hope to grow old gracefully too!

46th wedding anniversary! looking great my folks....

well, christmas has come and it's still christmas in Hawaii but now gone for most of the world! im so greatful for many things especially so because my first sem back to school was a good start (got A's! final grades were posted just 3 days ago..a great christmas gift)...but, also because i finished my shopping list just in the nick of time, the day before christmas!

it's official...2009 honolulu marathon is over...as usual, a great feeling to finish another one (12th and counting).not sure what made the difference this time around though...perhaps it was the phiten discs i used on my legs, or the 2 salt tablets consumed during the race, or maybe the near perfect weather conditions, or even all of the above, but i felt unexpectedly strong throughout the entire 5 hours, 23 minutes, 50-something seconds of torture. physically it's no doubt brutal but the awesome feeling of great pride that emerges from mile 25 lingers on far more so than the temporary pain during most of the 26.2 miles of pounding.

with the fall semester behind me (took my finals today!) and the honolulu marathon THIS sunday, it's mixed emotions to say the least. relieved that school is pau for now, but then the biggest run of my life is fast approaching. My before-sunrise-cool-mauka-weather run started off the day just right....and felt ready for the big one on sunday....i hope.

it's beginning to look alot like Christmas! I got into the spirit today by putting up christmas lights around the yard and the front door, even decorating one plant with lights.....this is quite early for me actually...most years i wait til after doing the marathon which is the 2nd sunday in december...i am even planning to pick up a christmas tree this weekend! i guess my neighbors have alot to do with this...many of them have elaborate lights to show off and i guess i was inspired or just simply jealous...the hardest part was digging them lights out of storage under the stairway.....mele kalikimaka.....