The Best Christmas Gift Ever!
What happens when family members give Lotto scratch off game tickets as a Christmas gift? Watch our very own home video to find out.
So cruel, but not as bad as this guy (lots of profanity).
Life
My Mac Software List
Seems like there are a few “must have” Mac software lists out there so why not make my own?
Here’s what I find useful beyond the usual iLife and Office apps.
- Ecto. Excellent blogging tool to author all these posts. Get a short time 20% discount until December 26.
- Firefox. Although Safari is still my browser of choice, Firefox has more compatibility with Blogger and other web sites.
- NetNewsWire Lite. Solid RSS news aggregator and reader to keep up with all the news from around the Web.
- ImageWell. The free and lean image editor.
- Roxio Toast Titanium 7. Apple’s CD burning is pretty basic. That’s where Toast comes in.
- .Mac Backup. As part of subscribing to .Mac services, you get full access to this useful backup utility.
- Gmail Notifier. The quick way to check Gmail.
- iPodRip. Easily move music to and from iPods. All legal of course.
- Quicksilver. Hard to explain but the best time saving app around.
- Acqlite. Search the Gnutella peer-to-peer network. Old school but still useful.
- Azureus. A Java-based BitTorrent client. Great for catching missed television shows.
Christmas Lights in Mililani [Updated]
Was in Mililani (again) driving around the neighborhoods, marveling at all the Christmas lights decorating the homes. Icicles, moving reindeer, huge inflatable Santas and Snowmen – Mililani residents go all out with their decorations!
On this street alone, house after house was decked out with lights.
Check out the non-conformist house above. Fight the power! 😉
Update: Yep, our own Kazuo is the culprit of the non-conforming, non-Christmas lights home. He writes:
Yup, das us. There’s a neighbor 2 houses away from Dee Why. He actually came by to try to pressure me to keep up the the ‘hood. Needless to say, it only strengthened my resolve to fight the commercialism that the christmas season has become (only joking). Long live Charlie Brown and his love for the dead branch!
BTW, I think I’m the only one with a hedge growing in front as well.
Your blog made me spit coffee on my iBook.
B
Holiday Party 2005
We had our annual Holiday Party with dinner at Assaggio’s followed by a sundae bar and grab bag in Mililani.
See all the pictures.
The kids had fun. The Honolulu Marathon Finishers were there. And of course, dessert and refreshments. Mr. Club 939 had dinner then had to go back to work. His legal counsel was a no-show.
Grab bag results
- Shannon got chocolate and an iTunes gift certificate (stolen) scrapbook paper
- Shari got a Ben Franklin gift certificate
- Greg got an iTunes gift card (stolen) craft supplies (stolen) lotion and soap
- Dane stole Greg’s iTunes (stolen), got a shredder
- Judy stole Dane’s iTunes
- Alli got a dessert cookbook
- John got soap and lotion
- Michael (via Michelle) stole Shannon’s iTunes
- Michelle stole Greg’s craft supplies
Flashback: The Best Holiday Collection?
Remember this collection of the best Holiday music ever? Assembled in 2004.
- Sleigh Ride • Carpenters
- All I Want For Christmas Is You • Mariah Carey
- I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus • Jessica Simpson
- The Chanukah Song • Adam Sandler
- Do They Know It’s Christmas? • Band Aid
- Last Christmas • Wham!
- Go Tell It On The Mountain • Garth Brooks
- Do They Know It’s Christmas • Band Aid 20
- Merry Christmas With Love • Clay Aiken
- Please Come Home For Christmas • Jon Bon Jovi
- Merry Christmas To You • Henry Kapono
- What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve? • Harry Connick, Jr.
- Merry Christmas Darling • Carpenters
- A Christmas Wish • Na Leo Pilimehana
- O Holy Night (Po Hemolele) • Kapena & Willie K
- Ode to Joy from Symphony No. 9 • Andre Rieu
- Little Drummer Boy/Peace On Earth • David Bowie/Bing Crosby
- Last Christmas • Jimmy Eat World
- Christmas in Hollis • Run DMC
- Holiday Greetings & Wishes • William Hung
- O Come All Ye Faithful • William Hung
This collection is the perfect gift for accountants, engineers, business people, lawyers, consultants, graphic designers, librarians, environmentalists, pharmacists, and even supporters of George W. Bush.
The People have spoken.
Bklyngrl Headed West?
Did I hear right? Is Bklyngrl headed to the West Coast? Did the fear of a Microsoft Store in Times Square scare her away? Is she leaving the Big Apple, the Yankees, the Brooklyn Bridge, Broadway, and Central Park for the Bay Area, the Giants, the Golden Gate Bridge, Tookie Williams, and Union Square?
Pictures from Garden in Kailua Excavation
Based upon Kim’s experiences on her Roman Fort on Tyne Expedition comes the Garden in Kailua Excavation.
Who needs to travel to the UK for a fine digging experience?
Hawaii Criminal Records Available On-line
The Hawaii Criminal Justice Department has made its records available on-line via their Adult Criminal Conviction Information site, or eCrim, and CourtConnect. You need to register for an eCrim account that costs $1 while the CourtConnect site is completely free. Printing eCrim records costs $13.
Do I want to pay $1 to look up people I know? Nah, but free, I’ll take that.
Wait, that’s not me. Wayne’s World, is that your “noncompliance-speed limit” violation?
Girl Scout Cookies Anyone?
Anyone want to place an order for Girl Scout cookies? Two new Girl Scouts (my nieces) are selling:
- Samoas – Vanilla cookies covered with caramel, coconut, and striped with chocolate
- Thin Mints – Thin wafer covered with chocolate
- Do-si-dos – Oatmeal cookie with peanut butter filling
- All Abouts – Shortbread cookie with fudge coating on the bottom
- Trefoils – Shortbread
- Tagalongs – Cookie topped with creamy peanut butter and covered with chocolate
- Lemon Coolers – Vanilla cookie with lemon flavoring covered with powdered sugar
- Cafe Cookies – Carmelized with brown sugar with a hint of cinnamon
Cost is $4 per box. Sorry, no volume discount. Cookies will be available the week of January 12, 2006. Comment or email me with orders if interested.
Me, I like the Thin Mints and Tagalongs. Yummy!
Jade Moon Leaving
Jade Moon is leaving KGMB after 18 years of service to become a full-time mom. Or could it be she is a little peeved that she did not garner a single vote in the lastest Pulpconnection Listmania poll? First Tasha, now Jade. What have you started Gee Why?
Dinner at Los Chaparros
Ate dinner at Los Chaparros, a new Mexican restaurant in the McCully area. Los Chaparros translates to “the shorties” and is run by the transplanted shorties, Mario and Lisa. The interior is spacious with a decor featuring an Aztec calendar and indoor fountains.
The food is tasty starting with plentiful chips and salsa (yes, free Tabasco Man). The huge bowl of salsa wasn’t overly spicy but had a kick to it. I ordered their house specialty, the Super Chaparros Burrito (chicken with red sauce), which was just the right size. I didn’t feel grossly overstuffed eating my meal. Although I think the zestier green sauce might have been a better match than the tamer red sauce. The prices are reasonable with my Super Burrito costing $10, and Judy’s burrito/tamale combo plate was $13.
Service was excellent with our waiter constantly refilling ice water, hot water for tea, and coffee. Lots of customers came through the doors while we were there. Although the six parking stall arrangement is tough, street parking is available. Yeah, I’d go back again, but the parking… maybe for another team building work event.
Los Chaparros Mexican Restaurant
2140 S. Beretania St.
Honolulu, HI 96826
808-951-MEXX (6399)
loschaparros@hawaii.rr.com
www.loschaparros.com
Map provided by Yahoo available from previous post. View all the pictures.