As many of you mamas know, Mother's  Day is fast approaching.  I'm personally giving away a $30 Gift Card to either Target, Walmart, Sephora, Amazon or Paypal.  It's just a little way for me to give you an opportunity to have a little extra cash in your pocket for yourself or for a mother that is near or dear to your heart.  I'm partnering with voiceBoks.com and quite a few other bloggers who are contributing to this massive giveaway where we each contribute our little bits to make for one big giveaway with tons of opportunities to win.  You can click the button in my right sidebar or this link here: Celebrating Mother's Day Big Giveaway to enter all of the different giveaways!!

I was truly honored when voiceBoks came to me and asked if I wanted to be part of this giveaway.  There are so many wonderful bloggers who contribute and participate on voiceBoks so I was truly honored when they approved my proposed contribution to this big giveaway event that thus far is about $500+ in value.

VoiceBoks and The Social Media Panel are heading up promotions for this giveaway and it's sponsored by the authors of The Blogger's Survival Guide.  You should click the graphic to the right of this text and check out their book on Amazon.  It's full of tips and tricks about blogging, how to network your blog, and so much more.  I'm sure you'd find it really informative and helpful and since they're sponsoring this giveaway, it's nice to show them some love.  :)

Now without futher ado, I give you the giveaway.  You can enter using the Rafflecopter widget below to win the $30 Gift Card that I'm personally giving away.  It's open internationally so anyone is eligible to win, regardless of where you live.  If you live in the US, you can choose between a $30 Gift Card to Target, Walmart, Sephora, Amazon or PayPal Cash.  If you're outside of the US, you can choose from either the Amazon (depending on country) or the PayPal Cash (easiest way to get your $ to you fast).

Have fun and may the odds be ever in your favor ;)


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I decided to take Alaka'i on a drive around the island on Saturday.  It's good to get out and about and to see the beauty of the island in all it's forms.  We left with hopes high, cameras ready and bags of lunch and swimming stuff packed for the ride.  Though we hadn't planned to go swimming, my Alaka'i being the water baby he is, thought it would be a great idea to pack some swim trunks, SPF and a towel... you know, just in case.  Imagine his dismay as we drove and the sun began to fade beyond the mountains as the clouds rolled in and the rain started to pour.  Though I don't particularly mind the rain, it's not all that welcome when you have dreams to photograph and enjoy the seemingly beautiful, sunny day... only to have your dreams dashed by a sudden rainstorm.

Isn't that just how life is though?  You make plans, beautiful plans, perfect plans, plans that seem so flawless that the very idea that anything could go wrong would be inconceivable.  You set off on your merry way, plans in hand... knowing that things will work out just the way you want- only for some unforeseen obstacle to get in the way of those plans, sometimes dashing them and chopping them in such a fashion that they don't even somewhat resemble the plans you originally made.  My life has been a succession of those plans gone awry, those dreams dashed by a moment, those unforeseen obstacles that seem to ruin it all.

At that moment you feel like you're in the midst of a dense forest, full of trees, with little to no light.  The hope seems to fade with each passing moment and your heart begins to fill with a toxic mixture of fear and despair.  How do you overcome it?  How do you move beyond the place you're stuck in?  What happened to the plans you had made?  Will you ever find your way out of this forest of darkness and despair?  The questions alone can cause a person to go stark raving mad because instead of focusing on the singular problem at hand, your mind travels in every single direction and the hopelessness just causes you to sink deeper and deeper into that despair, deeper into the dark forest...so much so that you can barely see the light.

Lord knows, I've had quite a few moments like those in my life.  Some worse than others, but all were full of misery and despair at the time they transpired.  Losing my second child, watching my mom go through lung cancer, hearing my best friend died in a car wreck.... those were all some of the worst moments of my life.  As someone who struggled with depression in my adolescence, I could feel that darkness and despair creep up on me in those moments..and others...  It's like a blanket of comfortable misery that just crawls up your legs from behind you and before you can turn around and rip it off, it's consumed you and you're just encompassed by it.  It can be quite suffocating and overwhelming.  It's like being stuck in the middle of a deep, dark forest and not knowing which way to run to escape the darkness to find even the smallest glimpse of light.

It's strange how memories and feelings such as these can rush upon you like a river when you least expect it.  Alaka'i and I were driving through Widnward O'ahu towards the North Shore through the rain that we didn't plan for and we made a stop in this wooded area near the beach so Alaka'i could take a bathroom break.  While he was occupied, I walked around the dark expanse of the forest with these big (for Hawai'i) trees standing there so proudly, creating a dark shade from the rain.  In that moment I looked towards the ocean... and walked and saw this glimpse of light, this ray of sunshine beyond the trees and shrubbery.  It wasn't anything special, just a glimpse of light that began to grow bigger and bigger as I walked towards it.  Before I knew it, the darkness faded and I was surrounded by light as the sun began to peek out from behind the clouds.

Though the forest I was not a deep, dark forest that seems impossible to escape, it reminded me of those feelings of hopelessness I've had in the past and how they so overwhelm the soul and rob you of hope that you question whether or not you can go on.  Those moments- the ones that are unexpected and interfere with the plans you had laid are all there for a purpose though.  Lessons are learned and personal growth is gained as you navigate through those terrible moments.  It makes you stronger and wiser.

Each time those moments of hopeless despair come along, you have to remember to persevere and keep moving forward.  Both literally and metaphorically speaking, if you are lost in a dark forest and refuse to move or allow yourself to go deeper into that forest, you will end up cold, alone and eventually dead.  When hope dies, you see people giving up all will to live.  Those are the moments that you need to see beyond the forest, see beyond the trees.  Know that there is a way out and though it may take a long time, though it may be the hardest journey of your life, you will make it through it.  There's nothing quite as beautiful as some light when you're stuck in darkness.

I feel a burden on my heart for all those who are suffering and alone.  I know what it's like and I know how depressing life can get without hope.  I just want to reach out to those of you who feel like you're in a dark forest of despair that you cannot escape.  Know that there is hope, you will overcome. If you know someone who is going through a really tough time in life, be there for them...listen with a non-judgemental free ear and offer them compassion.  Whether it's a small thing or a large thing, pain and fear are both relative.  Don't discount the worries and the despair of others because what may seem like a not so big deal to you may seem like the end of the world to someone else.  Don't discount your own pain and despair either.  You need to go through the process, you need to mourn to heal.  Just know that you can and will make it through these hard times if you just keep moving forward, out of the darkness in search of the light beyond the forest.

After the nightmarish events of this past week. it's so easy to become jaded and angry and fail to see the hope in every situation.  Don't lose hope.  Even in tragedy, there are lessons to be learned and hope to be found.  I have a friend who is just in the pits of despair lately and I just wish I could take her pain away and help her to move forward but everyone heals in their own time.  It's just important for me now to be there as a shoulder to cry on, an ear to listen and a hug if she needs it.

I was so blessed at church today with the sermon our Pastor gave about sharing God's love and compassion and I just wanted to extend my arms to all of you as a neutral ear to listen, as a friend to be there if you have no one else.  I'm not here to push anything on you or to lecture you or to make you feel bad about yourself or your situation.  I'm here to just listen, to comfort and to be a friend because we all need someone to listen... Even if you have different beliefs than I, I hope you know that I will still be there for you and I will still listen and comfort without judgment.

I feel such a burden on my heart for all those who are alone, suffering or in the depths of despair.  Know that you are loved, you are wanted, you are treasured, you are beautiful.  It's easy to forget that because sometimes there's no one to tell you that, but I'm talking to you, yeah you... you are worth more than you're giving yourself.  Don't give up on life, there is light beyond the darkness.  There is still hope and you are so loved.

Big hugs and all my aloha to all of you ..

Is there a difference between drinking ice-cold or room-temperature water? I’ve heard the former can help you burn calories, but the latter is better for digestion. 

“Room-temperature water does enable optimal digestion, although drinking chilled water has been found to burn calories, although very minimally. Your best bet is to be sure you are staying hydrated either way. Staying hydrated is essential to vital health. Shoot for eight to ten glasses of water daily, either lukewarm or ice cold.”

I’ve heard there are benefits to having water with lemon as the first thing you drink in the morning. True? 

“Lemon water is very detoxifying, high in vitamin C, and is actually alkalizing to the body. Warm lemon water is a great addition to your morning routine for many reasons. It’s a gentle, natural diuretic, it gives you a daily dose of vitamin C, it helps impart clearer skin, it hydrates the lymph system, it aids in digestion, and it balances pH.”

I’ve been reading a bit about how eating foods in certain combinations (fruits alone, vegetables with a starch) can help improve digestion and nutrient absorption. Have you found that to be true? 

“Optimal digestion and absorption through food combining is unique to the individual. However, some people find these basics helpful: fruits alone or on an empty stomach or before your meal; protein only with non-starchy vegetables; grains with starchy or non-starchy vegetables; and avoid protein and grains together. Healthy fats like avocado, coconut oil, and olive oil go well with all foods and are a great addition to your diet, no matter what.”

If I’ve been getting pretty abysmal sleep lately, could that affect my diet? 

“Getting adequate rest and sleep is essential for proper functioning. Our bodies do the bulk of their regulatory cleansing and repair work overnight, while we’re asleep. Without enough sleep, the body cannot properly rest and repair, a must for keeping hormones balanced and releasing toxins. All of these functions are crucial in maintaining weight and/or weight loss.

“Even one night without enough sleep affects the hormones that regulate appetite. The body will produce more of the hormone ghrelin, signaling that we are hungry, but less of the hormone leptin, which signals when we’ve had enough to eat. Consistently not getting enough sleep can affect blood-sugar levels and contribute to insulin resistance. Chronic sleep deprivation has been linked to diabetes and obesity. Adequate sleep amounts vary for each individual; however, we typically suggest at least eight hours of sleep.

“Eating shortly before bed can have a negative effect on the quality of sleep, as well as your metabolism, so eat at least one to two hours before bed. A lighter meal in the evening can also promote a deeper, more restful sleep.”


The Uruguay-born, New York-based Dr. Alejandro Junger is a pioneer of the modern detox movement. His first book, Clean: The Revolutionary Program to Restore the Body’s Natural Ability to Heal Itself, was a New York Times Bestseller, and he is a favorite of Gwyneth Paltrow, among countless other well-known fans. Most recently, Junger teamed with L.A.-based The Detox Market to offer his groundbreaking Clean detoxification program to the masses.

{source}

Have you ever sat in front of your computer trying to figure out what to write and just draw a blank?  I'm so used to writing business related paperwork that sometimes I write an entire post and delete it because I feel like it's too technical and cold.  I often sit and type and delete and type and delete some more... it's a process I go through quite often as I work to create a post that is heartfelt and meaningful.  It can be quite a time consuming process, you know, weaving words together in an eloquent fashion to create just the right sentiment.  I've found, however, that not every post will be perfect, some will be beautifully flawed and there's nothing wrong with that.

I sit here tonight and I start to type an explanation of sorts on these Milky Way photos I took at Yokohama Bay on O'ahu's Northwest shore and I'm feeling so very distracted with work and exhaustion that I lose my train of thought...I love photography, it's my art, it's the way I express myself and let my imagination run free and I hate it when I write about it and it comes off like stereo instructions.  I have always been an artist of sorts...and though photography is quite different than composing music, it still provides me with that sense of creativity I so dearly love and don't get enough of in my day to day life.

Much like a Starry Night on O'ahu's North Shore, I went on a quest to chase the light and capture the Milky Way at another beautifully dark beach where there aren't any lights to create pollution in the sky.  Though astrophotography isn't my specialty, I find it so enjoyable and freeing because it provides me with a challenge.  Mastering the camera's settings and adjusting and compensating for the lack of ambient light so that the camera captures the beauty of the Milky Way is not something that comes easy, but seeing the final result is so gratifying.  Yeah I'm a geek, but you know that already.

Anyhow, I just wanted to share some of the beauty of the Milky Way from a different beach with a slightly different perspective from the North Shore shots I took a few nights before.  I hope you enjoy these photos.  Over the next several months, I'm going to do more of these with different foregrounds to change it up a bit and hopefully, they will get better as I continue to learn.

If you look carefully, at least one of these pics has a shooting star flying through the shot.  Close your eyes and make a wish with me... you know... it might just come true!


I think part of the reason photography means so much to me is that while I'm taking photos, I'm completely cerebral, in my head and quietly pensive.  Seeing these photos reminds me of a moment in time that was so beautiful, so peaceful, so quiet- as the sound of the waves washing in and out of shore at night soothed my soul and the cool breeze caressed my skin.  These photos forever freeze those moments in time and looking at them helps to transport me back to that quiet peace that I feel like I don't get enough of in my day to day world.

I hope you all have a peaceful and serene Saturday.  I'm so thankful to God that the ordeal in Boston has some sort of resolution so the people that live in Boston can all breathe a collective sigh of relief with the rest of the country and attempt to get back to some sort of normalcy.  Hugs and love to you all.  I hope you all know that among the evils in this world, among the hustle and bustle of life exists beauty and love.  Whether you believe it or not, you are so very loved.  God created us in His image and we are all beautifully unique.  You aren't worthless, you aren't ugly, you are beautiful, you are perfect just the way you are and I hope you all know that.  I'm sending big, warm hugs to you all from Hawai'i.  If you ever need to talk, let me be that ear, share with me your story.

Aloha,

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