be gay Republicans and are determined to not enjoy today's news. It reflects poorly on the current state of our political system when individuals can't even be happy that they're a small step closer to equality. On my 18th birthday - my senior year in highschool - Ellen DeGeneres' character came out in her sitcom. I had just come home from sushi with my parents and was watching the show with my mom. I nearly crapped my pants. It didn't spark a conversation, but it definitely signaled to me that homosexuality was beginning to be more accepted by society. I was a happy, albeit mildly freaked out, camper.
Imagine how much more inspired a young gay person is today knowing that their president is beyond "evolving" and has finally come around publically to support gay marriage. I would think there are more than a few out there who feel much more validated. Most of them could probably care less about the fact that he's minced words on the subject before, or that he happens to be liberal, or a Democrat.
Don't look a gift horse in the mouth. For the first time in history, the President of the United States of America told me - yes, I think we should treat you the same as everyone else. Enjoy it for what it is. :)
For those who honestly believe that marriage between two people of the same gender is wrong for religious reasons, I completely understand. If I was under the impression that a change to a certain policy would result in the moral corruption of my children, hey - I'd be a bit concerned too. There's not really much arguing with that. You gotta do what you gotta do, and these individuals will either have an experience that changes their opinions - whether that be a change in church policy or a personal revelation, or they'll go on for the rest of their lives just as they always have - as decent human beings who follow their beliefs as they understand them. I certainly don't agree with them, but I respect their convictions.
On the other hand, I kind of feel sorry for my friends who happen to be gay Republicans and are determined to not enjoy today's news. It reflects poorly on the current state of our political system when individuals can't even be happy that they're a small step closer to equality. On my 18th birthday - my senior year in highschool - Ellen DeGeneres' character came out in her sitcom. I had just come home from sushi with my parents and was watching the show with my mom. I nearly crapped my pants. It didn't spark a conversation, but it definitely signaled to me that homosexuality was beginning to be more accepted by society. I was a happy, albeit mildly freaked out, camper.
Imagine how much more inspired a young gay person is today knowing that their president is beyond "evolving" and has finally come around publically to support gay marriage. I would think there are more than a few out there who feel much more validated. Most of them could probably care less about the fact that he's minced words on the subject before, or that he happens to be liberal, or a Democrat.
Don't look a gift horse in the mouth. For the first time in history, the President of the United States of America told me - yes, I think we should treat you the same as everyone else. Enjoy it for what it is. :)
Monday, May 7, 2012
I think I started a blog elsewhere. Actually, several elsewheres. We'll see if this one is the one that sticks. I have no clue what I'm going to use this blog for. I'll probably give you some insight into what I eat, what I like to do, and where I like to go.
Let's start of with a little about me:
Location: Kahului, Maui, Hawaii
Hobbies: Taiko (Maui Taiko)
Interests: a little bit of everything
Food: Yes please!
Work: Imua Family Services
Community stuff: Maui Matsuri, Japanese Cultural Society of Maui
This weekend, you may want to check out Maui's annual Maui Matsuri. Matsuri translates into "festival". Maui Matsuri is the largest Japanese Cultural festival on the island. It kicks off our Obon season... which would take a whole other blog to explain. It would take another one to explain why Maui even has a Japanese cultural festival!
Short versions: Obon is when Japanese Buddhists honor their ancestor. There's a whole story about a monk who saw a dead person and it made him want to dance or something like that, but it's basically a time for us to look back and be thankful for those who have contributed to our lives, celebrate their contributions, and honor their sacrifices and memories.
Japanese on Maui. Hawaii was riddled with plantations after contact with the western world was made. There weren't enough Hawaiian people back then to work the plantations - it may have had something to do with Western disease ravaging their populations, and it may also have been because racist views cast Hawaiians as lazy and unfit for labor. Japanese, along with other populations around the world (Puerto Ricans, Portuguese, Chinese, Koreans, Filipinos, etc...) were brought in to work on the plantations. They were physically separated into camps to work on the plantations, paid varying wages to help make sure they didn't get along, and without the riches they had been promised, eventually settled on the islands permanently.
Anyhoo, Maui Matsuri is Saturday from 2PM to 7PM at UH Maui College. On Friday we'll have a Free Movie night on the same campus (Pilina Building) featuring 2 movies about Japan after the devastation of the triple disaster (earthquake, tsunami, nuclear) of March 2011.
A Hui Ho!
Let's start of with a little about me:
Location: Kahului, Maui, Hawaii
Hobbies: Taiko (Maui Taiko)
Interests: a little bit of everything
Food: Yes please!
Work: Imua Family Services
Community stuff: Maui Matsuri, Japanese Cultural Society of Maui
This weekend, you may want to check out Maui's annual Maui Matsuri. Matsuri translates into "festival". Maui Matsuri is the largest Japanese Cultural festival on the island. It kicks off our Obon season... which would take a whole other blog to explain. It would take another one to explain why Maui even has a Japanese cultural festival!
Short versions: Obon is when Japanese Buddhists honor their ancestor. There's a whole story about a monk who saw a dead person and it made him want to dance or something like that, but it's basically a time for us to look back and be thankful for those who have contributed to our lives, celebrate their contributions, and honor their sacrifices and memories.
Japanese on Maui. Hawaii was riddled with plantations after contact with the western world was made. There weren't enough Hawaiian people back then to work the plantations - it may have had something to do with Western disease ravaging their populations, and it may also have been because racist views cast Hawaiians as lazy and unfit for labor. Japanese, along with other populations around the world (Puerto Ricans, Portuguese, Chinese, Koreans, Filipinos, etc...) were brought in to work on the plantations. They were physically separated into camps to work on the plantations, paid varying wages to help make sure they didn't get along, and without the riches they had been promised, eventually settled on the islands permanently.
Anyhoo, Maui Matsuri is Saturday from 2PM to 7PM at UH Maui College. On Friday we'll have a Free Movie night on the same campus (Pilina Building) featuring 2 movies about Japan after the devastation of the triple disaster (earthquake, tsunami, nuclear) of March 2011.
A Hui Ho!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)