I-AM-FUDGE

Groundhog Day

2012-02-02T14:51:00.000-06:00

Well, another winter season has come along. I am back in Hawaii, loving the cool weather (upper 60's, Low 70's) all winter. Bad news for my friends in Omaha- Good Ole Phil (Punxsutawney) saw his shadow today which means 6 more weeks of winter. I did check the forecast, and looks like tomorrow in the Big O, there will be snow!

The Hunger Games: Official Trailer

2011-11-15T21:19:00.002-06:00

From the series that I couldn't put down. The official Hunger Games Trailer.

May the odds be EVER in your favor...

The Hunger Games

2011-11-09T19:22:00.000-06:00

Taken directly from Wikipedia:
The Hunger Games is a first person young-adult science fiction novel written by Suzanne Collins. It was originally published on September 14, 2008, by Scholastic.^[1] It is the first book of the Hunger Games trilogy.^[2] It introduces sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives in a post-apocalyptic world in the country of Panem where the United States once existed. This is where a government working in a central city called the Capitol holds power. In the book, the Hunger Games are an annual televised event where the Capitol chooses one boy and one girl aged 12 to 18 from each of 12 districts for a massive televised battle in which only one person can survive.
The movie will be out next spring. This is what excites me. Yes the books were good, but I am looking forward to Katniss kicking some butt with her bow.

iPhone 4S

2011-10-07T20:46:00.000-05:00

The iPhone 4S was announced just a few days ago. The question you ask yourself "is it worth the upgrade?" Well, my answer will always be, if you can upgrade for the discounted price, yes! I don't know who would not be able to sell the previous gen unit for the price you pay in the upgrade. I have always cleaned up, erased and sold my iPhone on craigslist or ebay for more than what I paid for it, and it was over a year old.
So Thursday evening, 8:45pm I decided to wait up until 10:01-3am eastern time to order the new iPhone. When I tried to place the order EARLY, like 9:45, I realized that I counted wrong, and I am already 45 minutes late. I kept getting errors, etc. and the order would just not process. I checked twitter, and a lot of people on my timeline were having troubles too.

I almost quit trying at about 11:00pm, but something went through, and I got a message from Apple saying my rsvp was in and I would get an email to finish the order.

I got up at 6am, to check my email, and sure enough, I had an email saying finish my order. I go stuck when it would not let me change my shipping address, so I changed my ATT billing address to my current address, called ATT made sure they saw the update, and then called and waited, and waited, and waited for apple sales to pick up. When they did, the girl could not do anything for me, but transferred me to someone with a little power. Stephanie took me through and waited online for my order to be placed, and after a couple of hours, she called me to let me know she changed my shipping address, and my brand new (looks exactly the same) iPhone will be at my door on October 14! One week from today!

The Dark Knight Rises

2011-08-05T14:54:00.000-05:00

Movie looks good. Here is the first look of Anne Hathaway as Cat Woman. Looking pretty tough on that bike.

Daddy?

2011-07-11T09:15:00.001-05:00

So...
My wife came by my school on Friday to give me a surprise. I thought it would be a nice cold Iced Coffee. She made me close my eyes and open my hands. I felt a plastic thing, like a large sharpie. I opened my eyes and saw a pregnancy test that said, "PREGNANT" What? Are you kidding? Since we have been trying for a few years now, and I am positive it was me that is the reason, I was so happy. I changed my diet to vegetarian for a month, took grape seed oil pills, and Raw vitamin E pills. I am pretty sure that, along with lots of prayers is what made this little baby.

100,000

2011-05-28T22:37:00.001-05:00

So, when I started my little blog, I was going to write about the mileage on my car. Where I was, what I was doing when my car hit certain mile points. I stopped about 40,000 miles ago, but now that I have hit 100,000 I never would have guessed that I would be where I am today, when my car hit the 6 digit mark.
I am living in Nebraska, working back at Westside ECC, and was driving a car I bought in hawaii 7 years ago. Never thought I would be back here. I was driving with Carissa to see Kelly Heflin dance at her recital. Who knows where I will be when my next car hits a major milestone.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad2

Day 1, 2011

2011-05-02T21:41:00.001-05:00

Going Veg.
Today is Day one of going vegetarian. I did it last year around this time leading up to my birthday so wanted to try a bit longer. My main focus is health and having a baby. If changing my diet to subtract meat, adding some vitamins that help the swimmers swim faster and stronger, this will be easy.

Homemade salsa, guacamole, with black beans on tortillas, and pita chips. Melon for dessert.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad2

ASU

2011-04-21T21:40:00.000-05:00

Go Sun Devils. ASU decided their logo was to "cartoony" today they introduced a more edgy logo. I like it. Can't wait for an all black hat with the logo in gold.

Wendy's All New Natural Fries

2011-04-20T14:00:00.000-05:00

They look good, they taste good, but are they as "natural" as they claim? A blogger has poked a hole in Wendy's claims of the fries being "natural". A report shows the fries use a stew of exotic laboratory chemicals to improve the fries' appearance, flavor, and ease of cooking.

The fries do away with the steam skinning -- ironically, one of the most "natural" parts of the average fast food company's fry manufacturing process.

Chopped, the fries begin their chemical journey with a dip in sodium acid pyrophosphate. They're also powdered with slightly more natural D-glucose (crystallized from corn). Together the two components prevent the fries from browning during their first fry at the factory and their second fry at the restaurant.

What do you think?

Happy Anniversary to Me!

2011-03-05T11:30:00.000-06:00

Six years ago I married the love of my life and my best friend. Happy Anniversary Carissa. I love you.

iPad 2

2011-03-03T20:45:00.000-06:00

Yesterday iPad 2 was announced to the world. First question, will I get one? Yes. The dual cameras alone is enough for me, yet double the speed, thinner and a bit lighter, easier to hold, I will take all those. Hoping my dad will buy one for my mom, so I can then use FaceTime and see my family back home more often. Got one iPad-First Gen, for sale. Any takers?

Chad Scholl, Bond #16

2011-02-27T12:26:00.000-06:00

Rose from Chad's funeral. Orange was his favorite color.

Brothers,

It is with a heavy heart that I write to let you know that Brother Chad Scholl passed away Monday evening, February 21, 2011, around 6:30 p.m. As you all know, Chad battled mightily for the last month at Clarkson Hospital as he struggled with liver and renal failure, the final chapter of a 25+ year struggle with the residual effects of his victory against Ewings Sarcoma when he was 9 years old.

Chad was a founding father of the Nebraska Gamma Chapter at Creighton University, Bond #16, and graduated in 2001 as a PharmD. Chad's commitment to and love for Phi Delta Theta and all of his brothers was very evident to me and to many of you, from his time as an active member of the chapter to his years of service as Chapter Advisor.

It has been very uplifting during the last month for Chad's family to see that Phi Delta Theta commitment returned to Chad by the chapter. Chad regularly received visits from a number of his fraternity brothers, including many actives who had not previously had the chance to meet Chad. Additionally, the chapter provided evening meals to Chad and his family during their entire recent stay in the hospital, a very impressive and honorable service to Chad's family during a very trying time. Chad is the first member of the NE Gamma Chapter to pass away and will be honored in the fraternity tradition.

Ryan Schroer, Bond #1

Chad opened his home to me and my family this past year, and I had to honor of being his roommate again. We lived together in Keiwit Hall for 2 years and then he moved into a house I bought, and we spent a year together going through our Junior year at Creighton. We were separated by distance as I moved back to Hawaii, but due to job circumstances, had moved back to Omaha, but needed a place to stay. Chad without hesitation, offered his home to me, then a few weeks later to my wife, her brother, my dog, and four cats. I didn't want to overstay my welcome, so we moved out and into our current place, another great fraternity brother's house.

Chad and I joined the same fraternity, Phi Delta Theta our sophomore year. We were initiated together and became founding fathers of Nebraska Gamma Chapter of Phi Delta Theta. We have had many date-parties, formals, and other evenings of drinks and food.

I will miss the laughs about Jersey Shore, the conversations about our undergrad days, enjoying a beer with him at happy hour, and just grilling out on his deck.

Chad in January 2011.

In Coelo quie est-In Heaven there is Rest.

Cultiva Coffee Co.

2011-02-13T12:31:00.001-06:00

Read about this place on yelp. There are not too many places you find on yelp with 5 star ratings. This place had 10 reviews with all five stars. Since we ventured out of Omaha today, I though we better stop in for some coffee. The decor is nice, the coffee pretty good, free wifi, but one thing that I don't like is the seating. Not the layout, but the hard chairs. Why do coffee houses put hard chairs in their shops? Is it to get people out faster? Whatever the reason, I don't like it.
I do however like the clientele that walks through the door, even if I was only in there for 30 minutes. You have your normal students studying, your coffee snobs, like myself, on an iPad or MacBook. Then you have your hippies, who don't shave their armpits...<---- ewww. Hahaha. Either way, I will have to make this a mandatory stop on our trips to Lincoln, especially since my wife found Open Harvest CoOp, which she fell in love with. Great, I guess it's a good reason to get out of Omaha.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

 Think Different

2011-02-10T09:09:00.000-06:00

The quote that started it all....

Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes.

The ones who see things differently. They’re not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them.

About the only thing you can’t do is ignore them. Because they change things. They invent. They imagine. They heal. They explore. They create. They inspire. They push the human race forward.

Maybe they have to be crazy.

How else can you stare at an empty canvas and see a work of art? Or sit in silence and hear a song that’s never been written? Or gaze at a red planet and see a laboratory on wheels?

While some see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.

Five Love Languages

2011-02-08T20:10:00.001-06:00

This book is great for anyone in a relationship, especially those who are married. No matter if you have been married for 10 years, or a newlywed, this book will help you in your relationship. I was given this book and it has helped me realize how my wife needs to bs loved. The book explains that there are 5 simple way people feel loved:
Gifts
Acts of Service
Words of Affirmation
Physical Touch
Quality Time
You need to figure out how you feel love, and your spouse. You may be surprised. Many people try to give love the way they feel it the most. I may like to receive gifts, and shower my wife with gifts, where just spending quality time with her would show her that I love her more than anything in the world. More than if I bought her a new car!
If you really want to make your spouse fall in love with you all over again, read this book, then share it with your spouse.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

My favorite 2011 Super Bowl Commercial

2011-02-07T13:08:00.001-06:00

Groundhog Day

2011-02-02T18:51:00.000-06:00

February 2, Groundhogs Day in Omaha, NE. Mr. Punxsutawney Phil came out today and looked for his shadow. Mr. Phil did not see his shadow which means that Spring should be right around the corner. Doesn't seem like it's near, since today we have had the coldest wind chills since I have moved back to Nebraska, -30 degrees. It is hard to explain that from -30 to even zero you can feel the difference.

Here is Punxsutawney on his annual visit to see the shadow, or not.

To finish out the day, we fired up the PS3, turned on Netflix, and we watched Groundhog Day. "Anyone up for some flapjacks?"

So while we are freezing and dreaming of Hawaii, and one day being back there, here's to the cold, and hopefully an early and warm Spring.

LookUp3:16.com

2011-02-01T18:48:00.001-06:00

I just heard on the radio today that an organization called Fixed Point Foundations created a super bowl commercial, that FOX declined. After a few months of working on the commercial and raising funds (3.1 Million for 30 seconds) for its broadcast, however, Fox sent what Taunton calls "a carefully worded document" explaining the network "would not air anything with religious doctrine."

This is a bunch of bologna. I have embedded the commercial here, and you tell me if you are offended with the "religious doctrine."

LookUP316.com

More Coffee Please

2011-01-30T12:57:00.001-06:00

I have started to read. Wait, let me say it differently, since last April, when I got my ipad, I have stated to read. I used to go into bookstores all the time and buy books, but would never read them. Now on my ipad, I can have 10,20,50 books with me at a time.
I stopped into Books-a-Million since I heard they had good coffee (Yelp)
I grabbed a cup of their Joe Muggs, pulled up a chair and got out my ipad. Nice hot coffee with good flavor, quiet reading spot with semi hard chairs. Staff was very friendly and helpful when I got up to look for an "old fashion book" the paper one!
My wife likes books, so we will definitely be back.

Same day, now finishing another cup out at Scooters. I don't really like their coffee, but the free wifi, and nice people watching makes the day go by...

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Snow Day!

2011-01-10T08:06:00.000-06:00

My first year back as a director, and we finally get our first snow day. I guess last year they had one in October, we are now at January 10, and are here with 2 kids.

Happy New Year!

2011-01-05T12:39:00.000-06:00

Well for the first time in many, many years, I did not have any fireworks on New Year's Eve. There was one year I flew out of Hawaii, and back to Omaha, but watched some fireworks from the plane, and another year, my mom was with me and we had champagne at Mark and Pam's house. This year was my first year having Christmas away from Hawaii, and ringing in the new year with some red wine and watching TV, instead of being outside blowing stuff up, and "chasing away the bad luck..."
Purpose: This is my word for 2011. I listen to KLOVE the radio station, and they challenged their listeners to choose a word they can live by in 2011.
I pray that I can find purpose, for the financial hardship, for my house in Hawaii not selling, and the reason why the Lord led us to Omaha, away from our family and friends.

Starbucks

2010-11-10T12:50:00.002-06:00

I love starbucks. There are so many different coffee places in Omaha. Crane, Scooters, Winchells, Village Grinder, but I always come back to the Bux. My glass mug (in the pic) was cracked when I was still in Hawaii. I walked into this sBux and showed the girl, and she swapped it out for me, no questions asked.
Got a nice Thanksgiving Blend going for this rainy cold Wednesday.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

November is Here

2010-11-07T21:20:00.000-06:00

Well, it is a week into November and we have been having beautiful weather. The mornings have been a bit chilly, hitting in the 20's with the wind, but by the afternoon, we are back into the upper 50's, but again with that wind, we feel a lot colder.
I was told that last October there was already 30" of snow. So glad we don't have any of the white stuff yet. I can actually go without!

Tattoos

2010-09-06T15:20:00.001-05:00

On a Sunday outing, Carissa and I stopped into a starbucks to enjoys some coffee as well as use the Internet. We got onto the subject of tattoos and what we would want on our bodies. I would like to have the Star of David, on my arm, as well as my wedding band on my finger. I will be enlisting the help of my artist friend to see what he can come up with for the star. As far as the wedding band, all the artist needs to do is copy exactly what my band looks like right now.

Above is a picture of the star of David from the movie, Knockaround Guys. Vin wears it well. I am hoping for something like that. Maybe a bit more design, as this one is pretty plain.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

More Work

2010-08-23T12:05:00.000-05:00

This is the week where the majority of my staff goes back to college. I get to really work on my management skills in keeping the ratios as well as making sure the kids have everything they need to be happy and safe. I am in need of another morning person, just to be within the teacher to student ratio.
So far I have been put on committees I don't really want to be a part of, but don't have a choice. I also will be going through the accreditation process these next couple of years, so that too will keep me busy.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Week One, Done.

2010-08-14T15:15:00.000-05:00

The first week of school is over. Well, the first 2 days. I wish we could work into going a full week, like next week we only have 3 days, the week after 4, then up to 5. It's ok. I know next week will be tough with being there all day all week, but my beautiful bride finally comes in from Hawaii, with our animals on Monday, so it is a week I am definitely looking forward to.
To celebrate my completed week, Chad and I went to Charlston's for dinner last night. It is a fairly expensive restaurant here in Omaha. We ordered a creamed spinach artichoke dip to start, and it may have been the best spinach dip I have ever had, may have even been the best thing I ate last night. Chad then ordered the filet and I had prime rib, with fries (the girls at work said the fries are awesome, so I tried them) instead of the mashed. Each of our dinners came with salad and a croissant were both pretty full by the time the actual meal came out, but somehow managed to eat everything off each of our plates. Dinners were $23 each, not too bad, but I guess compared to some other places in Omaha, that is a bit high. Chad had a gift card for $75 that he had won at a work party, so dinner was free. Can't beat free.

A couple of shots to make you drool...

Creamed Spinach/Artichoke Dip with Salsa and Sour Cream. Fresh chips on the side.

A close up of the ooey, gooey, goodness......

My Prime Rib n Fries.

First day

2010-08-12T11:15:00.000-05:00

I am currently sitting in the Starbucks on 87th and Pacific. Just finished my first morning with students. I had three sets of parents show up without registering before hand. Um, no. I gave them applications and sent them home. I need to get the following the rules from day one, before I am so nice that they try and walk all over me.
I am very happy with my staff I have so far. They are all on time, and great with planning and working with the children. We are off to a great start, and I look forward to an awesome year.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Pacific St,Omaha,United States

One week down

2010-08-07T10:37:00.001-05:00

Yesterday I finished my first official week of work. Took many hours cleaning out the old directors desk, the closet, and all of the other stuff she left behind. I have been working on all my sign in sheets, student files, staff files and just getting ready for the kids to show up on Thursday.
Meeting my staff on Monday morning, conference that afternoon, orientation all day Tuesday and shopping on Wednesday.
Pictures of the classroom to be posted really soon.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

First Post From NE

2010-08-01T16:56:00.000-05:00

Well, I am here. Start work tomorrow. Here is a pic of my ride until my element shows up!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:S 213th St,Gretna,United States

A letter from a shelter manager

2010-07-17T04:40:00.000-05:00

I think our society needs a huge “Wake-up” call. As a shelter manager, I am going to share a little insight with you all…a view from the inside if you will.

First off, all of you breeders/sellers should be made to work in the “back” of an animal shelter for just one day. Maybe if you saw the life drain from a few sad, lost, confused eyes, you would change your mind about breeding and selling to people you don’t even know.

That puppy you just sold will most likely end up in my shelter when it’s not a cute little puppy anymore. So how would you feel if you knew that there’s about a 90% chance that dog will never walk out of the shelter it is going to be dumped at? Purebred or not! About 50% of all of the dogs that are “owner surrenders” or “strays”, that come into my shelter are purebred dogs.

The most common excuses I hear are; “We are moving and we can’t take our dog (or cat).” Really? Where are you moving too that doesn’t allow pets? Or they say “The dog got bigger than we thought it would”. How big did you think a German Shepherd would get? “We don’t have time for her”. Really? I work a 10-12 hour day and still have time for my 6 dogs! “She’s tearing up our yard”. How about making her a part of your family? They always tell me “We just don’t want to have to stress about finding a place for her we know she’ll get adopted, she’s a good dog”.

Odds are your pet won’t get adopted & how stressful do you think being in a shelter is? Well, let me tell you, your pet has 72 hours to find a new family from the moment you drop it off. Sometimes a little longer if the shelter isn’t full and your dog manages to stay completely healthy. If it sniffles, it dies. Your pet will be confined to a small run/kennel in a room with about 25 other barking or crying animals. It will have to relieve itself where it eats and sleeps. It will be depressed and it will cry constantly for the family that abandoned it. If your pet is lucky, I will have enough volunteers in that day to take him/her for a walk. If I don’t, your pet won’t get any attention besides having a bowl of food slid under the kennel door and the waste sprayed out of its pen with a high-powered hose. If your dog is big, black or any of the “Bully” breeds (pit bull, rottie, mastiff, etc) it was pretty much dead when you walked it through the front door.

Those dogs just don’t get adopted. It doesn’t matter how ‘sweet’ or ‘well behaved’ they are.

If your dog doesn’t get adopted within its 72 hours and the shelter is full, it will be destroyed. If the shelter isn’t full and your dog is good enough, and of a desirable enough breed it may get a stay of execution, but not for long . Most dogs get very kennel protective after about a week and are destroyed for showing aggression. Even the sweetest dogs will turn in this environment. If your pet makes it over all of those hurdles chances are it will get kennel cough or an upper respiratory infection and will be destroyed because shelters just don’t have the funds to pay for even a $100 treatment.

Here’s a little euthanasia 101 for those of you that have never witnessed a perfectly healthy, scared animal being “put-down”.

First, your pet will be taken from its kennel on a leash. They always look like they think they are going for a walk happy, wagging their tails. Until they get to “The Room”, every one of them freaks out and puts on the brakes when we get to the door. It must smell like death or they can feel the sad souls that are left in there, it’s strange, but it happens with every one of them. Your dog or cat will be restrained, held down by 1 or 2 vet techs depending on the size and how freaked out they are. Then a euthanasia tech or a vet will start the process. They will find a vein in the front leg and inject a lethal dose of the “pink stuff”. Hopefully your pet doesn’t panic from being restrained and jerk. I’ve seen the needles tear out of a leg and been covered with the resulting blood and been deafened by the yelps and screams. They all don’t just “go to sleep”, sometimes they spasm for a while, gasp for air and defecate on themselves.

When it all ends, your pets corpse will be stacked like firewood in a large freezer in the back with all of the other animals that were killed waiting to be picked up like garbage. What happens next? Cremated? Taken to the dump? Rendered into pet food? You’ll never know and it probably won’t even cross your mind. It was just an animal and you can always buy another one, right?

I hope that those of you that have read this are bawling your eyes out and can’t get the pictures out of your head I deal with everyday on the way home from work.

I hate my job, I hate that it exists & I hate that it will always be there unless you people make some changes and realize that the lives you are affecting go much farther than the pets you dump at a shelter.

Between 9 and 11 MILLION animals die every year in shelters and only you can stop it. I do my best to save every life I can but rescues are always full, and there are more animals coming in everyday than there are homes.

My point to all of this DON’T BREED OR BUY WHILE SHELTER PETS DIE!

Hate me if you want to. The truth hurts and reality is what it is. I just hope I maybe changed one persons mind about breeding their dog, taking their loving pet to a shelter, or buying a dog. I hope that
someone will walk into my shelter and say “I saw this and it made me want to adopt”. THAT WOULD MAKE IT WORTH IT

Please Be The Change and Adopt A Pet. There are so many good ones just waiting for a new home.

I got my dog from a shelter just like one described here. He is hyper nag playful, another couple of days and it would have been too late for Sonic. He was surrendered because they said hevwas getting too big!

Be a Part of Something Great.

2010-06-25T20:51:00.001-05:00

iPhone 4

2010-06-24T03:08:00.000-05:00

So, I know the iPhone get's released tomorrow, June 24th. It is 10pm here in Hawaii, and I had a wonderful treat. Mr. FedEx man showed up this afternoon with a small box. Yup, my iPhone. Here is a little clip I took with my 3GS recording the unboxing.

More pics and video later.

iPhone 4 Parody

2010-06-19T14:33:00.003-05:00

Now this commercial would get some good air time.

iPhone 4

2010-06-16T15:09:00.000-05:00

Many of you who know me, know I love APPLE.  On June 7th Mr. Steve Jobs announced that a new iPhone will be out on June 24, and you can pre-order one on June 15.
Over 600,000 iPhone 4s were ordered, or reserved and the apple system as well as ATT both went down. I am sure thousands of others did not get to order their iPhone, and were pretty upset.
Here is my story.
I got up 7am Hawaii time to try and place my order, Error.
Went to the doctors, @ 9:30am and was out and in the office @ Diegos @ 10:20.
Downloaded the new apple store app for my iPhone and tried to order that way...
This is what I kept getting. Thinking the 16GB was out, I tried with the 32GB and still got this same error.

Needless to say, I moved on. If you look at the screen shot, it was taken at 10:59am Hawaii time. I did't get home until sometime after 4pm, and tried again. I was on my MacBook, and tried in Safari, Chrome, and Firefox. Kept kicking me out saying something about a technical error, or that they couldn't log me it, etc.

Finally though Safari, I got all the way to putting in my cc number, and hitting "Place Order" Then I get this...

I was on this "Processing" screen for about 15 minutes. I hit order about 4:25pm Hawaii time. I had help remembering, because I brought my dog through the house, and then let my cat out of the room called my friend a couple minutes after that, and my iPhone log shows 4:33. I sat on this screen for a good 20 minutes. When it kept spinning and then my screen finally went to sleep I clicked up on the address bar to "refresh the page." Bad news.

After refreshing, I was back to the Apple store to try and go through the order again. This time I got the shipping date of July 2, delivery between July 5-July 8. It would have let me put that order in, but I thought I would just hold off, check Best Buy sometime after June 24, and maybe get lucky.

Got ready to go out to a friends birthday party, and heard a "ding" as in new email. When I checked my mail, I got one from Apple. Subject: Order Acknowledgement XXXXXXX

So, when I opened up the message, it showed that I had ordered the iPhone 4, with a ship/delivery date of June 24. My only thought is that this order that was processing took long enough to go through, and even though I clicked out, it somehow had already processed. Yee Haw.

I am guessing that it's legit. I clicked onto the blue order number this morning, and it took me to the order page, showing this order (last night when clicked, it gave a tech. error message).

Looks like I am going to have the beautiful 2 camera, HD Vid recording, glass on front and back iPhone on June 24!

Lip Dub

2010-06-16T14:41:00.000-05:00

Wow! The Kamehameha Schools. My alma mater made this lip dub clip. Technology is amazing. Looks like hundreds of students went into making this work, and a big thanks to the staff for allowing all this craziness.

Korean iPhone Girl

2010-06-14T15:43:00.000-05:00

Check out this Korean girl who sings and makes music with the iPhones....

Let's see your EVO do that!

Expendables Movie

2010-06-10T14:46:00.000-05:00

This movie looks promising. Hopefully lots of action with all these guys...

Happy Birthday to Me-I'm 34.

2010-06-05T13:17:00.000-05:00

I can't believe I am 34yrs old today. Wow has time flown by. I moved back to Hawaii in 2002, I was 26, single, and back in the islands after living in Nebraska for 8yrs. Now, 34, married, tons of animals, home-owner (well, I owned my house in NE too) and still unemployed. Haha. no it's not funny, I have actually had quite a few jobs in the past 8yrs. Just for the moment I am unemployed, but that will all change...soon...I hope.
Anyway, I woke up early this morning to my cat crying at the door for one of us to feed him. I got up, fed him and the others, then came back into bed. When I got back, my wife sang me our birthday song, "happy birthday to the birthday-boy, the birthday-boy, the birthday-boy. Happy birthday to the birthday-boy." I guess you had to be here. She then got up and gave me a present. Wrapped in pages from Entertainment Weekly, was a 160GB Apple TV. Awesome. How great is that? I am excited. I wanted to jump up and hook it up to my tv, like now. One problem. It doesn't come with an HDMI cable! ? Bummer. I have to wait a few hours before I can run to my local SamsClub (the cables are a lot cheaper) and get a cable, then get home and fire this thing up, pair it to my laptop, and we can then streammmmmmm the movies, music, etc.

While reading the box, and checking it all out, she passes me another present. This one is hard, like a wooden box. Wrapping paper ripped, and what do you know, it is a wooden box. But wait, this one came off of my dresser. I opened up the box to find an iTunes Gift card for $25. Yes. More books and stuff to buy for playing with the Apple TV and on my iPad.

As I am typing this, she walks out with a conformation letter saying that we are staying in Waikiki tonight, since that is where dinner is happening. It is only 8:15am and already it is an awesome birthday!

Updates to come......

Day 10

2010-06-05T12:33:00.003-05:00

I did it! Made it to day 10 of no meat. Tonight, I will be having a ribeye steak from BLTsteaks, Med.Rare

Day 9

2010-06-04T13:42:00.005-05:00

It is looking pretty good for me to make my goal of 10 days. Last week I decided to eat like a vegetarian for 10 days, right before my 34th birthday. I knew we had reservations to eat at BLT steak which is a restaurant in the Trump Tower in Waikiki. Known for their dry-aging, and super hot cooking style, needless to say, I am excited. Back to the Veg thing. Sooo, I decided I would only eat like a veg for a couple of days, which turned into going on 10 days. I was allowed to eat fish, which has saved me a few times. Don't get me wrong, I like salad, but not that often, and I do like tofu, so that helps. I think the hardest for me is when we go out to eat dinner. See at home, I make salsa, avocado dips, grilled cheese, etc, but when we go out, there are so many other great things to eat like fried chicken, big hamburgers, etc. A friend had a bbq out on a sandbar in the middle of the ocean, out in K-bay, and I was the chef. I cooked hamburgers and hotdogs, but only ate chips and trail mix. That was a tough one. Hot summer day, middle of the ocean, charcoal grill going, burgers and dogs, with all the fixins and I eat chips.
As day 10 approaches, I can taste the steak. I know it was gonna be good 10 days ago, but now with it being the first meat I eat coming out of a "meat fast" I am really looking forward to my 34th.

Here is the Honolulu Dinner Menu in case you wanted to drool along with me.

Vegatarian

2010-05-31T17:42:00.004-05:00

Day 5. No meat, chicken. I have been eating fish, and tofu. It actually is easier than I thought. I went to cheesecake factory last night and ordered a fish sandwich instead of a burger. That was tough. This coming Saturday is my birthday, and I will be having a huge streak to celebrate the 10 days of no meat.
Ok, I think it is the fried chicken that I am missing the most right now......

Vegetarian

2010-05-30T20:48:00.005-05:00

Sooo. My wife is a vegetarian, and has moved more to being a Vegan. I guess she is the true definition of the word. She has wanted me to change my diet, and eat veg as well. Today is day 4.

I have had lots of tofu, and juiced vegetables. From swiss chard, to kale, carrots, and apples. I can eat 4 carrots, 2 sticks of celery, couple of apples, and some leaves of kale, all in one glass.

Fried Tofu and brown rice

Fried Poke salad, with hard boiled eggs

Swiss Chard, apples

Carrots, apples, swiss chard greens.

Dancing Dog

2010-05-17T16:31:00.000-05:00

Not bad for a white dog!

Great Explanation...

2010-04-29T14:38:00.002-05:00

SUH

2010-04-22T18:52:00.000-05:00

So, I know a few days back I posted something about Ndamukong Suh. He was drafted #2, and went to the Detroit Lions. Good for him.

iPad Apps and me

2010-04-18T22:25:00.000-05:00

I love my iPad. I have written about how I wanted one, got one, and now what I love most about owning one. There are a few apps that you absolutely have to have on this "magical" device.
1. Netflix. With the app you can stream movies, Tv shows, anything that Netflix offers as their play now list. It seems as each day they are adding more and more items to this list. The screen on the iPad is beautiful so having a huge collection of movies to choose from when bored is awesome.
2. iBooks. Apple's answer to Amazon's Kindle. The app is great. Purchase the book right through the app, using your iTunes account, you can even have a sample sent to your iPad before you purchase the entire book. You can change the font, size, color, brightness, etc. Perfect to read from, especially when you are in a place without Wifi. The only "con" I see so far is compared to the Kindle app, there are way more books on Amazon's site, than in the iBookstore.
3. Pandora. Once Apple allows multitasking on the iPad, this will be a #1 app. Right now, you can stream music through the pandora app, and they allow you to request a style, or artist for that playlist. There is also a biography of that artist, band, etc. you can read about while in the app. For now once you exit the app, the music stops, unlike the iPod function which allows you to continue to listen to your music, once the app is closed, and you go into another app.
4. We Rule. We Rule is a game, sorta like "Farmville" on Facebook. You have a "kingdom" where you plant, grow and raise food to sell for $ in order to buy more things. I have become addicted to this game, so much that it has made it to the bottom dock on my iPad. I have farms, a fish pond, school, lumber yard and tailor shop. I also have houses for the help to live. That allows me to collect taxes and get more $$.
5. Apple Apps. Calendar, Contacts, Mail. All of these apps, I use daily. The Calendar is an extension of my desktop, with MobileMe my calendar syncs over the air. Same with the Contacts and Mail. With Contact is is like the old days of carrying a little book with your contacts, except you can make changes without a pencil, click on an email address and it opens up the Mail program and start up an email. Mail looks like my desktop Mail app without the integrated inbox. We hear that iPhone OS4 will cover this problem.

Here is a pic of me getting my iPad on launch day!

Ndamukong Suh

2010-04-18T21:53:00.000-05:00

Mr. Suh will be drafted later this week into the NFL. My hope is that he goes #1 or #2. Most critics and industry heads have him going #2 after Sam Bradford the quarterback from Oklahoma. He is one of the most powerful defensive lineman to come out of college. Sports Science a show that looks at the science behind the sports. Knowing he is going to be drafted so high, he already has promised $2.6 million to his school Nebraska. 2 Million for the Athletic department for the Strength and Conditioning program and $600,000 to a scholarship program for the School of Engineering (where Suh graduated from this past December). This is the most anyone has donated from a single player. How awesome.

Go Huskers! Go Big Red!

Things my dog can teach you

2010-04-18T20:12:00.002-05:00

1. My Sonic's best friends are me, birds, and the cats. He loves them all.

2. It's the little things that matter. A pat on the head and a hug are far better than a new collar or toy (although I do love new toys).

3. Sometimes a growl is all that it takes to get your point across. You very rarely have to actually bite.

4. There is nothing more important than food to eat, shelter from the weather and being with those who love you.

5. Protect and guard your loved ones at all costs.

6. Walking in the sunshine is an event to be anticipated and savored.

7. When you need a nap, take it.

8. Drink lots of water.

9. There is nothing so comforting as sleeping next to someone you love.

10. When a loved one comes home, even if only at the end of the day, it is a cause for celebration.

iPad

2010-04-11T03:28:00.000-05:00

So... I have had my iPad for a week now, and I absolutely love it. I use it for everything. I facebook, tweet, watch movies, stream Netflix, and play games. It truly is a "magical" device. Stop by the Apple store, and try it out for yourself. You will probably be walking out with one of them.

New NFL Rule

2010-03-26T19:21:00.002-05:00

Finally an overtime to look forward to. This past Tuesday, March 23, 2010 the league voted to change the overtime rules. In the past, it was sudden death. Coin toss, first team to score wins. Now, there will be a coin toss, and the team with the first possession in overtime would have to score a touchdown to end the game. But if they only manage a field goal then the opposing team will get a chance to end the game by scoring a touchdown.

If both teams score field goals on their first possession, or fail to score, then classic sudden-death rules would come into effect, with the next team to score winning the game.

New Moon

2010-03-20T17:51:00.000-05:00

New Moon the second movie in the Twilight Series was released this morning @ 12:01am. I stopped in at about 10 to pick up a copy of it on Blu-ray at Walmart. It was priced at $24.95, for the special "fan edition."
I am guessing tonight at my house will be a New Moon Night, hopefully with a nice dinner... it's ok, I've read all the books, and actually enjoy the movies.

March Madness 2010

2010-03-19T14:55:00.000-05:00

This March Madness has been awesome so far, and we are only on day 2. Here is the blank bracket for this years games.

Lady Gaga Telephone Video

2010-03-18T15:15:00.000-05:00

iPad Ad

2010-03-14T00:42:00.002-06:00

Apple's iPad tv ad. Can't wait until April 3.

iPad

2010-03-12T17:28:00.000-06:00

On January 31, I wrote about the iPad and pricing, and all the good stuff. Well it was announced this past week, that today, March 12, you can Pre-order an iPad, reserve it to be paid for and picked up on April 3rd. Got up, went out to my computer, and went through the 2 minute process to reserve my iPad for pick up on the 3rd. 16GB wifi only.

June 30...Eclipse

2010-03-12T17:06:00.000-06:00

Just saw the new trailer for Eclipse of the Twilight Saga. I am sure my wife is going to be excited about this one, just like how she was about New Moon.

Prototype

2010-03-07T01:48:00.000-06:00

Well, yesterday was my 5th year anniversary. I bought my wife a blender, and she gave me an awesome Starbucks travel mug, and a gift card for Gamestop. With that GC, I got a game called Prototype for my PS3. Now, I am pretty bad at playing games, but I got playing this game for about 4 hours, and didn't want to put the controller down, nor throw it across the room. If you like to game, try Prototype.

Here is part of the description from the Activision Website:

"You are the PROTOTYPE, Alex Mercer, hiding in human form. Step out onto the streets of New York with no memory, but limitless power. Delve into the mysteries of your origin, the true nature of your power and your part in a conspiracy 40 years in the making.

Untangle a web of lies and rip the truth from those who've hidden it from the public for forty years. Learn of viral research and hybrids designed to push the envelope of evolution — of America's pursuit for the ultimate bio-weapon...

...You will struggle to define what you will become – Man or Monster. Will you haunt the city as a faceless killer or save it from the horrors of the virus? Push your powers to the limit, and unlock the genetic shackles that hold you in check."

12 Foods to buy Organic

2010-02-27T01:58:00.000-06:00

These 12 items below have the highest levels of pesticides when grown conventionally. The thin skins on many of them make it easy for pesticides to penetrate to the food and impossible for us to wash away the chemicals. Go for USDA certified organics of these foods and you're ensuring your salad wasn't raised using man-made chemical pesticides, fossil fuel- or sewage-based fertilizers or genetically-modified seeds.
apples
sweet bell peppers
carrots
celery
cherries
grapes (imported)
kale
lettuce
nectarines
peaches
pears
strawberries
Of the 12, I probably eat 7 of them very regularly. I hate listening to my wife when she says to buy organic, but with the crazy stuff people are using to make things grow faster, and bigger, you can never be too careful.
Try your local farmer's market. They may not have the "organic" stamp, but probably use a lot less chemicals in their growing process. Plus, helping out the local farmer is always a good thing.

10 Meals that proven to Make you Happy

2010-02-26T21:53:00.002-06:00

So TLC's website has published an article about the 10 meals that are "Proven" to make you happy. From the B vitamins, to the endorphins in the dishes, is the reason they are proven. Here is their list...
10. Mac and Cheese
9. Salmon and Brown Rice
8. Scrambled Eggs and Oatmeal
7. Spaghetti and Meatballs
6. Mashed Potatoes and Turkey
5. Banana Split
4. Chili and Cornbread
3. Sweet Potato Souffle
2. Beef Stew with Veggies and Potatoes
and the #1 thing on the list.....
1. ANYTHING CHOCOLATE!

There are a few on this list that I do not agree with. I know that they all include different things that will trigger your inner happy, but for me, I would take out the mac and cheese, oatmeal, sweet potato, and replace those with pizza, chicken pot pie, and Meat Jun. I am now hungry for some chili and cornbread, and I'm always in the mood for a banana split.
Mmmmm.
Happy Eating!

Black Donnellys

2010-02-21T20:34:00.000-06:00

I love this show. I was very sad they took it off the air after one season. My buddy Roper was the one who told me to watch it, and after it was about 3 episodes in, I started up online. I finished the season online, as they took the series off the air. The show is so good, and the last episode, the season finally was one of the best cliffhangers of all TV.

You can get the season on DVD on Amazon.com for about $20. It is well worth it.

Scottsdale, AZ

2010-02-11T13:27:00.000-06:00

Landed last night in Phoenix to be with my mom and dad as my mom attends the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale. I asked the cabbie to make a stop at 1am. Here is what a 6hr trip is worth...

Double-Double!

Doritos

2010-02-09T01:11:00.001-06:00

Probably my favorite superbowl commercial.

Look out for these friendly pups

2010-02-09T01:06:00.003-06:00

Awesome Bud Light Commerical

2010-02-08T23:45:00.002-06:00

Great clothing drive idea!

Luck guy

2010-02-01T01:10:00.000-06:00

We all know last week the iPad was announced, and yet we still do not have a date in which we can place an order. However tonight on the Grammy's, Steven Colbert shows up to announce the song of the year, and can't find his envelope. He then proceeds to pull out an iPad from his jacket. Lucky Guy.
I still want one. No camera, 3G with At&t, not a true tablet computer, but yes, the apple fanboy in me still wants one... I am pretty sure I can get away with the 16GB Wifi only. $499, not too bad.
Here is the break down of the prices and models being offered by apple.

Which one do you want?-Or better yet, which one will you buy?

7 Foods Experts won't eat

2010-01-24T17:27:00.000-06:00

I found an article online, and thought that it was very informative, and wanted to pass on the information.

Here are a list of 7 things we eat all the time, and 7 different experts on food, absolutely will not eat.

1. Canned Tomatoes
The expert: Fredrick vom Saal, PhD, an endocrinologist at the University of Missouri who studies bisphenol-A
The problem: The resin linings of tin cans contain bisphenol-A, a synthetic estrogen that has been linked to ailments ranging from reproductive problems to heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. Unfortunately, acidity (a prominent characteristic of tomatoes) causes BPA to leach into your food. Studies show that the BPA in most people’s body exceeds the amount that suppresses sperm production or causes chromosomal damage to the eggs of animals. “You can get 50 mcg of BPA per liter out of a tomato can, and that’s a level that is going to impact people, particularly the young,” says vom Saal. “I won’t go near canned tomatoes.”
Buy tomatoes fresh, or packaged in glass or those paper Tetra Pak boxes.
2. Corn-Fed Beef
The expert: Joel Salatin, co-owner of Polyface Farms and author of half a dozen books on sustainable farming
The problem: Cattle evolved to eat grass, not grains. But farmers today feed their animals corn and soybeans, which fatten up the animals faster for slaughter. More money for cattle farmers (and lower prices at the grocery store) means a lot less nutrition for us. A recent comprehensive study conducted by the USDA and researchers from Clemson University found that compared with corn-fed beef, grass-fed beef is higher in beta-carotene, vitamin E, omega-3s, conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), calcium, magnesium, and potassium; lower in inflammatory omega-6s; and lower in saturated fats that have been linked to heart disease. “We need to respect the fact that cows are herbivores, and that does not mean feeding them corn and chicken manure,” says Salatin.
My solution, grass fed beef, or vegetarian diet beef, found at Whole Foods.
3. Microwave Popcorn
The expert: Olga Naidenko, PhD, a senior scientist for the Environmental Working Group,
The problem: Chemicals, including perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), in the lining of the bag, are part of a class of compounds that may be linked to infertility in humans, according to a recent study from UCLA. In animal testing, the chemicals cause liver, testicular, and pancreatic cancer. Studies show that microwaving causes the chemicals to vaporize—and migrate into your popcorn. “They stay in your body for years and accumulate there,” says Naidenko, which is why researchers worry that levels in humans could approach the amounts causing cancers in laboratory animals. DuPont and other manufacturers have promised to phase out PFOA by 2015 under a voluntary EPA plan, but millions of bags of popcorn will be sold between now and then.
This is scary because I used to eat a lot of microwave popcorn. I am going to throw out the rest of mine at home!
4. Nonorganic Potatoes
The expert: Jeffrey Moyer, chair of the National Organic Standards Board
The problem: Root vegetables absorb herbicides, pesticides, and fungicides that wind up in soil. In the case of potatoes—the nation’s most popular vegetable—they’re treated with fungicides during the growing season, then sprayed with herbicides to kill off the fibrous vines before harvesting. After they’re dug up, the potatoes are treated yet again to prevent them from sprouting. “Try this experiment: Buy a conventional potato in a store, and try to get it to sprout. It won’t,” says Moyer, who is also farm director of the Rodale Institute (also owned by Rodale Inc., the publisher of Prevention). “I’ve talked with potato growers who say point-blank they would never eat the potatoes they sell. They have separate plots where they grow potatoes for themselves without all the chemicals.”
Buy Organic. If you cannot, you should. If you buy anything organic, buy potatoes.
5. Farmed Salmon
The expert: David Carpenter, MD, director of the Institute for Health and the Environment at the University at Albany and publisher of a major study in the journal Science on contamination in fish.
The problem: Nature didn’t intend for salmon to be crammed into pens and fed soy, poultry litter, and hydrolyzed chicken feathers. As a result, farmed salmon is lower in vitamin D and higher in contaminants, including carcinogens, PCBs, brominated flame retardants, and pesticides such as dioxin and DDT. According to Carpenter, the most contaminated fish come from Northern Europe, which can be found on American menus. “You can only safely eat one of these salmon dinners every 5 months without increasing your risk of cancer,” says Carpenter, whose 2004 fish contamination study got broad media attention. “It’s that bad.” Preliminary science has also linked DDT to diabetes and obesity, but some nutritionists believe the benefits of omega-3s outweigh the risks. There is also concern about the high level of antibiotics and pesticides used to treat these fish. When you eat farmed salmon, you get dosed with the same drugs and chemicals.
The solution: Switch to wild-caught Alaska salmon. If the package says fresh Atlantic, it’s farmed. There are no commercial fisheries left for wild Atlantic salmon.
6. Milk Produced with Artificial Hormones
The expert: Rick North, project director of the Campaign for Safe Food at the Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility and former CEO of the Oregon division of the American Cancer Society
The problem: Milk producers treat their dairy cattle with recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH or rBST, as it is also known) to boost milk production. But rBGH also increases udder infections and even pus in the milk. It also leads to higher levels of a hormone called insulin-like growth factor in milk. In people, high levels of IGF-1 may contribute to breast, prostate, and colon cancers. “When the government approved rBGH, it was thought that IGF-1 from milk would be broken down in the human digestive tract,” says North. As it turns out, the casein in milk protects most of it, according to several independent studies. “There’s not 100% proof that this is increasing cancer in humans,” admits North. “However, it’s banned in most industrialized countries.”
The solution: This one is the hardest for me since I do not like the taste of Organic Milk. Good news is I buy mild from Walmart, and they sell milk which is rBGH-Free, and produced without artificial hormones.
Check labels for rBGH-free, rBST-free, produced without artificial hormones, or organic milk. These phrases indicate rBGH-free products.
7. Conventional Apples
The expert: Mark Kastel, former executive for agribusiness and codirector of the Cornucopia Institute, a farm-policy research group that supports organic foods
The problem: If fall fruits held a “most doused in pesticides contest,” apples would win. Why? They are individually grafted (descended from a single tree) so that each variety maintains its distinctive flavor. As such, apples don’t develop resistance to pests and are sprayed frequently. The industry maintains that these residues are not harmful. But Kastel counters that it’s just common sense to minimize exposure by avoiding the most doused produce, like apples. “Farm workers have higher rates of many cancers,” he says. And increasing numbers of studies are starting to link a higher body burden of pesticides (from all sources) with Parkinson’s disease.
The solution: Buy organic apples. If you can’t afford organic, be sure to wash and peel them first.
Crazy stuff out there. Never would have thought about my milk, meat, and potatoes when I was a little kid.

I'm Back

2010-01-24T17:24:00.000-06:00

As much as I like the mobile version of wordpress blog on an iPhone, I decided to come back to blogger. You can do so much more here, and this site is faster, and easier to upload to, etc. For now, I am back to being a blogger fan. I will try to update more often, as I have only 2 posts in 2010 as of now.

I have started a new app on my iPhone called foursquare. I love the app. You "check into" places and gather points and badges. If you check in to a place more than anyone else you become the mayor. You can "steal" another person's "mayoral ship" by checking into that place more than the current mayor. I am currently the mayor of my house-hahaha, and Fudge's Gym. I plan on taking over Mililani, and hopefully stealing some mayoral ships from others around the island, although I have only had the app for a couple of weeks.

Last Blogspot

2010-01-05T20:02:00.002-06:00

This is my last blog on my blogspot page. I have decided to switch to
Wordpress since they have a mobile version which is viewed perfectly
on an iPhone.
Please check out http://iamfudge.com
Thanks.

Google Wave

2009-11-04T02:52:00.000-06:00

I got my wave invite, don't really know what to do yet. They said it
is not supported on the iPhone yet. Looks pretty good to me!
Maybe we will get a dedicated app. Even a web app would work for now.
How come google voice, wave, and mail can't all be on the same screen?

EZ Boy

2009-11-04T00:36:00.000-06:00

Today my buddy EZ had to have hernia surgery. He is only 17 months old, and a precious little boy. We had to be in the hospital by 7:30am for a 9:30 surgery. The morning was going fine, and we were waiting in the room, when we found out that it has been pushed back another hr. Not too bad if it were for an adult, but when a baby does not know why he cannot eat, it get's pretty rough.
The Dr. came in and Jodi took EZ into the room. Within 5 breaths, he was sleeping. We took the time to go up to get something to eat, and was back down in 30 mins. On our way down to the room, he was already done. The surgen said he was great, and would be in recovery. Within 30 minutes, he was dressed and ready to go home.
Here is the story I got from the recovery room. My sister went in to see her baby. She picked him up, and he was a bit groggy. She fed him, and he was not happy with his I-V still in his hand. He kept picking at the needle. After a couple of minutes, my sister noticed blood all over her and him. He had proceded to pull off the 5 layers of tape and rip his I-V out of his hand.
That's EZ, he is a fighter.
Thank you for all prayers. He is recovering at home and dr. said he will be just fine!

Here is a video of him getting his gown on.

Posturous

2009-11-02T03:47:00.001-06:00

I have started a new blog, http://fudge.posterous.com This is desigend to allow me to post from an email, and it will update my twitter and also the blog at the same time. I will try to keep the posting on that blog to pictures, videos, and music, and keep this blogspot more for personal stuff, in turn keeping all the simple, pics and vids out. I have also added a widget to the side of my main blogspot page.
Love you all.

Sunday November 1, 2009

2009-11-02T02:02:00.000-06:00

Today my wife wanted to do something "romantic." She wanted to go to one of her favorite places, Moanuloa Gardens and have a picnic. Oh joy! It was a pretty hot morning here in the islands, so I was not too thrilled, and I didn't feel too good this morning, but it is my wife, so I thought I better take her. We started out making a stop at Down to Earth for Carissa to pick up her Avocado sandwich. We then made stop to Kiawe Grill for me to pick up my plate, of pulehu beef, grilled over some kiawe wood. Came with rice, and my choice of veggies, which were kim chee, potato salad, Korean noodles, and a couple of pieces of tofu (for Carissa).
We found a spot, sat down and had our lunch. I packed a cooler of drinks, a mat to sit down on, plus my chair and aluminum table.
Within a few minutes, Carissa's parents showed up to visit with us. So much for a romantic afternoon. Either way, it turned out to be a beautiful afternoon and the weather was perfect for sitting in a park and having some lunch. Here is a shot I took of Carissa and her mom near the stream.

What the Heck?

2009-11-02T01:41:00.000-06:00

Walked into the bathroom at Best Buy. Saw this on the ground, then thought about the scenario...

Kid: "mom, i have to use the bathroom."
Mom: "hurry up, i'll be right here in the car stereo section waiting for you."

4 hrs later...

Mom:"son, let's get ready for a bath."
(son goes into bathroom-for his bath)
Mom:"Um, Freddie, where are your underwear?

Son:"I don't know, I think I left them in the bathroom, in BEST BUY"

7 ways to beat the flu

2009-10-22T16:05:00.001-05:00

I read this from Yahoo, and thought I should pass it on...

With cold and flu season around the corner and H1N1 virus still making appearances, it is more important than ever to bolster your immune system this fall and winter. Here are some natural, simple solutions that will help protect you!

1. Chestnuts bolster immunity
In both Asia and the Mediterranean region, chestnuts have been popular for centuries. Chestnuts differ from other nuts with their low fat content and high fiber. They have a mild, sweet taste and a crumbly consistency. An excellent source of potassium, folate, vitamins B6 and C, chestnuts strengthen the kidney-adrenal system and bolster the immune system to fight off the flu and combat infections. This flu season, introduce more chestnuts into your cooking: they are good roasted in the oven, cooked with chicken, lamb, beef, or pork, or in any dish with beans and legumes.

2. Stimulate your thymus
Your thymus is a fist-size gland located behind your sternum in the center of your chest. It plays a critical role in the functioning of the lymphatic and immune systems. It develops over time, reaching peak size when you are in your early 30s, then begins to physically diminish until it shrinks to the size of a pea around age 70. You experience the gland's waning as waning energy in your body.

To support thymus health, the Chinese use astragalus root. Studies show astralagus is an adaptogen, which means it corrects both high and low metabolic imbalances, acts on invaders wherever they attack the body, and promotes overall vitality. The usual dosage is 100 to 150 mg per day in capsules or you can drink astragalus tincture or tea.

Another way to stimulate your thymus is to use acupressure. With your index and middle finger, gently tap against the sternum (midway between the nipples) 50 times, in the morning and evening.

3. Immune-supporting herbs
You can use the following herbs to help strengthen your immune system:

• Ligustrum has undergone much research recently, which has revealed this herb's immune boosting functions. Its actions include increasing white blood cell production, phagocytosis, and T-lymphocyte help cell activities.

• Cherokee Rose is traditionally used to protect the body from external pathogens with its astringent properties. It is also one of the highest natural sources of vitamin C.

• Honeysuckle is a natural anti-microbial herb that has been used for centuries to increase resistance and fight against bacterial, viral, and fungal infections.

You can find these herbs in health food stores, online, and at the offices of acupuncturists and Chinese herbalists.

Or look into a formula that combines all of these herbs in one immune-boosting herbal formula, called "Perpetual Shield."

4. Be healthy with bee products
Royal jelly has long been regarded in Asia as a longevity tonic that enhances energy, virility, and immunity. Rich in vitamins and collagen, royal jelly is used to feed queen bees. An antibacterial protein in the substance, dubbed royalisin, is effective against certain bacteria, including streptococcus and staphylococcus.

Bee propolis is rich in flavonoids that have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. It also contains terpenoids that possess antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, and antiprotozoan agents. Not unlike some prescription antibiotics, propolis prevents bacterial cell division and breaks down the invading organism's cell walls and cytoplasm.

Find royal jelly and bee propolis in enriched honey or in supplement form from herb shops and health food stores.

5. Beta-carotene Builds Immunity
Beta-carotene is a powerful antioxidant that improves immune function and promotes mucous membrane health. In fact, a 1997 study conducted by the Institute of Food Research in the United Kingdom suggested that dietary intake of beta-carotene can enhance cell-mediated immune responses. How to get these beta-benefits this flu season? Eat more orange-colored vegetables, including carrots, winter squash, butternut squash, pumpkins, sweet potatoes, and yams. Additionally, these are all an excellent source of Vitamin C, a famous immune support.

6. An all-in-one immunity soup
Cook up a broth of shiitake mushrooms, any kind of seaweed, cabbage, any type of squash, carrots, fresh ginger, oregano, and onion in chicken or vegetable stock. Shiitake mushrooms contain polysaccharides, sterols, and coumarin, as well as vitamins and minerals that increase your immune function. Seaweed cleanses the body, cabbage has ability to increase your body's ability to fight infection, ginger supports healthy digestion, and the remaining ingredients promote general health and well-being.
Eat this soup every other day to build a strong and healthy immune system.

7. Treat Your Body Right
Encourage your body to fight flu and other infections by giving it the care it needs.

• Get at least 7 hours of quality sleep every night. Studies show that your immune system function drops by an average of 60% after just three nights of poor sleep.

• Keep your stress level low with meditation, tai chi, or yoga.

• Dry body brushing daily can activate lymph circulation that is important to clear out toxic debris and stimulate immunity.

• If you feel your immune system has already been compromised and illness is on the way, consider this Cold & Flu elixir, which supports recovery as it boosts your immune system.

I hope you find the ways to build your immunity for a winter free from cold and flu! I invite you to visit often and share your own personal health and longevity tips with me.

May you live long, live strong, and live happy!

Dance Dance Revolution

2009-10-21T02:17:00.002-05:00

I said I wasn't going to post a bunch of videos on here, but this one is one of my favorites. This big boy does some damage on the dance moves, but then just keep watching till the end...

Boring-things going on

2009-10-19T04:27:00.004-05:00

Sorry about the posts recently. I thought it would be fun to just post quick videos I find, or pictures, but I realize that it is boring, and it is not really about my wishes, or life. All them except for the EZ videos. I have created a different blog for the pics and vids and will keep this one going for more personal stuff. You can check out, http://fudge.posterous.com The nice thing about posterous, is it automatically updates my twitter account.
On more news, I still do not have a job, and will be taking offers from pretty much anyone at this point. I thought I was going to be cooking steaks at Blazin Steaks in Pearl Ridge, but the guy offering the job is now selling the place, since PR has been giving him the run-around, and not allowing him to open the store. He has been losing money since April or May. Oh well. Please check out 808Discount, which is hopefully where some $$ will be coming in from really soon.

My wife on the other hand got a new job. She starts next week Monday, the 26th, at Hawaii Schools Federal Credit Union. She is excited that it will be really close to home, she starts a little later, and will have Wednesdays and Sundays off, but now has to work a half day on Saturdays.

I am happy for her. Please keep us in your prayers as we are struggling to make payments.

Ezra working out

2009-10-13T16:39:00.001-05:00

A Wonderful Day for Pie

2009-09-29T15:42:00.001-05:00

The Fire

2009-09-29T02:39:00.001-05:00

Party in the USA

2009-09-28T18:06:00.001-05:00

MMS

2009-09-25T12:23:00.001-05:00

It only took over 2 years, but as of 7:15am. The iPhone officially has
mms, or picture messaging. An update was sent through iTunes, and all
is well. I guess we will see how the network holds up now that
millilns of people will be sending pictures and videos all day!

All the Single Babies...

2009-09-23T13:29:00.000-05:00

LEAKED: Obama Attacked Gaga After Kanye!

2009-09-18T14:26:00.001-05:00

LEAKED: Obama Attacked Gaga After Kanye!
Uploaded by BarelyPolitical. - Full seasons and entire episodes online.

Beef Bake

2009-09-14T02:23:00.001-05:00

Costo added a beef bake. $3.49. You can't really go wrong with eating
at costco, unless you are a veg (see my wife's blog for that http://elilaiann.blogspot.com
).

NEW "New Moon" Trailer

2009-09-14T00:03:00.001-05:00

Great MJ tribute

2009-09-12T18:48:00.001-05:00

Obama Card

2009-08-31T20:28:00.003-05:00

A friend posted this on his Facebook. I love it. Sums it up just perfectly.

Day @ the beach

2009-08-31T03:09:00.001-05:00

Today was a beautiful day in Hawaii. After a birthday party at a park,
sitting under a shaded tree feeling the trade winds blowing, we
decided to take sonic down to the beach. He has been doing a lot
better going into the water, and even "caught some shore break"
although he didn't mean to. A lot of running and a lot of sand eating
while fetching, we all had a great day today.

Even dogs know...

2009-08-24T19:01:00.001-05:00

This is a funny video. Enjoy.

Food Inc.

2009-08-24T03:41:00.003-05:00

Go see this movie. You will never look at you food the same. I want to grow my own vegetables, raise my own chickens, eggs, beef, etc. I think I may have to move out of my tiny townhouse, and off to my gramp's farm in Nebraska, but if it makes life better for my family, is there another choice?
The only theater in Hawaii showing this movie is the Koolau 10, which is out in Kaneohe, across from the Valley of the Temples. Well worth it, just to have your eyes opened to the big food industries and how the dictate what goes into the supermarket, and the poor treatment of animals. Wow.

Ez playing @Boarders

2009-08-22T17:51:00.000-05:00

Gossip Girl

2009-08-21T13:53:00.001-05:00

Coming September 14...

T-Swizzle

2009-08-20T18:40:00.002-05:00

This has got to be one of the funniest videos out now. A joke made for some award show. It really is her rapping. Love it.

Someone Hates At&t

2009-08-18T21:39:00.003-05:00

This guy must have really bad reception and "no bars in more places." I am actually pretty happy with my 3G service in Hawaii. I do drop calls a lot more than when I had Verizon, but VZ does not have the iPhone, nor do they allow the apps. If you think ATT crippled the iPhone, try putting music or ringtones on a VZ phone, yup, you pay for all that stuff, and $3 for a ringtone, that can't be moved from phone to phone, come on!

Love me some Thin Mints.

2009-08-18T21:00:00.002-05:00

Always Hungry

2009-08-18T02:53:00.000-05:00

Poor girl. She is always hungry and can't stop eating.

New Blog to follow

2009-08-16T02:47:00.004-05:00

My wife decided to start her own blog. She now has a website she updates Scarshelter.com as well as her new blog elilaiann.blogspot.com Please check it out. She has become a vegetarian and has stuck with it for the past 27 days. Not so great for me as a husband who loves meat. Some of the stuff is not so bad, but others, are just plain gross. I will keep you updated on her progress as well as my struggle to have meat removed from my dinners...

The Rescue

2009-08-13T17:18:00.001-05:00

Her eyes met mine as she walked down the corridor peering apprehensively into the kennels. I felt her need instantly and knew I had to help her. I wagged my tail, not too exuberantly, so she wouldn't be afraid.

As she stopped at my kennel I blocked her view from a little accident I had in the back of my cage. I didn't want her to know that I hadn't been walked today. Sometimes the shelter keepers get too busy and I didn't want her to think poorly of them.

As she read my kennel card I hoped that she wouldn't feel sad about my past. I only have the future to look forward to and want to make a difference in someone's life.

She got down on her knees and made little kissy sounds at me. I shoved my shoulder and side of my head up against the kennel to comfort her. Gentle fingertips caressed my neck; she was desperate for companionship.

A tear fell down her cheek and I raised my paw to assure her that all would be well. Soon my kennel door opened and her smile was so bright that I instantly jumped into her arms. I would promise to keep her safe. I would promise to always be by her side. I would promise to do everything I could to see that radiant smile and sparkle in her eyes. I was so fortunate that she came down my corridor. So many more are out there who haven't walked the kennels. So many more to be saved. At least I could save one.

I rescued a human today!

~ author unknown but appreciated

Beautiful story.

Looking to rescue a human, visit

http://www.scarshelter.com

Wedding Dance Intro

2009-07-31T17:18:00.003-05:00

For those who have not see the intro to this wedding, which got over 12 Million views in 10 days here you go...

Then following is a college humor spin. The Divorce. Pretty funny stuff.

See more funny videos and funny pictures at CollegeHumor.