yenyen's posterous
Life is one grand, sweet song, so start the music ~Ronald Reagan
free stuff in hawaii, yes there are. free concerts, it does happen! i won tix thru the local radio station to attend a performance by Jim Brickman, America's Romantic Piano Sensation! it was a really nice private performance, and oh so romantic.
later that evening, i went an Incubus concert for free! i got a group together to go sit outside of the concert area to eat, drink, listen to the music, and watch the sunset and stars. later on the night, my friend noticed the "gate" blocking the concert area was down, and we made our way down towards the stage. it was pretty cool to see Incubus live and up-close. i didn't know too many of their songs but have been hearing it frequently on the radio station. i was rocking the beat. i had one of the most embarrassing moments that night, only those around witnessed it, and they laughed their butts off :O.
the next evening, Willie K was rocking the ukelele in Waikiki! it's something about the sound of the strings that makes my heart beat and the melody of the hymns that soothes the soul.
Unlimited Fun on Limited Funds!
so how does one have Unlimited Fun on Limited Funds living in Hawaii, as it's assumed to be an expensive place to live? like every place, there are free activities, you just got to be in-the-know, or events_seeker like me :).
it's a start of a new week, my health is finally getting better, and what a great way to get together with friends and make new ones than to see a free classic movie "Casablanca" outdoors, under the stars, and in the swanky beautiful hotel The Edition. i really enjoy their free no cover movie nights, free valet parking, beautiful view, location, and cool hip vibe. if you do end up buying dinner or drink, it ranges $7-$14. you don't have to spend a fortune on a date or just hanging out with friends. i hope they keep doing this and please bring out more free popcorn and candy!
i'm looking forward to Sunset On The Beach at Queens Beach in Waikiki coming up Sept 10th! they're premiering Hawaii 5-0 Season 2. the stars will really be out - Alex O'Loughlin (O-la-la), Scott Caan, Daniel Dae Kim, Grace Park, and many other casts! lucky i live hawaii and "Here's looking at you kid" \m/
Happy Anniversary to Me!
It's been 1 yr since I started this new yenyen posterous blog & Beach Bum Network.
2 yrs since I moved to Hawaii and started a new life, friends, jobs, etc.
3 yrs ago this time I was in Vietnam walking through the War Memorial, floating in the Emerald Sea of Ha Long Bay, and visiting the land where my parents grew up.
10 yrs since I got my passport and step foot on international soil of Roma.
Cheers to my anniversaries and more milestones to come \m/ !
Meet Plan Go: Honolulu and More!
One of the reasons I moved to Hawaii is because of the travel bug I had in 2008. After taking 6 weeks off from work to travel in Asia, and later on, another 2 weeks in Maui, I wanted more. Being in Hawaii allows me to travel across both sides of the Pacific. And that's just the beginning :).
After months and months of attending events, I'm excited to announce that I'll be hosting one in Honolulu! Bookmark your calendar for Tuesday, October 18th, details TBA.
Meet Plan Go, I came upon this website last year, it caught my attention and I knew I wanted to learn more and get involved. The name was catchy and the message was simple. Here's some information below. "Like" the facebook page, follow on twitter, and sign up for the Career Break Newsletter to get started on a world of travel resources and inspiration.
Ready to realize your travel dreams? Stop dreaming and start packing! On October 18, 2011 in 17 cities across North America to learn more about career breaks and extended travel.
- MEET inspirational speakers and like-minded travelers in their area.
- Get motivation, contacts and resources necessary to PLAN the trip of a lifetime.
- And start taking concrete steps forward to get ready to GO!
Despite being common in many countries such as Australia and the UK, career breaks, life sabbaticals, “gap years” and other forms of extended travel are not currently an American or Canadian birthright…but the Founders of Meet, Plan, Go! are on a mission to change that!
At every event will be individuals who have fulfilled their own dreams of traveling around the world, or are currently in the planning stages. Their real-life stories include an understanding of the unique challenges that all long-term travelers must overcome in order to claim their freedom on the road and who appreciate the unbelievable triumphs of realizing one’s dream of a long-term international adventure.
NY Times article about last year's event: http://travel.nytimes.com/2010/10/17/travel/17Prac.html?ref=travel
Quotes from last year's event:
"This was a fantastic event! It made me realize that long-term travel is a completely realistic goal and that I have much amazing company also doing the same." – Seattle Attendee
"Your event convinced me that my pipe dream of traveling was actually possible... and then gave me tips and tricks on how to accomplish it." – NYC Attendee
"I loved this event! It helped reassure me that I wasn't crazy about thinking about quitting my job to hit the road, and it connected me with many other like-minded travelers." – Orlando Attendee
Life's A B**ch
Beach! Gotcha, didn't I?
I just got back from watching the highly anticipated and tear-jerking movie "Soul Surfer" with my surfer chic Teo. Anyone and everyone should watch this movie, not only does it show how exciting it is to surf in beautiful clear blue Hawaiian waters, but also the courage and passion of the main character Bethany Hamilton. At one point after the accident, she questioned her purpose in life and decided to join her church group on a volunteer mission in Thailand after the 2004 tsunami. There she and World Vision organization helped to "construct temporary living shelters, a boat-building center and Child Friendly Spaces so children have a safe place to play and learn." She also helped the children to not be afraid of the ocean and taught them to surf. She witnessed the devastation and loss that the people have experienced, but still maintained hope. She had her own feelings of tragedy and loss, having overcome it to continue to pursue her love of surfing and becoming Pro. She never gave up on her dreams, nor did her family, friends, and the supportive surfing community. She took a break, stepped back to see the bigger picture not just in her life, but in the world, and refocused. She came back a stronger person and a humanitarian. She's truly a star!
Sometimes that's we need in life, to pause and evaluate things. Are you happy and is it worth it in the end? Let's not drown in our sorrow and start to smell the tuberose; look around and appreciate the people and the environment around you. There are far more tragic things happening and worser places in the world. Do something for others and not for yourself. It can change and make a tiny difference. But it has to start with you. I guarantee you'll be a happier person with a new perspective.
Chevron AidsWalk Committee 2002
Kaiser Permanente Building Emergency Response Team (BERT) 2006-2008
National Association of Asian American Professionals (NAAAP) Retreat in Philly 2007
San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival (SFIAAFF) 2007
NAAAP-San Francisco bike across Golden Gate to Tiburon 2007
Kaiser Permanente Asian Associate (KPAA) & Corporate Asian American Employee Network (CAAEN) Holiday Book & Toy Drive 2008
SF Fun Raisers Valentine's Auction 2009
Locks of Love hair donation 2009
Habitat for Humanity Honolulu Chapter 2009
Kaiser Permanente Teddy Bear Clinic 2009
Medical Help Tent for Nike Women's Marathon Expo 2009
Star 101.9 and Kokua Foundation Beach Clean Up 2010
CitySolve Volunteer 2010
Honolulu Festival making cotton candy for the keikis 2010
The Bella Project 2011
Surfrider Foundation Beach Clean Up 2011
Tetris: life's falling blocks to be solved
Life's like Tetris, we juggle so many different things to hope that in the end, all our problems are solved. Thinking about my own life at the moment, things have been chaotic and thrown off course, again. My problem is mainly work, or lack of it. Our jobs are where we spend 30%+ of our day. The % of people who actually love what they do is probably < 5%. (F)unemployment, as some people refer to, can be daunting but could be the best thing to happen. It also helps to have a positive outlook on it. With the time off to shift focus and gears, I'm actually working towards self-employment and volunteering for things I've been meaning to do. Stealing my mentor's word, "back-burner projects". Stay tuned to find out what's cooking :)
love the beach, respect the aina
I went to volunteer with Surfrider Foundation today, http://surfrider.org/oahu. They're a "non-profit grassroots organization dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of our world's oceans, waves, and beaches. The Oahu Chapter's mission is to improve water quality, maintain beach and ocean access, and assure responsible development on the island of Oahu." I love volunteering, it's something I do because I love giving back to the community. It is the right thing to do. Karma. For the love of humanity, for the love of the beach, in respect of the aina (land).
It was a gorgeous sunny day at Waimanalo Bay. We are so very blessed that the earthquakes and tsunami didn't touch the beautiful white sands and crystal clear waters of this area. We are also blessed that there are volunteers and groups like Surfrider who really make an effort to put on events, raise awareness, and do good on their part. Once a month the group organizes beach clean ups around the island. I'm doing my part, are you?
Practice Philanthropy - the love of humanity
As the world knows, Japan was struck with a newly measured 9.0 magnitude earthquake, this comes just a few months after the 7.1 magnitude Christchurch earthquake in New Zealand. Being from California, I lived through many earthquakes, including the big Quake of '89, also known as The Loma Prieta Earthquake or the World Series Earthquake. On October 17, 1989 at 5:04pm, just 5 days after my 11th birthday, a 6.9 earthquake shook the grounds underneath me as I was waiting for Chinese school to start. It felt like someone pulled the carpet from underneath, as the ground shook and rolled for about 15 seconds. Most of the students like myself were young and never experienced an earthquake nor were taught anything about it. So we all ran for the door. Lucky I lived only a mile from school and was able to get to home quick. I can't even imagine what the people of Christchurch, NZ and Sendai, Japan are going through right now. I can only pray and hope for them to overcome these tragic times. I donated to the Red Cross, and I hope you will too. www.redcross.org
Cruisin' to the Sand Castles
There was a Sand Castle building contest at Kailua Beach today, but the short drive from town took soo long. First I drove in the wrong direction, instead of heading to H-1 West to the Pali Hwy, I went towards H-1 East, doh! Then experienced major mid-day traffic at the Kapahulu/Kapiolani freeway entrance. There was also road work on Nuuanu, oy. Thank goodness I had my iPod tunes rockin' in the car...it'll be an enjoyable cruise.
Drove around to find parking and had to circle again. I got lucky as this guy was leaving and gave me his spot, sweet! The beach was pretty packed with tourists, I guess they were all here to see the sand castles. Here's pictures of all the ones built. I really liked the "Buddha Hanging Loose" and "Slumdog Brazilionaires". Which one's got your vote?
