For those who are taking a brief break from their holiday celebrations to check on in here, here are two quickie Christmas related forwards I got. Hope they help to put a smile on your face on this Christmas day.
WEEWEECHU
Weeweechu
It’s a romantic full moon, when Pedro said, “Hey, mamacita, let’s do Weeweechu.”
Oh no, not now, let’s look at the moon!” said Rosita.
Oh, c’mon baby, let’s you and I do Weeweechu. I love you and it’s the perfect time,” Pedro begged.
“But I wanna just hold your hand and watch the moon.” replied Rosita.
Please, corazoncito, just once, do Weeweechu with me.”
Rosita looked at Pedro and said, “OK, one time, we’ll do Weeweechu.”
Pedro grabbed his guitar and they both sang…..
“Weeweechu a Merry Christmas, Weeweechu a Merry Christmas, Weeweechu a Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year.”
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The Greatest Christmas Decoration Ever!
The Greatest Christmas Decoration Ever!
Fantastic. Greg sends along this DIY FYI:
“Good news is that I truly out did myself this year with my Christmas decorations. The bad news is that I had to take him down after 2 days. I had more people come screaming up to my house than ever.Great stories. But two things made me take it down.
First, the cops advised me that it would cause traffic accidents as they almost wrecked when they drove by.
Second, a 55 year old lady grabbed the 75 pound ladder almost killed herself putting it against my house and didn’t realize it was fake until she climbed to the top (she was not happy). By the way, she was one of many people who attempted to do that. My yard couldn’t take it either. I have more than a few tire tracks where people literally drove up my yard.”
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12th Hour UPDATE!
Bruddah David In Oregon literally just sent this to me, so I’m adding it to the funnies. Mahaloz D.O.!
Christmas Funnies
Christmas Funnies
Christmas Funnies
Christmas Funnies
Christmas Funnies
Christmas Funnies
Christmas Funnies
Christmas Funnies
Christmas Funnies
Christmas Funnies
Christmas Funnies
Christmas Funnies
Christmas Funnies
Christmas Funnies
Christmas Funnies
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Now, get back to your family ya hear? Actually, comment first and then get back to your family! Priorities…
Have a safe and happy holiday season gang! See you next year!
Since my friends were in from outta town recently, I decided to take a vacation day the other day and tag along with them as they took care of some errands. We did some local kine stuffs (ate at Shige’s Saimin Stand in Wahiawa, and went to the swap meet), and we also did some touristy kine stuffs (checked out Dole Plantation, and went to the swap meet ), and actually had quite a good time playing tourist.
Amusing Graphic Tees at the Aloha Stadium Swap Meet
Even though many of us have lived in the islands our entire lives, ain’t it still fun to hit up the north shore for some shave ice or stay at a hotel in “waiks” from time to time, just because? Why let the tourists have all the fun in this beautiful state we call home? Let’s list our fave things to do in the islands to “play tourist”. Who knows? Maybe some of you will even do a few of these this weekend. Hurr’s mine:
1) Travel to a neighbor island – OK, so technically, I actually AM a tourist when I travel outside of Oahu, but still, it’s fun, and yet, I still feel “local”, naw mean?
2) Show “real” tourists around – I get many visitors from the mainland as well as the muthaland, and there’s no greater joy I get from seeing their faces light up when I show them those great places to eat, drink and be merry!
3) North shore ack-shon – Growing up in town and east Oahu, the north shore was always so far for me that I rarely got to get out there (it was like going to another planet!). Whenever I hit up Haleiwa town or check out the shrimp trucks or get out to Laie side, it’s always new and fun.
4) Stay in Waiks – It’s always fun to feel how the tourists feel when they visit us.
5) Cruise Waiks – Just park anywhere in Waikiki (probably at the Zoo or along the Ala Wai) and walk up and down Kalakaua Ave (and/or Kuhio). Fun times!
So how do you guys play tourist? Post your thoughts in the comment area below!
Happy VHO7V Friday, and have a great weekend y’all! Shoots!
Weekend Events!
* Local boy BJ Penn is taking on Diego Sanchez tomorrow night at UFC 107 (5PM HST on Oceanic Time Warner Cable Pay-Per-View). Be sure to support our Hawaiian brutha and root him on k? Watch the UFC 107 streaming events throughout the weekend here.
* Our UH Rainbow Warriors are taking on Chicago State at the Stan Sheriff Center. Support the Bows as well! If you can’t make it to the game, you can always order it on TV!
* The 2009 Honolulu Marathon is this Sunday. Unless you’re a fan of traffic, try to avoid the path that the marathon takes at all costs. (no sales pitch here! )
Probably not many readers/commenters out there today (Thanksgiving Day), but just in case there are, here’s a fun little forward I got that’s quite appropriate.
New Turkey Recipe Your dinner will be the talk of the TOWN!!
You should try this!
Sure to bring smiles from your guests!
Here is a new way to prepare your Thanksgiving Turkey.
Cut out aluminum foil in desired shapes.
Arrange the turkey in the roasting pan, position the foil carefully. (see picture below for details)
Roast according to your own recipe and serve.
Watch your guests’ faces…
New Turkey Recipe
May your stuffing be tasty
May your turkey plump,
May your potatoes and gravy
Have never a lump.
May your yams be delicious
And your pies take the prize,
And may your Thanksgiving dinner
Stay off your thighs!
OK, so for those of you who don’t know, today marks the start of Restaurant Week Hawaii, where restaurants from around Oahu create menus at special rates and donate a portion of their proceeds to benefit the development of The Culinary Institute of the Pacific. It’s from today (11/16) through Sunday (11/22) and for a good cause so get out dea and support our local businesses k?
On another note, some of you may’ve heard that the lady friend and I will be celebrating our one year wedding anniversary soon. (and noooo! that’s not what I meant by “Serious Grindage” you pervs! :P ) I will be taking her to _______ (shh! even SHE doesn’t know yet! ), but could use some additional suggestions and tips on where to take her and what to get her. Sorry, I’m a guy.
So using the above two news items as today’s theme, send me some suggestions for your restaurant (and your favorite dishes from that restaurant) of choice for this special 1 year anniversary occasion (click here for the list of participating restaurants for Restaurant Week Hawaii). Bonus points for those who gimme good, non-food related, gift ideas. Have a great week y’all!
Just waking up in the morning gotta thank God
I don’t know but today seems kinda odd
No barking from the dog, no smog
And momma cooked the breakfast with no hog
Ok, so it wasn’t quite like how Ice Cube rapped it, but “today was like one of those fly dreams” and definitely “A Good Day“.
Why you axe? Welp, this morning, the much anticipated Motorola Droid was released to the public through Verizon Wireless, and, like every other nerd out there, I found myself standing in line, waiting to get mine.
Billed as the iPhone killer (watch iDont commercial here), this smartphone attacks and addresses all of the iPhone’s shortcomings. Being a non-AT&T Wireless sub and a Google and open source fiend, I literally NEEDED it. It’s running the newest Android 2.0 OS (the first phone with it) and has neat features like seamless Gmail and Facebook integration as well as free navigation via Google maps. I literally just got it, so I didn’t have much time to play with it yet, but here are a few quick tips/things I learned in this short time. Perhaps it’ll help some of y’all out.
Ed’s Tips/Notes:
* Not sure how crowded the other stores are, but the Pearl Highlands one I went to was not too bad. They opened at 7AM, and when I got there at about 6:30, there were only 4 people ahead of me. The woman at the front of the line said she got there at 5:15 with the next guy coming at 6:15. Before the doors opened, there were just about 15-20 of us (including couples). From what I heard, Verizon had 200 in stock, so if you get down there now, you should be ok.
The line outside Verizon Wireless at about 6:45AM
* The phone itself is $199 ($299 with a $100 mail-in rebate). With the Snap-On Gel Cover ($16.99), expect to pay over $300 out the door.
* With this phone, you must upgrade to a $29.99 data plan (if you didn’t already have it). I was coming from an enV Touch with a $15 VZW Mobile Web plan/package, so it was about double. It made me think about it for a split second, but for the extra goodies and the Wi-Fi action, I think it’s worth it.
* If you’re used to slim (narrow) phones, this one’s pretty wide. Compared to my Touch, it’s a beast. Gonna be interesting to see how it fits/feels in my pocket.
The Motorola Droid next to the LG enV Touch
* To keep the phone as slim (flat) as possible, the QWERTY keypad was built pretty flat. If you have big hands (like me), it may take some getting used to.
Closeup of the Droid’s QWERTY keyboard. Like how I focused on E-D?
* The Snap-On Gel Cover may also feel like it’s getting in the way sometimes, so using it would be up to personal preference.
The Motorola Droid with slider open
* The camera’s a bit tricky to get used to (accessing, saving, sharing, etc.), but once you get the hang of it, the 5 megapixel camera takes pretty good shots. Here’s a pic my friend/co-worker Maribel using the Droid in artificial light.
(resized) 5 Megapixel photo taken with the Droid. Click here for the full version.
* Even though you have VZW backup enabled, you must still manually import your contacts into your Droid (via Gmail). You actually download the CSV file from verizonwireless.com/backupassistant, and then import it into your contact list in Gmail. If you have tons of contacts in your Gmail account and tons of numbers in your addressbook (from your old phone), it could get a little messy. I still have yet to check what it did to my dupes (it said it merged them). Yikes!
Check out the step by step shots (for downloading and uploading your contacts) below.
The Verizon Wireless Backup Assistant login page
Your list of contacts in Backup Assistant
Gmail Contacts page
Import Contacts screen in Gmail Contacts page
Importing CSV into Gmail Contacts
Import complete!
Big ups to Tara Reyna from the Pearl Highlands Verizon Wireless store. She’s really helpful and smart, so go see her a-ight? For more information on the Droid, go to DroidDoes.com or visit Motorola’s consumer page here.
I know, I know… I’ve probably mentioned or blogged about our wedding like 4 billion times now already, but I swear… this will be the last time! (I think).
The other night, we had some peeps over and caught the amusing footage of our reception entrance dance from our wedding DVD, and it got me thinking about that mysteriously popular video that I posted on Youtube a couple months ago (now over 381,000 views). Since our videographer was too far away and everybody stood up to greet us for the walk in, that 3GP cameraphone video that my friend Chris took is the only proof we have of us dancing (along with some stills).
The problem with that video though, is that it’s only a short clip of the wifey and I, and just a small sampling of everything that had happened before. You see, the wifey and I basically strong armed the shy wedding party to do a little dance (and get down tonight) against their will so I wanted to give them theirs for their willingness to embarrass themselves and just have fun.
Sooo… I thought I’d try to piece something together with whatever content I could muster up: that cameraphone footage, video from the DVD, still photos, (whatevahz!) and see what I could come up with. The video below is the result. Not bad for a rookie video editor if I do say so myself. Enjoy!
AND… With all this fun I’m having now with the video editing ack-shone, you’ll be able to see my handiwork again this Thursday when I post my “Q&A with Shane Victorino” blog (where he answers some of your questions)! Stay tuned!
Talk to me!
* Besides us of course which dance did you like the best?
* Which song do you like the best?
* Have you seen wedding entrances like this?
* What did you like/not like about um?
* As a member of a wedding party, were you ever strong armed to do something you didn’t want to do?
* Any other wedding party horror stories?
* Will you do this at your up coming wedding?
* Feedback on the rookie editing? Tips/Suggestions for next time?
* If you have any questions about any of the wedding vendors below, just ask!
Mahaloz to:
* The stars of the show… our wedding party: Bari Carroll, Grant Lau, Janine Nakatani, Kelvin Ogata, Noele Kajiwara, Jennifer “Shorty” Nishiki and Tommy Baniqued.
* Bruddah Bryan (Emcee)
* Brian Ebisui (DJ)
* Vince Shin and Sharmil Elliott of Love Story Weddings (Photographers)
* Greg Ventura of Advanced Visual Arts (Videographer)
* Chris Kanemura for the 3GP video from his phone
For how Japaneee I truly am, it’s surprising that I don’t really have a lot of memories of Bon Dances growing up. The ‘rents are actually from the motherland, but it was never really a big part of our lives I guess. Wifey, on the other hand, went every year with her family and had many fond memories to share. When we took a recent stroll to the Koganji Temple Bon Dance in Manoa Valley, it was nice to experience the sights and sounds that so many cherish, and, just otherwise get back in touch with my Nihonjin roots.
Talk to me! * Have you been to this Koganji Temple Bon Dance?
* Any Bon Dance memories you’d like to share? * Your favorite Bon Dance meal? * Do you dance? Your favorite Bon Dance dance/song? (I was surprised to hear Elvira as one of the songs)
* Your favorite Bon Dance location?
* Any other childhood memories you’d like to share?
* Other things you folks like to do with your family?
Late last month, your boy manned up and checked yet another item off the ol’ “bucket list”: Compete in the Hawaii Tinman. On Sunday, July 26th, the 2009 Tinman Triathlon was in full effect and, bright eyed and bushy tailed, I was there yo. Having a couple of marathons already under my belt, I was going into the Tinman thinking it would be another cakewalk. Boy was I mistaken!
The “just have fun” mentality will quickly eat you alive in the Tinman competition if you aren’t properly prepared. Below are the lessons I’ve learned as a first timer that I’d like to pass along to all y’all. Enjoy!
* Take it serious! – unlike the marathon, there are a lot less “just for fun” participants, as made obvious by my finishing rank! LOL! Being fairly athletic and in reasonably good shape does not equal Tinman success. Not training seriously will not only be dangerous to your health, but frustrate the bejesus outta you (when your muscles don’t agree with what your mind is telling them).
* Train! – I would recommend training each activity/concentration successively, in addition to individually. In other words, it’s good to swim until the cows come home, but you should follow it up with a bike and then a swim. Yes, on the same day. My cheater friend Bari (who also did the Tinman with me) wisely took it a little more serious than I and participated in running and biking groups that met up on the weekends. The Heavy Breathers group in the Hawaii Bicycling League has a biking group that goes out on Saturday mornings and the Honolulu Marathon Clinic has a running group that goes out on Sunday mornings. He fully recommends joining them.
* Give yourself time to train – not only is the entrance fee more expensive the later you apply, you need sufficient time to prepare for what your body will go through. We decided to START TRAINING just two months before the race. With busy schedules and other life activities already planned (like that trip to Alaska), my once a week training schedule (at best), definitely did not cut it.
* Get ready to invest – if you’re “newbs” like us and going into it from scratch, be prepared to shell out some pretty pennies in order to get the party started. The bicycle (no, a mountain bike doesn’t count!), helmet, tri-shorts (specially padded swim trunks that are waaaay too tight), no-blister socks, goggles, water bottle, water bottle holder, miscellaneous bike tools/kits/bags, etc., are just some of the things to think about. And that doesn’t include the $80-100 entrance fee. And BTW, don’t laugh at the mountain bike comment. I actually briefly considered doing that (using the mountain bike I already owned) to save me some money. That, and using my snowboarding helmet as a bike helmet. LOL!
* Run the course – don’t use the day of the race to practice running the actual course. Go to Queens and swim the 750 meter (wall to wall to wall) ocean course. Bike the 24+ miles (40K) to and from Hawaii Kai. Jog the 6+ mile (10K) Diamond Head circle. All BEFORE the race! Extra special bonus points if you do all of them back to back as if it were race day. Click here for the specifics on the course paths. Since Bari and I were a little behind schedule, we ended up driving the course by car the day before. Don’t be us.
* Get a good night’s rest – never underestimate the value of a good night’s sleep the night before the race. If you’re a night owl, you might want to consider sleeping early several nights in a row to help your body get used to sleeping at an early hour.
* Fuel up – eat enough food to last you until the late morning/early afternoon hour, as that will probably be your next meal. As they say, eat bananas to help with cramping and carbo-load a couple days before race day.
* Arrive early (Check in starts at 4AM) – if you arrive too late (especially if this is your first time), you will be scrambling around, trying to figure out what you’re supposed to do and where you’re supposed to be. You will probably also have a hard time finding a place to rack your bike once everyone else has settled in and found their spots.
Your view of the check in area pre-race
* Be prepared – unfortunately, the folks at the Tinman only make your packet available about a week before the race (I could not find a PDF version of it on their site). There is a lot of valuable information in there that you’ll want to read before race day. Your various race numbers (for your bike itself, for your back for the bike portion, for your front for the run portion, sticker for your helmet, etc.) are also in there. Familiarize yourself with what they are and where they go. It also says to mark your left arm and left leg with your number (for the swim portion) before you arrive, but there are volunteers there, the morning of, with markers to help with that. Concerned for our health, Bari and I went to Longs and picked up a non-toxic marker and did it ourselves. The choice is yours.
* Make sure you can handle rough surf – Before the race, Bari’s dad told us that the waves were expected to be 3-5 that morning at Queens. Not sure if it actually got that big, but there was definitely a bit of washing machine action going on. Rough water swimming in the ocean is A LOT harder and different than in your local pool, or even flat water swimming in the ocean for that matter. Since the water was probably the only possible place I could die (if I rested), I concentrated on training my swimming the most. Probably 98% to my 1% bike and 1% run. Although I HIGHLY recommend training the swimming fo sho, I would also say that you need to devote more than 1 and 1 on your bike and run. :\
Bari and I struggling at Manoa pool early on
* Stay away from the wall (during the start) – for some reason, the officials for Bari’s group made them go all the way back against the wall. The combination of the crowd and the rough waves and the reef did not bode well for Bari’s foot as he opened up a gash on the bottom prior to starting.
* Enter the water later – if you’re a weak swimmer or don’t have much water endurance, what in the heck are you doing competing in the Tinman!? Hehe. But seriously, if you’re a weak swimmer or don’t have much water endurance, don’t hurry to get to the starting line within your group (you start in groups based on experience, age and gender). You may end up burning up your energy trying to stay afloat for up to 5 minutes until your start time. Plus, if you stay towards the rear of your group, there’s a better chance of the water being less rough and crowded. Well, at least until the group behind you catches up! LOL!
* Buy a good bike! – thanks to my great friend who shall remain nameless, Bari thought it would be a good idea to buy a bike for me from a Craigslist ad. Later, we discovered that we’ve been duped and that the puppy was actually one from Walmart. So even when I was flying it at full blast on the highest gear, everyone continued to whiz right by me. WTH!? Don’t take any chances. Get a good, Tinman quality bike from the beginning, especially if you plan on competing more than once. If you’re not sure, some of the local bike shops may rent bikes out. Here’s the rental information from The Bike Shop.
* Hydrate, especially during the bike portion! – there are NO aid stations during the 24+ mile bike portion of the race. Be sure you have a water bottle or two filled with your favorite fluid (other than hard liquor ). I had one bottle of Gatorade and that wasn’t enough, just FYI. If you’re in the same situation, be sure to partition out half for going to Hawaii Kai and the other half for coming back.
Heartbreak Hill in Hawaii Kai – generally speaking, the midway point for the bike ride [Photo Credit: wifey]
* Have a great support system – having your friends’ and family’s support before, during and after the race is priceless.
Kari, Miko and moms waiting patiently (and I stress patiently ) for my arrival. [Photo Credit: wifey]
Wifey snaggin’ some action shots [Photo Credit: Kari Ohara]
Still in good spirits (for some reason) on Heartbreak Hill [Photo Credit: Kari Ohara]
The cheering section! Ahaha! [Photo Credit: wifey]
Making me crack up on the way back down Heartbreak Hill [Photo Credit: wifey]
* Kiss your bum g’bye! – after sitting on a teeny seat for that long, your butt and “special areas” (if you’re a man) will undoubtedly get sore. I’m just sayin’.
* Wear gloves – I underestimated the value of a pair of gloves for that long of a bike ride. Though it was just tender and didn’t quite blister for me, I can see it being a problem for others.
* Be careful on the bike dismount – if you didn’t train properly (or even if you did!), when you dismount your bike, be aware that your legs will be J-e-l-l-o. This happened to me as well as my unnamed friend Bari, and I wouldn’t be surprised if there were actually some who ate it coming off of the bike. Just be aware.
* Transitions, transitions, transitions! – Our transition times were just plain ridiculous. Streamline your in-between time to shave precious minutes off your overall time.
* Don’t take pictures – unless you’re a dedicated writer/blogger extraordinaire (like me) , don’t stop to smell the roses. Taking mental notes and stopping to take photos during this race is not a good idea for your finishing time. Lesson learned. But then again, we wouldn’t have any wonderful shots like these now would we? *grin*
The start of the run on Kapahulu next to the Honolulu Zoo
Looking back on Monsarrat Ave, on the way towards Diamond Head
Leaving the first of 3 aid stations at Kapiolani Community College (the 2nd was at the beginning of Elepaio St and the 3rd was at Triangle Park)
Much like the Honolulu Marathon, you’ll head down 18th Ave towards Kilauea.
At this point, my legs were shot. The reason why this photo is looking up towards Diamond Head is because I was walking backwards! Ya gotta do what ya gotta do right?
Fighting the heat on Kilauea before turning right on Elepaio St.
Again, much like the marathon, you go up Kahala Ave towards the finish.
Tourists taking in the sights on Kahala Ave
Aloha story: you see the fella in the blue jogging in the photo above? During the race, he came over and decided to keep a brutha company and jog along with me towards the finish. He was just exercising and wasn’t even in the race! What a nice gesture, especially being that since 5:55AM that morning, I was pretty much on my own. It was nice to have someone to finally talk to. After chatting a bit, we found out that we shared a mutual friend in fellow Honolulu Advertiser blogger Melissa Chang. I Tweeted @Melissa808 after the race to please thank her friend and found find out that his name was Russell. Mahaloz Russell for your company and encouragement!
The fountain off Kalakaua Ave near Kapiolani Park
Cones leading to the finish line
Allllmost there! [Photo Credit: Kim Asano]
Alas! The goal is in sight!
Funny story:DJ Maleko, who was emceeing the finish line area, called out my name and said that I should’ve taken this picture after I finished, not before!
So thar ya have it! I hope this helped you future Tinman-ers at least a little. If you have any questions, feel free to post them in the comment area below.
A special Mahalo to my blog commenter M, and all of the staffers at The Bike Shop and McCully Bike for the pre-race help/tips! Doumo Arigatou (Mr. Roboto) to Kari Ohara, Miko Ohara, Kim Asano, moms, pops, wifey and wifey’s family for the support before, during and after the race! Big ups to the Tinman peeps for putting on this glorious event and the 100s of volunteers (and race participants as well) who showed their support during the race! Props to Russell for being my last leg jogging partner! And a final grazie to the Carrolls for the hospitality before the race and a wonderful lunch after.
I (guess I) can’t forget to send some love to Bari Carroll for motivating me to train for this thang against my will. You be a-ight I guess… Nah, thanks B!
Bari and I – 2009 Tinman Finishers!
See ya guys in the water next year???
P.S. Wanna see our progress from newbs to average Joes? Check out Bari’s (slightly biased) editing magic in our Tinman journal/video documentary! Don’t watch if you’re squeamish about pale, topless men. Consider yourself warned!
OK so I was obviously a bit MIA yesterday (and Friday for that matter). Apologies… your boy was busy healing his wounds from “competing” (and I use that term lightly ) in the 2009 Tinman Hawaii triathlon.
Gonna (hopefully) blow this out into a full-blown article on AroundHawaii.com, but until then, I wanted to share some tidbits for those of you who are interested in “competing” in the near future. Enjoy!
Still in good spirits on Heartbreak Hill at the 2009 Tinman Triathlon
* Get ready to invest – if you’re a “newb” like me and going in from scratch, be prepared to shell out some pretty pennies in order to get the party started. Bicycle (mountain bike doesn’t count!), helmet, tri-shorts (specially padded swim trunks that are waaaay too tight), no-blister socks, goggles, water bottle, water bottle holder, miscellaneous bike tools/kits, etc., are just some of the things to think about. And that doesn’t include the $80-100 entrance fee.
* Take it serious – unlike the marathon, there are a lot less “just for fun” participants, as made obvious by my finishing rank! LOL! Being fairly athletic and in reasonably good shape does not equal Tinman success. Not training seriously will not only be dangerous to your health, but frustrate the bejesus outta you (when your muscles don’t agree with what your mind is telling them).
* Train! – I would recommend training each activity/concentration successively, in addition to individually. In other words, it’s good to swim until the cows come home, but you should follow it up with a bike and then a swim. Yes, on the same day.
* Be prepared for rough surf – Before the race, someone told me that the waves were expected to be 3-5 that morning at Queens. Not sure if that was true, but there was definitely a bit of washing machine action going on. Rough water swimming in the ocean is A LOT harder than flat water swimming in the ocean or in your local pool fo sho.
* Buy a good bike! – thanks to my great friend who shall remain nameless, Bari thought it would be a good idea to buy a bike from a Craigslist ad. Come to find out the puppy was from Walmart. Um yeah. So even when I was flying it at full blast on the highest gear, everyone continued to whiz right by me. WTH!?
* Hydrate, esp during the bike portion! – there are NO aid stations during the 20 something mile bike portion of the race. Be sure you have a water bottle or two filled with your favorite fluid.
* Be prepared for a sore bum – after sitting on a teeny seat for that long, your butt and “special areas” (if you’re a man) will undoubtedly get sore. I’m just sayin’.
* Be careful on the bike dismount – if you didn’t train properly (or even if you did!), when you dismount your bike, be aware that your legs will be J-e-l-l-o. This happened to me as well as my unnamed friend Bari, and I wouldn’t be surprised if there were actually some who ate it coming off of the bike.
* Transitions, transitions, transitions! – Our transition times were just plain ridiculous. Streamline your in-between time to shave precious minutes off your time.
* Don’t take pictures – unless you’re a dedicated blogger extraordinaire (like me) , don’t stop to smell the roses. Taking mental notes and photos during this race is not a good idea for your finishing time. Lesson learned.
So thar ya have it! I hope this helped at least a little. A special Mahalo to M for the pre-race tips!
Now that the first time, just-for-fun itch is under the belt, there is no doubt that I will take it VERY seriously next time and own it the next time around.
Talk to me!
* Any tri-ers or racers in general have anything to share with the WWE `Ohana?
* Did this blog make you the tad bit interested in possibly racing the Tinman one day?
* If you were to judge yourself, would you say you’re strongest at swimming, biking or jogging?
* Is there anything that you’d like to accomplish one day? What’s on your bucket list?
So it’s now day 2 of our back-to-back movie pass giveaway days. What a way to close out the week right?
Today, we’ll give you a chance to take a sneak peek at Denzel Washington and John Travolta’s new flick The Taking of Pelham 123. See below for da details.
I’ve got two (each good for two) so post your comment below if ya want um!
COMMENT BELOW TO WIN! What would you do if you were taken hostage? Would you sit and obey or would you attempt to defend/free yourself? Best 2 comments win the passes!
Da Details: WHO: You and a homey WHAT: FREE Advance Screening Movie Pass (good for two) to The Taking of Pelham 123 WHEN: Wednesday, June 10, 2009 at 7PM (opens to the public on Friday, June 12th) WHERE: Ward Theatres 16 - 1044 Auahi Street, Honolulu WHY: Cause you read my blog brah! HOW: Just give da bes’ comment!
Ed’s Easy Rules:
I will pick da lucky buggah by next week.
Once the winner is selected, I’ll contact you via email so we can coordinate a time and place to give you the pass, OR, if it’s easier, I can leave it here (at Oceanic) for you to pick up (during normal business hours).
Please be sure you are actually able to attend (or know someone who can) because I’d hate to pick the winner, only to find out that you can’t make it.
Acceptance of the pass means you will not hold me or Oceanic Time Warner Cable liable for anything whatsoever.
The Official Rules (fine print on the pass itself):
Please arrive early as seating is limited and on a first-come, first served basis. This pass does not guarantee admission, is non-transferable and is not redeemable for cash. Screening is overbooked to ensure capacity. This pass is the property of Columbia Pictures who reserves the right to admit or refuse access to the theater at the discretion of an authorized representative. No one will be admitted after the screening begins.
This screening will be monitored for unauthorized recording. By attending this screening, you consent to surveillance by security personnel. By attending, you agree not to bring any recording device (including certain types of mobile phones which have recording capability) into the theater. By attending, you also consent to physical search of your belongings and person for recording devices. If you attempt to enter with a recording device, you will be denied admission. If you attempt to use a recording device, you consent to your immediate removal from the theater and forfeiture of the device and its contents. Unauthorized recordings will be reported to law enforcement and may subject you to criminal and civil liability.
About the Movie: In The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3, Denzel Washington stars as New York City subway dispatcher Walter Garber, whose ordinary day is thrown into chaos by an audacious crime: the hijacking of a subway train. John Travolta stars as Ryder, the criminal mastermind who, as leader of a highly-armed gang of four, threatens to execute the train’s passengers unless a large ransom is paid within one hour. As the tension mounts beneath his feet, Garber employs his vast knowledge of the subway system in a battle to outwit Ryder and save the hostages. But there’s one riddle Garber can’t solve: even if the thieves get the money, how can they possibly escape?
It’s been quite some time since we’ve done a Movie Pass Giveaway eh? Well, let’s make up for lost time and close out the week on a good note… Back-to-back giveaways y’all!
Today’s movie pass giveaway will for the new Nickelodeon flick Imagine That, starring Eddie Murphy.
I’ve got two (each good for two) so post your comment below if ya want um!
COMMENT BELOW TO WIN! Did work ever get in the way of family time and if so, how? Best 2 comments win the passes!
Da Details: WHO: You and a homey WHAT: FREE Advance Screening Movie Pass (good for two) to Imagine That WHEN: Tuesday, June 9, 2009 at 7PM (opens to the public on Friday, June 12th) WHERE: Regal Dole Cannery Stadium 18 - 735 B Iwilei Road, Honolulu WHY: Cause you read my blog brah! HOW: Just give da bes’ comment!
Ed’s Easy Rules:
I will pick da lucky buggah by next week.
Once the winner is selected, I’ll contact you via email so we can coordinate a time and place to give you the pass, OR, if it’s easier, I can leave it here (at Oceanic) for you to pick up (during normal business hours).
Please be sure you are actually able to attend (or know someone who can) because I’d hate to pick the winner, only to find out that you can’t make it.
Acceptance of the pass means you will not hold me or Oceanic Time Warner Cable liable for anything whatsoever.
The Official Rules (fine print on the pass itself):
No recording of this motion picture, by electronic or any other means, is permitted.
Theatre is overbooked to ensure capacity. ARRIVE EARLY, seating is on a first-come, first-seated basis. This pass DOES NOT guarantee admission and must be surrendered upon demand. No one will be admitted without a ticket or after the screening begins. Issuer reserves the right to refuse, revoke or limit admission in its sole discretion at any time. This ticket is not for resale. No Admittance once screening has begun.
This screening will be monitored for unauthorized recording. By attending, you agree not to bring any audio and/or video recording device into the theatre and you consent to a physical search of your belongings and person for such devices. If you attempt to enter with a recording device, you will be denied admission. If you attempt to use a recording device (this includes cell phones with photo capabilities), you consent to your immediate removal from the theatre and forfeiture of the device. Nothing contained in the notice shall limit the available remedies Paramount Pictures Corporation may have against you. Unauthorized recording will be reported to law enforcement and may subject you to criminal and civil liability (including damages of up to $150,000 per violation).
About the Movie:
In Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies’ family comedy Imagine That, Eddie Murphy stars as a successful financial executive who has more time for his blackberry than his seven year old daughter (Yara Shahidi). When he has a crisis of confidence and his career starts going down the drain, however, he finds the solution to all his problems in his daughter’s imaginary world.
This past Saturday, April 25th, 2009, Hormel Foods Corporation and the SJ Foundation held their 7th annual Waikiki Spam Jam festival in the streets of Waiks. Part of Kalakaua Avenue was closed off for the event (apologies to the uninformed drivers at the time! ), which ran from 4PM-10PM.
Hawaii Foodbank Donation Center at the Waikiki Spam Jam 2009
There were an estimated 20,000-25,000 in attendance last year, and this year seemed no different. The street was jam-packed with thousands of tourists and locals alike, enjoying Spam-inspired dishes from the following vendors:
Aloha Table at Waikiki – SPAM® Cabbage and Garlic Spaghettine, Loco Moco with SPAM®
Cheeseburger Beachwalk – BBQ SPAM® Babies with Pineapple
Gordon Biersch – Guava Mango BBQ SPAM® Sliders, Shichimi Spiced SPAM® Wrap, SPAM® Noodles and Crispy Spam Gau Gee
Jimmy Buffett’s – SPAM® Nachos
K’s Restaurant – SPAM® Katsu, SPAM® Gau Gee
Murphy’s Bar & Grill – Corned Beef Hash with SPAM®
PF Chang’s – SPAM® Lettuce Wraps
The Shack Waikiki – Spam Burgers and Spam Fries
Spam Musubi from the Doraku Sushi booth
Two stages were set up (one for KCCN FM 100 and one for Hawaiian KINE), which featured local, Hawaiian acts like Ilona (Irvine), Kawaianuhealehua, Herb Ohta., Jr., Pilioha, Kuhai Halau O Kahalepuna Pa Olapa Kahiko, Typical Youth, Kaukahi, Beach 5, John Cruz, and Kapena.
Almost seven million cans of SPAM® products are eaten every year in Hawaii. That’s more SPAM® per person in Hawaii than in any other state in the United States! So it only seems fitting that the festival be here. Oceanic Time Warner Cable was one of the proud sponsors of this event, that also helped benefit the Hawaii Foodbank by way of canned good donations.
Since I’m off being unproductive today , hurr’s a combo Fave 5 / Flashback Friday post from our beloved kuya.d. Show him some love y’all!
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Chee-hoo! And aloha WWE ‘ohana! I’m not sure if Ed made a good decision, but you lucky buggahs (or poor things) have me, kuya.d, sitting in for the vacay man today. Thanks for the honor Bruddah Ed!
So let’s jump in the ole way-back machine, and give a nod to prom. Yeah, it’s prom season, so let’s do it this way: list your Fave 5 songs from your prom days (fast songs, love songs, any song that takes you back!).
And I’ll also start us off on our favorite “name that tune” sing-along. So join in!
I know today’s Good Friday so I do wish you all a nice one. Some of you don’t have work, but I’m still hoping for some responses since some folks still have to represent on the time clock.
My prom songs Fave 5:
1) “Lost in Love” – New Edition (they were my favorite group until Boyz II Men came out).
2) “About You” – C&K (even the kids now listen to this song, true island classic).
3) “The Search is Over” – Survivor (didn’t I hear this on Idol the other nite?).
4) “Supersonic” – JJ Fadd (this or rock, rock Planet Rock, or give-give-give Give it All You Got).
5) “I Would Die 4 You” – Prince (go ahead, throw in that Purple Rain DVD, I know ya wanna).
. . . I’ve been waiting for so long, now I finally found someone to stand by me . . . (continue on from here folks)!
By the way, Have a blessed Easter! And Ed will be back Monday, mucho mahalos!
It’s News Day Tuesday, so here’s another in the series of WWE edumacation. This one’s on Area Code (dialing) safety. Yeah, I know, I know… these aren’t so popular in the comments department, but as long as I can help a handful of you peeps out with some of these, I’m satisfied.
Do Not DIAL AREA CODE 809, 284, AND 876
This is very important information provided to us by AT&T. Don’t ever dial area code 809.
This one is being distributed all over the U.S. This is pretty scary, especially given the way they try to get you to call.
Be sure you read this and pass it on.
They get you to call by telling you that it is information about a family member who has been ill or to tell you someone has been arrested, died, or to let you know you have won a wonderful prize, etc.
In each case, you are told to call the 809 number right away… Since there are so many new area codes these days, people unknowingly return these calls.
If you call from the U.S., you will apparently be charged $2425 per-minute.
Or, you’ll get a long recorded message. The point is they will try to keep you on the phone as long as possible to increase the charges.
WHY IT WORKS:
The 809 area code is located in the Dominican Republic. The charges afterward can become a real nightmare. That’s because you did actually make the call. If you complain, both your local phone company and your long distance carrier will not want to get involved and will most likely tell you that they are simply providing the billing for the foreign company. You’ll end up dealing with a foreign company that argues they have done nothing wrong.
Please forward this entire message to your friends, family and colleagues to help them become aware of this scam.
Talk to me!
* Sneaky yeah?
* How about unc uji UNC Tarheels yesterday? Pretty dominating eh?
* Surprised that some guy named Jordan was elected into the hoops Hall of fame?
* And how about that Cutler to Chicago trade a few days ago? Woah!
* Chris Brown entered a ”not guilty” plea. Whatchu tink?
* Dish on The Hills? Nah, I nevah saw um. Probably might have to with wifey tomorrow though. Hehe!
* The big winners at the 44th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards on Sunday were Brad Paisley, Carrie Underwood, Sugarland and Rascal Flatts. What’s new eh? Any country music fans out thurr?
* American Idol predictions for tonight? Who’s gone-doze?
A-ight peeps. We be hea again to start your work week right. Here’s a lil’ sumthin’ sumthin’ I got in the mail that made me smile. I hope it helps brighten up your day too. [Side note: all y'all "arse" lovahs out dea (like *cough*kuya.d*cough*) should enjoy dis one]!
OK, take a good look at this photo and guess the nationality:
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Give up!?!?
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It’s…
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POLISH!
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Check it!
Holy Kielbasa!
Get your mind out of the gutter you pervs!
Happy Monday y’all!
Talk to me!
* How’d you like da joke? Pretty tricky yeah?
* I had quite that eventful weekend (picked up taxes from accountant, went to Kanpai, may’ve sold the car, watched a movie, Lunch at Pietro’s). What’d you do?
* How does your work week look?
* Anybody catch the WEC last night?
* How ’bout dem Final 4s? Who you going for today: Michigan St. or North Carolina?
* Anybody else (besides uji and me) depressed that the Phillies dropped their season opener yesterday?
* The Brother-in-law’s gonna kill me, but The Hills (final season with Lauren) starts up again tonight. Ya gonna watch it?
* Fight fans, don’t forget that there is the (new) Strikeforce: Shamrock vs. Diaz event on Showtime (Digital Channel 0633 or HD Channel 1633), a re-airing of UFC 94 (St. Pierre vs. Penn) on Spike TV (Digital Cable 0559), and the Winky Wright vs. Paul Williams bout (which may have Andrei Arlovski on the undercard) on HBO (Digital Channel 0611 or HD Channel 1611) this Saturday; UFC 97 Redemption (Anderson Silva vs. Thales Leites) on PPV (Digital Channel 0701 or HD PPV Channel 1700), and the local Kingdom MMA event (Mayhem Miller vs. Kala Kolohe Hose) next Saturday, the 18th; and finally, the Manny Pacquiao vs. Ricky Hatton fight on May 2 on PPV (HD Channel 1700).
Have a great week y’all! 
![Heartbreak Hill in Hawaii Kai - generally speaking, the midway point for the bike ride [Photo Credit: wifey]](http://www.world-wide-ed.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/2009-08_tinman-tips003.jpg)
![Kari, Miko and moms waiting patiently (and I stress patiently :P ) for my arrival. [Photo Credit: wifey]](http://www.world-wide-ed.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/2009-08_tinman-tips004.jpg)
![Wifey snaggin' some action shots [Photo Credit: Kari Ohara]](http://www.world-wide-ed.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/2009-08_tinman-tips005.jpg)
![Still in good spirits (for some reason) on Heartbreak Hill [Photo Credit: Kari Ohara]](http://www.world-wide-ed.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/2009-08_tinman-tips006.jpg)
![The cheering section! Ahaha! [Photo Credit: wifey]](http://www.world-wide-ed.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/2009-08_tinman-tips007.jpg)
![Making me crack up on the way back down Heartbreak Hill [Photo Credit: wifey]](http://www.world-wide-ed.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/2009-08_tinman-tips008.jpg)
![Allllmost there! [Photo Credit: Kim Asano]](http://www.world-wide-ed.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/2009-08_tinman-tips018.jpg)
