Pavlovian Conditioning

I've been noticing this for a while now but every time I put on some sunscreen to go riding, I have a form of Pavlovian response to the scent of Coppertone Sport on my face, arms and legs.  Coppertone sunscreen always reminds me of the two weeks every year that we spend in Hawaii, where every day from morning until evening, sunscreen is a necessity.  Coppertone represents good times, worry-free, vacation and fun and obviously, my response to this conditioned stimulus is one that associates what's coming next -- an ocean swim, a cold drink and maybe a luau later on.  When I put it on prior to riding my bike (here in the mainland, of course), all that seems to be missing is the saltwater and I'm transported to the land of Aloha.  It's a strange but totally expected response given that Pavlovian conditioning is commonly accepted as truth.  However, I do wonder if when we go to Kauai this year, whether putting on Coppertone will elicit memories of my bike rides through Rancho Cucamonga. 

On Hold

Just like I put cycling and guitar playing on hold for about a decade, I seem to be on this trend where some of my artwork are going to the back burner.  In particular, I used to do quite a bit of photography and relief prints.  Printing photographs was not cheap and in particular, was very frustrating especially with inkjet technology not giving me the fidelity I'm looking from.  Often, what gets printed is ever so slightly different than what's on the computer screen.  Couple that with the cost of ink cartridges and paper means I don't miss the medium that much at all.  Linocuts, on the other hand was always a lot of fun to do -- even though I wasn't very good at it.  It was always messy but equal parts rewarding and frustrating.  For a while, I was doing a lot of trial and error and wasting linocut blanks -- and as with photographic printing, got expensive.  These days, I do mostly drawing and some painting but someday, I'm hoping to revisit photography and relief printing.  Someday.

That Time Already?!

Not too long ago, Sam was born at Cedars Sinai the day after the summer solstice in 1998.  We knew this year at Day Creek Intermediate School will go really fast as he prepares for his summer before starting high school.  Spring break last week, meant over 80% of the school year is over but nothing came stronger as a reality check than the packet for Los Osos High School that he took home yesterday.  It's only 2 miles away but mentally, it's as far as I've imagined him being away from home.  Next week, when we meet with the Los Osos school officials, it'll be as real as it gets.  Three years of middle school went fast; four years of high school will be 33% longer but will go just as fast, I think.  JJ is really not too far behind and soon enough, both will be in college.  Yikes.

So Many Guitars So Little Time

I love my guitars!  Steel string, nylon nylon, acoustic, electric, vintage, new, American, Japanese, Mexican, dreadnoughts, OM, travel, custom and most importantly, Fender Stratocasters and Taylor acoustics.  Headstock profiles of my dozen favorite guitars.

Five Years Ago Today

I took this portrait of the Maura and the kids on the Sunday, March 26, 2007.  It's hard to believe that five years can go that fast but Sam is shown here before he hit his growth spurt.  He's now 5'6" and would have been only a couple inches short of his mom's 5'9" height.  JJ, his typical character, posed cross-eyed in this shot.  And in the background, hanging in our Pasadena living room is a painting I just completed a couple months prior.  I can't remember why everyone was somewhat dressed up but I think she was about to take them to Sunday school at the time.  I know this was the last day of my pastel class at Pasadena City College.  This was also the last day of a particular phase of my life as I knew it.  The following day, she went in to Cedars Sinai for tests to resolve some abdominal pain.  Life wasn't quite the same after that day.

King Harbor

I remember a time when King Harbor in Redondo Beach was a crumbling wooden structure until some storm effectively rendered the whole pier unusable.  When I lived in Hermosa Beach, El Segundo and Santa Monica, riding through the parking lot was always tricky having to deal with cars, tourists and locals.  That was years ago and these days, I am the tourist who visit a couple times a year.  Last Friday, after seeing my accountant in Gardena, the kids and I decided to have spend some time in the South Bay.

The kids wanted to play the arcades at the boardwalk -- which unfortunately didn't open until 2pm during the school week.  To see an empty marina on this cloudy March morning is not totally unusual until about summer, when the place is flocked by tourists.   Not sure whether or not the kids have outgrown the arcades but it's always fun to collect all those tickets to get a silly prize that is worth a mere fraction of how much one spends playing the games.  But hey, it's all in the name of good fun.  The arcade at King Harbor is all about being a young again.

And finally, in spite of having just eaten seafood the night before at King's Fish House in Rancho Cucamonga, the kids wanted to get some fresh fish at Captain Kidd's.  I've been going here for as long as I can remember being in Los Angeles.  Not much had changed and Captain Kidd's will probably outlive me and my children.  We ended up waiting a bit for the kitchen to open at 11am but worth the wait.  Clam chowder, popcorn shrimp and Alaskan white fish made for an early lunch that hit the spot.  Years from now, my kids will probably be driving out to Redondo to continue this tradition that my parents started with me.

Hele On To Kauai

There's a place I recall

Not too big, in fact it's kinda small

The people there know they got it all

The simple life for me

Hele on to Kauai

Hanalei by the bay

Wailua river valley is where I used to play

The canyons of Waimea standing all aglow

The magic of the garden isle is calling me back home

When I was young, not too smart

I left my home, looking for a brand new start

To find a place that's better still

Now I know, I know I never will

Hele on to Kauai

Hanalei by the bay

Wailua river valley is where I used to play

The canyons of Waimea standing all aglow

The magic of the garden isle is calling me back home

Hele on to Kauai

Hanalei by the bay

Wailua river valley is where I used to play

The canyons of Waimea standing all aglow

The magic of the garden isle is calling me back home

It's calling me back home

(words by Bruddah Iz)

We've only been to the island of Kauai twice -- once in 2005 and again in 2007.  The island had been given us countless memories, a time of innocence.  Compared to the Big Island, Maui or Oahu, we actually get to relax over there.  Some driving but mostly just hanging out and enjoying each other's company.  Little did we know, Kauai will always hold a special place in our hearts.  We haven't been back since and I'm just wondering if it's too soon to return.  Without Maura, something will not be quite right.  But then again, I think Kauai is where her spirits are and I know at the very least, I will find peace there.

Kauai is all about swimming in the ocean several hours a day.  We had swim clothes from breakfast up to the time we change to get ready to eat dinner.  Here's Sam in 2005, missing a front tooth washing off sand from his shorts.  Not a care in the world when in Kauai.

Photo I took during the flight to Lihue in 2005.  Maura read the Kite Runner for most of the flight.  She is most happy when on a flight to the islands.

The kids enjoying Melona bars outside JJ's Broiler in 2005.  We discovered Melona bars on the kids first trip to Oahu in 2002.  They've been enjoying them ever since.  I think we're going back to Kauai this summer.  I cannot avoid this beautiful island much longer.  Hele on to Kauai.

True story: In 2005, we were driving home from a remote beach and decided to stop by the side of this winding road that overlooks Hanalei valley (above), where they have tons of taro fields.  I pulled over and we were milling about and I was snapping away with my camera.  Guy in a silver BMW 735i pulls up, gets out for a couple minutes to look at the valley and gets back into his car.  I didn't even notice who it was until he started getting back into his car with a very familiar smile.  A 007 smile.  None other than Pierce Brosnan.  Maura didn't even notice.  I would not have noticed except for a quick glance.  Turned out he's a local.