Again?

As is so often the case, this post is inspired by conversations I’ve had over the last several days. The first was with my mother, in Kansas City, who was telling me about a news story in which a man had saved for years and years to start his own business. Only to see that business destroyed during recent riots.

She bemoaned the cruelty of it. She felt bad for the man and decried the rioters. Burning a police station was one thing; she didn’t condone it, but understood. But private businesses? My mom was upset by it and didn’t see what purpose it served or what destroying private property and people’s livelihoods accomplished.

I’ve had similar discussions since then.

Read more

This week Honolulu saw the results of the first two scientific polls for local elections this year. The first, a poll on the Honolulu Mayor’s race, was published earlier last week. The other, on Honolulu’s race for Prosecutor, was released this past Friday morning.

In both cases, there is a fairly high number or respondents who hadn’t decided, or indicated they don’t like any of the candidates.

There’s no denying we’ve all be more than a little preoccupied with the impact of COVID-19 on our families and our communities. Rightly so. So while all the candidates will do their best to spin the results, we should keep in mind the current circumstances when viewing the results.

Read more

Hubble 5/31/19

From the Mouths of Babes

In the wake of COVID-19, many of us have taken up new projects and hobbies. My niece, who is 12 and wise beyond her years, is no different.

She recently began a weekly newsletter which she sends to family members and friends. Part of me (as do parents, I imagine) still sees her as the tiny little thing: spunky and adorable. And while I guess she remains spunky, she is neither tiny nor adorable in the sense that she’s a young adult. Yuck. She’s also smart, creative, and very bright.

I’ve been as supportive as I can be of her and her new project, offering to help as I can. So, in our most recent email exchange, referencing my undergraduate degree in philosophy, she asked me if I “had any ideas” about a piece she’s thinking about on the “purpose of humanity.”

Let me repeat. She’s 12.

Read more

It might come as a surprise to some, but I used to have a social life. Shocking, I know. But it’s true.

I used to have a group of friends with whom I spent a lot of time. They moved away years ago to pursue their lives. Their careers. I stayed in Hawaii to pursue mine.

Katja & Macy

Katja & Macy

This is from April 2008. I don’t recall who the blonde on the left is, but the other two are Katja and Macy. They were married a few years after this was taken.

Above is me, of course, and Becky. She also eventually married….

There were a few others in our little group who, for whatever reason, aren’t included in the pictures from this outing. Back then, we frequently spent our evenings together, so I don’t remember the specifics of this one. Needless to say, it looks like drinking was involved and a good time was had by all.

Here’s another post of a bunch of us from back in the day.

Read more

A Sad, if Not Unexpected, Day

I woke up this morning to sad, if not unexpected, news. My candidate for the Democratic nomination for President, Bernie Sanders, has suspended his campaign.

In response to a friend’s disappoint this morning, I wrote this:

I’m equal parts angry and sad.

I didn’t see a path forward for Bernie, so I’m sad not angry he’s dropped out. But I AM angry at the persistence of a social-political structure that will claim victory and do little more than inch forward.

It seems the liberal-democratic establishment learned little from 2016 and I do fear Trump will wipe the floor with Biden.

Read more