What a view from Diamond Head.

HEY REF!

I just like this picture

6th Grade Boys Basketball.

Terrible picture of us, but look at the background...

He doesn't even realize that it's February.

OH NO! It's the terrible twos!

I'm crazy glasses face, I have glasses on my face...GIMMIE SOME CANDY!

What happened to this blog?

This blog used to be about Hawaii...and if you'll notice the recent trend in posts, they have become less about surfing, sun, and mountains, and more about things I like to hear, watch, and read.

I guess that's what happens when you WORK in Hawaii.

So, with that in mind, here's another review. I'll try and post some interesting pictures that I haven't posted before.

Clap Your Hands and Say Yeah

Do it.

Louder.

Feel Better? If you don't, then you didn't really clap your hands and say yeah.

I can guarantee that both clapping your hands and saying yeah! and listening to "Clap Your Hands and Say Yeah" (referred to as CYHASY in the future for brevity) will make you feel better. No matter how old or young you are, this album is delightfully different enough to make you do what they're called.

This was first recommended to me by the venerable Dan Szombathy in late 2005, and subsequently by amazon, iTunes, and various other music sources. I delayed and delayed until I just couldn't stand seeing this bizarre album cover without hearing the music. I love the haunting carnival barker sound shouting "Clap your hands!" on the 1st track...set the tone perfectly.

RATING: 4.5 out of 5
Recommended if you like (RIYL): Modest Mouse, The New Pornographers, or Broken Social Scene.

The Thumbsucker Proxy

What an interesting film. This kinda snuck up on me, I don't even recall where I heard about it. I think it popped up on "you may like..." thing from Netflix or Amazon, maybe it was an old Ebert and Roeper podcast.

Whatever it was, good choice.

The casting is excellent: Vince Vaughn, Vincent D'Onofrio, and (get this) a tolerable Keanu Reeves (as the orthodontist/philosophical guru).

The music is better: The Polyphonic Spree frontman Tim DeLaughter composed the original score which gives us brief background snippets of their orchestral work and some good songs mixed in. I am not a fan of "TPS," and can't really tolerate their work in most settings, but it really works in a movie setting. All of the other music comes from the late, great Eliott Smith.

The movie works a lot like many other movies of the past couple of years...it has shades of "I Heart Huckabees," "Garden State," and "The United States of Leland" (featuring the music of Jeremy Enigk of Sunny Day Real Estate and The Fire Theft). If you've seen any of these movies you'll know what I mean, maybe not Garden State as much but the rest are a little heavy on preaching a philosophy of some kind, even though each of the movies seems unsure as to what that philosophy is.

Anyway, Thumbsucker is a great existential movie (Being and Becoming).
Here's a link if you feel like reading one take on basic existential philosophy.

The film follows a teenager through a series of changes, developments, experiments, and lifestyles not too unfamiliar to anyone who has made mistakes in life; it shows how uncomfortable he is in his attempt to BE until he learns (from our whoa! philosopher) that one must BECOME.

It puts a finger so directly on that uncomfortable time in adolescence when we wanted to have the answers, when we needed to know the RIGHT course for our lives, when simply letting the journey happen was not an option. IDEALISM. That's it.

I'm now no longer writing from the top of my head, but writing to try and sound smart...and doing a poor job, so I'll spare you.

Watch this movie.

Random old story resolved

I played tennis for the first time since JoAnna and I got married this President's Day. I should have started with someone who didn't play #2 singles in college. Today is Wednesday and "the sore" is reaching its peak. Good news -- even though I lost 6-3, 6-4, he's as sore as me.
________________________________________________
Today was the court date. I don't think I posted the story but many have heard me tell it...I really like telling stories. I awoke at 5:00am to drive 20-ish miles in an hour and a half (curse you Hawaii and all your beauty, making everyone want to live here, and therefore making traffic ridiculous) for my court hearing regarding a New Year's Day traffic stop, where I "failed to have current proof of insurance" on federal property (a stone's throw from my house). So, I received a summons to appear in FEDERAL court, or have a warrant for my arrest. Even after (or maybe because?) I went home, retrieved the proof of insurance (which was dated 12-26, that right, five days later), and went to talk to the Military Police who pulled me over at the DUI checkpoint.

This was all because my tail lights and brake lights had shorted out on my way home (presumably) that night. "Why do you have two tail lights out?" the MP asked, surely thinking I knew the answer. So, the tail lights needed to be fixed...after trying a bunch of things I jammed some cardboard in there to solve the shorting problem. This worked like a charm until the safety check needed to be performed on the car. I removed the cardboard, because surely this wasn't going to pass, and hoped for the best. "Well, the lights worked for a second and then the whole back end went dark, but I'm going to pass it anyway." the mechanic says.

Uh, Ok...thanks?

So, back to the court date. I show up early 7:30 for 8:30 court and wait. There were about ten of us waiting...just us alone in the room, no baliff, no lawyers, no judge, nothing.

I've never been in a courtroom before...ominous.

Then the perky legal assistant comes in and says, come up and check in and if you have a minor offense we can discuss that. I show her my summons, ticket, license, and P of I (as I've just now decided to call it) and she looks at all these pieces of my information and then at me and says, simply, "dismissed." WHAT! Three double takes later, I get the impression that she is done with me and that I should leave, go away, be gone, get outta there. Didn't even get to "approach the bench."

Oh yeah, then I went to Saturn (eww) and tried to get the lights fixed. One hour and $0.00 later, everything is tip-top. Making the correction - Saturn (yea!)

And we thought Lucas was a surprise

On Friday after school, one of my fellow IPES employees calls and says, "Do you want a dog?" One month ago that would have been an easy answer..."No way, not right now." For some reason, JoAnna has been saying, "I want a new dog." and "Lucas needs a pet."

So upon receiving this call, I said, "let me talk with my wife." She replied, "The owners are taking to the pound tonight." "Bring him over," I say.

So, "Fargo" arrived a little while later. And though he was in desperate need of a bath and a trim, we decided that he should be our dog. He is a 3 1/2 year old Australian Silky Terrier...basically a big Yorkshire Terrier.

He didn't respond to Fargo for some reason, so we felt free to change his name. His registration papers say his name is "Cosway His Nibs" (what?), so we figured the appropriate name would be "Cosmo."

And he is the best kind of dog...a free one.

We took him to a groomer today. Nice, huh?

before...

After

Before...

Our latest addition.

Melinda and Melinda

After a shout out on John's blog and an extremely favorable review on Ebert and Roeper's Podcast, I decided it was time to stop passing up this latest Woody Allen pic and just see it already.

I've seen a great deal of Woody Allen's movies, and though his work has never been able to match the brilliance of Annie Hall (best picture 1977, gotta love Christopher Walken as the (surprise) creepy brother), most of his films have been good -- entertaining at least. Sleeper is another one of my favorites, and Crimes and Misdemeanors and Deconstructing Harry are very well written.

Allen's films all carry with them his worldview, something that makes them indisputably HIS. You will never mistake a Woody Allen pic for the work of another director.

I've always felt that I'm watching the work of a brilliant storyteller/filmmaker, even if his subject matter often leaves a bad taste. After each movie I feel a little disappointed that Allen did all that great writing and didn't actually say anything worthwhile. It's a little like reading Palahniuk.

Anyway, the premise of this movie is whether life at it's core is more fully a tragedy or a comedy. Melinda is the constant in both stories told by different storytellers -- one telling a comedic tale and the other a tragic tale. Remember Sliding Doors? Yeah, same premise...

It turns out that life is actually tragic, because neither story ends up being funny...But Will Ferrell is the male lead in the comedic, so that helps us keep the stories straight. It is a very amusing movie, even with the flawed premise -- Allen's writing is as strong as ever. The movie is worth the rental fee just to see Ferrell in a somewhat serious "comedic" role. Plus his Woody Allen impression is spot on.

I love this pic because you can see the great "footprints"

Photo Binge.

So we've driven past this stretch of beach about fifty times and wondered why there were always parked across the street. There doesn't seem to be anything special about this section of North Shore, actually it's a small section with more rocks than sand...nothing to look at.

But as we were following directions to "the beach where you can see the turtles" we slowly realized that this was where we were going..."Oh, that's why there's always people crowded around there." I say...everything falling into place.

I was relieved that there was one turtle there...wouldn't want to disappoint Lucas and hear him say, "Turtle, find 'em" for the next three days. We sat on the rocks and observed this quiet creature "basking" (as they say), and then we see a big rock in the water that looks like it's moving. It slowly creeps onto shore the waves sorta tossing it about and then uses the front flippers to edge up the beach (the way we've all seen on Discovery Channel, hazards of turtle egg hatching special). It was quite a treat.

Apparently, there is usually at least one turtle on this particular stretch of beach.

Turtles on North Shore

Just in case you were wondering

Close-up of turtle

Hmmm....why does everyone keep saying, "TURTLE?"

smile.

Big smile.

He is the Night Rider

Playground at night....Twinkle, Twinkle.

He's growing up...isn't he?

IT'S A BOY!!! AGAIN!

JoAnna, Lucas, and I piled into the car early this morning to drive into Honolulu to get our first ultrasound for this baby. We were both delighted to see our offspring (most importantly) was healthy (counting fingers/toes, watching heartbeat, looking into brain, checking face structure), but then wait, what was that between it's legs? I noticed before the tech said anything and looked at JoAnna, she didn't catch the glimpse. The tech looked at all three of us and said, "Well, it's definitely another boy!" High fives all around.

I guess this makes it sound like we wouldn't have been happy to hear we were having a girl, but that's not really the case. I've always wanted Lucas to have a brother...and I'm excited about having two boys under three. This means as the boys grow up they will be (depending on the state) they will be two years apart (1st/3rd, 4/6th) I like that division...close but not too close.

Can you tell I'm excited?

Hey, Nostradamus!

I received this book for Christmas (thanks Jen) and flew through it's 240-ish pages...Coupland is my favorite author and this is one of the few of his books I hadn't read. I was suprised by its premise (a Columbine-esque school shooting and the aftermath). The story is told from four perspectives in four different times: Cheryl, at the time of the shooting, Jason, 11 years after the shooting, Heather, trying to help Jason pick up the pieces, and Reg (Jason's dad), when it seems he is left all alone.

If you have seen (meaning tolerated) Gus Van Sant's film Elephant you may draw some parallels, but Coupland's novel tells us about what I think is most interesting about tragedies like Columbine, what happens to people after the fact.

The reader of Hey, Nostradamus gets the displeasure of looking over the shoulder of one of the tragedy's survivors and heroes and seeing how life can never be the same. Plus it has all the shine and polish of Coupland's best fiction.

A great read...

Not all Catholics are bad...

I saw this movie earlier this week after waiting 5 months for its release to DVD. My initial attraction was the Canadian connection (there just aren't too many good movies to come out of Canada...well not since Strange Brew anyway).

Saint Ralph is a great coming of age movie set in 50's era Hamilton, Ontario. It runs the predictable plot arc of a typical underdog sports movie, but it has an unmistakable heart that drives this story. JoAnna is probably the best barometer of how emotional a movie is; she doesn't cry during many movies (can't remember the last one) but something about this movie struck a chord with her (maybe it's the pregnancy talking).

But more than that...it's funny. Adam Butcher (who plays Ralph) nails the role of outcast trying to be rebellious while still being exceptionally naive (a la Max Fischer).

If you haven't seen this movie, it should definitely be on the list of "movies I haven't seen yet."

Christmas come and gone.

Well, our first Christmas in Hawaii has come and gone. It was a little wierd sweating while opening presents (not kidding) and spending Christmas afternoon playing tennis and playing on the playground, but it was still Christmas...

Merry Christmas

Mele Kalikimaka!

Two most innovative albums of the year.

A special note is necessary to talk about two albums which shirk the convention of the music industry as it stands.

MF Doom and DJ Danger Mouse (two of the biggest names in underground hip-hop, DangerMouse is responsible for the grey album, a mash-up of The Beatles "White Album" and Jay-Z's "The Black Album") combine their talents to create Danger Doom and their first album "The Mouse and the Mask."

The biggest thing that makes this album innovative is that it is inspired by Cartoon Network's Adult Swim which is home to the funniest cartoons on TV. The album contains character voices and skits from Adult Swim's most popular original shows, including Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Sealab 2021 and Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law.



The second innovative album is from Mark Kozelek (from Red House Painters, he also played the bass player in Almost Famous, a great Cameron Crowe flick). Kozelek's newest project, Sun Kil Moon, attempts an entire album of Modest Mouse covers. I use the word "attempt" because it's not entirely successful. Modest Mouse songs are quirky, off-kilter, and a little rambunctious (thanks spell check), Kozelek's music tends to be subdued, melodic, often sleep-inducing. Maybe it's the inherent opposition that makes this project so compelling to a fan of both...even if it isn't that GOOD.

Top 5 in 2005

In keeping with a tradition established Daniel Szombathy circa 2000(right?)…this blog will be THE place to post your lists.

Top 5 Groundrules:

1. Post only 5 entries in each category. Entries must be numbered 1-5 (one being the best). Take liberties with honorable mentions.

2. Music must have a release date within 2005. Movies must have a theatrical release date within 2005.

3. When listing Books, use 2005 as the “my first read” year, not necessary to have been published in that year.

4. Before posting your lists, you must comment on another’s list.

5. Feel free to make a top 5 in 2005 for anything.

Here are my lists:

Music

1. Idlewild – Warnings/Promises
2. My Morning Jacket – Z
3. Razorlight – Up All Night
4. The White Stripes – Get Behind Me Satan
5. The Mars Volta – Frances the Mute

Honorable Mention: Interpol – Antics, Headphones – S/T, Beck – Guero, Gorillaz – Demon Days, Kanye West – Late Registration, The Evens – S/T.

DisHonorable Mention – Weezer – Make Believe (boooring), Coldplay – X&Y (anyone else hate Chris Martin?), Franz Ferdinand – You could have it so much better…(really bad sophomore slump).

Movies

1. Batman Begins
2. The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy
3. Kung Fu Hustle
4. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
5. Crash (though it was better when it was entitled “Magnolia”)

Let me just say that this list is sad to look at…these are some good movies…none of them great. This shows how far behind I am at the theatres. Some of the most anticipated movies I have yet to see (for example, Walk the Line)…somebody better have a better list than this…

DisHonorable Mention – Million Dollar Baby (Eastwood just plain bores me), The Pacifier (c’mon!!!), March of the Penguins (280 miles of shuffling), Doom.

Books

1. You Shall Know Our Velocity – Dave Eggers (far and away the best read of ‘05)
2. Canadian History for Dummies – Will Ferguson
3. Souvenir of Canada – Douglas Coupland (got homesick this year)
4. On the Road – Jack Kerouac (finally finished)
5. Choke – Chuck Palahniuk (the least frustrating of his books)

Your turn…

Two triple crown competitors chatting it up before tackling the 8-12' swell.

At the O'Neil World Cup of Surfing today 11/27...I hate these pictures, because the waves look small...in person the waves are scar-y.

White Plains...small surf today.

Maybe this will add some perspective...the surfer on the left rear...

Momma and baby behind the roped off section...Don't disturb the sleeping seal...

Monk Seal at White Plains

Peacefully soaking up some rays

This is who said good morning to me at White Plains today.

Neglected to mention...

Part of the "Military Culture Course" that I am taking as part of my quest for a raise from the State of Hawaii was a trip to the Arizona Memorial. I guess it's sort of a shame that we haven't visited before...but that made this "required" visit all the more interesting.

Our tour was a private and special tour kicked off by a welcome from the Admiral of PACCOM (Pacific Command, pronounced pay-com and not pac-com for some reason)...it seemed like he was pretty important.

We took a pretty comfortable barge (with two navy officers as tour guides) around Ford Island (the man-made island in the center of Pearl Harbor) and saw the Utah Memorial (which is more impressive than the Arizona, because you can actually see the partially righted ship).

The best story award goes to the sailor that showed us the big dent in the side of the USS Missouri. Apparently a Japanese kamikaze pilot flew along the water directly into the side of the "Mighty Mo" in an attempt to single handedly sink the battleship. The 18" thick steel thwarted his attempt, but the dent remains. The commander of that ship was so impressed by this act of bravery, he ordered his sailors to make a Japanese flag, and held a funeral for this pilot at sea.

We came around to the Arizona Memorial where we could actually get off the barge. The memorial itself is pretty impressive, supported by two cement beams and held above the Arizona, making no contact with it. Inside the memorial, one can look through Hawaii's clear water and see the rusted details of the fallen battleship. A few of the gun turrets protrude through the water. The most captivating thing about the memorial is the oil that leaks from the hull of the ship (they say about five quarts a day), the navy officers called this the "tears of the Arizona."

The wall of memorial is very sobering; it's hard to see over a thousand names that represent individuals that died within minutes of each other. The attack by the Japanese was so quick that most of the sailors did not have time to escape the ship before it was sunk, and as it stands today there are over 900 bodies still entombed aboard the USS Arizona. The few sailors that survived the attack have all agreed to be buried with their shipmates, having their ashes placed aboard the ship by divers.

I'm surprised at how this affected me.

Utah Memorial

Arizona Memorial

OP Hawaii

We went to the North Shore to see the swell today...It also happened to be the finals of the first leg of the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing.

We arrived about halfway through the 35 minute final. The conditions were choppy, but huge (the pics don't do justice). I was excited to hear that Mick Fanning was in the finals...he's Australian and the first surfer I read about in a surf mag. He had some huge accident a year or so ago, tore his hamstring during a fall in a surf comp, and has come back this year to do very well.

Below are some pics, some I took, some I found. The next leg is Pipeline (which breaks closer to shore, so my 3x zoom may actually produce some pictures that you can see). Check out the fearless Keiki (kid).

shaking hands

a much better photo found on some website

Huntington Beach, CA native, Brett Simpson.

Australia's Mick Fanning.

Local Hawaiian (Kamaaina) Pancho Sullivan giving a victory speech

Brazil's Raoni Monteiro (3rd place)

Picture of the finalists (L to R)...Pancho Sullivan (top of his head, finished 1st $15,000, Brazil's Raoni Monteiro finished 3rd $6,000, Brett Simpson finished 4th $4,000, and Mick Fanning finished 2nd earning $8,000).

Pancho Sullivan hugging his wife...

At the award ceremony