LOOKING FORWARD TO A LUAU

Jill and I will be attending a huge luau in Forest Grove on Saturday, April 8. The thing is apparently quite a deal, with over 2,200 people attending annually. Here's a link to the press release about the luau. Here's even more startling information about the size of it, particularly the freight of food and goods from the islands involved:

Luau of Hawaiian Club at Pacific University
Aramark at Pacific University for ten years has been hosting the parents and supplies for five days each year. We offer the parents free meals and use of our kitchen while they prepare their Luau meal for their annual Luau at Pacific University that is open to the community. Luau is a time when 'Ohana comes together to celebrate and share our culture with the extended Pacific Community. This event has an average crowd of 2200. Over 18,000 lbs. of cargo shipped in from the Islands, and over 100 parents, siblings, grandparents, aunties and uncles arrive to prepare a Traditional Luau Meal and show and this is the largest mainland Luau west of the Mississippi. This year will be the Luau 46th Annual Benefit Luau.

TIMELY MOVIE - GREAT NOVEL

I did some googling and found out that The Tortilla Curtain, a novel by T.C. Boyle that I read some years ago, is now being filmed and will star Kevin Costner and Meg Ryan.

Now before anybody rolls their eyes, the novel is a well-done story (I have no idea how the Hollywood-ization will turn out) about a "latte liberal" Southern California couple that crosses paths literally with an illegal immigrant Mexican man. The yuppie runs over him with his car accidentally when the Mexican runs out into a rural road unexpectedly.

What happens after that is a wicked satire, with a strong dramatic and tragic streak. What I found most impressive about the book, and Drop City by Boyle that I'm reading now about the end of the Hippie era when a commune relocates to rural Alaska in the early 1970s, is that Boyle is not sentimental or slanted in his narrative. He's honest and surprisingly objective with the issues so that you don't truly know where the story will end up, but a lot is observed and treated along the way.

It's the sort of story that last year's Best Picture Crash apparently tried to emulate - superficially without the comedy - and the movie Spanglish the year before parroted in some ways, but not very effectively in my opinion.

I'll go on record as saying that I truly do not understand the rage expressed by the right about illegal immigration. It's a crime, there's laws on the books, let's enforce them. If the law cannot be enforced as a misdemeanor, why is it smart to ramp it up to a felony when the offender couldn't read the difference between the two in English - or understand the difference - if they wanted to? Anyway, it seems like a lot of misspent rage targeted at the poor - which to me personally is bad policy.

But I will go on the record and say that I think this issue is being stirred up nationally to motivate conservative turnout and pro-GOP independent votes in the 2006 mid-term election like the Gay Marriage Bans were for the 2004 Presidential election.

The reason I think so is because of the farcical effort put into protests in Oregon as a gubernatorial issue of late. Seriously - what on Earth can Oregon's governor do about illegal immigration besides freeze funds to public services for illegals, including their helpless children, many born here? This is a grass-roots political effort to take the pressure off the GOP for pork-barrel spending, corruption and poorly executed war by ramping up xenophobic hysteria.

Anyway, check out the book. And if you can find a copy of it, El Norte does a far better job of treating the illegal immigration issue than most everything out there already. For instance, the focus is on an indigenous Guatemalan family (Mayan) trying to get into the U.S., reflecting the shift in immigration trends from largely Mexican to Central American people due to changing economic conditions at home.

TWO RECENT BIRTHS

First up is the birth of Savanna Holmes, granddaughter of the "Other" Grampa George Reid, Jr. It looks like I have a new second cousin. She was born March 14th in Farmington or Bloomfield, NM. Congratulations!

Second, my old college friend Bryan Moore and his wife Renee had their second child on March 11th. Connor Austin Moore was born 8 lbs. 15 oz. 21 inches - WOW - buy that kid a football. Congratulations!

A TRIP TO THE COAST

We spent Sunday, Sunday night, and Monday at the coast this past weekend. The goal was to take Gabriel to the Oregon Coast Aquarium, which we did. But playing in the sand was, by far, the best part of the trip. Well, except the staircase at Mo's in Lincoln City.

But among all the displays of sharks, fish, otters, puffins, seals and sea lions, Gabriel liked the simulated tidepool with real sea life the best. Here's a shot of him reaching for an anemone.



He was also pretty fond of the starfish tucked under the corner, as well.

And to any parents out there who would like to go to the Oregon Coast with a toddler, I highly recommend the Looking Glass Inn where we stayed.



Located in south Lincoln City, properly known as Taft, the hotel has all sorts of reasonably priced rooms with:
-seperate-bedroom suites
-kitchenettes
-Mo's chowder house right across the street (Gabriel couldn't get enough of the halibut fish and chips)
-a boardwalk overlooking the Siletz Bay across the street
-direct beach access across the street, and
-good espresso places in case your toddler decides to melt down rather than sleep through the night

We got home last night before 8pm after less than a two-hour drive - which Gabriel slept through mostly, put Gabriel to bed, and I then promptly fell asleep on the couch leaving a hand print on the left side of my face.

Good Times!

MY NAME IS BILL AND I'M AN INTROVERT

Hi, Bill...

The movement is growing. Here's an owner's manual:

Caring for Your Introvert

Our Motto: "I'm Okay, You're Okay-In Small Doses"

But best of all, at the end of the article, are three fundamental tips to those who know and deal with introverts (25% of the population):

How can I let the introvert in my life know that I support him and respect his choice? First, recognize that it's not a choice. It's not a lifestyle. It's an orientation.

Second, when you see an introvert lost in thought, don't say "What's the matter?" or "Are you all right?"

Third, don't say anything else, either.

DSL AT LAST

And wireless, too!

YEEEEEEEHHHAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWW!!!!

SCARIEST/HARRIEST ATHLETES ON THE PLANET

Mushers clearly are not out to win a beauty contest, as the Anchorage Daily News 2006 Iditarod Musher gallery proves.

Click at your own risk.

Looked like a huge police line-up, didn't it?

If you ever worried that meth has reached Alaska, the photo of Lance Mackey (#24) will do nothing to calm your fears. Other highlights include:
Trent Herbst (#68) - Proof there's someone for everyone.
Tim Osmar (#41) - Looks like the actor who played Bluto opposite Robin Williams' Popeye finally turned up.
Sebastian Schnuelle (#34) - I guess Schnuelle is German for "Manson."
Rachel Scdoris (#42) - Finally, and admirably (and actually attractively), she's blind and running the Iditarod. Of course, I'm sure she'd reconsider if she had an inkling of what her fellow racers looked like.

By the way, as of noon Tuesday, March 14 three-time champ Jeff King was the first to begin taking his mandatory 8-hour rest at the White Mountain checkpoint, roughly 60 miles from Nome. Barring any surprise event, like collision with an insane moose - just ask Susan Butcher - he has the contest locked up.

SNOW DAYS

We've had a crazy winter: record rainfall through February and then snow in March. Notice our pink camellia blooming in the background.

Gabriel got to take advantage of it at least.

WAY OVERDUE

Wow, am I lazy? Well, yes and no. Between work at the office, being on the road frequently and problems with my previous computer(s), posts have been sparse.

Well, today marks a new one. As you can see to the left, Gabriel has grown considerably since Halloween and now talks on his toy phone and the real phone. Well, he'll respond to me over the phone. He'll say Dada, "Nene" or meow (Nino), Uh-oh!, Mama, or Bebe (baby) when he hears me ask "where's ...?".

And as you can see below, he's a very quick study!



NEW COMPUTERS

My 4-year-old work computer recently decided to quit working and our 5-year-old home computer has been disfunctional on and off for quite a while. So both were recently replaced with HP Pavilion machines.

My new work computer is an HP Pavilion a1330n.

The new home computer is an HP Pavilion a1230n. The main difference is the home computer has a slightly smaller hard drive, slightly slower processor and I had to buy and install the DVD-ROM drive myself.

Otherwise, both are fantastic machines.

And speaking of updates, our neighborhood finally has DSL service and I'm scheduled for service set-up on March 17. One week and counting! I also ordered a wireless router so that I can work in other rooms with the laptop much easier. Wow.. Hillsboro in the 21st Century is shaping up nicely.

RECENT GOINGS ON

A lot has been happening with family and friends, so I'll just bullet-point in the interest of time...
-Grampa Dave recently visited Gabriel for nearly a week this past week. Much dining out and playing was enjoyed, even though Grampa got wore out.

-Gabriel is taking swimming lessons again. He has one more week in Forest Grove and then he can take lessons in April in Hillsboro now that the swim center has reopened. No more racquetball?!

-Uncle Tom is glad to no longer be with the trust law firm and has recently gotten a different position elsewhere.

-Grandma Judy has been invited to sing with the praise group and the traditional choir at Trinity Lutheran Church in Hillsboro. We've been visiting there the past few weekends.

-Me-ma is continuing to have a good recovery after her lower spinal surgery in Las Vegas. The surgeons repaired nerve damage in her lower spine that was causing several different problems for her lately. She's in the middle of physical rehab and has a good prognosis.

-Gramma Reid (my gramma) has recently moved to a nursing home for a while following a rough patch with her health. Things seem to be getting better for her, though.

-We were saddened to learn that family friend Shirley Anders recently passed away from complications due to the flu. Shirley was a cancer survivor well into her 70s, so the news was surprising but not shocking. She recently relocated to Klamath Falls from Medford. She will be missed. She had a remarkable life, a pioneer of sorts as a woman in rural southwest Oregon. She was one of the first female log truck drivers in Oregon, she was one of the first women to bid on timber sales in Oregon, and she ran a fishing guide service on the Rogue River in Curry County for several years with her late husband. All this in a petite little package - a stiff wind could have blown her over. She was one of the nicest, sweetest and with-it senior ladies I've had the pleasure of knowing.

-A door is closed and a window opens: Margaux Johnson recently turned one year old. Happy birthday!