Eternal sunshine of my spotless mind

I was looking over past facebook notes and found some stuff I did that I liked. I thought I'd just post them here since I have nothing important to say and all of it is still true. My life is sort of stagnant in a good way, so I have nothing new to write about...

Posted to Facebook Jan 26, 2009

25 Random Things

1. I feel naked if my toenails aren’t painted.

2. I’m deathly afraid 3 things: cockroaches (especially B-52’s), the dentist, and live fish (I won’t touch them).

3. I’ve never been good at swimming. I get ear infections easily, so that’s my excuse.

4. I was a vegetarian for 4 years. A piece of fried chicken in the refrigerator was my downfall.

5. My favorite daily mommy moment is when my child wakes up in the morning and I greet him with the phrase “good morning sunshine” or “wakey, wakey, eggs n bakey.” My second favorite daily mommy moment is when I put him to bed.

6. When I was little, I wanted to be a garbage man (woman) when I grew up.

7. When I was younger, I once stole a library book! It was a book about the Beatles with lots of pictures.

8. I've flown an airplane.

9. I’m addicted to American Idol.

10. I used to collect dog Beanie Babies. I have every dog from Spot (the first dog) through 2004. I finally quit because there were too many. I still have them all.

11. I once saved a straw wrapper that was discarded by a guy I liked in high school. It was thrown in the trash and my friend Gayle dug it out for me. I briefly dated that guy 20 years later. No, I had tossed out the straw wrapper decades ago.

12. I experience major anxiety when I toss recyclables in the trash.

13. My favorite alcoholic drinks are: Saracco Moscato d’Asti, Cape Cod, and a gin and tonic.

14. I’ve been going to the gym for 12 years. At one point I went 6 days a week. Now I’m lucky to get there once a week.

15. I believe in ghosts.

16. After I graduated from college, I worked at Ala Moana Liberty House for 1 day. I quit after work.

17. I get vertigo. I used to get it frequently in college, not as much now.

18. My favorite ice cream: Ben and Jerry’s Chocolate Fudge Brownie and Coconut Seven Layer Bar

19. I only wear Victoria’s Secret underwear.

20. My favorite football teams are the Green Bay Packers, SF 49ers, and Washington Redskins. I chose them back in high school because I liked their helmets the best.

21. If I had to move to the mainland, I’d move to San Francisco.

22. The only thing I’ve ever stolen in my life (okay, besides the library book) was a kumquat.

23. I hate Vienna sausages. I’d rather eat my own hand. I will never feed them to my son, but he does like them.

24. My favorite thing about being a librarian is giving a child their first library card.

25. I can crack my knuckle on my right hand just by making a fist and opening my hand.

My mood: tired

Posted by Cora at 07:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

1. Insects or rodents inside my house.
2. Dust
3. Clutter
4. Laundry
5. People who get upset at their dog for being a dog (like my stupid neighbors who put their dogs in a cage ALL day because they dig holes when they're not home).

Happy Veterans Day!

My mood: despite my entry, I feel great because I have the day off!

Posted by Cora at 08:08 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Was gonna post this on Facebook, but I can't cause it's broken or something... so I'll plop it down here.

Here’s albums or songs that had such a profound effect on you they changed your life or the way you looked at it. They sucked you in and took you over for days, weeks, months, years. These are the albums that you can use to identify time, places, people, emotions. These are the albums that no matter what they were thought of musically shaped your world.

Fables of the Reconstruction by R.E.M. My favorite album ever. I had the record and cassette (now the CD), both of which I listened to daily, whether it was walking home from school or just brooding at home.

Under a Blood Red Sky by U2. My first concert was the 1985 U2 Unforgettable Fire tour. I think I may have gone w/Mel & Gayle. I recall being very close to the front and touching Bono’s fingertips during a song.

The Violent Femmes by the Violent Femmes. I don’t listen to it much anymore, but I have fond memories of this time in my life.

Slave to love by Bryan Ferry. Something about this song makes me want to find this kind of love.

I can see clearly by Johnny Nash. I went through a dark period of my life and when I could feel myself sliding into oblivion, hearing this song helped me rise out of the funk and shake those bad feelings off.

The letter by the Box Tops. This song takes me back to carefree and fun days. I remember singing it loudly on the beach (when it was safe to hang out on the beach) in the middle of the nite.

New kid in town by The Eagles. Every time I hear this song I think of my sister. I have a lot of memories of my early childhood wrapped up in this song.

Fade into you by Mazzy Star. Song reminds me of a dream I once had.

Cry baby cry by Santana (feat. Sean Paul & Joss Stone). I can listen to this song over and over again.

Around the world by ATC. This is my gym song. Pre-baby days, when I went to the gym 6 days a week, this song was the one that got my blood flowing. It's hard to be a slacker when this song is playing.

I melt with you by Modern English. Every time I hear this song I am instantly transported back to the cafeteria school dance.

Genius of love by the Tom Tom Club. This is the first current pop song I remember really liking.

Losing my religion by R.E.M. My favorite song ever.

My mood: annoyed w/facebook and getting sleepy

Posted by Cora at 11:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

1. I feel naked if my toenails aren’t painted.
2. I’m deathly afraid 3 things: cockroaches (especially B-52’s), the dentist, and live fish (I won’t touch them).
3. I’ve never been good at swimming. I get ear infections easily, so that’s my excuse.
4. I’m addicted to American Idol.
5. I was a vegetarian for 4 years. A piece of fried chicken in the refrigerator was my downfall.
6. My favorite ice cream: Ben and Jerry’s Chocolate Fudge Brownie and Coconut Seven Layer Bar
7. I only wear Victoria’s Secret underwear.
8. I get vertigo. I used to get it frequently in college, not as much now.
9. My favorite daily mommy moment is when my child wakes up in the morning and I greet him with the phrase “good morning sunshine” or “wakey, wakey, eggs n bakey.” My second favorite daily mommy moment is when I put him to bed.
10. I hate Vienna sausages. I’d rather eat my own hand. I will never feed them to my son, but he does like them.
11. When I was little, I wanted to be a garbage man when I grew up.
12. When I was younger, I once stole a library book! It was a book about the Beatles with lots of pictures.
13. I used to collect dog Beanie Babies. I have every dog from Spot (the first dog) through 2004. I finally quit because there were too many. I still have them all.
14. I once saved a straw wrapper that was discarded by a guy I liked in high school. It was thrown in the trash and my friend Gayle dug it out for me. I briefly dated that guy 20 years later. No, I had tossed out the straw wrapper decades ago.
15. My favorite alcoholic drinks are: Saracco Moscato d’Asti, Cape Cod, or a gin and tonic.
16. My favorite football teams are the Green Bay Packers, SF 49ers, and Washington Redskins. I chose them back in high school because I liked their helmets the best.
17. If I had to move to the mainland, I’d move to San Francisco.
18. The only thing I’ve ever stolen in my life (okay, besides the library book) was a kumquat.
19. I’ve been going to the gym for 12 years. At one point I went 6 days a week. Now I’m lucky to get there once a week.
20. After I graduated from college, I worked at Ala Moana Liberty House for 1 day. I quit after work.
21. My favorite thing about being a librarian is giving a child their first library card.
22. I've flown an airplane.
23. I experience major anxiety when I toss recyclables in the trash.
24. I believe in ghosts.
25. I can crack my knuckle on my right hand just by making a fist and opening my hand.

Okay, some are repeats from previous posts (and I totally stole this from one of my Facebook notes), but I'm tired and ran out of interesting things to say...

My mood: lazy

Posted by Cora at 11:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Shannon sent me this survey online. Since I finished it off, I decided to add it here. I have nothing exciting to post anyway... I decided to eliminate the stupid questions. Okay, the really stupid questions, so that's why there's a bunch missing.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE?
The doctor that delivered me (so I'm told)

WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED?
A few weeks ago?

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT?
Pastrami

DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS?
Yes

WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP?
Uh, no

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL?
Honeycomb (but not w/milk), Rice Krispies (but only smothered in marshmallows)

DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF?
No

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM?
Chocolate fudge brownie

WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE?
Clothing, shoes, smile

RED OR PINK?
Red

WHAT IS YOUR LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF?
Slightly OCD

WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST?
My sis in Florida

WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING?
No shoes, Navy sweats

WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW?
Scarbourough fair

IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE
Chartreause or Periwinkle

FAVORITE SMELLS?
Baked goods fresh from the oven, clean babies, new shoes

WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE?
Mel

DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU?
Yes! Shannon works at one of the furthest libraries from me (on this island)

FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH?
NFL, MLB, UH Wahine volleyball

DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS?
When I’m not too lazy

FAVORITE FOOD?
Italian, Mexican, Chocolate

SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS?
Happy endings

LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED?
Get Smart

WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING?
Gray adopt-a-dog from Crazy Shirts

SUMMER OR WINTER?
Winter

HUGS OR KISSES?
Hugs

WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW?
Department of lost & found (A.W. Scotch)

WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD?
Don’t have a mouse pad

WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON TV LAST NIGHT?
Media center, I saved a few episodes of Bones

FAVORITE SOUND(S).
Ocean waves breaking, silence, giggles

ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES?
Beatles

WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME?
East coast

DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT?
I wouldn’t call it a talent, but I’m a great shopper

My mood: exhausted

Posted by Cora at 11:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Watching more election drama, inspired me to write a list. Woohoo!

Top 12 Celebrity Eye Candy (Okay, I tried to narrow it down to 10, but I can't)

12. Josh Duhamel

11. Vin Diesel

10. Johnny Depp

9. Michael Weatherly

8. Duane Johnson

7. Anderson Cooper

6. Jet Li

5. Robert Downey Jr

4. Brendon Fraser

3. David Boreanaz

2. John Cusack

1. Barack Obama

My mood: tired, can't believe how much time this took...

Posted by Cora at 11:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

What are (non-work) things on my to-do list?

1. Exercise
2. Make an eye doctor appointment and an appointment to get my car serviced
3. Get a birthday card for my momma
4. Pay C-Man tuition for next month
5. Get some rest so that my almost-cold doesn't turn into a full cold

Five snacks I enjoy:

1. Salty and crunchy stuff (chips, crackers, popcorn, arare, etc.)
2. Fruit (currently cherries and apples)
3. Ice cream (of course)
4. Cottage cheese and pineapples (can't seem to stop eating it)
5. Pickled mango (from the lady with the green wall in Haleiwa and Aunty Berna)

Things I would do if I were a billionaire:

1. Travel a lot and take friends/family along
2. Start a wind and hydro energy plant in Hawaii
3. Buy a couple of houses for my family (one condition is that they gotta live here-- he, he, he Sis!)
4. Adopt a poor library system (hmmm, can I think of one???) and spend buckets of money Carnegieing it up
5. Create my own private school that focuses on learning, NOT on test scores

Places I've been to that I'd like to go back to:

1. Canada
2. San Francisco
3. Yellowstone
4. Boston
5. Seattle

Jobs I’ve had:

1. Library Student Helper
2. Library Student Assistant
3. Liberty House Sales Associate
4. Library Assistant
5. Librarian

Posted by Cora at 12:08 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The weather is stifling, I just took a shower and am ready for another.

Questions to ponder as I swelter trying to fall asleep:

1. Will Greg get the answer he's looking for from Carla? (a friend, not a soap opera, though it may as well be)
2. Will C-Man get into preschool? (he's on the waiting list now)
3. Should I schedule my teeth cleaning before or during my sister's stay? (have been avoiding it for months)
4. Same as question 3, but scheduling my car maintenance.
5. Should I go to the reunion luau?
6. Should I pay for a song on iTunes or wait for my request to come in for my hold? (how cheap am I?)
7. When should I start watching season 3 of Veronica Mars?
8. What color should I paint my nails next?
9. What am I going to cook for 4th of July party at Mussonville?
10. Is my child asleep yet? (I hear him rustling in his bed)

My mood: tired, hot, want answers

Posted by Cora at 10:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Eating cottage cheese and pineapples made me want to make a listing of other comfort foods, so here it is:

- Peanut butter & guava jelly sandwich
- SOS (Sh*t on a shingle--don't ask me why it's called this it's hamburger, onion, and cream of mushroom soup) with rice
- Kraft American cheese and guava jelly sandwich (toasted, of course)
- Pork and beans
- Tuna sandwich (w/onions, relish, cheese and alfalfa sprouts)
- Miso soup (dad style w/onion, clams, seaweed) and rice
- Mochi fried w/ butter and covered with shoyu & sugar
- Ochazuke (with all those new years goodies dumped in)
- Kings sweet bread (the big round loaf)
- Spam musubi

My mood: not as sunburnt as I thought I would be, kinda tired still

Posted by Cora at 06:46 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

To slough off the feeling of repulsiveness from the previous post I decided to create a playlist of happy songs to bring balance again to my off-kilter brain.

1. Tomorrow - Me first and the gimme gimmies: one of my favorite songs of all time with a hard rock edge
2. Upside down - Jack Johnson: I love the video, new Curious George is so cute (so is JJ)
3. Don't stop believin' - Journey: reminds me of the care-free days of my youth
4. Dancing queen - ABBA: who can be mad with this song playing?
5. Fergalicious - Fergie: I love this song, so conceited and wonderful
6. Vindicated - Dashboard confessional: I love to sing this song in the car
7. Rock star - Nickelback - who doesn't want a star on Hollywood boulevard?
8. Only you - Platters - my most favorite karaoke song ever (don't ever ask me to sing this one or I will and you'll be sorry)
9. Taylor the latte boy - Kristin Chenoweth: I want a latte boy!
10. Bad day - Daniel Powter: good reminder that everyone has a bad day now and then

Posted by Cora at 11:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

I love Fridays.
I love holidays.
I love vacations.
I love picnics.
I love strolls along the beach.
I love a great adventure.
I love sappy love songs.
I love ice cream.
I love quiet mornings.
I love happy children.
I love finding a great deal at Macy's.
I love movies that make me cry.
I love getting compliments about my haircut.
I love chocolate chip cookies.

My mood: full of love

Posted by Cora at 05:57 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

middle of the week
work stress... my mind is Jell-O
do stupid survey

What makes you laugh?: Will Ferrell movies
Who is your hero?: Gore
Who would you want to be tied to for 24 hours?: Obama
How many pairs of shoes do you own?: More than I have feet and yet, I have the crazy urge to go out and buy more
Seriously... Where does the other sock end up?: Vaporizes and contributes to increased ozone
Who do you blame for your mood today?: Myself
If the Internet were sex... I would: Be satisfied daily
Have you ever seen a dead body?: Yes, usually birds squished on the road
What is something scientists need to invent?: Longer days
What should we do with stupid people?: Crash test dummies? Ooh, strap them with positive magnets so they repel from on another, thus preventing them from creating stupid babies who will eventually grow up and become stupid adults (which are the worst of the stupid people)
Have you ever broken a bone?: Wishbone
Do you watch local news? Why?: No, just contributes to high blood pressure. Ignorance is bliss
What happens after you die?: Reincarnation? (I want to come back as anything but a bug) Heaven? (Giant shopping mall with credit card paid by someone else) Hell? (Stuck in a room with a room full of Republicans or one Paris Hilton for all eternity) Won't know till I get there
How big is your bed? Big enough?: Big enough for me to sleep on without moving the crap off
How long do you think you will live?: Long enough

My mood: tired

Posted by Cora at 11:39 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Me, 20 years ago...

1. Where did you graduate from and what year? KHS, class of 1988
2. Who was your significant other? None until Jr. year, dated PW for less than a year (Dad called him beanpole)
3. Was your Prom a night to remember? Ugh, not really, more like one to forget (no offense to MO, my date (different MO, not the MO)
4. What was your fav song you danced to the night of PROM? Don’t even think I danced at the prom. I think we just ate, took pictures and took off
5. Do you own all 4 Yearbooks? Yes, they’re somewhere in this mess
6. Who was your best friend? Musson & Trini
7. What was your fav movie in high school? Breakfast club
8. What was your fav song in high school? R.E.M.- Radio Free Europe; Modern English- I melt with you; Ozzy- Crazy train; U2- Sunday, bloody Sunday
9. What was your number 1 choice of College in high school? NYU, I wanted to make films
10. What radio stations did you jam out to in high school? Can’t remember, mostly just bought albums and tapes (no CDs yet)
11. Were you involved in any organizations or clubs? German Club (President), NHS, Cinematography, Yearbook
12. What was ur fav class in high school? Yearbook, Cinematography, Zoology
13. Who was your big crush in high school? MO (not prom MO)
14. Would you say you've changed a lot since high school? YES
15. What do you miss the most about it? Friends
16. Your worst memory of high school? Prom, for no other reason than it was not really what we thought it was going to be (don't ask me what I thought it was going to be like)
17. Did you have a car? No
18. What were your school colors? Blue & Orange
19. Who was your fav teacher? Noguchi, Chase (of course), Muronaka
20. Did you own a cell phone in high school? I’m ancient. No one owned a cell phone when I was in high school
21. Did you leave campus for lunch? No
22. Were you always late to class? Yes
23. Did you ever have to stay for Sat. School? No
24. Did you ever ditch? My senior year, yes
25. What sports did you play? None
26. It's Friday night, where were you? Hanging out with my friends
27. Were you a party animal? No
28. Were you in the "In Crowd"? I was in A crowd
29. Ever smoke? Smoke what???
30. Were you a nerd? No
31. Did you have a job your senior year? Yes, library student helper (who knew???)
32. Can you sing the alma mater? Did my school have one? I think so
33. School mascot? Mustangs
34. What do you remember most about graduation? Trini’s car getting stuck on the Pali, her dad rescuing us, & RH in the car smoking his cigarettes all calm and unconcerned by the amount of alcohol we were trying to hide. Oh, and we almost missed graduation.
35. If you could go back and do it over, would you? Hell, NO
36. Have you gained weight since then? Yes
37. When it comes time for the reunion will you be there? Was there for 10th, 20th coming this summer

Posted by Cora at 12:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

If your life was a movie, what would the soundtrack be?

1. Open your iTunes library
2. Put it on shuffle
3. Press play
4. For every question, type the song that’s playing
5. When you go to a new question, press the next button

Opening Credits: everybody wants to rule the world –tears for fears
Waking Up: makes me wonder –maroon 5
Average Day: life is perfect –nuff sedd
First Date: stolen –dashboard confessional
Falling in Love: who will save your soul –jewel
Love Scene: boulevard of broken dreams –green day
Fight Scene: stronger –britney spears
Breaking Up: dancing in the dark –diana krall
Getting Back Together: touch me –the doors
Secret Love: piano concerto number 21 in C –mozart
Life’s Okay: all through the night –cyndi lauper
Mental Breakdown: hey there delilah –plain white t’s
Driving: how to save a life –the frays
Learning a Lesson: watchamadoodle –songs from Jojo’s Circus (Disney)
Deep Thought: where is the love –black eyed peas
Flashback: brandenburg concerto number 5 movement number 1 – Bach
Partying: angel –sarah mclachlan
Happy Dance: hop on the train –choo choo soul (Disney)
Regretting: sitting, waiting, wishing –jack johnson
Long Night Alone: rockin’ robin –bobby day
Death Scene: apples and bananas –barney’s favorites, vol.1 (yes, the purple dinosaur)
Closing Credits: wonder –natalie merchant

Happy Birthday to our dear friends: Xander and Connor... ages 5 and 4 (they grow so fast)

My mood: good despite the fact that I have a full work week ahead of me

Posted by Cora at 10:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

It’s not a wonder why a mother is often overweight. I have consumed mountains of leftover hot dogs, pizza, rice, broccoli, chili, hamburgers, ham, carrots, peas, loco mocos, macaroni and cheese, etc. in the past few years. All the leftovers I get to eat are often soggy and always cold. In the case of fruit, I often get the rejected parts. With grapes, I always get the squishy ones. With other fruit, I get the parts that are brown, bruised, or sour.

I’ve gotten smart in my old age and sometimes the leftover food gets divided up among the 3 canine family members. I’ve never had any objections or refusals on their behalf, so everyone’s happy. I do occasionally indulge in his rejects, so today’s momma leftover menu included soggy Apple Jacks, half a hamburger, a few fries, and the crust of a slice of pepperoni pizza.

There are few things that are never leftover:
- Chocolate milk
- Juice
- Candy (Gummi Bears, Jelly Beans, MnM’s, Fruit Snacks, Chocolate, etc.)
- Ice Cream
- Mochi
- Whipped cream on any dessert (which works out great because I hate whipped cream)

I refuse to eat leftover:
- Vienna sausages
- Hot dogs
- Spam
- Something that’s been regurgitated (He once ate rocky road ice cream and spit out all the nuts)
- Anything that’s been licked (Once, he licked all the chocolate off the top of a chocolate covered glazed doughnut)
- Any beverage (he still backwashes)

I hate when:
- He says he wants more food, I get more and he eats 2 bites and says he’s pau.
- He says he wants something, I buy it and he takes one bite and then doesn’t want it.
- I ask him what he wants to eat, I buy it, but someone else is eating something better so now he doesn’t want what he has anymore.

My mood: loving my long weekend; looking forward to spending the day with friends tomorrow and family the day after that...

Posted by Cora at 10:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I am amazed that a 3 year old can have such diverse musical taste. C-Man loves his classical music a la Little Einsteins. He loves his nursery rhymes and kiddie songs too. He also has a taste for modern music, but I can't figure out what kind he likes. Earlier today, Musson asked me if I was listening to R.E.M. because he was singing Losing my religion in the pool. Last week, at the beach, he was singing Buffalo soldier. On Friday, he was mad at me in the car because I changed the station and he wanted to listen to Beautiful girls (Sean Kingston) and I hate that song. He also used to be able to sing the first verse of Hey there Delilah. And he seems to love Fergie (anything by her). It's sort of cute.

One of my blogs posted the following question: What songs, or musicians does your heart sing to?

So I answer with the following:

For musicians (and my most favorites by them) I would have to say
1. the Beatles (Day in the life, Hey Jude)
2. R.E.M. (Losing my religion and all of Reckoning)
3. U2 (Under a blood red sky)
4. Billy Joel (Keeping the faith)

Other songs:
1. Stairway to heaven (LZ)
2. Hotel California (Eagles)
3. Slave to love (Bryan Ferry)
4. Time after time (Cyndi Lauper)
5. I can see clearly (Johnny Nash)

If I sit here all night, I could possibly come up with a hundred more, but I think I should try to get some sleep.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Happy Girl's Day!

My mood: tired, a little sad, and a little sunburnt

Posted by Cora at 01:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Hey Sis-- here's the survey...

1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? Yes, my doctor (apparently my parents lack imagination and thought I was going to be a boy, I think my name would have been Joshua or something like that)
2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED? Yesterday
3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? Not especially, that’s why they invented word processors and email.
4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT? Ham or pastrami
5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS? C-Man
6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? Of course!
7. DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT? I used to, but have toned it down. Someone who was close to me complained.
8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? Yes
9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? No
10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? Boring cheerios or smart start. I love Peanut Butter Captain Crunch w/o milk.
11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? No, but my shoes don’t often need to be tied.
12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? I do now
13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM? Ben and Jerry’s Chocolate Fudge Brownie
14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE? Their smile
15. RED OR PINK? Definitely red, but I do like dusty pink
16. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? Lack of patience w/C-Man
17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? My sis who lives far away
18. WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? Blue shorts & white t-shirt w/Eeyore
19. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE? White chocolate w/coconuts and macadamia nuts
20. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? Roosters crowing, the hum of the computer, clicking of keyboard, my stomach rumbling
21. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? Periwinkle
22. FAVORITE SMELLS? Baking cookies, the ocean, clean babies
23. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? Sis
24. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? Yes
25. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH? Football or baseball
26. HAIR COLOR? Dark brown
27. EYE COLOR? Very dark brown
28. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? Sometimes
29. FAVORITE FOOD? Chocolate, Italian, Chinese, Thai, etc.
30. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? Happy endings
31. LAST MOVIE(s) YOU WATCHED? Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and the Game Plan
32. WHAT COLOR UNDIES ARE YOU WEARING? I'm not wearing any right now
33. SUMMER OR WINTER? Winter
34. HUGS OR KISSES? Both
35. FAVORITE DESSERT? Ice cream, peach pie, almost anything with chocolate
36. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW? Taming bipolar disorder; and Later, at the bar
37. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON T. V. LAST NIGHT? Nothing, I haven’t watched t.v. in a while, although I did sit through several episodes of Blue’s Clues and Charlie and Lola, but I was reading
38. FAVORITE SOUND? The ocean, happy C-Man
39. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES? Beatles
40. WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME? The east coast

My mood: hungry

Posted by Cora at 06:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I smell my dying Christmas tree. Freshly cut, it's a whiff of heaven; 2-weeks after sitting in the house, it's a sad reminder that another year is fastly fading...

Speaking of senses, here are other things that temporarily awaken warm fuzzy feelings within me:

Taste - hot chocolate; warm, fresh-baked bread; fresh mochi
Sight - the early morning ocean; happy children; the view of the bay when I exit the tunnel coming home
Hearing - baby giggles; Beatles music; comfortable silence
Touch - baby skin; doggy pets; sunshine when I'm feeling blue
Smell - Christmas trees; pumpkin pie; baking cookies

Wrapped some gifts (my most dreaded chore of the season-- that and going to the post office). Think I shall do some baking this morning after C-Man awakes.

My mood: reminiscing about Christmases long gone; sympathy for Trini over the loss of her mother-in-law; not looking forward to the frantic rush of Christmas shopping and cleaning the house for party next week.

Posted by Cora at 07:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I have fond memories of going out to watch movies. I used to be an avid moviegoer B.C. (before C-Man).

I am so looking forward to the day when C-Man can sit through and watch a whole movie with me. Then I might be able to return to the movie theaters again. Aah, the bliss of paying way too much to walk through sticky aisles, sit on some unidentifiable and unnervingly stained seat and the scent of stale popcorn brings a certain joy that only modern American entertainment can provide. All uncertainties vanish once the lights dim and that familiar sound of the conch shell of Consolidated theaters bellows over the speakers and you are whisked away to another realm for anywhere from 90 to 180 minutes. Of course, I think that day’s a long way coming. He won’t even watch Finding Nemo or Toy Story because they’re too scary. Or the other possibility is if I ever date again. The chances of either happening anytime soon are slim to none.

Because my mind is a hole of oblivion, I made a list of upcoming movies I want to see someday (probably on DVD):

Enchanted- cute and mindless fun.

Beowulf- tried to reread this one earlier this year in German w/English on the next page, but failed miserably. Settled for the graphic novel instead, but all I got was a stupid fine for returning the book late (I know, what kind of librarian am I?). I look forward to this movie version, despite the lukewarm reviews.

Love in the time of cholera –finally broke down and bought the damn book since I can’t seem to get my hands on a library copy since Oprah made it one of her books (my copy is lost). Only finished half so far. Have not had a chance to read again since the weather has been dreary and I can't find the book anywhere (I think it's at work now).

I am legend – will make an some attempt to see this one at the theater. Will Smith is brilliant and oh, so sexy.

Sweeney Todd- I love musicals. Okay, I love live musicals, movie ones are so-so.

Juno- looks witty and like something I’d like to watch.

Grace is gone- can’t do this one in the theater. Will wait for DVD, need box of tissue.

National treasure: book of secrets- liked the first movie. I love the whole genre of religious/historical/secret society thrillers.

Be kind rewind- Sounds hilarious. Sis: you probably hates Jack Black too since you hate Will Ferrell, but come on, you have to admit that Blades of Glory was pure genius.

My mood: tired, need to wake up early to catch a plane

Posted by Cora at 11:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Four lack of thinking of something original to say, my choices are silence or this. I opt for this.

Four jobs I have had in my life
1. Library
2. Library
3. Liberty House (now Macy's) Downtown & Ala Moana
4. Library

Four movies I can watch over and over
1. It's a wonderful life (once a year at Christmas)
2. Casablanca (when I'm in the mood for epic love)
3. When Harry met Sally (modern, epic, but not tragic-except for her hair)
4. Clueless --You see how picky I am about my shoes and they only go on my feet.

Four TV shows I like to watch (opting for shows that are current, so no Buffy or Veronica Mars)
1. Heroes
2. Bones
3. NCIS
4. CSI-- only the original

Four places I have vacationed
1. Yellowstone National Park
2. Vancouver/British Columbia
3. Melbourne, FLORIDA
4. San Francisco -- my favorite place to be

Four of my favorite dishes
1. Carbonara
2. CPK's hot fudge brownie sundae
3. Miso ramen -- fresh noodles please
4. Macaroni & cheese -- not from a box

Four websites I visit daily
1. Yahoo mail
2. Tunehappy (but she doesn't post daily, oh, wait... there is a new post today)
3. ESPN -- during football & baseball season
4. Myspace

Four places I would rather be
1. At the foot of the Great Pyramid of Giza
2. On a sunny beach in Fiji
3. Santorini, sipping wine cultivated from ancient vines
4. Angangueo, Mexico for the Monarch butterfly migration

Alas, I am begrudgingly awaiting work on a Saturday. I know, it's probably the 4th Saturday I've had to work all year, but I have a weekend mindset and work is NOT part of it.

My mood: before work - laundry ugh; during work - work ugh; after work - shopping ugh (I have a fabulously SHORT weekend in which I need to ruin by Christmas shopping - it's the crowds and lack of parking spaces that ruin the shopping)

Posted by Cora at 06:31 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

My dream travel destinations (or places to visit before I die):
1. Watch a baseball game in every major league ballpark in America & visit the Baseball Hall of Fame
2. Visit Paris and take a class on making desserts or chocolates
3. Torn between Greece, Egypt, or New Zealand

Things that freak me out:
1. Cockroaches, esp. the flying kind
2. Dentist visits—there’s always some reason to give me Novocain
3. Fish—I can look at them or eat them, just don’t ask me to touch any of the living kind

Things that I'm embarrassed to admit:
1. When I was little, I had a secret crush on Ricky Schroder
2. I watched every episode of Beverly Hills 90210
3. I can’t swim (I know, I live on an island, lets hope the ice caps don’t melt overnite or it's bye-bye polar bears and me)

Really random:
1. I've flown an airplane
2. I experience major anxiety when I toss recyclables in the trash
3. I survived skiing at Whistler (I really thought I was gonna die or break some bones trying)

Stuff to do before the end of the year:
1. Purge my life of things I don’t need
2. Run the wall on the marsh (or get in shape)
3. Give Zin a bath—she desperately needs one

My music: Beatles 1 CD

My mood: happy it’s the weekend; looking forward to football tomorrow nite; starting to panic about Christmas shopping; feeling ill about the junk food consumed this evening

Posted by Cora at 12:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

What's an insomniac to do without the internet? I turned off the computer 3 hours ago. Having woken up twice since then, I have decided to give up on sleep. It is 3:46 a.m. What the hell is wrong with me?

Since I'm up anyway, I thought I'd watch one of my favorite movies "Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind." Afterwards, I will go for a walk, before C-Man wakes up and I attempt to make stuffing. But first, my annual list of things that I'm thankful for:

1. C-Man. He's becoming a fine young boy. He's smart, funny, and despite the fact that he drives me crazy sometimes, I love him more than life itself. Now that he's a little older and much more independent, I have more time to myself. I'm trying to remember what I used to do before I had him. It is like a lifetime ago.
2. My unwavering support of wonderful family and friends (who are just like family). They have helped me through the rough times in life. I am the fabulous person that I am because of them.
3. The internet-- which is my savior when I have insomnia and it allows me to stay in constant contact with my Sis. It's sort of like having her here, okay, it's not, but it's better than nothing. I'll also add in this category: Amazon.com, Allrecipes.com (and FoodTV.com), my iPod, and email. Oh, and my newest sort-of, but not really, addiction - Myspace. I love reconnecting with my old friends that are there. It's like a mini reunion party online.
4. I remember what it was like to have a full nite's sleep. Will have to remedy this somehow.
5. I get to spend Thanksgiving day with all of my family (okay, not with Sis, Bill & Billy -- but they're in my heart so that's almost as good, well okay, not really... )
6. I have Friday off-- so it's a 4-day weekend for me. Woohoo! It's good to be the boss, sometimes. Planning to do some Christmas shopping, pull out the Christmas decoratons, make room for the Christmas tree, get in some exercise time, and maybe I'll get to sleep for a few hours...
7. UH is having a fabulous football season and the Wahine are in post-season play! Am sad to see Sanders and Gregory go. And of course, will be sad to see CB go, but I'm sure he'll get drafted, so we'll see him again soon.
8. I've returned to the gym. I missed my gym friends -- Kathy, Dan, Annie, Aaron, Sandy, Al, etc. Only haven't seen Clyde yet and Cheri moved away. I'm making use of that membership fee again, yeah! I think I'll try to get back to my pre-baby, gym-6-days-a-week body. I was hot! Ambitious goal, but I've got time on my side (although the holiday season's working against me already, KK says that the average person gains 7 lbs during the holidays).
9. I have been able to do a lot of reading in my spare time. I just wish that the Alchemyst would hurry up and release the next book. It's my new Harry Potter series. Want to re-read HP from the beginning. Will start that after the holidays. Love the Mensa sudoku books-- thanks Sis! Need more brain stimulation. Little Einsteins just doesn't cut it for me.
10. I have 2 trips to look forward to next year. Vegas and Disneyland. It's not Spain or Japan, but I need to get away from here for a little while. It helps me to appreciate the good things here. I love to travel, I just always want to come back home when I'm done.
11. I'm not 40 yet. Although I think I've officially crept into the late-30's category. Yikes!
12. MO. Things with him haven't worked the way I wanted (his choice, not mine) and I somehow managed to send him running in the other direction (story of my life, but that's a whole nother entry that will never see the light of day), but I had a good time with him regardless. He made me feel good about myself, he's fun to be around, I could have an intelligent conversation that's not about bowel movements or tantrums, and something about his smile has always made me feel like the world is a good place to be in. I'm sad, but Tennyson was right, cliche as it was.
13. The Republican reign will be over soon!
14. My friends over in Iraq and other unstable places are safe. I wish them happy Thanksgiving. I know their families are just as thankful.
15. My new place. It's almost perfect. I just need to spend the time and money decorating and finishing the furnishing. Need to do closets, buy a refrigerator (hopefully before Christmas, cause friends are coming here this year again), stove (I want to start baking again), and purge out the crap that's been festering in the house for years. I have many bottles of wine to drink. Woohoo-- let the party begin!

Well, I think that's enough for now. It was a little longer than I expected, but once I got started things just came to me.

My mood: tired, but not sleepy; in the mood for a movie; waiting for sunshine

Posted by Cora at 03:44 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)