Fingerpainting, Trains and Lilu

Lilu has been busy fingerpainting... but her real love is Thomas the Tank Engine.

I think she has the makings of an engineer!

Lending My Voice

Since I was little, I have been a lover of music.
The first melody that made an impression on me was the Blue Danube Waltz from the movie Trapeze which I saw when I was around 5 years old. Since then I have loved movie scores and Broadway show tunes the best and have enjoyed singing as my personal expression. Indeed, singing in choirs and drama kept me interested in high school like no other subjects.

Choral music to me, is like a symphony of voices and represents the beauty of unity in diversity, and the transcendent quality that turns vibrations of air into spiritual meaning. How fortuitous, then, that acapella singing is suited for the Baha'i Houses of Worship and in the summer of 2010, a special performance of very special music will be recorded in the peerless House of Worship in New Delhi - and I have passed auditions to be part of that choir.

The singing tour is called The Voices of Baha.

There is no more wonderful expression I can imagine than to sing out my love for The Beloved- the Promised One of All Ages!

And the group will travel across India this coming June.

With some luck, I'll be able to visit the Holy Land for a mini-Pilgrimage to the Baha'i Holy Places in Haifa. That would be most wonderful!

Halalu by Frank Hewitt, Kane Hula Auana

Halau Hula o Hali'ileo, Kumu Hula Doric Yaris - music performed by Kaleo Club
2009 Kauai Mokihana Festival, September 25, 2009


Halalu by Frank Hewitt, Kane Hula Auana from Liz Kauai on Vimeo.

Kane Hula Kahiko Nui

Here is the Mokihana Festival Kane Hula Kahiko Nui entry from Halau Hula o Hali'ileo, Kumu Hula Doric Yaris.


Kane Hula Kahiko Nui- Mokihana Festival 2009 from Liz Kauai on Vimeo.

Hula Auana will be performed tonight at the Hilton Kauai Beach Resort.

Mahalo to our friend Ro who captured our guys in action.

 

Preparing for the Mokihana Festival

When the dancers take to the stage today and tomorrow, they will be focused, beautifully attired, and will demonstrate modern creativity rooted in ancient tradition.

Hula Kahiko Rehearsal from Liz Kauai on Vimeo.

What we won't see are the hours, days and months of preparation, spiritually and physically that led to these moments.

When a game is not just a game

The Hawaii at UNLV football game this past weekend was an adventure in fellowship- along with the normal football, food, friends, family and fun!

After a long night of travel, I got to experience In-N-Out Burger for the first time since the Rose Parade of '05. We went to see the fabulous Jersey Boys show and enjoyed a grand Tsai-ko Karaoke Party arranged by las vegas!

Hawaii and mainland Tsai-kos were reunited for an evening of great fellowship and fun!

On gameday, we gathered for an air-conditioned all-you-can-eat for < $6.00 tailgate at Cici's Pizza.

After much fun and frivolity, we boarded buses for the game.

There, 220 strong in the Tsai-ko section in the endzone, we fulfilled our 12th Warrior duties with great enthusiasm!

The Warriors were fantastic! We even got a surprise visit from UH Chancellor Virginia Hinshaw and a few split seconds of fame on TV!

When the clock ran out, our team was down by one point. That was a disappointment and we could feel their pain.

We felt it so much that some of us needed comfort food at 1AM.

Fortunately, nabeyaki udon and sushi was available nearby and we were comforted.

Now I would like to thank Rich2176 for the block ticket purchase, Rich2176 and Brew808 for the refreshments in the buses, my buddies wafan and Izzy for transportation and comaraderie and especially that serious gentleman las vegas for his 9th island Tsai-ko hospitality and practical arrangements!

More pix: http://picasaweb.google.com/LizKauai/HawaiiWarriorsAtUNLV2009#.

For the UH Warrior Football team, I found this card at Sky Harbor Airport on the way home:


WARRIORS, IMUA!

What happens in Vegas...

Well... not everything "stays in Vegas". That's what blogs, facebook and Twitter are for!

All kidding aside, there is no finer group of online friends/family than the Tsai-kos. Who could have guessed that a seemingly low-key sports writer like Stephen Tsai would start a blog about UH Warrior Football about 3 years ago, attract diverse online participants who would become real-life friends, tailgaters, UH Athletics advocates, fundraisers, opinion-influencers, and a cheering powerhouse for AWAY games? It is one of the best associations of volunteers I have ever encountered. Spontaneous, diverse, sacrificial, and most of all, loving and kind.
Unless, of course, you are cheering for "the other team"... hahahaha...
This afternoon will be another milestone. Among the visiting team HOME crowd in Las Vegas, 220 Tsai-kos will be sitting TOGETHER. Mahalo to bloggers Rich2176 for doing our tickets, and las vegas for coordinating the Karaoke party seen above, our tailgate this afternoon and bus transportation to and from the game. Tsai-ko hospitality beyond compare!