I have a very important announcement to make: The U.S. Postal Service will be going out of business very soon.
This is my prediction based on a sad fact: Every single business I've worked for has gone out of business. I just realized this the other day as we were discussing the closing of Star Markets. It was an eerie realization as I mentally backtracked through my work resume. It somehow reminded me of "Back to the Future" where Michael J. Fox and his siblings start to fade out of the family photo. My work history is fading before my eyes and it's like I have no "proof" anymore of my past employment! Whoa!
The first job I had was at Davenroy Drycleaners in Kapahulu. They were well-known for their tuxedo rental shop. I worked as an invoice clerk at age 17 and when I expressed an interest in working at the tuxedo shop--thinking of all the cute guys I'd meet--my boss uncle gave me a flat "no", citing the uncomfortable fact that taking inseam measurements was, pardon the pun, unseemly for a young lady. Anyway, Davenroy went out of business around 1990...possibly because there were no girls working in their tuxedo shop.
My second and third jobs were at KeAno Fashions and Lola's of Hawai, respectively, both manufacturers of aloha attire. Aloha Oe to them both! I was a lowly designer's assistant, they never asked me for design ideas...small wonder they didn't survive!
Then there was McInerny's at Kahala Mall, where I sold shoes in the early 70's. That was only time I owned quality shoes. McInerny gradually closed their stores until they closed their last shop in 2003.
I worked at J.C. Penney Ala Moana part time in 1976 and technically they're still in business, but not in Hawaii. I also worked one day at Liberty House doing inventory and they're technically gone too, being bought out by Macy's. Tsk, tsk.
I never imagined the ubiquitous F.W. Woolworth stores going out of business, but they did, after over a hundred years. They gave me my first full-time job, first in Waikiki, then on Kauai, as an assistant manager. I'm sure millions of people have fond memories of going to their local Woolworth's store, especially as children. I never dreamt I'd work there, never aspiring to work at a "five and ten"...but I learned many life lessons working there, especially in the Waikiki store, the #1 profit earning branch in the entire U.S. It was like working in a three-ring circus.
After six years at F.W.W., I left to work at Star Market, taking another job I never imagined myself doing: cashiering. The attraction was that I'd be head cashier and would be training others, and that was something I enjoyed. Star Market Moiliili was the grocery store I grew up visiting weekly with my mom, so it was doubly sad to hear they'd been bought out by Times Market. Ironically, my mom has been shopping at Times more frequently for the past decade (since they opened a store closer to her).
So there you have it, EIGHT Hawaii businesses, both large and small, are now just a memory...and I just happened to work for all of them. Can you blame me for feeling confident that the U.S. Postal Service is now doomed? They were my NINTH and final employer. When this blog post hits the internet, they'll be shaking in their safety shoes!
Now I can't help but wonder: Was my presence at each company so invaluable that they each crumbled without me?!? *LOLM* I just made LOLM up just now. It stands for "Laughing Out Loud Maniacally"
Despite my laughter, I do feel sad that my past is being erased. On the other hand --always that silver lining--if I ever have to apply for a new job, I can write on my resume "Regional Manager of F.W.Woolworth's" or "Head designer, KeAno Fashions" and they'll just have to take my word for it!! *LOLM*
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Things That Make You Go Whoa!
I got nothing...
but I feel an obligation to write SOMETHING because this week I had a record number of readers (meaning double digits instead of just my usual three readers). It could be those robot things looking for a place to drop their links, but I think not because I invited a lot of people to read about my mom's antibiotic "attack."
Come to think of it, that's exactly what it was. The antibiotic thought she was a huge bacteria and tried to disable her. It really makes me wonder what would've happened if she continued the whole course. Scary.
I'm just happy that I was able to warn a lot of people of the possibility of antibiotics (or other prescribed meds) turning on you because most people don't know this can happen. Obviously it never occurred to my mom since she kept taking them for a couple of days after becoming so sick she could barely rise out of bed.
I'm going to take a sharp turn here and stop the health chat. Even Dr. Mercola knows to "lighten up" occasionally because he posted the video below in his recent newsletter. Perhaps you've already seen it because it's an old video, but I've been on the internet almost every day since August 1996 and this is the first time I've seen it!
Jordan said, "It's computerized!" and that was my first thought too, the first time I saw it. But nope, this commercial was made in 1985 and it is totally the result of human talent and probably 100 badly damaged cars *LOL* Watching this I couldn't help but wonder if a lot of stunt drivers are now out of work because of computer animation...what a pity!
but I feel an obligation to write SOMETHING because this week I had a record number of readers (meaning double digits instead of just my usual three readers). It could be those robot things looking for a place to drop their links, but I think not because I invited a lot of people to read about my mom's antibiotic "attack."
Come to think of it, that's exactly what it was. The antibiotic thought she was a huge bacteria and tried to disable her. It really makes me wonder what would've happened if she continued the whole course. Scary.
I'm just happy that I was able to warn a lot of people of the possibility of antibiotics (or other prescribed meds) turning on you because most people don't know this can happen. Obviously it never occurred to my mom since she kept taking them for a couple of days after becoming so sick she could barely rise out of bed.
I'm going to take a sharp turn here and stop the health chat. Even Dr. Mercola knows to "lighten up" occasionally because he posted the video below in his recent newsletter. Perhaps you've already seen it because it's an old video, but I've been on the internet almost every day since August 1996 and this is the first time I've seen it!
Jordan said, "It's computerized!" and that was my first thought too, the first time I saw it. But nope, this commercial was made in 1985 and it is totally the result of human talent and probably 100 badly damaged cars *LOL* Watching this I couldn't help but wonder if a lot of stunt drivers are now out of work because of computer animation...what a pity!
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Digging For Gold
I hesitate to mention this, but what the heck, we deserve every bit of enjoyment we can find. I'm talking about a game I found called Gold Rush Treasure Hunt. I had a trial version on my HP laptop and if you like "click click" games, it's a winner!! It's similar to Bejeweled, but a thousand times better because there's much more to it...not to mention I'm a GOLD lover. It's an easy and fun game. It's good to exercise our brains by learning and playing new games. That's my reasoning and I'm sticking to it!
So I played the Gold Rush as long as I was allowed to for free and then it asked me to buy "coins" to play longer or to pay $19.95 to own the game. Hmmmm, did I want to spend $20 on something that would ultimately cost me a lot more in lost time when I should be either sewing or working on my online projects? Hmmmmm....so instead I googled "Gold Rush Treasure Hunt" and found another trial version... which I downloaded... and got an additional hour's play... hmmmm....I was really beginning to love this game. I googled again and found yet another trial.. and on this site, I noticed that instead of $19.95, they were only asking for $9.95!! Whaaaat?!
Gee, now you know how I love a bargain and $10 for a fun albeit addictive game is totally worth it! So I paid the $9.95 and have been playing this darned thing every day. I know eventually my addiction will level off like it did for Luxor, but until then I'm a happy camper camping in front of the computer.
Jordan noticed me playing and started hanging around so I stood up and let her play a few rounds. After a while I had to chase her back to the other computer. "Go back to your YouTubes, Jordan." "Okay Mom." About 15 minutes later she was hanging by me again. I said, "Uh oh, you like this game huh?" I couldn't believe my ears when she said, "I'm jealous of you Mom!" This was the first time she ever expressed "jealousy" and I was actually proud of her. We had a good laugh and I went over to the Dell desktop to download the game for her. I had my doubts as to whether it'd perform ok on the "old lady" computer. It's seven years old, and in Computer Years that's like 70 years old! Happily, it works fine and I was able to use the same registration key.
Jordan's still occasionally coming to watch me, but this time she says, "I'm beating you Mom."
Speaking of Moms, my Mom is doing better, but still feeling very weak. It's scary that this was caused by something that was supposed to heal her (read blog entry below). I received an email from a woman who took this antibiotic THREE MONTHS AGO and is still unable to go to work due to the effects of Bactrim. My mom, meanwhile, told her doctor to "put it on my charts" that she does not want any more antibiotics! He told her, "but what if you're dying!?" She replied, "Well I felt like I was dying after taking that antibiotic!" [Note, if this happens to you or anyone you know, I strongly advise you to seek naturopathic assistance to recover.]
Next, I know it's a real downer to hear this stuff--it's like "Oh no NOW what?!"--, but if you want to have a healthy thyroid gland, read the latest warning from Dr. Mercola. He's warning us to avoid bromides and to make sure you get some iodide in your diet. Bromides are found in a wide variety of sources from bread (dough softeners) to new car interiors. Yikes!! What next!?
Just remember, I feel compelled to pass on these warnings in case you care! My intention is to take good care of my three readers! *group hug*
Lastly, I want to mention that a neighbor of my mom's, Mrs. Flora Paik, passed away in August. Although I unfortunately never had the opportunity to express my fondness for her, she played a big part in my life because she babysat me as a baby and toddler. I have nothing but good memories of those ancient times and the Paiks are a family that I have always admired. Mrs. Paik was a cheerful and friendly soul, a good mother, hard worker and good cook. Although I never got to eat any since my childhood, I fondly remember her Seaweed Soup. How unusual for a little girl to fondly remember seaweed soup, huh, so it must've been wonderful! I also remember eating "ice cake" wrapped in waxed paper sitting in her yard. It's weird but when I eat anything from waxed paper (not often, obviously), I get a flashback of eating strawberry ice cake in the Paiks' yard.
I received a very touching thank you card from the Paik family the other day and it really made me wish I had taken the time to say more than "hi" the times I had seen Mrs. Paik across the street when I visited Honolulu these past few years. So if there's anyone in your life that you want to thank, do it now!
So I played the Gold Rush as long as I was allowed to for free and then it asked me to buy "coins" to play longer or to pay $19.95 to own the game. Hmmmm, did I want to spend $20 on something that would ultimately cost me a lot more in lost time when I should be either sewing or working on my online projects? Hmmmmm....so instead I googled "Gold Rush Treasure Hunt" and found another trial version... which I downloaded... and got an additional hour's play... hmmmm....I was really beginning to love this game. I googled again and found yet another trial.. and on this site, I noticed that instead of $19.95, they were only asking for $9.95!! Whaaaat?!
Gee, now you know how I love a bargain and $10 for a fun albeit addictive game is totally worth it! So I paid the $9.95 and have been playing this darned thing every day. I know eventually my addiction will level off like it did for Luxor, but until then I'm a happy camper camping in front of the computer.
Jordan noticed me playing and started hanging around so I stood up and let her play a few rounds. After a while I had to chase her back to the other computer. "Go back to your YouTubes, Jordan." "Okay Mom." About 15 minutes later she was hanging by me again. I said, "Uh oh, you like this game huh?" I couldn't believe my ears when she said, "I'm jealous of you Mom!" This was the first time she ever expressed "jealousy" and I was actually proud of her. We had a good laugh and I went over to the Dell desktop to download the game for her. I had my doubts as to whether it'd perform ok on the "old lady" computer. It's seven years old, and in Computer Years that's like 70 years old! Happily, it works fine and I was able to use the same registration key.
Jordan's still occasionally coming to watch me, but this time she says, "I'm beating you Mom."
Speaking of Moms, my Mom is doing better, but still feeling very weak. It's scary that this was caused by something that was supposed to heal her (read blog entry below). I received an email from a woman who took this antibiotic THREE MONTHS AGO and is still unable to go to work due to the effects of Bactrim. My mom, meanwhile, told her doctor to "put it on my charts" that she does not want any more antibiotics! He told her, "but what if you're dying!?" She replied, "Well I felt like I was dying after taking that antibiotic!" [Note, if this happens to you or anyone you know, I strongly advise you to seek naturopathic assistance to recover.]
Next, I know it's a real downer to hear this stuff--it's like "Oh no NOW what?!"--, but if you want to have a healthy thyroid gland, read the latest warning from Dr. Mercola. He's warning us to avoid bromides and to make sure you get some iodide in your diet. Bromides are found in a wide variety of sources from bread (dough softeners) to new car interiors. Yikes!! What next!?
Just remember, I feel compelled to pass on these warnings in case you care! My intention is to take good care of my three readers! *group hug*
Lastly, I want to mention that a neighbor of my mom's, Mrs. Flora Paik, passed away in August. Although I unfortunately never had the opportunity to express my fondness for her, she played a big part in my life because she babysat me as a baby and toddler. I have nothing but good memories of those ancient times and the Paiks are a family that I have always admired. Mrs. Paik was a cheerful and friendly soul, a good mother, hard worker and good cook. Although I never got to eat any since my childhood, I fondly remember her Seaweed Soup. How unusual for a little girl to fondly remember seaweed soup, huh, so it must've been wonderful! I also remember eating "ice cake" wrapped in waxed paper sitting in her yard. It's weird but when I eat anything from waxed paper (not often, obviously), I get a flashback of eating strawberry ice cake in the Paiks' yard.
I received a very touching thank you card from the Paik family the other day and it really made me wish I had taken the time to say more than "hi" the times I had seen Mrs. Paik across the street when I visited Honolulu these past few years. So if there's anyone in your life that you want to thank, do it now!
Friday, September 4, 2009
Drug Kauai Sis
Happy Labor Day Weekend! What's on your agenda for this weekend? For me, I hope it'll be "nothing much," because I was looking at the possibility of having to go to Honolulu to be a nurse to my mom, who for the past week, was experiencing a very bad mystery illness with extreme weakness, lethargy, low blood pressure, diarrhea, loss of appetite, memory issues, and even hallucinations! My mom, who's very strong and active, is barely able to get out of bed and is having trouble standing for more than a few seconds. She's been sleeping 20 hours a day for the past week. This is extremely uncharacteristic for her, a person who typically doesn't let even influenza keep her down for more than a day. The doctor had nothing much to offer her except the usual blood tests. It was scary that he let her go home in that condition.
As I've said before... TGFI!!! (Thank Gore For Internet!!)...because after a couple of days of worry on my part (I was only notified about all of this on Tuesday), it finally dawned on me to go to AskaPatient.com to check on an antibiotic she'd been taking--sulfameth/tmpds (aka Bactrim). Oh...my...god!!! There are over 600 entries concerning this drug, the vast majority reporting bad side effects, many mirroring what my mom's been experiencing. Damn!! Do you see why I've been trusting my naturopathic Dr. Leia Melead more lately than my medical doctors (although I do respect them immensely and still go to them)?
Although Mom is still not feeling well, at least we now feel confident we know what caused her malaise. She said she's never felt so sick in her life. Because of her age--80--any illness is a big concern to me, but knowing the probable cause is a big relief.
Always looking for a silver lining, I can now smile about two good side effects of that evil drug: 1) She lost 10 pounds in less than a week (Gimme dat ting!), and 2) My sister and my nephew proved themselves and really stepped up to the plate in helping her. You never know how people will respond until they're tested this way, and I was happy to hear how both of them did their best to help Mom. As the older sister--and always tagged "the responsible one"--I've always felt guilty for living on Kauai, rather than in Honolulu. Of course it's not like I'm in New York, but still I'm not in Kaimuki either.
So ok, today's helpful hint is to go to AskaPatient.com to look up any pharmaceutical drug, good or evil. Or maybe I should say instead, "to find out if it's good or evil."
My Labor Day Weekend, therefore, will go on as planned from the looks of it, and that includes a sleepover visit from Jordan's friend, a visit to the Cops of Top at Safeway, shopping at Costco, and possibly a movie. Oh yeh, and I guess some work: sewing and my wonderful internet job.
Please visit your local Safeway and contribute to Cops of Top for Special Olympics. Remember, we "abled" people take so much for granted, while the mentally disabled are offered so little opportunity to participate in group athletic and social activities. Special Olympics, like all of us, is having to cut back drastically this year. Any help they receive will at least keep them above the point of cancelling all events. Thank you in advance!
As I've said before... TGFI!!! (Thank Gore For Internet!!)...because after a couple of days of worry on my part (I was only notified about all of this on Tuesday), it finally dawned on me to go to AskaPatient.com to check on an antibiotic she'd been taking--sulfameth/tmpds (aka Bactrim). Oh...my...god!!! There are over 600 entries concerning this drug, the vast majority reporting bad side effects, many mirroring what my mom's been experiencing. Damn!! Do you see why I've been trusting my naturopathic Dr. Leia Melead more lately than my medical doctors (although I do respect them immensely and still go to them)?
Although Mom is still not feeling well, at least we now feel confident we know what caused her malaise. She said she's never felt so sick in her life. Because of her age--80--any illness is a big concern to me, but knowing the probable cause is a big relief.
Always looking for a silver lining, I can now smile about two good side effects of that evil drug: 1) She lost 10 pounds in less than a week (Gimme dat ting!), and 2) My sister and my nephew proved themselves and really stepped up to the plate in helping her. You never know how people will respond until they're tested this way, and I was happy to hear how both of them did their best to help Mom. As the older sister--and always tagged "the responsible one"--I've always felt guilty for living on Kauai, rather than in Honolulu. Of course it's not like I'm in New York, but still I'm not in Kaimuki either.
So ok, today's helpful hint is to go to AskaPatient.com to look up any pharmaceutical drug, good or evil. Or maybe I should say instead, "to find out if it's good or evil."
My Labor Day Weekend, therefore, will go on as planned from the looks of it, and that includes a sleepover visit from Jordan's friend, a visit to the Cops of Top at Safeway, shopping at Costco, and possibly a movie. Oh yeh, and I guess some work: sewing and my wonderful internet job.
Please visit your local Safeway and contribute to Cops of Top for Special Olympics. Remember, we "abled" people take so much for granted, while the mentally disabled are offered so little opportunity to participate in group athletic and social activities. Special Olympics, like all of us, is having to cut back drastically this year. Any help they receive will at least keep them above the point of cancelling all events. Thank you in advance!
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