Think About It Hawaii

Nostalgia is a happy reminder of that which was. Sometimes, we are reminded not so happily of skills we no longer possess. A friend of mine asked me to hand write a one-page, retirement tribute to her husband. He’s a long-time friend, and I’m honored to write this piece that will she’ll put into a keepsake book for him to reminisce on in retirement.

My concern is the handwriting part. Moving from writing regularly in script to using typewriters, key pads, and iPhones, some (many?) of us have lost that free form skill and/or the will to frequent longhand writing. My semi-legible, script letters now all blend together; I inadvertently skip letters in words. Heck, even greeting cards where I attempt to be thoughtful and/or clever are mistake-ridden!

And when one invariably messes up a word, there’s no ink eraser, back space, delete, White Out, or Correct Tape you can use without the result like an indelicate klutz screwed up the overpriced, store-bought card. Handwriting papers, cards, notes, memos, and such shows a genuine, caring, personal touch no doubt; yet it just feels so retro and inefficient as we’ve modernized. 

My mind wandered, remembering the old days working with my retiring cohort. I began drifting beyond mere thoughts of simple days when handwriting skills were de rigueur- when we had no keyboards, emails, phone texting, delete buttons, et al.; when typewriters and longhand were king. I then mentally leapt and found myself recalling cool places we used to go that are now mere memories, like some of my capabilities. These institutions may be gone, but hopefully I can patiently revive my dormant, dexterous deficiencies for a simple one-page tribute.

Remember Yum Yum Tree, King’s Bakery, Bubbies, Kuhio Grill (where the more one dollar bills you plunked down on your table, the more quality pupu you were served)? Ever chanced a Spencecliff restaurant, Columbia Inn, Byron’s, Pearl City Tavern, Flamingo Chuckwagon, the Willows, Hee Hing, Maple Garden, Chico’s Pizza, King Tsin, Kenny’s, or The Third Floor (stately wicker chairs in Waikiki and naan bread)? Merely the tip of Oahu’s long-gone culinary iceberg. Liberty House, Shirokiya, Jelly’s, Star Market, Arakawas, Hopaco, Tower Records, S.H. Kress, Woolworths? Like dear friends we cherish, these places had a room in our hearts, wallets, and/or minds. It’s nice to reminisce on people and places, and fondly write about them… on a computer, of course.

Think about it…

With Kuhio Day and a planned recess this Friday, our legislature takes a breather before getting deciphering concurrent resolutions, dissecting crossover bills, et al. It’s the all-hands-on-deck moment now as legislators churn out (hopefully) productive, passable legislation over the next 40 days. 

We read what bills are still alive and which ones have been committee-d or shelved. Interested parties might quietly reflect on where things stand… if only we had a reflecting pool around the state Capitol. Alas, the state’s Department of Accounting and General Services (DAGS) noted problems with the Capitol pools, including water quality and leakage… way back in 1969. 

Restoration/replacement work has been suggested, designed, planned, modified, protested, re-submitted, delayed, re-conceptualized, procured, lamented, postponed, and canceled. Estimates for repairs now total almost $50 million. Perhaps it should have been dealt with in 1969, 1979, or 2009. Perhaps fittingly (actually, nothing is fitting in this debacle), current plans include panels featuring “…abstract representations of oceans and volcanoes…” (Honolulu Star-Advertiser, Jan. 18, 2026). Abstract certainly seems appropriate after 47 years of slow, torturous water dripping and obfuscation. 

The saying goes: “People in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones”. I commented last month about the annual nasty, debilitating hearings that are presided over by the hypocritical folks whose own legislative house has been in drastic disrepair as basement paperwork and vital electronics got trashed due to inattention and inaction for 45+ years; with no accountability.

Fire alarms went off in the state Capitol just before the 2026 session began, causing elevators to shut down and people to be evacuated. And then the Marx Brothers contractors got replaced by Moe, Larry, and Curly… We also have the $150 million Hale Ho’ola State Hospital, which has had myriad problems since its 2021 opening, with repeated repairs the now-accepted norm… 

We have the Convention Center, where delays and lack of urgency will cost $100 million to repair, with lost business an obvious byproduct of incessant inertia and inefficiency… And the Department of Health building is being abandoned as 500+ employees move downtown so that deferred maintenance can finally take place… after 20 years.

If you wonder why some funding requests/projects get tossed aside amid rude hearings, condescending tones, and a generally dismissive atmosphere, calmly “reflect” back to these numerous state projects that have been stalled, mishandled, fumbled, or ignored while piling up repair dollar needs; dollars that could have proactively helped elsewhere.

Think about it…

Prolific songwriter and noted social critic, Neil Young, sings in his jangly, sludgy “City Life (Country Home)”: “I’m thankful for my country home, it gives me peace of mind; 

Somewhere I can walk alone, and leave myself behind.”

That line caused me to think about how we all could use an escape from the vagaries, daily rituals, and worries of life… and even an escape from ourselves sometimes. Walking- what a concept- is simple yet therapeutic: spiritually, physically, emotionally, interpersonally, mentally, etc.

Whether in your neighborhood, around a park or mall, at the beach, up a trail, alone, with the dog or kids, a loved one, a friend, a posse… the possibilities- if you’re physically able- are endless. Walking helps your brain, lungs, muscles, heart, blood flow… that list is endless. Walk and listen to the birds, the wind, a podcast, music; simply enjoy the scenery, the moment. Leave yourself behind, as Neil suggests. 

But how does one find the time and discipline to employ/enjoy this simple stimulation that provides proven rewards? Make it a routine; set aside time by scheduling it into your phone, your brain, or your life. When reminded by experts about the need to get 150 minutes of exercise weekly, it seems overwhelming, daunting, and undoable, especially if you’re working two jobs, dealing with kids’ practices, driving allover, getting meals prepared or… well, fill in your own ritualistic roadblocks here.

We make regular medical appointments, (hopefully) brush our teeth twice daily, get to school and/or work on time. We plan. Try making this walking thing a habit, an expectation, a routine. Forget 150 minutes per week if you’re currently at 0. Start with a daily walk around the block or somewhere reasonable near your home, or at lunchtime while at work. Even ten minutes daily would give you a vital start on getting mobile. Movement after meals is good for circulation; stagnation- not so much. 

Again, we’re not just talking about physical benefits. Walking triggers the release of endorphins, serotonin and dopamine from the brain which can reduce anxiety, stress, and even depression, while providing a pathway to mental clarity and a natural energy boost. No pills, vapes, drags, or bottles/cans. I’m not proselytizing nor over-simplifying here, but rather pointing out that, amid mayhem and madness, there’s a way to find beneficial moments of natural peace and personal accomplishment in our accessible, alluring environs.

Think about it…

I happened upon a wild boar while driving the up a windy road the other day in a rural, wooded area. As the pig shuffled off into the woods, I though how refreshing it would be if human, wild boors or even your standard bores would just do the same thing- shuffle off. But I digress…

We have numerous interesting, unique critters and creatures throughout our great state, and wild boars are just one that we sometimes take for granted. Behold the forlorn mongoose- brought here on a work visa from Jamaica (not India) 140 years ago to repel rampant rats infesting the local sugarcane fields. Alas, mongooses are diurnal creatures, while rats roam at night, so this nascent animal employment opportunity was an immediate and complete failure. 

We have mongooses throughout our state, the only U.S. state with this family Herpestidae member. (Please notice the word “pest” in the middle of this mammal’s name!) Yet so few stories pop up about mongoose/human interactions. They will steal musubi (plastic wrapper included) from a golf cart and dart across the road, but while we’re home to thousands of these low riders running around, you rarely hear tales about mongoose/man confrontations. Hmmm, though originally brought here to protect cane, we’re not hearing about mongooses raising Cain…

Back to boars… I was driving Kailua-bound up the Pali Highway at dusk years ago and witnessed vehicles in front of me strangely parting to the left or right. Now this was not a biblical event starring Moses, it was rather a bullheaded boar meandering up the highway. No doubt he was lost. How did I know it was a “he”? Simple; he wouldn’t ask for directions, preferring to find (or not find) his own way.

Monk seals were first named about 250-years ago because they have hooded neck rolls which look like monk cowls (I guess). Yet the local proliferation of this species is most assuredly un-monk-like. Kaiwi (RK96) gave birth to her 6^th pup in 2024; Rocky (RH58) has allegedly given birth to at least 15 pups. We happily gaze at Kaimana Beach and other locales as these aquatic denizens of the deep grace us with their offspring. We simply provide a seal of approval.

I could go on about our happy-face spiders, hoary bats (don’t even start), nēnē, pueo, Hawaiian Honeycreepers, and others, but alas, I fear I’m becoming a wild bore.

Think about it…