Category Archives: Get it off Your Chest

The FACTS:

• The proposed rail will NOT significantly impact Honolulu’s traffic problem (approximately only a 1.7 % traffic reduction).
• The proposed rail will go 20 miles along the skyline from Kapolei to Downtown Honolulu.
• The proposed rail will be the MOST expensive project per capita in U.S. history at $5.3 billion.
• The proposed rail will cost 5 times more than the H-3 Freeway.
• Estimates say the completion of the rail project will take 15 years.
• According to the HART, the project has only received $120 million in federal funding to date.
• If you pay general excise tax 1/2% surcharge was imposed starting 1/1/2007 to fund rail mass transit. 
• The proposed rail system is NOT GREEN and will run nonstop on electricity for 20 hours a day, regardless of the number of people riding it.   

  

  clip courtesy of www.cuhnews.com

In the last mayoral debate, Ben Cayetano emphasized a very important point that hit me hard, “It’s not just about rail. It’s about power.” Building the rail will be the biggest and largest example of the power that will be taken away from the people of Hawaii.  The expansion of Kapolei, huge store like Target being built, more city high rises, and more housing developments are examples of this power.  Oahu does not NEED these huge developments!  We NEED better public school systems, roads, healthcare, affordable housing, shelters and programs for the homeless, etc.    

Oahu also really needs to focus on upgrades and regular maintenance to the City sewer system ($5 billion), upgrades to the City water system ($5 billion), and to repave City roads ($1.6 billion). 

The island is very split on rail.  Half of the island doesn’t seem to mind the idea of rail (pictured above) or huge developments.  Others (like me) are repulsed by the idea of an enormous infrastructure on Oahu’s skyline that will take 20 years to build, bankrupt the island, and put the island’s real problems to the side.   

Residents of Hawaii, don’t forget for one second that we LIVE ON AN ISLAND.  The whole population of Oahu was 953,207 in 2010.  The population of a huge city with a current rail system like Los Angeles is 3,792,621 (2010).  And is LA free from traffic since their rail has been put in? I think NOT!  

Solutions? Mass Transit Bus system that will cost 1/5 of steel on steel rail? Light street rail? Bettering the existing roads? Hot lanes? Pretty much anything is better than a massive $5.3 billion rail.  Don’t allow yourself to get brainwashed by all the pro-rail commercials on TV.  The information is extremely misleading and frankly makes me want to vomit. 

For more information on the facts about rail on Oahu here are a couple great sites to check out:

• Honolulu Traffic.com
• Vote Ben Cayetano
• The League of Women Voters of Honolulu

Growing up in Austin, Texas, the hometown of Whole Foods, I had gourmet groceries on every block.  Here in Hawaii a Whole Foods experience is a little different than in the mainland because of the exorbitant island prices.  After a visit to the new Whole Foods store in Kailua, I left overwhelmed, without any real groceries to take home, and a little depressed.

I definitely have a love-hate relationship with Whole Foods.  I love the idea of “high quality, natural and organic products,” but hate the high prices.  Who can pay $5 for a handful of broccoli, $5.99 for 16 ounces of salsa, and $15 for lunch from the hot food bar?

Don’t get me wrong the new Kailua store is impressive! The store is a lot larger than the Kahala branch and filled with wall to wall fresh, tasty, and politically correct products.  “Politically correct-LY” fooling consumers more like it?!!  This brings up my dilemma, “to Whole Foods, or not to Whole Foods?”  Drain my bank account on items that I think are fresh-ER, healthi-ER, and bett-ER than the average grocery store?

So, after a little investigating with the “Taryn price comparing gauge” I found out that a lot of the items found in Whole Foods can be found at many other grocery stores, open markets, and farmers markets, some cheaper and some NOT.

Silk Vanilla Soy Creamer is $2.49 at Whole Foods and  $3.39 at Safeway.  Whole Foods Salsa is $5.99 and up and Safeway Select Salsa vary in price from $3.99-$4.99.  A tiny container of peeled garlic at Whole Foods was $3.99 and at the open market you can get a little more for $2.  You can even get a better deal at the Korean Markets near Ala Moana.  Wine at Whole foods is usually more expensive for the same bottles you can find at Safeway or Tamura’s, but they may have some bottles on sale that are sub-par.

Meats at Whole Foods are the only thing that I will pay more for because they are free range, hormone free, organic, etc, etc, and to me that is worth the extra money.  I am still on the fence with the veggies and fruits because Whole Foods advertises organic and locally grown produce, and you can always get the same veggies and fruits at open and farmers markets for less money.

So what is my conclusion? Nada, nothing, and the continuation of my torturous dilemma of paying a little more for “better food.”  I will continue to shop at Costco, Safeway, Foodland, Walmart, Long’s, open markets, Chinatown, and yes Whole Foods.  I will continue to make my shopping lists, clip coupons, religiously compare prices, scan the aisles for discount tags, and pay $6.99 for a gallon of milk.  As my friends in Texas say, “that’s what you get for living in paradise!” I guess their right!

I recently got married and began the grueling process of changing my name on all my important legal documents.  I’m a little bit of a feminist, but after weighing the pros and cons of a legal name change and the sad look on my husband’s face when I said I didn’t want to change my name, I decided to just do it. 

What I didn’t know was how to go about all this.  There’s no instruction manual on how to do this in its entirety and when researching online I couldn’t find one straight answer.  All my friends who are married and have changed their names couldn’t remember the exact process.  That prompted me to write this post for any engaged persons or newly-weds. 

1. Marriage License. All parties getting legally married in Hawaii must apply for a marriage license in person.  Check out the link for fees and what you need to bring.  This office is located in room 101 (1st floor) of the Health Department Building, 1250 Punchbowl St. (corner of Beretania and Punchbowl Streets). 
2. Getting Married.  Once you do the deed, your marriage performer or officiant will help you fill out and file the proper paper work.  This is the the part where you write your NEW name on the forms.  Once the forms are filed, you will receive your official Certificate of Marriage in the mail. 
3. Changing your name on your Social Security Card.  Next you will need to make the fun trip down to the Social Security Administration office.  This unpleasant place (because of the long waits) is located at 300 Ala Moana Boulevard.  Wait times are usually about 1 – 1/2 hours long.  Meter parking on Pohukaina Street is affordable 2 hour parking, but anything on Punchbowl is 25 cents for 10 minutes.  I suggest Restaurant Row and go to lunch for a validation, get dropped off, or walk/bike.  You will need to fill out a form, show your certificate of marriage, but there is no fee for a new social security card.  This office will just process the paper work and your new card will come in the mail.  You can make an appointment for this office, but appointments are about a month out.
4. Changing your name on your Passport.  Changing your passport is done at the same spot as the Social Security Administration at 300 Ala Moana BLVD, but just at a different office down the hall.  The passport office is by appointment only.  If you have a straight forward case, you can do your passport name change online.  Any questions call the 1-800-881-2464, they are very helpful. 
5. Driver’s License.  Lastly, I went down to my nearest DMV with my current driver’s license, marriage certificate, and $6.  After filling out a form with my new name, I got my temporary license in about 5 minutes.  My new license came in the mail a few days later.     

Credit cards, Costco card, membership IDs, etc. are all pretty simple, just a pain in the a** to track them all down one by one.  If you live on the Leeward side you can always visit the Kapolei office for your social security card and passport changes.  The waits are usually shorter out on that side.   

Did I leave anything out? Or anyone else have any good or bad experiences doing their name change?  Good luck!!

Not all yoga is created equally and with that said not all yoga is zen, peaceful, and relaxing.  After spending most of my downward facing dogs at my favorite yoga studio Aloha Yoga Kula and getting excellent instruction from my favorite teachers Brigitte, Martin, and Leah, when I go elsewhere I sometimes find bad yoga. 

So what is bad yoga? Well, the “Taryn definition” of bad yoga is any yoga that feels uncomfortable, painful, dis-jointed, and where the instructor is difficult to follow, has you doing unrealistic poses without guiding you through them, and you leave the classroom feeling worst off them when you went in. 

So, I woke up this morning and my body is hurting from a bad yoga class I took yesterday.  I guess I blame myself for not going to Aloha Yoga Kula, but I figured I might try and save a couple bucks and do some “gym yoga.”

If my fellow yogis know what I’m referring to when I say bad yoga then we must boycott all the crappy yoga out there.  Instructors need to raise their yoga standards and really remember what practicing yoga is all about. 

To me, when yoga teachers focus on the exercise and physical aspect of their class and forget about the holistic approach the class becomes flat and awkward.  Chatarungas are not push ups, and you should not do 5 standing poses in a row in less than 30 seconds. 

Wikipedia refers to yoga as a physical, mental, and spiritual discipline or the goal of yoga or of the person practicing yoga, as the attainment of a state of perfect spiritual insight and tranquility while meditating on the Hindu concept of divinity or Brahman.   

I thank you Brigitte and the rest of the Aloha Yoga Kula family for practicing safe and healthy yoga.  I am grateful for the knowledge that you have given me on my form, mental awareness, and the gift of yoga.  I now recognize the difference in yoga as a lifestyle and simply a yoga class.    

I wanted to share this Hawaiian Humane Society update with my readers.  It pains me to think that breeders can get away with this type of thing.  Everyone needs to be aware that puppy mills and animal cruelty DO exist here in Hawaii.  With awareness, new legislation, and community action we can make a difference.

See these videos and the information below via the HHS.

End Puppy Mills

Waimanalo Puppy Mill Footage

Big Island Puppy Farm Owners Connected to Waimanalo Animal Cruelty Case

Ladies, it’s time to clean out your closets!  I know you have a ton of rocking clothes only worn once or with the tags on that are cluttering up your closet.   Closet Trader is Hawaii’s newest online answer to for all those unwanted items.  Sign up online today for free and trade, buy, or make an offer on other members’ closets.   

For more information, Read the full story via Aloha Update.