The Motivation of Love UH-vs-Navy 2009

What is a better motivator?
Love or Fear?

I've asked a few UH Warriors that question and every time, the response is unanimous: LOVE.

Well, there has been a lot of love going around lately!

And there sure is a lot of love amongst fans too- AKA the Tsai-kos.

I missed this portrait but I was there in spirit!

Our normal tailgate area was filled with Navy fans and there was a real bowl game atmosphere throughout the night!

I looked for our Waimea alum Navy cheerleader Kelly but she was not at this game.

The theme was Military Night and the pregame and halftime shows were filled with deep appreciation for those who are serving the U.S. in all branches of the military.

Here I am with one of our posters, SailorBlue. After the game (Hawaii won 24-17, by the way!), we went back to our tailgate location for hot soup and a special visit from the Salas family! Their son Greg is our leading pass receiver this year.

MeiLing and I had to take a picture with Greg's mom- who lurks on The Warrior Beat!

Pride. and bighilofan2 got a kick out of meeting the Salas family too.
Next week, we will have a special treat as a result of the Warrior's win this week. SailorBlue will be sporting a "new look". Stay tuned!
GO WARRIORS!!!

Thanksgiving Imu

"It takes a village to raise a child"...

And one of the best examples of our Waimea village efforts is the Project Grad Thanksgiving Imu fundraiser.

Parents of the high school seniors prepare the high school imu (traditional Hawaiian cooking pit) and sell tickets. For $10 for every 15 lbs. of prepared food (a seasoned turkey, pork butts, rice pudding, etc.), community members can have their Thanksgiving feast cooked.
Yesterday afternoon, the food was accepted and loaded into baskets and placed into the imu to cook overnight.

Early this morning, parent volunteers opened the imu- shoveling away the sand, and removing the tarp.

The burlap bags and banana leaves covering the food were removed and because it started raining, the wooden skips were moved into the shed to facilitate pickup.

This was hard work- carrying the heavy, steaming baskets of food through the pouring rain.

The rain did not dampen spirits, however. The aroma of the food was heavenly! When all the food was removed, the imu was cleaned and will be ready for the Christmas cooking!

I was amazed by the cool identification system. Every basket had a metal ID tag and every bundle was clearly marked with the owner's name. A piece of paper with it's number was placed on each basket.

When the owners came to pick up their food, their bundle was located by basket number and name and brought to the pickup table.

And so it continued until the last bundles were claimed and another successful community fundraiser for our kids was completed!
Side note- the young man in the last picture and I directed traffic in the pouring rain. I always keep a water-resistant jacket in my car and it sure came in handy today! It was my Hawaii All-State Band jacket from the 2005 Macy's Parade!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Thoughts for Thanksgiving

“The heavens declare the Glory of God.”

O friend of mine! The Word of God is the king of words and its pervasive influence is incalculable. It hath ever dominated and will continue to dominate the realm of being.

The Great Being saith: The Word is the master key for the whole world, inasmuch as through its potency the doors of the hearts of men, which in reality are the doors of heaven, are unlocked. No sooner had but a glimmer of its effulgent splendour shone forth upon the mirror of love than the blessed word ‘I am the Best-Beloved’ was reflected therein. It is an ocean inexhaustible in riches, comprehending all things.

Every thing which can be perceived is but an emanation therefrom. High, immeasurably high is this sublime station, in whose shadow moveth the essence of loftiness and splendour, wrapt in praise and adoration.

Methinks people’s sense of taste hath, alas, been sorely affected by the fever of negligence and folly, for they are found to be wholly unconscious and deprived of the sweetness of His utterance.

How regrettable indeed that man should debar himself from the fruits of the tree of wisdom while his days and hours pass swiftly away.

Please God, the hand of divine power may safeguard all mankind and direct their steps towards the horizon of true understanding.

- Baha'u'llah

Ringing, Singing, Cheering and Celebrating

A busy day has begun!

My cd player was not working so I had to sing acapella. I like "working" for donations. Kauai folks are very generous, appreciative and teach the keiki how to share!

Now I have corn bread in the oven - next stop Kymry's for the Warrior football game.

Gary made jambalaya and roasted garlic.

We all went wild when the Warriors won in OT!

Then it was on to Linda's for her birthday party!

Linda made gumbo from scratch and that went together just right with the jambalaya from Kymry and Gary's house and my second pan of corn bread- not to mention the green papaya salad that Tsiu made!
Yes- it's all about the food.

I was thinking about that this morning. Food can be an indicator of readiness for peaceful change and evolution. I remember Gollum/Smeagol, "We can't eats hobbit food!" as a contrast to Samwise, "You know I don't usually hold with foreign food, but this Elvish stuff - it's not bad."