Category: Living Life

  • Discovering Life Drawing

    Drawing the human form has been done since early man lived in caves. Today, artists still use bits of charcoal to make marks on a page that transform into a likeness of a person.

  • Lāna‘i: The Little Island With a Big Heart

    The opening lines of an ancient mele (chant) describes Lāna‘i with the following line — “Hanohano Lāna‘i i ke kauna‘oa, koku kapa ‘ahu‘ula kau po‘ohiwi…” Lāna‘i is distinguished by the lei of kauna‘oa (Cuscuta sandwichiana), which looks like a feather cloak set upon its shoulders. The island of Lāna‘i is sixth in size of the…

  • A Life Shared is a Life Well-Lived

    Most of life’s memorable experiences are memorable because they’re shared. What if there were an easy way to not only write down your memories for family and friends but to also give them the opportunity to reminisce with you about them? There is! Developed by a team right here in Hawai‘i — led by local…

  • What’s Pickleball?

    Pickleball combines elements of tennis, badminton, and table tennis and is played either indoors or outdoors on a 20×44-foot court. Players use a paddle, perforated ball similar to a whiffle ball, and a 3-foot-high net. Pickleball can be played as singles or doubles and it’s like playing ping pong on the ground.

  • Variety is the Spice of Life

    The motto of the City and County of Honolulu, Department of Parks and Recreation is “We Add Quality to Life” and the public programs it provides, along with the events it hosts and participates in, are a reflection of that aim. Concerts, fairs, cultural exhibitions and the longest-running non-competitive hula event in the state are…

  • ‘Life Stories’: A Spotlight on Our Kūpuna

    With the holidays and the spirit of the season upon us, our energies turn toward the festivities with our friends and families. What better opportunity for us to shine the spotlight on our kūpuna than by tapping into their vast knowledge of life, wisdom and memories? A fun way to do this is through a…

  • 3 Tips to Help Discuss Aging in Place

    There is no perfect time to discuss end-of-life care. Most seniors would prefer to age in place at home, as independently as possible. But too few take the time to discuss their preferences with their family, leaving family caregivers stressed and scrambling. The most important thing any family can do to prepare for a loved…

  • Making the Most of Retirement

    When I moved from Moloka‘i to Kapolei earlier this year, my goals for retirement were to spend time with my granddaughter, become involved in my new community by volunteering at the library and local school, and to continue what I enjoy doing — walking daily, reading, acrylic painting, gardening, cooking healthy meals, attending art shows and educational…

  • Sharing a Love of Books

    One of the pleasures of being a grandparent is spending time with the grandkids, and reading books together is a wonderful way to do just that — whether introducing a toddler to the alphabet or helping a sixth-grader research a project. Here are some ideas for locally published books to share with your special keiki.

  • Molokai Arts Center

    The day I visit the Molokai Arts Center, Betty West is teaching a kūpuna ceramics class. Betty was one of the founders of the center, which grew from an idea discussed at the local pizza café by locals — mostly seniors — who felt the island needed a place to nurture the arts. Between 2010 and 2012, the group…