Homespun Honolulu

In recent months many of us have been so pumped up and excited about the University of Hawaii football program. We were looking forward, already, to the next season! Suddenly we were given the shocking news that we were about to lose the coach! No, he won’t go. That’s crazy. He would never leave us! Um, he’s gone.

The outcry was immediate. Sign holders were out along the corner of University Avenue that skirts the University of Hawaii campus.

The media, of course, were on it instantly! There was a lot of commentary to be extracted from this group of protesters!

There had to be someone to blame. It was much too easy to find a recipient for the rage and hurt felt by the fans.

This was someone we just recently learned so much about and had grown to respect for his genuine caring of the students.

There was a new-found admiration for the support given by Jones to several of the students to help them overcome some personal issues.

Surely there is someone responsible for Jones wanting to leave. There must be someone to blame!

There were signs waving and horns blasting like you wouldn’t believe! The fans were not at all happy to see things fall apart like this when the football program had just gotten it all together!

Everyone certainly seemed to be on the same page. There may have been mixed emotions about June Jones’ sudden departure but one thing was certain — something had to be done!

Well, for all of the protesting, sign waving, horn blasting and alerting of the media, Herman Frazier, the Athletic Director who has been blamed for many of the problems recently, is gone as of this afternoon.

The University bought out Frazier’s contract and basically kicked him to the curb. An interim director is in place until the Board of Regents can deal with the situation.

This lady wanted to be sure I got a picture of her sign so I want to be sure and include it. I too heard this statement from Colt Brennan.

Next step? A new coach. Bobby Curren, of 1420 ESPN Radio fame, called in to the afternoon show and said how the choice of Greg McMackin for head coach would be a good one. Greg McMackin is a defensive coach and he’s also an author. He has written a book called, “Coaching the Defensive Backfield.” He’s familiar with the program, familiar with the players, he’s experienced. Sounds good to me!

Whatever the case, we’ll get through it because we’ll stick together. It’s ohana time, Hawaii! Let’s support the team because now is when they need it most!

I went running in the vicinity of John Dominis, as I do now and then — because I’ve measured the distance. I had an additional, ulterior motive this past Saturday. I knew that a representative group of Honolulu’s Flickr users would be there and I wanted to pop in on them to see what the camera lovers were up to! For the most part, they were talking about technology and things like Twitter, etc.

There were a lot of different cameras and some people even had two cameras with them, or maybe even more! I have to give the nod to these people because, unlike seasoned camera buffs, I have to lean on the camera makers to keep my photo taking functional.

Between my bad eyesight and my need for the added stability provided by digital technologies like Sony’s Super SteadyShot, I need them to keep me in focus and free from additional blur. So far, Sony is doing a very good job!

Anyway, as they were sharing stories, the word Superferry came out and guess what the photo op of the day was? You got it!

I was apparently a little disoriented because it seemed to be coming in a little closer to shore sooner than I thought it should. I honestly thought we were further away from it’s normal docking location.

No, it’s not going to hit the wall, but, like I said, it sure looked a lot closer a lot sooner than I thought it would!

Part of what I learned about the Flickr group is that one of the things they like to do is take pictures of people taking pictures.

So, I did just that!

After I left the place where the camera buffs were, I wanted to catch a picture of the tall stack of Matson containers that I saw while I was on my way. I was wondering if my jalapeno peppers were in one of those containers and waiting to be delivered to the grocery store.

As it turned out, when I got closer, there was nothing but chain-link fencing in the way… with barbed wire at the top.

Hmmm… maybe I’ll ask if it’s okay to move around the fence to get a clearer picture. I asked and a security guard said, “No, no pictures. Sorry.”

Whatever. Not a big deal. So, I continue on the way out to Ala Moana Blvd. Before I get to Ala Moana Blvd., there’s another little street that looks like it might get me closer after all. Well, there’s another security guard shack so I’m still not going to get as close as I wanted, but, the picture is still better than the first one!

Oh, oh… another security guard and here he comes. I can hear their radios so I know they’re taking to each other. I don’t remember what he said but it was an inquiry of some kind wanting to know what I wanted or what I was looking for or something like that.

At this point I’m getting very irritated and quip back, “This is a public street!  I’m just trying to get a picture of those Matson containers.” Do I have an attitude? You bet! I wasn’t bothering anyone. I just wanted a damn picture. And not even a very interesting one. Sheesh! Why do I even bother? At this point it has now become an issue and I am going to get my picture… whether they like it or not! I’m an American citizen and this is a public street!

I didn’t care at that point. I got my picture and I turned on my heel and walked away, still thinking, “Who do they think they are?!? I can take a picture if I want to take a picture! It’s a public road! Jerks! What have they got to hide anyway? Please!”

So, I continue on to the main drag, Ala Moana Blvd., and I keep looking to see if I can still get an even better shot, just out of spite. Then, as I come around the corner, I suddenly realize just where it was that I was choosing to ignore security. This is where I get a little shaken, get some proverbial egg on my face and the attitude retreats quickly.

Attitude Adjustment 101.  Okay, everybody repeat after me…

Ready? Everybody say, “Ooops!”

Needless to say, I walked sheepishly away after getting this picture. I did mention that I was a little disoriented didn’t I? I had forgotten how close we were to the Federal Building. The Federal Building is right across the street from this Homeland Security place… pretty much. The Federal Building never bothers me. It’s just there. That’s where you get tax forms. Did you know you can get them online now? Am I changing the subject?

Okay, I’m embarrassed and I really do love our Homeland Security people. Honest! I’m laughing at myself now, but, it was not at all a healthy experience for my nervous system.

Well, if you have champagne taste while on a beer salary, you’re bound to find out how the two go hand in hand! There’s good news and then there’s some not-so-good news.

There were loans processors in Honolulu, like Home 123, that used to have offices around town and they used to process loans for borrowers who fell just below the prime level, or worse. Although they themselves did not service the loans, this particular loan processor was affiliated with, or maybe even a division of, New Century Financial Corporation.

New Century Financial was one of the hot topics on the financial radar when they began to slip into the abyss back in March of last year. Eventually New Century went into bankruptcy, relatively recently. What about Home 123? *Poof!* Gone. There was an office of at least ten or so employees, maybe more. They lost their jobs, obviously. The borrowers? Their loans are being serviced by another company acting as a collection agency of sorts and these borrowers will be fine as long as they keep their noses clean.

Did the sub-prime fiasco hit us? Yeah, it did. But, and here comes the good news, some “real” borrowers with only the best of intentions were able to have sub-prime lenders like Home 123 bail them out of financial distress and help them consolidate their debts by making loans to them even though their credit was in the tank.

Of course the interest rates were so exorbitant you might want to call it “bale” since most borrowers in that classification now have their financial hands bound like a “bale” of hay. At least, theoretically anyway, they can now better manage their monthly expenses. Those high-interest, monthly payments are what they are, but it’s still less for those who were dealing with credit card debt!

There are still sub-prime processors around so don’t panic yet. There are also places that will help you find someone who is willing to assist you with managing your finances. And, that includes loans for people with bad credit. You can always check to see if places you run into have a local connection. I know Countrywide has offices in Honolulu and what little I have heard about them has not been negative.

There is one word of caution when dealing with those organizations designed to help you deal with your creditors. If you enlist their assistance, that too will end up on your credit report. So, beware!

The best news? Well, I was told, because I’m nosy and I asked, that some lenders “don’t worry as much about loans made to Hawaii borrowers because Hawaii has a good payback record compared to other states.” Really?!?

As much as this whole thing was and is a terrible mess, and as touchy a topic as it has become, I am so proud of that statement! Okay, so we have people who overspend and we keep getting ourselves into credit-card debt, but at least we try to pay it back to the best of our ability!

Maybe I’m dating myself with this but I thought of it when I saw “Four Foods on Friday.”  Mulligan Stew was a kids’ show many years ago that talked about the four food groups in an attempt to get kids to eat right.  It stuck, for some reason.  They didn’t do a very good job, however, of putting any emphasis on moderation.  If they did, that part didn’t stick!

Suddenly I seem to be obsessed with food!  I found out about this blogger and her meme when I was reading about what Skeet did with green beans.  The worst part was that I subscribed to this blog via email and I have started paying attention to stuff I like and keeping some of those emails and flagging them. 

Val gives food-related questions for people to answer and participate in this little food networking thing. Here is the current list of questions and my responses: 

1. Brownies. From a box or from scratch?

Let’s see, from the box because I don’t trust myself to make it better than the experts.  Besides, it’s faster that way and a nice half gallon of milk is a nice companion! 

2. Chicken noodle soup. Does it cure everything? Do you make it from scratch, from a can or from a package?

I’m gonna get slapped for this one but, I think chicken noodle soup is a terrible waste of calories.  If I think someone really needs it for health reasons, I’ll give them Campbell’s but I myself will go for vegetable soup or something with a beef broth base. So, from the can ’cause I don’t care for the stuff and I would rather not eat it… never mind make it.  :)   I guess it just doesn’t have enough taste to excite my taste buds.  Sorry.

 3. Red skin potato salad. Do you think the red skin provides flavor or color?

You know, I think it actually does both.  I never thought about it but there is a nice, quiet flavor added and the color… makes it taste better.  :)  Obviously I’m thinking that it’s a bit of a psychological thing!  But, having the skin left on with regular potatoes wouldn’t present half the visual attraction and it would have a decided flavor that might be more than most people would like in a salad.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m one of those people that will eat the skin of that baked potato — I just don’t think it fits the whole salad thing.  The red potatoes are different that way. 

4. French toast. How do you make yours?

The problem with French toast is that you don’t usually think of it far enough ahead.  The bread, so I have been told, should be left out of the bag for a while to get a little stale so that it holds together but in my house it’s usually a spur of the moment thing.  So, when I make it I take the bread out and let it sit while I mix the eggs with a little milk, sugar and cinnamon (hubby like cinnamon).  I soak the bread in the mixture, put it in a frying pan with margarine and brown it.  Hubby likes the egg mixture to be overflowing and have a bit of an omelet thing going off the sides of the bread.  That’s it!  It’s a bread omelet!  Add syrup.  I’m not usually the one who eats it.     

Gee, I didn’t make a very good impression with those answers.  That’s okay, I was really wanting to share the blog and this recipe with you guys!  Pork chops!  I’m thinking I’ll try that one and replace the orange wedges with pineapple!  Yum!

And if so, which one works? I have tried ones that work, BUT, they require a heck of a lot of physical dedication. Not that this is bad, I actually like doing physical stuff. But, sometimes it’s just not practical. I know, I know… I’m supposed to “make time!” The problem is, making that time is getting harder and harder all the time! Okay, forget about the food versus exercise thing for now. We all know we need to do both. My concern is which ones really work?

My husband is aiming to get involved with one of them that he has seen repeatedly on the infomercials. I would just hate to see such a large outlay of cash go to waste.  Let’s put it this way, I know that I would be a lot better off financially if I had avoided some of the fads seen on the infomercials in the middle of the night. Insomnia and/or quirky sleeping habits are expensive!  Fortunately, there are sites out there that talk about how these weight-loss programs compare. They also deal with the issue of healthy diets and the ever-dreaded need for exercise.

Maybe these guys will help us find the right solution so we can lose weight and save money while trying. In addition to the comparisons, they are offering coupons for some of the programs. Before we sink more money into this kind of thing, I would love to hear if anyone has tried one of these and had success with them. For the record, and for those who are concerned about fad diets the way I am, there are also articles about health, and tips, if you’re looking for them.

I don’t want to hear about Atkins or the Shintani Diet!  The latter was Zippy’s biggest mistake in my opinion! I am curious to hear if anyone has tried any of the other, more-controlled diets that seem more balanced from a health standpoint. Maybe I’m being too fussy but along with obesity, there is also diabetes and heart trouble on both sides of our families so healthy diets are getting more and more important to me. I would say us but I seem to be the only one sensitive to this staff. I guess that means I’m the one who’s getting old!

The morning news this morning showed clips of the University of Hawaii Band during the half-time show yesterday. When I heard what they were playing (Over the Rainbow) I almost lost it! I’ll wager that there isn’t one Warrior fan out there that has not wanted to cry, or at least been a little depressed for a while. I felt it very strongly yesterday and I continue to struggle with it today.

Apart from all the drama I’m very proud of our team! They did everything they needed to do, and then some, to get themselves to a BCS game! OMG! That alone is enough to write about. They did it! They were there!

Part of the beauty of the whole thing was that the poor, beleaguered city of New Orleans, that so needed a shot in the arm, got a good shot from Hawaii residents! I know some of those residents may be feeling down about the outlay of cash, but we showed out support for our team and helped another tourist destination in the process!

If there is one thing that needs correcting, it is not the team or their coach. Why do I say such things? Well, let’s see…

June Jones is going to sign his new contract soon, right? What do you mean there is no contract?!? What are you talking about?!?

Talk about being conspicuous by its absence!

Colt got into a little bit of injury trouble yesterday but it worked almost like a passing of the baton to Tyler Graunke who stepped in as he has done a few times this past season. Tyler has himself one hard act to follow but he has already shown himself capable and I’m sure fans can’t wait to see how far the team can go next year!

I was reading an article about the game on the sports page at Yahoo! and I noticed something in the right-hand margin. There was a link to this picture and when I saw it I was kind of at a loss for words and almost lost it again.

Here they are — our Ambassadors of Aloha spreading the aloha spirit across the nation.  This team’s spirit is infectious! It’s not just Colt, look at all the white jerseys sharing a moment in prayer with their opponents after the game was over.

This is what it’s really all about! Yes, “dreams really do come true” somewhere over the rainbow, all you have to do is “BELIEVE!”

Last night we thought about going out and then we thought about just staying home and then we thought we might drive around. We just didn’t know what we were going to do or what we wanted to do.

At first we thought we would be going to Aloha Tower but we changed our minds. We ended up behind the Ilikai Hotel, by the lagoon behind the Hilton Hawaiian Village, to watch the fireworks.

We had a much better view than we had last year from Magic Island.

The fireworks were beautiful and we were glad we made it there to see them! We’ll try Aloha Tower next year.

There was quite a crowd of people and there were voices talking behind us saying, “Go Warriors!” Obviously we weren’t alone. I had my UH t-shirt on!

Hau’oli Makahiki Hou, Hawaii! May this new year be safe, happy and prosperous for us all!

I love that these lights let off some green smoke! Happy New Year and Go Warriors!

My cousin has been having legal difficulties and I ran across this thing that I really think is worth talking about. This looks like something that would definitely alleviate some of the anxiety of being in the middle of any kind of court drama.

We all know the first thing that comes to mind when someone mentions legal issues, law suits and the like — money! It’s all about the money! It’s unfortunate but all too true. There is a business called Law Max that will actually help alleviate some of the financial concerns by fronting some money based on the anticipated outcome of your lawsuit or court case. I was stunned to see a company actually offer commercial lawsuit financing — they will actually send you, and/or your attorney, an advance based on your anticipated settlement.

I have to admit that when I saw the term “Commercial Lawsuit Financing,” I was concerned that they might only be set up to assist companies or corporations with their legal battles. But, as it turns out, they not only offer this service for corporations, but for individuals as well! Of course your attorney will have to send them your case documents for their review and to get their approval but if it means having yet another set of eyes looking at the strength of your case and an advance of some much-needed funds, I think this company would certainly be worth investigating!

I had to look into it a little deeper before giving this site too much credit. I was pleasantly surprised and, to be honest, shocked that anyone would provide such a service. The thought of courts and legal drama makes me cringe! This just looks like something to help ease at least some of the anguish. I’ve added this to my bookmarks (Favorites) just in case, and so I don’t have to try to find them again!