Home- Twitter
- LinkedIn
- Flickr
- YouTube
- Blog
-
Tweets
- @Mike_Kai thank you so much for this morning's message.May 20, 12 from web Reply, Retweet, Favorite
- Honolulu Academy of Arts http://t.co/z7A2Irk3
- awesome breakfast @wholeoxdeli http://t.co/NxPYhYp1
- loko ea fishpond in hale'iwa.... http://t.co/ft2XtC7X
- "so let's dance this last dance tonight...."May 17, 12 from web Reply, Retweet, Favorite
- in the auditorium this morn.... http://t.co/e2vROZhs
- book 'em danno. season finale tonight....May 14, 12 from web Reply, Retweet, Favorite
- Hawai'i State Art Museum http://t.co/lle72vDm
- I'm at Hawai'i State Art Museum (HiSAM) (Honolulu, HI) http://t.co/5PvzD6CF
- tickets for tonight's movie.... http://t.co/9HY2d4L1
- today's lunch meeting disguised as a pool party.... http://t.co/gAYTxi90
- at an excellent social media citizenship training for Kamehameha Schools....May 11, 12 from web Reply, Retweet, Favorite
- 1st comic book i ever bought as a little kid. #throwbackthursday http://t.co/JOAzQjBU
-
Info
- SummaryEducation Technology Specialist at the Kamehameha Schools. Primary role is to facilitate technology integration and best practices. Previously, a teacher with the Hawai’i State Department of Education. Fascinated with how new media is revolutionizing learning and fostering global citizenship.
Child sponsor through Compassion International. Volunteer with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Honolulu. Currently attending Hope Chapel West O’ahu.Specialties: Social Media Digital MediaExperience- Aug 2003 - PresentEducation Technology Specialist / Kamehameha SchoolsKamehameha Schools Education Technology Services is committed to providing innovative and research-based instructional technology integration solutions and strategies to the Kamehameha learning community. Our goals and objectives are based on the premise that the positive impact of technology on teaching and learning can effectively be achieved with proper support paradigms and thoughtful technology planning.
- Sept 1988 - Jul 2003Elementary Teacher / Hawai'i Department of Education
Education- University of Hawaii at Manoa
Additional Information-
Websites:
-
Interests:I love to travel. I hope to surf more. I’m an aspiring singer-songwriter. I’m a sports enthusiast, foodie, moviegoer, blogger, and lifelong learner. My dream is to change the world.
-
Photos
-
Uploads
-
Posts
- May 20, 12
Walked over to the Honolulu Academy of Arts after church today. Admission is free on the third Sunday of each month. It was my first time there since I was a little kid. They recently changed their name to the Honolulu Museum of Art to attract more visitors. There’s a gift shop, café, garden, exhibitions, and special evening events.
Since it was a Family Sunday, there were craft activities and entertainment. There were a number of dance performances and beatbox artist Jason Tom.
I have to say that I was extremely impressed (shocked) with the art collection. I had no idea. When I saw works by Picasso and Gauguin, I thought “no way.” I expected to see a strong Pacific collection, but not art from Egypt, China, and the Italian Renaissance.
I will definitely go back again.
- May 18, 12
The Kamehameha Schools IT department participated in a Nohona Day / community service project in Hale’iwa. We helped to clean up the Loko Ea Fishpond by removing invasive plants and fish. We also set up tents for a community event that will take place tomorrow.
The day started off with a bus tour of Hale’iwa Town. Our friend & tour guide Kalani showed us around and provided us with lots of interesting information.
After a bento lunch, we walked over to the famous Hale’iwa Bridge and had shave ice at the Volcom Surf shop. Hit the spot.
It was a Happy Aloha Friday….
- May 12, 12
After cleaning house this morning, I decided to take a walk to the Hawai’i State Art Museum (HiSAM.) Not too many people even know this place exists. I only found out about it on Yelp. It’s a nice, small museum in town across from the ‘Iolani Palace. And it’s free.
One of the two wings features contemporary local artists. I’ve always liked that painting on the left by Jean Charlot.
There are metal pieces, wooden bowls, textiles, and even a children’s learning center in the back.
There’s a sculpture garden outside on the museum grounds. I ran into a fellow KS employee who volunteers there. I learned that this museum hosts events such as First Fridays, weddings, proms, and concerts.
But I was so bummed that the café was closed today. It was pretty much the main reason why I went in the first place.
So I stopped by Pho Nam on the way home for my pho-fix. I had a bowl of rare beef & beef tendon pho. Really hit the spot….
- May 06, 12
On my way home from church this morning, I drove past the Hawai’i Book & Music Festival. It was being held at Honolulu Hale, so I decided to walk on over.
There were publishers, vendors, author presentations, food booths, and entertainment. There was a large book swap tent, but you needed to bring books in order to participate. I had a curry lunch plate from India Café and sat down by the main stage to listen to a jazz quartet.
I walked around and checked out some of the publishers. Bamboo Ridge Press was selling new books for just $1.
Here’s Roland Cazimero performing a new song that he wrote about Honolulu for the Singer-Songwriter Showcase.
And here are the garlic fries that I had from the Gordon Biersch tent. I had a nice time….
- Apr 29, 12
The Kamehameha Middle School hula club, Hui ‘Ōiwi, held its annual hula retreat at Camp Homelani this weekend. I was blessed to have been a chaperone for the second year in a row. My role was to serve and protect (well…. drive the van and prep snacks.) We had a blast.
Kumu Joy and the girls worked hard in preparing for their upcoming performance. They had two evening practices, two morning practices, and an afternoon practice.
There was some free time at Waialua Beach, fronting the camp site. We had great weather all weekend long. I lucked out with my own private bathroom and air conditioning!
Last night we had a crab hunt at the beach and made smores over a ridiculously, scorching “bonfire” (campfire.) Good times….
Mahalo to Joy and Nicole. You can catch Hui ‘Ōiwi at the Spring Fling on Saturday, May 5th, at 5:30pm in the elementary courtyard.
- Apr 03, 12
Just returned from my “YOLO trip” to Europe with the high school. This trip was a dream come true! There were 40 of us, approximately 20 students and 20 adults. This was an 11-day EF Tour. I kept a journal in my Moleskine notebook….
We left late Monday night, March 19th, and had a 6-hour layover in San Fran.
EF provided us with a city bus tour. We visited the Golden Gate Bridge and had amazing clam chowder at Chowders at Pier 39. We then took a 10-hour flight to Frankfurt, Germany aboard Lufthansa Airlines. This was definitely one of the best airlines that I’ve ever flown on.
I believe that “Day 1″ officially began on Wednesday. We had a 2-hour layover in Frankfurt and a 1½ hour flight to Rome. There we met our Tour Director “Javi.” We arrived at our hotel late in the afternoon.
What one word would I use to describe the hotels in Europe? “Quaint?” “Charming?” How about “ghetto.” Haha. Don’t let the stars on the sign fool you. Still, we were all very excited. (And it’s all part of the experience.)
I can’t believe that I’m finally here in Rome….
- Apr 03, 12
One of my best days ever….
Thursday was sunny and beautiful. The temperature was almost 70˙. And yes, I still can’t believe I’m in Rome.
Our first stop was to the Colosseum. There we saw what looked like a bunch of “USC mascots” (dressed-up gladiators who pose for pics with tourists.) As I walked by, one whacked me on the rear with a plastic sword and said, “Come take a picture little man,” to the delight of our tour group….
Javi then took us on a walking tour through the side streets of Rome. He calls these streets the “Real Rome” where many tourists don’t get to explore.
Most of the side streets are cobblestone and are full of cafés, gelato shops, and neighborhood churches.
There are also these piazzas or squares that are gathering places. Many had obelisks like this one.
Not a bad place to spend a morning….
After walking through more side streets, we turned a corner and came upon the Pantheon. At this point, my brain was turning into mush from seeing so many amazing things. (Click on photo for full size.)
We had some free time at the Spanish Steps. Yes, we walked up the steps. In fact, we did a whole lotta walking on this trip.
This was one of the top two pizzas that I’ve ever had (the one in New York was good too.) Tomatoes just taste different here. Everything is fresh and homemade. This pizza was sliced, then weighed on a scale, and then folded. It was so good. We had gelato for dessert.
We then visited the Trevi Fountain (Fontana di Trevi.)
I actually brought a couple of Hawai’i quarters for this….
Dinner was at the La Baia Ristorante Pizzeria. We had bruschetta, lasagna, flan, and live music.
I love Italia….
- Apr 03, 12
Of all the incredible things that we saw on the trip, I would say that Vatican City was the most impressive for me. (It also could have been a cumulative effect from Day 2.) What I saw at St. Peter’s Basilica and in the Sistine Chapel totally blew my mind. Unfortunately, photos are not allowed in the Sistine Chapel. After going through a security check, we got to tour. I learned that in Italy, most of the art is not in museums, but in churches.
St. Peter’s Basilica. Home of the Pope….
The building itself is impressive from the outside.
Inside, the walls and ceilings were covered with art.
Unfortunately, I could not get a pic inside the Sistine Chapel. It was stunning. I had to sit and try to process what I was seeing. The photos that you see online are only sections of the ceiling. Seeing the whole thing at once was an experience I’ll never forget….
Here are a few of the students posing for me after a gelato break. We ate a lot of gelato for sure. The cool thing about the trip was how the tour group bonded. I made a lot of good friends on this trip.
Colosseo.
After lunch, we took a tour inside of the Colosseum with a local guide.
We then walked over to the Forum and continued the tour there.
Roman Forum.
We were given some free time before dinner. We walked over to the Tiber River to take pictures at sunset.
By the way, this is what the cars look like in Rome. Students would yell out “coche” whenever one was approaching from behind.
After a pizza dinner, we took an evening bus tour of the city. Here is the Trevi Fountain at night. Another Hawai’i quarter…. We also visited the Spanish Steps and St. Peter’s Square. We had to walk quite far to find restrooms, and that was an adventure as well.
Rome was amazing. At this point I thought to myself, “This is already a great trip. Everything else from this point on is just gravy….”
- Apr 03, 12
This is what our typical breakfast looked like on tour. The bread in Europe is terrific. Crunchy & crusty….
These are packages of toast. I would take a few each day to give to the beggars on the street. (I didn’t want to give money in case they were faking it.) I also collected leftover bread and rolls that were going to be thrown out. I believe that I was also setting an example for the students on the trip. By the 2nd week, they were saving their breads for me. I always had 4-5 rolls in my backpack.
We traveled by tour bus to Assisi. We had nice motor coaches throughout the trip.
Our driver in Italy was Giuseppe. He was usually late and smoked cigarettes in the bus while he waited for us. He was also a good guy. He wore stylish suits and played European techno music on the bus.
On the way to Assisi, we visited a pottery factory. There were wines, salami, cheeses, pottery, and souvenirs for sale. Our tour group did a lot of damage there. I’m not much of a shopper. I just ate free samples and took pictures on my iPhone.
We reached Assisi before lunch time. It was beautiful.
We visited the Basilica of San Francesco. We were given a presentation by a fryer there.
The view was breathtaking. For lunch, I had a panini sandwich with prosciutto ham.
And of course, gelato. I must’ve had at least two gelati per day.
We then headed for Tuscany….
We reached our hotel outside of Florence by dinner time. Did I mention that we were not staying at resort hotels?
Are you kidding me? When you turn on the shower, the water hits the toilet. Fortunately, I had hot water here. What was gross was that the shower curtain kept clinging to my okole. I had to wash everything twice. On the positive side, I could actually use the toilet, shower, and brush my teeth in the bidet all at the same time….
- Apr 03, 12
Florence was beautiful. Whereas Rome was a city filled with attractions, Florence was like a quaint Italian town, unchanged over time. The Duomo was magnificent.
During a bathroom break (they don’t use the term “restroom”) a parade passed by. Unfortunately for me, I was distracted by this princess. Somehow, I got separated from my group. In fact, I was lost for approximately one hour. Needless to say, it was pretty scary. My heart started pounding and my mouth got dry. I told myself to stay calm. I realized that I was OK since it wasn’t a travel day. Worst case scenario, I would catch a cab back to the hotel and miss out on the tours. My strategy was to walk back and forth from the Duomo to the Square along the main road. After my 8th or 9th trip, I was spotted at the square. Relief! Then I told myself to not let this spoil my experience in Florence. It didn’t….
We visited a leather factory. There was a demonstration and a bunch of shopping. I didn’t buy anything.
Then we had lunch at a sidewalk café at the Piazza della Signoria. This was hands down the best pasta that I’ve ever had in my life! I ordered the Tagliatelle with mushrooms. The sauce was unbelievable.
Ahh. Fiorenza….
After lunch, we went to look inside the Duomo. Because it was a Sunday, it was only open after Mass. It was very beautiful inside as well.
Then we went to the Accademia Museum to see the statue of David. Unfortunately, photographs are not allowed. While inside, one of the ladies told me to go look at the crack in the back of the David statue. I replied, “Ewwww….” She laughed and said, “No, there’s a crack on the back of his leg.” I said, “Oh….”
During our free time, we visited the river and some of the shops in Florence.
At one of the squares, we caught a delightful marionette show and were again pestered by the many street vendors.
We had dinner at a restaurant called “i 5am ci.”
- Apr 03, 12
We started off the morning by taking a stroll through Montecatini which is a resort district. Unfortunately, Javi and one of the leaders had to take a student to the embassy to replace a stolen passport. We left for Pisa at around noon via motor coach.
No, this isn’t it. We rode this trolly from the parking lot to the tower….
Here’s another one of those images that will be forever stuck in my head.
This is what tourists do. Everyone was sticking their arms out and having their picture taken.
This is what a lot of the restaurants look like. I took this while eating gelato. At this point in the trip, we’re eating gelato for appetizers as well as desserts….
That night, we caught a ferry that would take us across the Mediterranean. It was time to say ciao to Italy and ¡hola to Spain.
There was a disco on board. Students took advantage and danced the night away. I actually used this time to catch up on my sleep. This was “half-time” for the trip.
For more Italy photos, click here.
- Apr 03, 12
Day 7 was pretty much a travel day. It was uneventful. The food was expensive (and not the best.)
At least the cabins were nice. This was our best accommodations so far. Hot water and water pressure are luxuries….
I spent most of the day reading Hunger Games in the dining area of the boat.
I got a lot of rest. One thing I was glad I packed for this trip was Airborne Chewables. It gave me an immunity boost each morning. That stuff really worked.
We arrived in Barcelona in the afternoon. We checked into the Hostal Lami.
Here’s the view from my hotel window. Happy to be in Spain….
- Apr 03, 12
After taking a bus tour around Barcelona, we arrived at the Parc Guëll. This park was created by the architect/artist Antoni Gaudí.
The weather in Spain was spectacular. In fact, we were blessed with great weather every single day of the trip.
This was another dream come true for me. The la Sagrada Família…. I was surprised to learn that Gaudí only finished a small portion of it. They are hoping to complete it by 2026, the centennial of his death.
Lunch was awesome! We had seafood paella.
Not only was this the best meal of the trip, this was one of my best meals ever. It was savory, flavorful, and so good.
Speaking of food…. I have to say here that although I had my best pasta and pizza on this trip, the food in Europe did not blow me away. I knew that we weren’t going to the restaurants that Anthony Bourdain would go to…. Still, we went to the places that most tourists would go to. The food in Spain was better than in Italy, but not as good as what I had in Japan, Australia, or even what I have in my own neighborhood in Kaka’ako.
We took a stroll down the famous Las Ramblas and found a marketplace called Mercat de la Boqueria. There was rabbit meat and all sorts of unusual fruits.
We had a buffet dinner at the pier. I collected a lot of bread rolls here.
We took the high-speed train to Madrid. I had to sit by myself, so I had to make sure that I was awake to catch my stop.
We checked into our hotel, which was probably the best that we had on the trip. Even the wi-fi was good here. Happy to be in Madrid….
- Apr 03, 12
We walked over to the Prado Museum from our hotel. We saw incredible masterpieces by Velázquez and Goya.
I was lucky to have taken this pic of the church next door….
We then walked over to Buen Retiro Park. It’s huge, over 350 acres. There was a rose garden and turtles in the ponds. We had lunch there. I had a bocadilla with serrano jamón (cured ham.)
We looked inside the Crystal Palace which used to be a greenhouse.
We then took the Metro to Plaza de España.
I really loved this particular square. I wish we could have something like this back home. There were food booths and vendors and benches to hang out.
And the sausage was incredible. Salud!
We had a nice dinner. After dinner, half of the group attended a flamenco show. The rest of us boarded the Metro back to our hotel. This time, the Metro was incredibly packed. We were literally stuffed liked sardines. Unfortunately, there was a one-day labor strike in Spain, and all of the protestors (and everybody else) decided to catch the Metro at the same time. Fortunately we made it back. The flamenco people had to walk home….
- Apr 03, 12
On Friday, we visited the Royal Palace. It’s where King Juan Carlos lives. It was an incredible tour with interesting things to see. Unfortunately, photos were not allowed inside the palace. We also checked out the Royal Armoury.
We took a bus tour around the city. Madrid is filled with fountains.
We had lentil soup and really nice pork chops for lunch.
We were given 3-hours of free time at Puerta del Sol.
There were cafés, shops, street performers, and street vendors.
We then walked over to the Plaza Mayor. This used to be the main square in Madrid.
Just outside of Plaza Mayor, we had our tapas dinner at the Pub La Mazmorra. It was great fun. There was live music and the sangria was flowing….
For dessert, we had chocolate churros. It was alright….
This was our final night in Europe. We didn’t want it to end. We took the Metro back to our hotel.
For more Spain photos, click here.
- Apr 03, 12
Today was the last official day of the EF Tour. We gave a heartfelt mahalo and bid a fond farewell to Javi at the airport.
Javi made the trip great for us. He will be a lifelong friend….
We then had a 9-hour flight to Dallas. The Holiday Inn Express was by far the best accommodations on the entire trip.
By this time, everyone was craving a steak. Texas was the perfect layover destination. Here’s my rib-eye from the Saltgrass Steak House.
We had a 2-hour layover in Los Angeles, and then an evening flight back to Honolulu. It’s nice to be back home.
And it’s nice to have your dream come true….
- Mar 17, 12
Attended the TEDx Youth event at Punahou this morning. It was an amazing event. The student coordinators and advisers did a spectacular job!
They provided a social media station in the lobby of the Wo International Center. The social media team did a great job of tweeting and posting (Facebook) throughout the day.
Even the lunch was great. Food was provided by Michi’s “Cooking Fresh for You.” Everything tasted fresh and delicious. They set up a poke bar with yummy ingredients.
But enough about food. The student presenters were all amazing. They shared their ideas, hopes, inspiration, and their life stories. I also met a lot of wonderful people today. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to take part. Mahalo.
- Mar 17, 12
Attended the 92nd annual Kamehameha Schools Song Contest, “Ho‘ōla Lāhui, Ho‘oulu Pae ‘Āina — Vibrant People, Thriving Lands.” The event is held at the Blaisdell Arena, just across the street from my condo. Song Contest is one of our most beautiful and cherished traditions.
Before the show went live, Dr. Chun greeted the crowd and received a standing ovation. It was a very heartwarming moment. We had great seats in the loges. We sat directly behind the sophomores. Mahalo Kumu Joy for the ticket!
The highlight of the event is always the Hō‘ike. This year’s Hō‘ike was a tribute to Princess Pauahi. It was another “chicken skin” moment. I truly enjoyed being at tonight’s event. So proud of our students! Congratulations to all. Here are the results from tonight’s competition….
Imua.
- Mar 11, 12
- Mar 10, 12
Kony 2012 is one of the greatest social media campaigns in history. The accompanying YouTube video is now the most successful viral video of all time.
However, we are now awaiting “official” word on whether this has been a scam. The atrocities of war criminal Joseph Kony are well documented and are not in question. This story is more about the Invisible Children non-profit organization than it is about Kony. This campaign has been a phenomenon.
I believe the main point in all of this is that young people from around the world are hungry to rally around a good cause. Students have been purchasing kits and forming Kony 2012 clubs at their schools. What we need is discernment, because this will no doubt happen again.
Let’s launch the “Phony 2012″ campaign to promote awareness and digital literacy. Now that’s one thing we can all agree on….
- Mar 03, 12
Walked over to the Honolulu Festival this morning. It was held at the Convention Center, about 1.5 miles away according to Google Maps. It was free, and I had a nice time. Entertainment was ongoing. There were cultural performances, an indoor Bon Dance, crafts, games, and exhibits.
The Bo-Hyun Dance Group was very impressive. They gave a powerful and precise drumming performance.
There were a lot of booths, art exhibits, and vendors. I saw an origami table and a robotics demonstration. I was only disappointed that there weren’t that many food booths. I expected to see all kinds of different foods and cooking demonstrations. I did sample a nice cup of 100% Kona coffee.
There was even a Cosplay Café where people could dress up and have their picture taken. No, I didn’t dress up….
Still, it was a fun way to spend the morning. Looking forward to Sunday evening’s fireworks display (Nagaoka Hanabi.)
- Feb 25, 12
Attended our annual Kamehameha Schools Ho’olaule’a this morning on the grounds of our high school campus. The ho’olaule’a is a Hawaiian celebration / fundraiser for our student enrichment programs and is sponsored by our ATP (Association of Teachers & Parents.) Here is a link to the flyer.
Entertainment was provided by the school’s marching band, concert glee, hula classes, and childrens’ chorus. There was also a country store and silent auction.
I always have the Hawaiian plate. It’s so good! I also picked up a bag of dried squid. That stuff is like “gold.” They also sell watercress stew, Moloka’i bread, Kaua’i kūlolo, and malasadas.
There is a section for the younger students with carnival rides, jumpers, and games.
It was great family fun for the KS ‘ohana. I actually left before the rains came down….
- Feb 19, 12
Jeremy Lin has taken the NBA by storm. This underdog / Asian-American / Harvard graduate has captured the imagination of the sports world.
More importantly, he has become a witness for Christ to over a billion people in China. Lin is so popular in China, his counterfeit knock-off jerseys are all sold out. He has been embraced by a country that has been notorious for persecution. This is an amazing breakthrough. Tim Tebow witnessed to millions, but we are now talking about a scale that has never been approached before.
Not to get carried away, but I believe that the unassuming Jeremy Lin has a platform that Billy Graham (or Tim Tebow) could never have imagined in his wildest dreams. Now that’s Linsanity….
- Feb 19, 12
Attended tonight’s opening of POW WOW Hawai’i at Loft in Space x Fresh Café. “POW WOW Hawai’i is a gathering to celebrate culture, music, and art.” Its mission is to engage the broader community in the process and creation of art. Local and international contemporary artists have been painting murals on walls and buildings in the neighborhood of Kaka’ako this past week.
Ran into a friend, and one of the founding artists there, Kamea.
WOW, had a really great time checking out the art work and taking part in such a cool event….
- Feb 17, 12
Kamehameha Schools – Kapālama is having its Tech Slam tomorrow on the high school campus. A “Tech Slam” is a conference for teachers that focuses on integrating technology to enhance learning. I’ll be doing a breakout session on social media.
You can follow the learning on Twitter at #KSfaculty.
