The main difference between me in high school and me now, I put on some weig..... muscle.

Actually I'm pretty much the same, muscle excluded, in that I try to care more about others than myself. My friends know that I'm there for them no matter what and even Da Wife sometimes can't figure out why I'd drop whatever I'm doing in a heartbeat when any of them needs anything.

One major difference is when I was younger I knew there was a whole new world waiting to be explored. I dove head first without care and little worry and oblivious to what life really offered all the while enjoying every bit of it knowing there's more. As I got older, nothing changed other than me learning about consequences, becoming much more patient, avoiding knee-jerk reactions and changing to milder peppers in my kim chee temper just to name a few.

It's what we call, experience.

If you've never been exposed to certain things or if you've never had an opportunity to, you just don't know what you've missed out or not. And without experiencing it, you can't imagine how it truly feels or how'd you really react other than thinking how you possibly would.

Before having Da Baby last year, I didn't realize (appreciate) the gift of life. I saw pregnant ladies before. I saw crying babies. I saw parents "taking turns". I saw mother/daughter-father/son time. I saw one share the others enthusiasm. It didn't bother me none. It was something they had/were doing.

I didn't think twice about any of those things until Da Baby came along.

I noticed myself tuning things out around me focusing only on Da Baby whether it be talking "baby" or telling her a'ole for da gazillionth time. I now respect what wahine go through carrying a child and going through labor. I see crying babies and now think maybe the baby needs food or a change and hope the parents take care of it instead of saying "shut the *&%@ up!". I watch as one parent inhales their food while the other occupies the baby all the while just waiting their own turn to eat and I immediately think, "been there, don't forget to chew and breathe" instead of "too bad so sad". I watch mother and daughters (da young ones of course) shop and see the glitter in their eye sharing a moment or two or a father and son throwing a ball and getting coached regardless if the father is clueless about it.

It's a feeling you can't duplicate and it's definitely an experience that everyone may go through differently but it is an experience nonetheless. Not to say that those who don't have keiki don't feel the same but it'll be mighty hard to duplicate. Experiences are just something you can't say you have until you've gone through it. I'm not sure why or how it happened but I get in a zen-like state when I witness even the simplest things like a wintery chill blowing by as I gaze at the Koolau's or people helping people without risk or reward. I take joy in that. Those experiences are worth having.

Then there are others you don't want.

And then sometimes you experience things that are uncontrollable, unforeseeable and out of your hands that you had no choice or chance to accept or deny the experience.

The parents of Drew Iida are personal friends of mine and they need our kokua. With respect to to the parents and ohana, specific details will not be released. There was an article in the October 15th paper and also a not so kind segment on one of the news channels - both which were done without their consent. A short blurb was made on ESPN during the UH/SJSU game which I'm sure many have heard but just flew by since the experience wasn't theirs.

There's a minute few who jump to conclusions and make accusations and I can tell you without doubt or hesitation that they are two of the most caring, thoughtful and considerate parents out there. I've known the mother since we were 13 and she's always been the calm caring type. The father is a big teddy bear with a bigger heart. They provide, care and nurture like any parent would and by no means intentionally put their, or any other person, in harms way. They are good people.

Whether you're moved by what happened or not, it's based on your experience(s). I for one was super concerned once I heard of the injury because it involved people I knew and cared for but even moreso since I had Da Baby it became an issue that hit home.

It could have been my baby.

Something unpredictable. Something out of the blue. It's just one of those things.

Connections by experience is a common thing that brings different people together. It's also one of those things that everybody has but to differing levels and it's called caring. People who don't know each other pitching in, helping out in any way they can, doing whatever they can however they can. It's not about how much help you can give, it's about whether you're genuine about it. It's about doing da right thing at da right time for da right reasons - das da Aloha Spirit!

There will be a fundraiser for Drew Iida (Pray 4 Drew 52) at the Villa at Aloha Tower on October 30th 4pm - 9pm (see flyer below). There will be local entertainment, a silent auction and a fun time to have by sharing a common experience: Kokua.

You can kokua in choke ways. Presale tickets are limited but feel free to show up at the door - all are welcome. If you just want to donate, nothing is too small for the silent auction or monetary donations can be made out to "Pray For Drew Iida" fund. I have verified with a close family member that all proceeds will benefit Drew Iida, and only Drew Iida, to help with his medical cost and care.

No help is too small and any help is appreciated. Don't feel like you have to break the bank to help. While tangible goods can help with immediate needs, the intangible helps just as well.

Let's all Pray for Drew 52 and wish him a speedy and full recovery so that he may experience and pass on what you're passing onto him.

Please respect his parents wishes about the injury and let's focus on what we can control - that's to kokua at his fundraiser.

*** As a small incentive to kokua, if you show up to the fundraiser and find me, you'll get a freebie! Yes, a freebie. No fine print. No $2 short but there is a single requirement,

You have to say three magic words............. "Wassup Wit Dat!".

Just tap me on da shoulder, say it (proudly, sarcastically, funny, watevahs) and you'll get your choice of a personally designed t-shirt or a bottle of kim chee to be delivered later. And even for those who are unable to make it but donate anyways, we'll go on the honor system so just email me saying you did so and I'll hook you up with the prize of your choice.

If we have a confirmed amount of people attending, I'll even try and secure a table for Da WWD! Hui.... so you can see all da lolos dat read WWD!.

Hope to see you there!

Muchos Mahalos!



CLICK HERE TO SEE THE FUNDRAISING FLIER



CLICK HERE TO SEE THE DONATION LETTER



CLICK HERE TO SEE PRAY 4 DREW BOOSTER ITEMS - I'm unsure how many items are left but if you contact the person on the order form, I am sure they'll have the info

Being Mr.Mom da past year has been a challenge.

Between diaper changes, washing clothes, diaper changes, nap time, diaper changes, play time - did I mention diaper changes?

Then there's da whole multi-tasking thing and no mattah wat you tink.... GUYS CANNOT MULTI-TASK!

No get me wrong fellahs, we tink we can multi-task and and at times we kick some okole doing it (even though our oddah half no tink so) but wen it comes to multi-tasking involving a keiki.... sadly we cannot.

Our version of multi-tasking involves moments of grunts, groans and grumble. It may also involve light or heavy machinery of some kine and/or tools of various shapes and sizes. Added to dat da occasional break or two consisting either of a couch, seat, remote control, beverage or a combination of those two or three utilizing our multi-tasking skills even further.

And really, wat is multi-tasking? I tink wen most of us hear "multi-tasking" we tink "two things at once" but in reality multi-tasking is trying to simutaneously do two separate things one at a time wen you stay waiting for one thing, you go do da oddah while waiting for watevah you stay waiting for and vice versa.... at da same time.

Tink about it.

You answer da phone while eating. Multi-tasking right? Weeeell, you not really talking AND chewing at da same time and if you tried - and no lie, I know you wen try - it gets messy. You not really watching tv AND reading a book and we most definitely not listening to da oddah half wen you (fill in da blank wit watevah it is dat you do).

So it was no surprise dat I figgah I'd kill two birds wit one stone about seven months ago.

Da Baby was running low on bottles and Da Wife was "multi-tasking" so I decided to boil watah for da bottles and get all da stuff we needed to paint da house. 20 minutes latah da watah stay boiling, I drop da bottles inside and set my body clock reminder to come back in 8 minutes.... * Jeopardy theme*

Shortly aftah, Da Wife stay talking to me about something and mentioned something about painting something... das all I remembah as I was "multi-tasking" and I guess da last thing I heard was painting so I started painting.

A few hours latah I smelled something burning but our neighbors upwind from us were having a paina and smoking a pig in their grill so I nevah tink nothing of it until..... I followed da smell and my body clock went off!





WASSUP WIT DAT! (G-rated version of wat actually came out of my mouth)

Sadly there's one bottle left.... there was five to start with along with nipples, caps and covers. It literally melted into foam and smoke.

Das da last time I multi-task wit anything involving a kitchen appliance.... hopefully you too.

Have you had any multi-tasking no-no's? Wat shouldn't we multi-task? I know da list is long... but das da point.

Unemployed and Mr.Mom.

One of those two things I don't mind being. One of those two things almost ended.

If you guessed unemployed, no go Vegas cause you no mo' luck.

As a person, we make choices everyday usually to benefit yourself or someone else. As a new parent, there are a million more choices hovering around and it'll never be about you.

About a month ago I took Da Baby down the road to Daiei/Foodland to pick up groceries for dinner. Being unemployed and trying to make ends meet (we sold Da Wife's car awhile back), it was either da bike or footmobile. While I still have the bike, they don't make a seat for Da Baby to ride in so I buss out my newest ride... a six-wheeled convertible called a stroller.

There are two ways to get to the market from my home: a paved way with a sidewalk which takes longer and an unpaved way over unleveled grass and dirt which is way shorter. Guess which one I took?

Trust me, no go Vegas!

Mr.Mom chose the longer route on paved sidewalk cause it was the safer thing to do for Da Baby. On the way back home, I'm waiting patiently at one of the busiest intersections in lower Pearl City for the light to turn green and once it gives me the walk signal, this is what I see:

The intersection was clear as crystal in all directions and as I'm about to enter the crosswalk, I take a peek back to avoid anyone turning right blindly and this is what I see:

All clear so I enter the crosswalk and not more than about four feet in, this is what I see:

Minus the car directly in front of me in the pic, the car on the left making a left turn came out of nowhere and ripped the turn towards me. All I could do was yank the stroller a bit in that split second and yell some choice words at the car coming towards us which I'm not able to repeat on the blog.

The car obviously saw me because as he passed by, he was pointing at me frantically yelling, "YOUR FAULT! YOUR FAULT!".

Wassup Wit Dat!

Even his passenger, either his wife or mother - they were all makule, had a stoned look on her face as if she was going to die. He ripped the turn going so fast that he was actually halfway into the other lane and luckily no car was approaching or waiting in the lane. I paused in the crosswalk literally fuming and ready to flip the nos switch on my suped up convertible to chase him down when I realized I was still in the crosswalk with Da Baby.

Then I looked back to the intersection to make sure no other cars were coming and this is what I see:

How classic is dis WWD! moment yeah?

Wat is it about people and not being able to obey - respect - laws nowadays? Have you had any close calls? When making a turn, do you look for anyone in the intersection first before stepping on the gas to make the turn? As a pedestrian, do you look look in all directions before you cross or do you just stare at the ground and pray? Or are you one to stink-eye da car to make surah they see you? Did you know dat most accidents involve a left turning vehicle?

Walk safe, drive safe, be safe. If you in a hurry, you should have left early.

I'm more than relieved to see dat Da Baby has made it to Day 366! Yes, she is officially a year old today - Hau'oli La Hanau Da Baby! Dis pic is one of my favorites although she was only about five months old.