Pulp
If Knowing Is Half the Battle…
If G.I. Joe says knowing is half the battle then Starbucks says that anticipation is half the fun.
Though with the contents of the boxes known, there’s no anticipation. No anticipation means half the fun is gone, but yet knowing is half the battle. So where does that leave us?!?! Confused, I guess.
Champion from Watermelon to Poke
It simply don’t matter. From watermelon to poke, the results are the same – winner.
Let’s set the stage. Ricefest 2017. Third annual poke bowl eating contest sponsored by Paina Cafe. Two bowls. One bottle POG. No palu allowed. Three minutes. Ten contestants. The most poke eaten determines the winner. Utensils optional. From what I understand, the first to sign up is the most intense…
Here’s coverage thanks to Channel808.TV.
Okay, okay, kinda funky editing of the video that jumps past the eating action. Let’s try this one instead. Are you hungry?
Thanks to Linda for the video and pics.
Still hungry? How about some watermelon from 2009 and 2014? Want more poke? Look no further than April at the Hawaiian Ocean Expo.
Today I Am Defeated
Today I am defeated although it started last night with the surprise release of the SNES Classic Edition. So if you recall, I had one of these pre-ordered through Walmart but this “accidental” release was cancelled. Last night Best Buy released their pre-orders, accidentally or not. I didn’t see the release in time so missed out on their pre-order. I felt close a few times but could never complete the deal.
This morning, I find out that Walmart did their release (legit this time) along with Gamestop and Target. Again I was late and one hour behind the release, there was no way I was getting one. Target.com inventory came and went a few times, but I could never complete the checkout.
Now bummed, I get notified that my computer is running out-of-date software that I believe I had to install a long time ago to be in compliance. Either that software version is now old or unnecessary. So I gotta figure out what to do because really the service desk isn’t servicing.
Also dealing with Windows file and folder permission issues and trying to manage them without the use of groups. Not fun at all.
I think I’ll just blame yesterday’s eclipse for all of this. Here’s my view of the eclipse.
Faith Lost
Looks like this “faithful niner” has lost his faith. Beaten down and broken down, this abandoned truck has been collecting parking tickets for sometime. It’s missing one window, the car battery is under the vehicle, and it’s sitting on three wheels. Yeah, I’d say faith has been lost.

Ross Ala Moana Grand Opening
Short story. I missed the grand opening of the new Ross at Ala Moana.
Downstairs by Old Navy, I got to the store at 7:30 hoping it would be open according to the posted store hours. But grand openings being grand openings, this event’s timeline superceded regular store hours. So although patrons were waiting for the store to open at 7:30, the Ross management informed us that the store would open around 9am after the opening celebration.
Not wanting to wait 90 minutes to return items, I left the now-open-but-not-yet-opened Ross.
Japanese Laundromats Shrink Your Clothes
While I’m thankful that there are many coin laundry services available in Japan, especially nearby our hotel in Kyoto, be warned that your clothes may shrink. That’s what happened to my pants. There can be no other reason why my pants have gotten tighter during this trip. That’s my story, and I’m sticking with it. 😉

Transgressions from the Weekend
So over the weekend, I witnesseed two transgressions. The first was at a dance showcase at the Blaisdell Concert Hall. Of course, the venue was darkened during the dance performances. Then this happened.
This older gentleman would bust out his iPad to take pictures. In the dimmed lighting, that screen was super bright, blinding those behind him. With a good view of his screen, the taken photos looked blurry, so I’m not sure what the point was. But it gets better. After some time, his iPad wouldn’t take pictures. For some reason, rotating the iPad fixed the issue (not sure why). But in the now rotated position, his attached keyboard had no where to go but up. So not only did the bright screen blind the audience, his upright keyboard doubled the height of his raised iPad thereby blocking the view of those further behind him.
The second trangression I have no photo evidence for because I was simply too slow and dumbfounded. On Saturday, at Nisshodo Candy Store, we were picking up some mochi for Mother’s Day. That little storefront was packed as others were picking up orders and making purchases. Behind us enters an older woman who tries to scurry past me, seemingly to try to get in the front of the line. But with the amount of patrons there, there really was nowhere to go.
When the cashier asks who’s next, she tries to go forward, but I already had my hand up. End of story right? Well, when it’s finally her turn, she asks the employee to check the back for other mochi, not wanting the ones in the display case. Not having any inventory in the back, the woman begins to point to specific individual mochi pieces. She’s telling the worker to move pieces so she can see the ones underneath. Keep in mind that the room is still packed as more customers are trying to file in. I missed the photo op and the expressions of all those behind her as she individually called out which piece of mochi she wanted. But I guess if she was getting these for her mother then her fastidiousness may have been justified.
My Japan Education: Forest Bathing
So there’s scientific backing that being in the presence of trees, known as forest bathing, has tangible health benefits? So says a Japanese national public health program that started back in 1982.
Just remember that when you enter a forest, pick up a rock, put a problem in, and drop it. You can pick up your troubles again when you leave but unlike other bathing in Japan, be sure to keep your clothes on while forest bathing,
My Japan Education: Kung Fu Girl Riesling
Okay, really this Kung Fu Girl riesling is produced in Washington State, but it pairs nicely with reading Japan travel books. 😉










