Best Day

Alo - H A A A A A A A A !

Yesterday I was nervous as a cat about the election, especially for our next Hawaii Governor.

But gal pal Judy took me for a drive

 around the east side of the island.

Can you see the isles of Molokai, Lani and Maui's Mt. Haleakala on the horizon?

In 20+ years I've never seen them so clearly!

That sight is what the earliest Polynesian navigators

 first saw of Hawaii

when they "raised the islands."

Above you can see the Makapu`u  Lighthouse,

 and hang gliders making the most of the day.

That hillside is hung with steel curtain

 to prevent rock-falls onto the narrow road

 which would necessitate going back

 around the other way

 to reach this side of Oahu:

 over the Ko`olau Mountains

 through the Pali.

What a day!

I almost forgot about the election.

 But we all had worked so hard;

 so much was at stake for our future.

My Man Won!!!!

He came home from Washington where he could have easily won reelection to the US Congress.

And Now Neil Abercrombie will be sworn in as our executive next month!

Colleen Hanabusa defeated temporary Representative, Republican Charles Djou for Neil's former seat.

I never voted for all winners before!

Especially sweet this time because the other side was all about denying equal rights to Gay citizens

and claimed that they were God's choice!

In the middle of challenging times, they chose to appeal to the worst in people. AUWE! (" – Hawaiian expression of lament. 'Auwe! I lost my car keys!'")

I wish Duke & Lynn well, but THANK GOD we will NOT have them in the executive offices.

When Duke cried during his concession speech, I must admit I felt a satisfaction that I'm not proud of.

But as Alan Spector, who has worked SO hard for equal rights in Hawaii told me:

"They have made our people cry for generations.

Now it's their turn to feel some hurt."

Senator Akaka looks very happy

As Neil was swamped by the press, surrounded by security, and soon heading for Washington Place (our Governor's residence; originally Queen Liliuokalani's home) I thought of all the smiles and hugs and inspiration we all shared in this grassroots campaign.

I was just overcome thinking about all that we volunteers and supporters had been through.

Good Luck, Uncle!

(In Hawaii an older respected person can affectionately be called Uncle or Aunty)

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I'm rarely out at night anymore,

though it used to be my home country.  Those of you who have read my little novel know all about
 the Honolulu night.

(bottom of this page - check it out all the way below)

Riding my scooter through the delightfully cool darkness (not cool to you, to us. It was about 70F :)
 I saw others walking home in their campaign gear 
and we shouted happy greetings.

At a red light I saw Aaron Mahi, former leader of the Royal Hawaiian band who had sung at headquarters earlier.

We exchanged pleasantries
 and I got a magnificent smile from him!

My former job was as outreach worker
 to the sex workers in downtown Honolulu.

HBO made a documentary about the girls a few years ago and it had been interesting
 seeing some of them again on TV.

So I went down to the "stroll."

"April!" (my nick-name)

We had a nice reunion, they all looked healthy.


Has it really been YEARS since I've seen them?!

A girl who had been a 14 year old in my after-school support group was there socializing and seeking referrals from her friends for a (non-criminal) legal matter. She was no longer working the street, had married, settled. 


But she missed the girls as I had.
 Returning to socialize is not unusual.

I was blessed to see them;

passed out a few cards to stay in touch.

What a night!
Oh! and after months of trying, I got my Mom a parking space near her new building just in time!


I'm ON!

I'm beat. . .


HOORAY!