rising above.

my move to hawaii may seem like paradise to everyone back home, but truth be told - it's not as bliss as you'd think.  please don't be jealous of me.  i continuously face challenges, obstacles and transitions that i never thought i would have to deal with.


for example, the pace of life here is so laid back.  i've learn to slooooooooooow it down - especially my driving.  it's hot and humid - i need to sit in front of a fan to put my make-up on, plus i shower two/three times a day.  i live on an island which i am the outsider - i'm from the "mainland".  


the phrase, "this isn't the mainland" is something people tell me often - i've tried to comprehend that statement but i have still yet to really get it.  i have people challenging my work ethics, antagonizing my abilities and testing my limits.  i moved here for one reason - roy's.  i didn't move here so that i could live in paradise nor did i move here for a guy.  wait........ i take that back - i did move here for roy.  ♥  


point is, i came here to continue my career with roy's and to learn and expand my hospitality skills.  this past week, i've learned to rise above. nobody can discourage me or hold me down.  i'm rising above and killing 'em with my kindness.  like i said before, for i am a strong woman...


but don't get me wrong, it's amazing here.  i'm walking the great aloha run on february 21st and for my training, i go for a 4 mile walk/run to the beach.  after 2 miles, i'm at the beach and i sit mesmerized.  

every night at work around 6:20pm, i get to see the sunset (sometime seeing the "green flash") - i stand in awe.  

i get to lounge and listen to live local music any time with good company.  that's krizpin oades - we used to work together, back in the good old days at roy's la jolla.  he recently moved back home and we are working together again!

i get to wear shorts & tank top and eat shave ice in january!!  that's kreig & shelby.  and you know my friend/roomie, dene.

i am surrounded by my new ohana.  this is at our employee party this past week at aiea bowl.  we all had so much fun - good fun bowling and drinking.  of course, no drinking on my part, but definitely taking care of those that were highly intoxicated.  ;)

but don't worry.  one thing will never change - i still go to the mall, ala moana shopping center, on my days off.  shopping and looking fabulous is still a must where ever i am!  (i know salila understands that very well!!!)

and i leave you with this photog. 

i am getting used to my new HI-life.

inspired.

yesterday was martin luther king jr. day.  i don't think many people really understand or appreciate this day anymore.  it's more like just another "day off" for students and government employees.  but let's not forget why we commemorate the third monday of january every year.  martin luther king jr. was a non-violent activist during the civil rights movement.  he provided leadership and protested radical discrimination.  i've read "i have a dream" - writings and speeches that changed the world by the king and i was inspired.

"i have decided to stick with love.  hate is too great a burden to bear." - martin luther king jr.

here are a few other people who inspire me...

mother theresa

"we cannot do great things in this world.  we can only do small things with great love." - mother theresa

my parents

thank you for being my parents.

 roy yamaguchi

thank you for inspiring me to be a passionate person.

chris garnier

thank you for being my brother and mentoring me.

(check out the article written on chris & roy's!)

ocampo family

thank you for being my bff and letting me be jalen's god-mother.

gina cariaga

thank you for being my "anam cara" - my soul friend.

since moving to hawaii and working for the roy's, i've had the opportunity to meet many of the regulars and tourists that come to the original roy's in hawaii kai.  but it's most special when friends i know come visit me!

brian & shannon terayama

bt & shannon held their wedding reception at roy's this past saturday!  i've known bt for a few years now.  since shannon's dad is friends with roy and now that i work for roy's here, bt called me up to organize their reception.  mahalo and congratulations!

steve kagawa & ken kasamatsu

friends from la.  this was a huge surprise!  i knew something was up when roy called the restaurant to see if i was working but didn't want to talk to me!  steve is the president/ceo of the pacific bridge companies which allows him to travel to oahu monthly.  ken is the president of pacific commerce bank visiting for the sony open.  they both have a huge impact on the japanese american community in la and long time fans of roy's.

kristen hayashida

o.m.g.  random!  kristen happened to be on vacay with her bf and having dinner with her aunty and uncle.  kristen and i have known each other since kindergarden!!  we went to the same elementary, jr. high and high school together.  then we lost touch and we run into each other for the first time in seven years in hawaii - of all places!!

i cannot wait to see who else will come visit me or run into!

for i am a strong woman...

i think i've been caught up in being sad and lonely that i haven't had a chance to actually appreciate my new life here in hawaii.  i've been here for a little over a month now and i continuously feel lucky.  lucky to have moved to "paradise" and have a place to live, lucky to have a job and continue my career with roy's, lucky to have made friends, and lucky to start a new adventure in life.  

these are my hostesses on new years eve - absolutely fabulous!

to my right - gil & penny nishimura.  they were on vacay with their friends and came into dinner last week.  they were staying in ko'olina (west side of oahu) but came all the way to hawaii kai to come see me!  gil is a good friend of roy's and a regular at the roy's in downtown la.  he and his family live just a couple miles away from my house in cerritos!

because of my work schedule, i haven't had a chance to go "out", but going to the shack with my staff/friends after work is keeping me entertained.  it gives me a chance to get to know them better and have fun.

that's john-wayne and steph.  john-wayne makes me smile.  he is so charismatic, it's amazing!  i'm not sure if he knows, but i have this strange, lumberjack crush on jw.  ;)  steph is massaging jw's lower back here because he has back pains...  not to mention, he fell outside just a few minutes before!

this is sheila - she's my twin and my fav!  sheila has definitely been my source of energy and encouragement.  when i first met her, she greeted and welcomed me with huge aloha.  since then, she's always been straight up with me, compliments me daily and helps me get through the night.  mahalo nui loa sheila for being my "person".  ♥

for i am a strong woman, there is no need for me to be sad and lonely.

"i'm not afraid of storms, for i am learning to sail my ship."

- louisa may alcott

breakdown...

it all started on new years eve.  new years eve was the first time i felt "home sick" - i was away from la, had to stay at the restaurant to do my first inventory till 2:30am and i was out of my element and comfort zone without my friends.  


i'm sad and lonely.  i miss my friends, i miss downtown la and i miss being in a relationship and having somebody around.  i was pursued, made an option and didn't get chosen.  i had an emotional breakdown...


"intimacy is a four syllable word for:  here are my heart and soul, please grind them into hamburger and enjoy.  it's both desired and feared.  difficult to live with and impossible to live without." - meredith grey, grey's anatomy

but i think i'm ok now.  i called amy & melissa and cried it out.  i hung out with my friend, megan today and she brought me the energy i needed from la.