Rylan’s Baby Luau: Activities

Of the 60 children at Rylan’s first birthday party, a few were infants, but most of them were preschoolers and elementary students. They all had fun with the following activities:

Have you ever tried jumping and bouncing on the mattress in one of these “houses”? Loads of fun and addictive, too!

Arts and crafts. Cousin Sara helps her children, Madison (left) and Mikayla (right) make a dinosaur.

There even was a man who made awesome sculptures out of balloons. This is my 3-year-old granddaughter, Julia, with her balloon sculpture.

The theme of the party was DINOSAURS. Children used crayons to color my son-in-law Grant’s dinosaur drawings, which were placed on each table.

Maria got Rylan to nap briefly before the guests arrived. But, she made sure he was wide awake for his Doljabi (see previous post).

This was a fantastic party for the kids! Not a single one complained of being bored. How could they? There was so much to see and do.

For the adults, there was a quiz which tested their knowledge of Rylan (e.g., how many teeth does he have or when did he start to walk?). Also, there was the Doljabi guessing game (see previous post). Winners got a prize.

TOMORROW: PHOTO DISPLAYS AND THE BIRTHDAY CAKE.

Rylan’s Baby Luau: Doljabi

Doljabi is a traditional Korean ceremony, performed when a child is a year old. Various objects are laid on the table or floor, and when the child chooses an object, that foretells the child’s future:

Money = He will become wealthy;
Pencils/pens/brushes = He will become a writer;
Thread = He will have a long life;
Book = He will become a scholar;
Calculator = He will be good with numbers; and
Ball = He will become an athlete.

At her Doljabi, Julia chose the calculator.

These jars are labeled with the names of objects Rylan is to choose from. Guests were told to place their lottery tickets in the jar with the name of the object they thought Rylan would pick. David put his ticket in the Ball jar, while I put mine in the Book jar. Rylan later picked the winning ticket from the proper jar. The winner got a prize.

Rylan rushed towards the objects on the stage, kicking the ball, but picking up the calculator. He will be good with numbers!

So, join the club, Rylan. You and Julia both chose the calculator. Will you decide to be a high school math teacher like your mom? Or an accountant like grandpa David?

TOMORROW: ACTIVITIES AT THE PARTY

Rylan’s Baby Luau: The People

There were 106 adults and 60 children at Rylan’s first birthday party — what we in Hawaii call a Baby Luau. I took 31 photos, so over the next few days, I’ll post them according to category. Be patient; you’ll see what I mean. Today’s category is The People.

Maria and Rylan. She attached a yellow balloon to his pants so she could find him in the crowd.

Maria and my 3 year old granddaughter, Julia. She is enrolled in preschool now.

My son-in-law, Grant, and his mother.

My younger daughter, Lisa, and her boyfriend, Bert.

My mother with my sister-in-law, Pat, and her son, Charles.

My sister, Sylvia. Doesn’t she look great for a 60 year old?

David with Sylvia’s son, Travis.

Maria with Rylan, cousin Sara with Madison, Aunty Marge, and cousin Pam with Mikayla.

Aunty Bobbie, Maria, and Rylan.

Grant’s sister, Jeena, with her youngest son, Zacharias.

Grant’s father says the Grace before our meal.

TOMORROW: DOLJABI (A KOREAN CEREMONY: WHAT WILL RYLAN CHOOSE?)

Loneliness

I think these pictures are self-explanatory. It’s Rylan, again!

I’ll continue to babysit my grandson for another 1-1/2 years. Then, he will be placed in a mini-preschool, run by Julia’s former sitter. Julia starts kindergarten at a public school next year, so Rylan’s preschool will be affordable.

Thinking about this saddens me. What? No more Rylan, whom I now watch four days a week? I’ll treasure the next 1-1/2 years, believe me.

I rarely see my 3-year-old granddaughter. The last time was Christmas. So, I am truly looking forward to Rylan’s first birthday party tomorrow. Maria told me she is expecting 106 adults and 60 children to attend. Sheesh! I have agreed to bring a fruit salad to the party, which will last from 10:30 to 2:00. Hope Rylan can stay awake.

Family life. My large extended family is what drew David to me. His sole surviving sibling, a brother, lives in Massachusetts. His parents are both deceased as is his younger sister, Wanda, who died in 2007 at the age of 52.

How in the world do people without families cope with loneliness, especially during the holidays? The memory of my single life abroad is excruciatingly painful. I wouldn’t trade my marriage for being a “swinging single,” ever.

Loneliness leads to poor health. There’s nothing like love to cure you!

Yay for government!

Photo of Ala Moana Beach Park at sunset by Estelle V. Joeng. This picture was so beautiful that I asked for Estelle’s permission to use it on the cover of my third book, “Look for Me in Hawaii.” (See the book cover in ABOUT, which is located on the right corner of my main blog page.)

While others complain about too much government intrusion into their lives, I am all for governmental controls. I am against gambling, prostitution, marijuana, smoking in public places, driving while intoxicated, graffiti, plastic bags, billboards, etc. To legalize any of these would make Hawaii a miserable place to live.

Laws are made to benefit the majority of people, not just one individual or a small group of people. If it is the consensus of legislators, who represent us, that certain laws must be passed to benefit most, if not all, of us, then so be it.

So, while I personally think a lottery would be fun and profitable, I am also aware that it would have a negative impact on the poor or marginalized citizens in our society.

Always rule in favor of the common good. The vocal majority must be heard.

Creating happy memories

Kitty lounges on one of our patio chairs. Note the rust on the arms of the chair.

David painted the four chairs with black enamel paint. This one looks like new, doesn’t it? He plans to paint the patio table in the summer when it doesn’t rain as much.

My youngest sister’s ex-husband died last week of a heart attack. His funeral was held today. He is survived by his present wife and four children. When I heard the news, I was shocked, because Gary was very young. He would have been 54 this year. I guess the stress of being an OB-GYN doctor was too much for him. His daughter told me her father was always working and seldom home. Too bad!

So, appreciate your life with your family. Savor every minute of it. Enjoy your food, your home, your hobbies, your work, and especially the company of people you love. No matter how old you are when you die, it will always seem too soon.

I want to go on forever creating HAPPY MEMORIES!!!

Civil Union vs. Marriage

David and I on our wedding day, 1980.

With the Civil Union bill almost law, pending senate and gubernatorial approval, what effect will such a law have on the institution of marriage?

Nowhere is there an explanation as to how two people will establish a civil union. Will they have to fill out an application form? Will they have to appear before a judge?

I realize that to void the union, the couple will have to go through Family Court. But, how are civil unions different from marriage? They seem like the same thing.

I suppose marriage vows invoke the name of God, whereas civil unions won’t. Is that the only difference?

By the way, I think it is wonderful that gay couples will finally receive the same legal benefits accorded to married couples. But, what about heterosexual couples? Why opt for a civil union over marriage?

Will marriages become obsolete with more couples choosing civil unions?

Is it just a matter of semantics? “A rose by any other name is still a rose!”

P.S. The following is Quilly’s comment, worth repeating here: Civil Unions are only recognized in the state they are granted in and are no longer legally binding if the couple moves to another state. Further, whereas marriage is legally binding across the nation with only minor variations in law, civil union contracts change in accordance to the laws of each state where they are recognized. Also, civil unions are not recognized by the federal government.

An evening to remember

It was 3:45 pm on Sunday and David found free parking at Straub Clinic, which is located across the street from the Blaisdell Center (pictured here). Lovely coconut trees grace the lawn in front of the Blaisdell.

This is the Concert Hall, where we saw Donizetti’s tragic opera, “Lucia di Lammermoor.”

At the 4 pm Sunday matinees, people generally dress casually. I wore a black muumuu, and David wore an Aloha shirt and long slacks.

The opera was beautifully performed. For me, the highlight was Lucia’s coloratura duet with the flute. Timing and intonation were perfect. Awesome! The orchestra was top notch, too!

After the opera, we drove down South King Street and decided to have supper at Mekong II Thai Cuisine. We parked at Zippy’s, crossed the street, and entered the Mekong. Although we had no reservation, we had no trouble finding a table.

We ordered the special Dinner for Two at $41.95, featuring 5 entrees. We asked that the seasoning be MILD, since we are not too fond of ultra-spicy food. First to arrive was this plate of spring rolls, accompanied by lettuce, cucumbers, and mint. Be careful with the sauce, which made David’s hands so sticky, he had to get up and wash his hands in the restroom.

Next came the green papaya salad, a must-have at any Thai meal.

Then, we had the shrimp and mushrooms. We had a choice of white, brown, or sticky rice, and chose sticky rice.

It was followed by the Evil Jungle Prince (Beef). This might have been a bit too salty for me, but David liked it.

Dessert was specially made for us. David ordered the coconut ice cream, while I asked for Thai tapioca. The chef agreed to halve the orders and give each of us a bowl of ice cream with tapioca on the bottom. This concoction was suggested by the waitress, and I must say, it was a brilliant idea!

All in all, it was a deeply satisfying evening, spent with my spouse! In two weeks, we’ll see the final opera of the season, Verdi’s “La Traviata.” Where will we dine afterwards? Any suggestions?

Lots to see on the Big Island

Hattie gave me these anthuriums from her yard in Hilo, when she and Terry visited with us in Honolulu two weeks ago. The flowers and greens are still thriving in that vase of water. Incredible! This is what they look like today.

I was going to post some photos of the Big Island where they live, but the photos date back to the 1980s, and I am sure many tourist spots have changed considerably since then, particularly the volcano area.

Maybe, we will spend a day or two there, if not this year, then next year. Hattie and Terry have offered to show us Mauna Kea, where the telescopes are located.

As members of the UH Institute for Astronomy, David and I had planned on visiting Mauna Kea as part of the Institute’s tour group last year, but I chickened out at the last minute, because I didn’t have winter clothing. It is very cold at the summit! Another worry was altitude sickness.

There are a lot of things to see on the Big Island. I would love to take a helicopter tour of the volcano, for instance. I toured Na Pali on Kauai via helicopter and had a wonderful time, so I imagine something similar on the Big Island would be just as exciting.

I would also like to meet my friend, Jim, in Kona. He was my mentor when I published my first memoir, “Like a Joyful Bird,” in 2003. We have been friends for eight years but have never met.

Anyway, check out these two interesting blogs about the Big Island. Find them on my Blogroll and click on them:

Astronomy: A Pacific View
Hattie’s Web

Do you have a blog?

Rylan at the computer.

Ah, yes, ‘tis the computer age. I am amazed that I taught myself how to create a blog and not only that, how to post photos. How can that be, when I am such a dunce with anything electronic? It just goes to show, Hank, that if I can do it, so can you. Yes, Hank is considering making a blog of his own.

You’ve probably noticed that I don’t post videos and audios. I don’t, because I generally ignore videos and audios on other people’s blogs due to lack of time and interest. So, why post them on my blog? I won’t!

WordPress has given me 3GB to post photos for free. Presently, I have 2.5GB left. When that is used up, I’ll have to purchase more from WordPress. Because I size my photos to make them smaller than the original, I have been able to stretch the limits over a long period of time.

Hope you have a blog I can visit. Don’t forget to type your URL when you log on to post a comment. Then, I’ll click on your name to see what you are up to. See ya!