Manuoku.net

Orange as a random thought, the reflection of a ripe mango, but not the citrus fruit.  I’m looking for a distraction right now. Even beautiful women aren’t working.

I went and saw the Michael Moore movie Fahrenheit 911 with Tony, Jack and my Dad. A moving movie, yet similar toThe Passion, the direction is lacking. It’s being touted as a documentary. If you go by the definition that it’s a movie, so it’s a form of art, and therefore has a direction, than it is that, a documentary. But I always want to think that a documentary is somewhat unbiased (silly me, I know). Either way, I like the term I read on Fark.com, “mockumentary”. Heh, Bush got reamed.

I will say this, if your squeamish at all about graphic violence, don’t see it. I would guess the violence footage is of real situations. But war is graphic, and if you want a peek into that, if just to try to understand, then see it. Oh, and better yet, if you think war is a surgical process, or resembles what they show on FOX TV, I’ll call you disillusioned to your face, you go see it too. I don’t know that you’ll get any understanding of the war out of it though. Seems to me there is no understanding this damn war.

Really, the whole thing is an attack on Bush. No surprise there. I’m just hoping it gets people riled up and thinking/voting.  It’s bringing up some good discussion in my current circles.

I’m also hoping that the recent unrest/violence in Saudi will lead to some major changes, not just in their country, by in ours as well. Does that mean I’m rooting for the terrorists? No, but hopefully something good can come out of this wasteful bloodshed. Note that this has been going for the past two weeks (before the movie), and people are starting to realize that it’s not Iraq, but Saudi (yes Joe Public, a different country from Iraq that we’re supposed to be friends with), and it’s people are against the US in this, not the leaders.

Want to drop some heavy thoughts in my journal? Reply. I have topics of discussion for you. Thought I’ll give another warning, I’m liable to argue against you.

Is war in human nature? If so, what is a good reason to go to war? If not, explain the persistence of warfare throughout the history of mankind.

How can we teach our kids how horrible war is, without showing them the atrocities?

Good lord, it’s time for bed. Enjoy mangos if you can.

I finally got some of my film from my underwater camera back. Needless to say, the kids have been swimming everyday. I don’t give them lessons or anything, just new things to do. The one above is Teva spearing the fish. The fish is on a hook tied to the bottom of the pool, and if you hit it just right it comes off the string and floats up to the top, a dead fish. As you can imagine, it’s hours and hours of healthy entertainment, even for the grown-up in charge of re-hooking the fish. My Dad and Tony made me a similar fish when I was 5 or so, thanks to them for coming up with such a brilliant idea and carrying it out so well.

The next one is a good one of the kids playing jun-ken-po (rock/paper/scissors) underwater. They swim 1 to 6 hours a day, everyday..

I woke up early this morning and went to Sandy’s with Ron. There was a swell running, and I pulled into this one wave that just detonated. It was incredible. I was in a tube maybe 4 feet high by six feet across, and 40 yards long. When the lip hit, the water just stretched out and exploded, it felt like I went flying out of the back of the wave. This was followed shortly by the obligatory high pressure sand scrubbing of my sinuses. Heh. Followed by a beachside mango, best way to start the day.

We did the secret pools hike later, mud everywhere. Ron had to do most of the hike barefoot since his slippers kept coming off, and Matara had to take her sandals off part way back. Willie came along and took a pretty good digger jumping from rock to rock. He is one tough dog. The pic is from the pool at the end. White ginger was blooming, and I picked some for Ron and Kendal, There were some mountain apples on the trail, but no ripe ones. I love how the jungle here is so dense, even 10 minutes from the concrete chaos called Waikiki. It just envelops you.

Steak dinner with wine tonight for dinner. It’s a rough life, I must say.

Ron and Kendal got here yesterday. We got to Makapu’u beach around 6 this morning, and had the beach to oursleves shortly after. The waves were small, but fun and clean. The two love birds just soaked up the sun on the beach for a while, revelling in the fact that they weren’t working. The mangos are ripening up wonderfully at a rate of about 10 a day. I’m contemplating trying to find a way to move over here. The ocean is so good.

For all of you who hope things will eventually get orderly, forget it. Sara took this picture with a microscope, it contains diatoms (single cell algae), strands of blue algae and a few other bits of stuff. Yep, it’s an organic world we live in, full of chaos and mess. We’re built out of stuff like this. Seeing it reminds me that it’s OK my life is such a mess, the whole world is. A big, beautiful mess. Probably best to enjoy it with mango dribbling down your chin!

A busy day today, I got some surfing in, then replaced the front axles on Dad’s car. Followed by a long and well deserved swim. Mu made curry for dinner. I had a huge bowl of it sprinkled with mangos.  Beautiful sensory overload.

My mom has put a bounty on snails and slugs in her garden. The kids are out there hunting them with flashlights, it’s the coolest chore yet.