A Little Bit Heroic

ALOHA!

Welcome to Dusk in Waikiki

The Reflective Time of Day

“I certainly don't regret my experiences because without them, I couldn't imagine who or where I would be today. Life is an amazing gift to those who have overcome great obstacles, and attitude is everything!”
Sasha Azevedo

“Imaginary obstacles are insurmountable.

Real ones aren't." Barbara Sher

A Poetess

"Sometimes it's worse to win a fight than to lose.

Billie Holliday

Flirting With The Wind

"If you seek to find faults in others, you will not be dissapointed. You are sure to find them. But, if you go out to discover the good in [those] about you, you will find what a host of heroes and saints live in your homes and shops and streets. Look for the best instead of the worst."

Paul Osumi

Did those moon-landing astronauts have anything in common with the pioneers who settled North America?

Of course they did. Something undefinable. There is some shared knowing, some shared yearning there.

In exactly the same way, our shared humanity with extraordinary people is not negligible.

I'm not exhorting you to be all you can be, or to aim for the stars.

Rather, I'm bringing attention to the ignored but undeniable heroism in you and in me.

We each address and wrestle with the same life enigmas, choices, and conundrums as the most celebrated characters of theatre, philosophy, literature, history.

So here's to the every day heroes.

Here's to US!

A L O H A ! Cloudia

Hawaii Flies

A l o h a!

Welcome to the year 1929

and the first commercial flights in the Isles of Hawaii Two eight-passenger Sikorsky S-38 amphibian planes flew three weekly round trips from Honolulu to Maui and to the Big Island (Hawaii). Note the outrigger canoe!

"The most beautiful dream that has haunted the heart of man since Icarus is today reality."
— Louis Bleriot

"There is no sport equal to that which aviators enjoy while being carried through the air on great white wings."
— Wilbur Wright, 1905

Sikorsky S-43s came into service in 1935.

Flying Boat!

The first commercial aircraft in the isles, 1929

(right before the Sikorskys) a Bellanca CH-300 Pacemaker.

Above Photos Courtesy of Hawaiian Airlines

In 1941 Inter-Island Airways changed its name to Hawaiian Airlines and traded up to the classic, 24-passenger, DC-3.

Interestingly, that original Bellanca shown above has been located in the possession of an Oregon collector and is being restored to flying condition. The legendary Pratt & Whitney aircraft engine company is collaborating with Hawaiian Air Lines (HAL) to return the grandpa aeroplane to Honolulu for special 80th Anniversary flights and exhibitions.

Islanders are proud when HAL tops the "on time" list year after year, especially since her little sister, Aloha Airlines closed down last year; That was like a death in the family.

Today, HAL flies worldwide charter services, and scheduled service to Pago Pago, American Samoa, Nuku'alofa, Tonga, and to Western Samoa.

We locals especially enjoy flying "our" airline between the West Coast and Home with daily flights to Los Angeles,

San Francisco and Seattle. When you get on the plane,

you're on Hawaiian turf. AHHHHH!

Let's enjoy the sights, shall we?
(Bonus Color Pics ;-)

Hawaiian Skies



"The air up there in the clouds is very pure and fine, bracing and delicious. And why shouldn't it be? —it is the same the angels breathe."
— Mark Twain

Limpid, Lazy, Lotus (-ussess)



"Man must rise above the Earth—to the top of the atmosphere and beyond—for only thus will he fully understand the world in which he lives."
— Socrates

Golden Palms Wave "Aloha."
To YOU!

So do I

;-)

Sister Cities

Aloha!

Welcome back to

W A I K I K I

!

click on photos to enlarge! "You can kid the world. But not your sister."

Charlotte Gray

The Royal Hawaiian Hotel beckons.

"A sister smiles when one tells one's stories - for she knows where the decoration has been added."

Chris Montaigne

Punchbowl Crater stands sentinel behind Royal Elementary School

"I know my older sister loves me because she gives me all her old clothes and has to go out and buy new ones."

Attributed to a 4-year-old named Lauren

"In the cookies of life, sisters are the chocolate chips."

Anonymous

Honolulu and Hiroshima are celebrating 50 years as Sister Cities!

The two municipalities have been sibling cities since June 15, 1959; It is a relationship that began with the "People to People Program" of President Dwight Eisenhower, promoting peace and mutual understanding.

A delegation from Hiroshima was in our town recently to observe the anniversary.

"5o years of friendship have built reciprocal tourism and economic opportunities," said Wayne Miyao, president of Honolulu Hiroshima Kenjin Kai and chairman of Hiroshima Hawaii Sister State Committee.

"World War II started in the Pacific in Hawaii with Pearl Harbor and ended in Hiroshima tragically. We are forever linked in war; so we should be linked in peace and in business and culture," said Miyao, a Big Island (Hawaii) resident who traces his ancestral roots to Okinawa.

The recent three-day visit by Hiroshima's 40-plus member delegation concluded at Honolulu City Hall with a signing ceremony renewing the relationship. Hiroshima's tourism division also hosted an exhibit at Windward Mall and entertained at Ala Moana Center.

This highly publicized visit by Hiroshima Mayor Tadatoshi Akiba and his delegation, followed by a stopover by the Japanese emperor himself, should help encourage Japanese travelers to visit the islands.

"There's a lot of caution being exercised by Japanese visitors due to the economy and swine flu," Honolulu's Mayor Hannemann said. "Having high-ranking Japanese visitors come to our city helps dispel concerns."

Honolulu is to send our own delegation to Japan in November, when that city celebrates "Honolulu Day."


Hiroshima is planning a "winter-wonderland" experience during this historic year, said Daisuke Yano, director of Hiroshima's Tourism Division, who was in our town for the observance.

"Since Honolulu does not have the winter season, Hiroshima would like them to visit during the winter to feel the cold and see the snow." Yano said.

Roughly 300,000 visitors come to Hiroshima annually.

No word on how many are Hawaii folks seeking a chill.

A L O H A! Cloudia

40 Years Ago Today. . .

Men from the planet Earth. . . .

Walked on the MOON. . . . .

They Came in Peace for all Humankind. . . .

You can see the imprint of Alan's moon-boot on several of these paintings. He also used moon-dust scraped off of his space suit as well.

You can see more of Alan Bean's art here:
http://www.alanbean.com/index.cfm

All Art courtesy of Alan Bean. All rights reserved

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”
Mark Twain


Aloha! Cloudia

Back in the Day

A L O H A!

Welcome back to Waikiki

(Pull up a Swanson TV dinner)

"And that's the way it is. . . "

Pigeon Party

"Did you bring any crumbs?"

Torch Ginger blossoms have blossoms!

Watching Paul McCartney return to the Ed Sullivan theatre awakened many 60's memories, and begged perspective on the life that unfolded for the kid-me who watched the Beatles perform from that stage in 1963. . .

And this weekend marks the 4oth anniversary of the Apollo Moon Landing (yes, I capitalized it) - oh and of Woodstock (but we've already discussed that).

I remember the grainy pictures of men in diving suits planting a curiously limp flag amidst that "magnificent desolation" as Buzz called it. I remember stiff Nixon speaking to them on the phone as we all watched. I remember walking outside and looking up at the moon. "Humans are there," I thought; "We are there." And the whole world from Africa to Asia to Europe celebrated the achievement. We were'nt quite so hated then. The liberation from fascism in WWII still painted us as the "good guys." I remember that Wilson Pickett ROCKED big time that night on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, the prototypical host.

I remember tiny black and white TVs wheeled into an elementary school classroom, all of us (teachers included) mesmerized by the countdown. "3...2...1...Kickoff" as we watched John Glenn and the other Mercury astronauts leave the Earth and look back at it as only God had done before.

I remember seeing adults cry for the first time, they were my teachers, on that Thursday afternoon when they sent us home early. President Kennedy had been shot.

The world was still, oppressively still like a wake. For three days we were glued to the TV. "Mom! Someone shot Oswald!" I remember the reaction on the sheriff's face captured in newspaper stills.

I remember John John saluting the caisson and the handsome, lone, black horse behind it in the procession.

I remember the police riots and convention floor fascism of the Chicago Democratic Convention in '69. (I've always followed the conventions). "Mom! Do you see what's happening?!" "I'm only glad you're not there!" (You Crazy kid who turned out to be right about so many things.)

I remember watching the Watergate hearings all that weird Summer.

In a black and white world where we had three TV stations to choose from, where the narrative of public life was amazingly uniform (if stultifying), the authority who explained it all like the One True Patient Adult was Walter Cronkite.

News wasn't liberal or FOX; it was news delivered by newsmen (yes, overwhelmingly men) who were professional and didn't carp or advocate. They informed. We all have unconscious bias, but news was supposed to be about facts. They tried to be objective.

All the things above that I remember, I remember largely through the lens of my TV. I remember Walter telling us the story, sharing OUR modern story.

When he announced Kennedy's death and took off his glasses, that was a more powerful moment than all the posturing and shouting we see in a week of cable news today.

If you didn't live through all of that, it is impossible to explain just how much of a giant Walter was. From the WWII beaches of Normandy, to the assassination of Dr. King, to the relentless nightly spectacle of Viet Nam, Walter was the narrator of our times. When he expressed the opinion that 'Nam was a morass, LBJ turned from the TV and said: "If I've lost Walter, I've lost middle America.

There will never be another figure like him. Uncle Walter.

I remember looking up at that '60s sky as Canada Geese sailed before a harvest moon. I remember the smell of burning leaves, and the sound of a train from far away. "How old will I be in the year 2000?"

I can't imagine a person becoming a success who doesn't give this game of life everything he's got."

Walter Cronkite

Today I've used "Times" as the font of the day as tribute. Be sure to wash the black ink off of your hands before your touch anything.

A L O H A! Cloudia

Hearing Bells

A L O H A !

click on photos to enlarge!

"Life would be infinitely happier if we could only be born at the age of eighty and gradually approach eighteen."

Mark Twain

Surfers and Sailors Delight

"The open-minded see the truth in different things: the narrow-minded see only the differences."

Unknown

Here's Your Table!

I found a tiny "sleigh" bell

and slipped it on my hoop earring.

Now everywhere I go

even amidst the roar

of traffic

or surf

I'm reminded of the

Angels hovering

just above

my shoulder.

)*(

It's Saturday in Summer;

Go Play!

A L O H A Ha Ha ;-) Cloudia

Getting Personal

Aloha!

C'mon in.

How are Y O U today?

click on photos to enlarge!

OOOO! Perspective at da jetty!

“Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact. Everything we see is a perspective, not the truth.”
Marcus Aurelius



“Our loyalties must transcend our race, our tribe, our class, and our nation; and this means we must develop a world perspective.”
Martin Luther King Jr.

Limu (sea vegetables) washed up by da surf.

“My bounty is as boundless as the sea, my love as deep. The more I give thee, the more I have, For both are infinite.”
William Shakespeare

Patient Surf Pup Between Gnarly Rides

"There is no psychiatrist in the world

like a puppy licking your face."

Ben Williams

When I began exploring the blogosphere I wondered why complete strangers, leading average lives (like mine) would want to share the "minutia" of their existence on the web.

I have published a few things; played music (and sang backup) in a few bands. My aspiration as a blogger was to share "quality" content, not to do social networking. Guess I also wanted to send out my messages corked into floating bottles to the world out there:

"I exist. I am creating something of value. Hello?"

To be honest, I also wanted to promote my sweet little novel/self-help/Hawaii guidebook, cultural history book, "Aloha Where You Like Go?"

Many of you are beginning to smile a bit.

I see you there.

Because you know what happened next.

I discovered a realm of interesting people from all over the world, many of whom write beautifully, and/or are talented photographers as well.

I just wanted to express my viewpoint, my accrued life-wisdom, and share this Hawaii home that is so much more remarkable than "travelers" understand.

But

Your kind comments over time have become a "paycheck" that has nothing to do with money.

What I never expected was that I would make authentic friends.

Shannon, Pearl, Daryl, Deborah, Chris, Charles, Mark, Joe, Sandy, Barbara, Dina, Tricia, Thelma, Dave, Travis(s);

You know who you are

And please forgive me if you know that we are pals, and I've neglected to mention you here. I will wake at 3 am and slap my forehead when I think of YOU and all we've shared. I appreciate you very much!

One thing I have definitely learned on this path is that often it is EXACTLY the "merely" personal that has been the real, glimmering, web-based treasure that I have found.

Struggles with health, death, circumstances, dark depression and the blues, as well as the weddings of people I'll never meet. Your seasons, travels, musings, and of course dear pets. We've shared them all.

And it is those confessional posts (with their poignient apologies) that have made of you my real friends,

people I care about.

So, though you all post content of free-standing value (and I will endeavor to do the same) I pledge to you that I will try to follow your example. I pledge to be somewhat less of a "narrator" and occasionally just blurt out something deeply quixotically personal.

I actually feel a lot of warm aloha for your folks.

Oh, and I went to the laundromat and ate a peanut butter and jelly sandwich today.

Aloha! Cloudia