What the internet really is...

So I got online today, and was bored because my wife was at work, so I decided to google myself. Well, I found a few people with my same name... but then I found a link that took people to our blog... talk about creepy! lol. Anyway, I realized that besides being addicting, the internet is really a stalker net. So I have decided to make this blog private. You must now email me to have you put on "the list." If you don't email me, then you can't see it. If you don't have my email, call me. If you don't have my phone number, talk to me. If you can't do any of those, ARE YOU MY REAL FRIEND? =P Anyway, this post may be boring, but oh well. I'm bored.

P.S. The private-ification of our blog won't be immediate... but email me soon though.

And, the tag

1. Dream Vacation: Somewhere I haven't been before where we eat a lot of food and see a lot of cool things. Preferably somewhere we have to travel to.

2. Dream Car: It used to be a luxury vehicle, but I'm with J on this one. A car that doesn't use oil. I think the aptera is ugly, though.. So i searched on google and found the best of both worlds. The electric car, the Lightning GT from the UK. It's charged by an electric outlet, and may not solve the world's problems with energy.. but it sure is beautiful.

3. Favorite place to shop: Don't get me wrong, I love amazon.com and other online shopping places but I still like to browse and pick things up that I don't need, but want to touch anyway. So it's a close tie between the 99 cent store here at the mall and China Town. I don't go to China Town that often, but it has great food for very inexpensive.

4. Favorite flower: the Gladiola. It smells pretty, and it always reminds me of my Grandmother.

5. Guilty Pleasure: Eating too much, probably.. Oh, i know, eating or drinking something delicious while reading. For me, that does what a hot bath does for some. Yeah.

6. Fvorite Hobby: Reading. I like science fiction, fantasy, classic literature, Victorian literature.. I mostly just like a really good book. This requires the book to be well-written, at times humorous, and the author to spin a believable tale. If they make you believe in dragons and intergalactic travel, all the better.

7. Favorite Restaurant: The Golden Peony in Oakland, CA. It's a Dimsum place. Closely followed by an authentic Mexican place in Berkeley, that I can't remember the name of.

8. Favorite Actress: Still Audrey Hepburn after all these years. I think she's classy, cute, and a great actress too. Not to mention she's beautiful, and I'd love to have her eyebrows.

9. Favorite Actor: I'm with J, Will Smith. He HAS come a long way since Fresh Prince, and he was even funny in that. He's versatile, talented, and does a great job of really becoming each role he plays.

10. Birthplace: Richmond, CA.

11. Favorite Color: I usually say Orange, but in reality J totally stole mine. I also love the color of rainclouds over the mountains.. so that's what I'll say.

12. Dream Career: One in which I can really help a lot of people. Physical Therapy perhaps, or soup kitchen owner and chef.

I'm going to break the rules of tagging.. and not tag anyone. The people JD tagged work for me too ^_^.

Sister Henderdaughters

I will also respond to the tag, but I have a truly real blog first. =)

My sister, Debbie, came to visit with us for a few days this past week. I had fun, mostly just because it's been a long time since I've been able to hang out with her on a daily basis. I didn't take any pictures >_<, sorry. Also, probably because I hardly worked.

She slept on our couch, and we went to the beach a couple of times. Both times it was cold and cloudy, but she didn't seem to mind too much. =) At least no one got sunburned. (The day she left it was a gorgeous sunny day most of the afternoon.) Unfortunately she didn't get to hike at all, but we did all go camping with our ward. Tin foil dinners, s'mores, crabbing and eating! The ground was a little hard, but it was a really fun experience. I also took her to work with me a couple of times.
The crowning experience was probably feeding her malasadas, (or maybe the fresh crab..) and watching her world open up to a whole new side of delicious. We enjoyed having her here, and I wish I had some pictures to show for it, but just imagine someone who looks a little like me, but taller and thinner.
=)

We got tagged...

I think I now understand more about what a deer, bear or maybe even a whale feels like once they've been tagged for scientific tracking... We've been tagged on other's blogs, so I guess we gotta do that whole getting-to-know me thing. Truth be told, I usually just read to almost the very end of those kinds of posts in order to avoid reading my name (if its there) on the bottom... but alas, my wife continued reading and thus sealed our fate. Therefore, I respond:

Dream Vacation: New Caledonia, with lotsa time, money, and gas. We already went, but one week just wasn't enough... Need at least a month.This is New Caledonia, a picture I took. I love that place.

Dream Car: This is the Aptera... a very cool car. Basically I want a car that doesn't run on gas, so we can stop our dependence on other countries for our oil. This one is pretty freakin' awesome, but others are coming out too. Its just a matter of time (i hope). Check out the car at http://www.aptera.com/




Favorite Place to Shop: Amazon.com. Hands down. Go online shopping. But if Im going to go to a store, Best Buy, all the way. Best customer service, generally the best prices... can't go wrong.






Favorite Flower: You're kidding right? Lemme guess... a girl made up these questions. I like a flower that has an intoxicating aroma. Can't tell you what it is, nor do I have a picture, but its in New Caledonia. In a nutshell, it smells like Heaven.

Guilty Pleasure: Laziness. I love being lazy...or relaxing... whatever you want to call it. This can be playing computer games or xbox or something, possibly sleeping too much. You know, relaxing.




Favorite Hobby: Sleeping. Thats it.


Favorite Restaurant: I don't eat out much, but I'm probably gonna have to say Macaroni Grill.











Favorite Actress: Same as the Sis... Sandra Bullock. She's a classy movie star. Thats why.









Favorite Actor: Will Smith. He's come a LONG way from Fresh Prince of Belaire. And he's got talent. I thoroughly loved I Am Legend.

Birth Place: Yes, I'm Mormon and therefore Mormon = Born in Salt Lake City. I am no exception >.< Favorite Color: I don't know. My favorite color is sometime between dusk and night.










Dream Career: Any question here? Doctor.






Now for sweet revenge... tagging. I am going to tag Mikensi Gilbert, Sandra Atkinson, and... the next person that reads this sentence. Bwahaha.
And in case you didn't realize, this is a picture blog. You must have pictures with your comments... unless you don't have a picture of my magical and elusive mystery flower. Enjoy!

The pictures

Aloha! Wow it's nice to be back where the aloha spirit is. I loved being with family and friends in Utah - but it was proof that people can change a place and make it enjoyable. Without the loved ones, it was too dry, cold at night, and there was too much need for air conditioning. I suppose we've been spoiled by the beauty and weather of Hawaii.

At any rate, JD promised some pictures, so here are some. Unfortunately, our camera battery died the second day we were there.. after only a few pictures. But, we got some good ones!
JD, Me, Kyle, Tanya, Kevin, Tess, John, Meghan

JD and I at the Temple,

and a cute little quail, also at the temple.

the temple was really beautiful that night.

All in all, it was a good trip. I was able to work from there, JD was able to get good experience in the lab, we were able to spend some time with lots of relatives, and lots of friends. But it was also nice to come home to our house and the beautiful weather here. Hawaii is truly a paradise.

ssssshhhhhhhhhh..... don't tell anyone

I feel locked away in the deepest, darkest room under a secret government building like a prisoner, never to be seen again. Ok, so we're staying at my great aunt's house. Don't get me wrong, she's a wonderful person, so kind and generous... but she doesn't have internet!!! Scary. I feel so isolated from the outside world. I'm at BYU-Provo using their wireless, and I feel like I'm sending out an illegal message because I've not had access to internet for so long. I can't believe that people live without internet these days. >.<

But in all honesty, its been and interesting experience. Yes, I'll admit I'm probably addicted to internet and checking my email, the news, games and everything else, but it's been really nice being "locked up," or seemingly hidden away from the outside world with no one but my wife. I can not begin to explain how it is to live without the internet for a week! And we both are even cheating by using it on campus during the day! Interesting how dependent we are on technology, and not even dependent, but addicted. Maybe some of you should try to go for one week without using the internet. Then tell me what you think.

So anyway, Utah has been SO much fun. We've seen friends from Hawaii that have just moved here, and its been loads of fun. We've spent the last two days with the Quillen family and extended family. I was able to see my brother who just got back from his mission, and though he outweighs me by 20 lbs, (and he's even two inches shorter than me!) I can still beat him in arm wrestling. =)

Life is great, and it's even better with family.
(there will be pictures to follow. We just don't have internet and pictures in the same place.) =P

Bittersweet goodbyes

Well, the spring term came to an end, and many of our good friends have graduated and are moving on to the next segment of their lives. We have grown to know them, and love them so much.Others of our friends were recently married! What a wonderful new beginning for them as well. First, some graduation photos:









Jimmy and Mikensi, (who are already gone) and Mike and Tasha (who are going to be around this summer. yay!)

We had a final BBQ with our building last night as well; we're saying goodbye to two of our favorite families: the Bartons, and the Chens. These two children, along with the Barton's other son, Ari'ihau, have filled our lives with character! They are all so full of energy and life, without them, our lives will be very different. Luckily, we still have Austin and now Malachi!











Bye bye Kalama! (The Barton's youngest boy) We'll miss you and Kauvella (the Chen's little girl, who is wearing J's shoes here.)



Sarah and Tui Tafuna (parents of Malachi), Sandra and Roscoe Atkinson (amd Austin), Me and J, Selena and Enos Chen (and Kauvella), and Vaina and Kaumana Barton (and Ari'ihau and Kalama). So sad for us! But good for them who are moving. They have become like family, and goodbyes are always hard with family.

The Bartons were kind enough to donate their fish to our home, and I've always wanted a lovely fish to talk to when I'm bored. They are so peaceful and beautiful, especially Chinese fighting fish (unless they're in a tank with other fishies, that is.)

Also, I've added a link to Good Eats here on Oahu, please forgive the plug for the Ke Alaka'i, but I think it has some very worthwhile tips on where to find good sushi, Mexican, and other meals here on the island.