What Hurts the Most

About 2 years ago, I woke up with a backache that lasted almost 1 week. Later, that turned into sciatica which lasted 9 months! It was one of the most painful things I've ever experienced. The pain extended from the hip and down the back of the thigh and surrounding areas. 


Sciatica usually occurs when something is irritating the sciatic nerve.  For instance, you may have a slipped disc in the vertebrae, swelling that may be pushing on the nerve or even tweak a muscle that pinches the nerve. 


Anyway, today I woke up with a slight backache which later in the afternoon was so painful that I couldn't stand up straight. I wasted no time and went to see the acupunturist who cured my first bout of sciatica.

This acupuncturist doesn't take appointments.  I had to wait 30 minutes.

Not only is he an acupunturist, he is also a Chinese herbalist.

Watch out!

Rows and rows of herbs!

Do I REALLY want to know?  

This is a machine they attach to the acupuncture needles.  It sends little pulses of electric current down the needle to give you what is similar to a deep tissue massage, only much deeper.  I like it cranked up!  It's a good kind of "pain".

I'm still hurting, but at least I am able to stand more upright and be mobile right away...unlike this afternoon where I had to get up and wait a couple of minutes to allow my back to straighten out before I could move.

Who Let the Dogs Out?

A longtime volunteer of the Hawaiian Humane Society asked me at dinner one night if I would be interested in taking photos of the animals at the shelter. They wanted "professional" looking photos so they could post them on their adoption website. At first, I thought, um...I'm still learning...I dunno know if they'll turn out any good. So of course, I suggested that Reese take the pictures and I would assist him. When we got to the Humane Society, I was prepared to be the "assistant", but Reese tells me, "Where's your camera?" I told him, "Um, in my bag." Then he tells me, "Well, how you gonna take any pictures if it's in the bag?" So, here are my pictures...

ISO 800, f/3.5, shutter 1/400

ISO 400, f/4.5, shutter 1/125 with flash

ISO 400, f/6.3, shutter 1/200 with flash

ISO 400, f/6.3, shutter 1/200 with flash

ISO 400, f/6.3, shutter 1/200 with flash

ISO 400, f/6.3, shutter 1/200 with flash

Let me just say, taking photos of animals is REALLY hard. The only animals that didn't move an inch were the guinea pigs. Dogs and cats are the hardest. Dogs want to play and sniff everything. Cats are trying to figure out a way to escape. They were all so cute and I hope each and every one of them gets adopted by a loving family soon!

Secret Garden

Today's field trip was to Foster Botanical Garden. I think the one and only time I've ever been there was for a school field trip when I was 7 years old! And even though I grew up barely 2 blocks away from the garden and worshipped at the temple adjacent to it, I only went there once in my life. Can you believe it? Anyway, the reason for going to the garden on this HOT and sunny day was to play around with my new 40mm macro lens. A macro lens allows you to shoot things close up. For a 40mm (non-macro) lens, you need to be at least 1 - 1.5 feet away from your subject in order for the camera to be able to focus. A 40mm macro lens allows you to get up close and personal with your subject. The minimum distance is only 6 inches. Being able to get up close and personal lets you capture lots of detail. The last few shots in this post should give you a better understanding of what macro photography is.

ISO 200, 0.3 EV, f/6.3, shutter 1/60

ISO 400, f/5.6, shutter 1/320

ISO 400, f/9, shutter 1/80

ISO 400, -0.7 EV, f/8, shutter 1/400

ISO 400, f/8, shutter 1/25

ISO 400, -1 EV, f/8, shutter 1/100

ISO 400, -1 EV, f/4.5, shutter 1/50

ISO 400, 0.7 EV, f/9, shutter 1/125

ISO 400, f/8, shutter 1/400

Up close and personal with the itty bitty fly

I Say a Little Prayer

I have lived in Hawaii practically all my life and I am actually a little embarrassed to say that I have never been to a Bon Dance.


"Obon" or "Bon" is a Japanese Buddhist custom to honor the spirits of one's ancestors. At a Bon Dance, a commencement prayer is read and attendees bow their heads. After the prayer is done, the Bon Dance begins. Participants wear kimono or happi coats and dance around the yagura (a high wooden scaffold/bandstand) where musicians and singers perform songs honoring those no longer with us.


I had a great time at my first Bon Dance!  Though I did not participate in any of the dancing, it was fun watching people of all different ethnic backgrounds come together to enjoy the festivities.

ISO 1600, f/1.4, shutter 1/160

ISO 400, f/4.2, shutter 1/200

ISO 400, 1 EV, f/5.6, shutter 1/200

ISO 400, 1 EV, f/5.6, shutter 1/200

ISO 200, 1 EV, f/4.2, shutter 1/200

ISO 200, 1 EV, f/4.8, shutter 1/200

Yankee Doodle

While in NYC, I made a side trip to our nation's capital...Washington DC.  I had never been to DC, so I figured since I had made it this far, what's another 3 hours on the Amtrak?

There is so much to photograph in DC. The only thing that wasn't so great was the heatwave I got caught in for the 2 days I was there. The temperature reached 99 degrees! The best way to describe what 99 degrees feels like is imagining yourself stepping into a sauna. The heat just "hits" you when you walk out of any doorway. I have never been so hot in my life! After experiencing my first heatwave, I realize that Hawaii isn't so hot after all. LOL!

Washington Monument

(My favorite photo of the entire trip!)

ISO 100, f/8, shutter 3 seconds

The White House

ISO 200, f/4, shutter 1/250

Jefferson Memorial

ISO 400, -1 EV, f/3.5, shutter 1/400

Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial

ISO 200, 1 EV, f/4, shutter 1/25

Lincoln Memorial

ISO 100, f/8, shutter 2 seconds

The dome from inside the nation's Capitol 

ISO 1600, f/5, shutter 1/80

One of many exhibits at the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum

ISO 400, 0.7 EV, f/2.2, shutter 1/20