finding kirby

So the other day I couldn't find our bottom feeder sucker fish, Kirby.

I looked all over. Come to think of it, I haven't seen him in a few days which makes me even more anxious. Anxious over a fish! How does a fish go missing?!

I looked into the lamp, I dunno why. But then I found him... Under the couch, dried and stiff with dust bunnies. Sad. He committed suicide. He went swimming with humans.

He was a good fish. He minded his own fish-business. He ignored all the bossy fishes that tested him. They end up leaving him alone because he doesn't bother any of them.



Gary wants another Kirby and he wants to name him, Hoover. But I was thinking of, K-2.

Chuukese and Marshallese get together

The Chuukese and the Marshallese congregation welcomed us with a gathering at the Kaka'ako waterfront park.
This was a nice introduction to their culture. It was also the first gathering the Chuukese and Marshallese had together since becoming a group/cong.

My biggest impression was the food!

They love their meats and sweets. Big plates are ok. Forks are optionals. Chopsticks? What chopsticks?

Does everything have coconut?

I liked this one a lot... coconut rice balls... yum! Gary ate this with beer-made chili.

coconut tapioka

fishy food...

women cook & BBQ.

The mamas were singing and dancing. They are so down, so hip, so game for anything. They show no shame, any shape, any size. It was really, really cool. I wish I had more pictures!

Starbucks or Bust

Ask my Mom to say Starbucks and she'll say everything but Starbucks.

For example, one day she asked me to go to Coffee bustah. When I ask her, where? She said, You know, star bustah.

Today she said Starback, then she corrected herself and said Starbuck. Without the S. She's getting closer.

We moved!

WE MOVED! March 1st, 2010! Now we have an ocean view... Does Pearl Harbor count? We gave up our walk-in closet for a walk-in pantry. Plus an extra bedroom and larger living space.

Vinson, a man of many trades.
Mom mudding a wall!

New laminate flooring! J.R.

Our neighbors, the Albas came and helped.

Gary getting details.
Bro. Inoue painting!

Pat and Aliska help with the really heavy loads. Jerry and Dave (not pictured) too.

Gary's Dad glueing the baseboards.

Our old apartment: Gelo, DK and RJ painting it back to its original color.

Tania clearing away debris (from the ceiling).

Paris Notre Dame & the Arc de Triomphe

Notre Dame, Paris. She's a Gothic chic, a Roman Catholic church.
Notre Dame means, "Our Lady" and its not a football team.

I'm still trying to figure out what the buzz is all about besides the architecture.


This is the world's largest triumphal arch, the Arc de Triomphe.

It is a memorial for those who died in Napoleon's day who fought for France and it continues to be a memorial for those who died in more mordern times during WWI and WWII.

You can see people on top.
This is the view from the top.

Paris Louvre

Paintings:
3-D paintings on the ceiling. And you thought 3-D was a new thing? ok look carefully at the people in between the pillars you can see how the paintings were made to look like they're jumping out to you.

Jacques Louis David. Napoleon theatrically crowning himself. At first I thought it looked like he was crowning the lady, but he is making a big show and then putting the crown on himself. He even has religious leaders present cuz that was big then.

Jacques-Louis David portrait of Madame Juliette Récamier. The model apparently disliked the painting cuz she didn't like her feet exposed which offended the artist. So, the painting is unfinished was never sold until his death.

The portrait of Madame Juliette Récamier in the background.

The Marriage at Cana. HUGE (size)! Featuring the Venetian merchants and the happy married couple on the bottom left, Jesus in the middle, and the pouring water into wine, bottom right. The painting is by Paolo Caliari, it is known as Veronese.

The Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci is said to be the most beautiful painting in the world because of its soft blended colors of her skin. At least thats what I remembered in that college course. I was surprised how many photographs were being taken of her. To me, she was by far the most busiest feature of the louvre. And boy, was she a tiny little thing behind a thick bullet proof glass.

No one was allowed near it and she had 3 guards guarding her.

Sitting so peacefully among chaos.

The seated statue of Gudea, prince of Lagash. NeoSumerian, Mesopotamia. There were about 20 Gudea sculptures that made it to museums.

The Law Codex of Hammurabi King of Babylon is one of the oldest laws found. There are 282 laws, each law is usually no more than a sentence or two which includes Hammurabi introducing himself.



Random sculptures: a Hermaphrodite


a sexy Warthog


Oscar the Grouch's ancestor j/k!


Michelangelo's Dying Slaves... their dying and I'm smiling.



Venus de Milo close up. She was almost as popular as the Mona Lisa.


check out her abs

Psyche and Cupid. A myth about a young god and a mortal female falling in love. And all the Romeo and Juliet problems inbetween.


Psyche and Cupid close up.



Winged Victory of Samathrace. Hellenistic.

The Winged Victory's attire is water-worn as if she was in a wet-tee shirt contest.


Winged Bulls of Assyrian King Sargon II use to guard the throne room.




hero Gilgamesh crushing a lion


Tuileries Le Baiser de Rodin. Pucker up, muah!