A Grandmotherʻs Deposit: My Grandmother is AWESOME.

A Deposit on life.

I was just having a discussion on Deposits. Not the kind you put in the bank... Nope. I'm talking about the sort that cost you money. When a business asks for a deposit, that business is basically making sure that their investment of time and money into YOU and your project is not wasted. They are making sure that you will use their services and will not backout. Most businesses that require deposits put time and effort into you... Time and effort that you may not see or realize.

On the flip side... Make sure that when you are paying a deposit that you 1. Have read the fine print on the contract, 2. Are absolutely sure that you will use those services 3. Make sure that the deposit amount is fair and reasonable and 4.Did I mention READ the contract.

And so you read the contract that states that the deposit is the property of the business. You sign that contract saying that you will put down a deposit of X amount of dollars as good faith that you the customer will follow through and use the services that the business is preparing to offer you. You pay that business your deposit.

So... All life threatening and natural disasters aside... If you, the client, decide not to use the service you put a deposit down on... Do you deserve to get your deposit back?

I'm actually asking.

All life threatening, acts of God and natural disasters aside... Do you think you should get your deposit back? 

AND...

Welcome to another installment of Happy Nathaniel. 

I went to an awesome wedding a few weeks back that I want to mention here and now!!! It was the wedding of two great friends, Joel Young and Lindsey Warp. May their lives be fuller and filled to the brim with happiness!

And...

That's not what I called you here for. I called you here because My Grandma is the best Grandma ever!

Speaking of deposits... This woman has deposited so much LOVE and HOPE and STRENGTH into her family. Let us do some Math on the CARING/LOVE DEPOSITS Grandma has made over the years...

Because its rude to mention a ladies age without her consent... let us use a span of roughly 60 years of KIDS: 

1 older sibling, 3 younger siblings, 1 husband (oh I love you Grandpa), 4 daughters, 13 grandchildren, 2 great-grandchildren and lets say roughly 2 dozen Hanai Kids... you know who you are!!! And thatʻs just the IMMEDIATE Family! I would be here FOREVER if I wrote down everyone that has benefited from Grandmas LOVE.

Grandma and her two oldest Grandchildren.

... Think about how much food Grandma has made for us in 60 years... There was ALWAYS food ready or ready in 10 minutes if you were hungry. 

... Think about how many hugs, kisses, spankings (hey... love hurts and you know you deserved it... you know who you are), more kisses you were given.

... Thatʻs a SHIT-LOAD of diapers in 60 years!!!

... Think about how much ti-leaf sheʻs wrapped around you to calm a fever and huli opu (tummy rubs) sheʻs given. Remember the cloth diapers (clean) she would wrap around your tummy to keep it warm.

... The house is ALWAYS OPEN.

... Grandma prays for you everyday... even if she doesnʻt particularly like you at the moment. That just means she prays harder!!!!

My family is now returning the favor. To my family...

Thank you.

I keep on hearing the sentence... "If you were here you would do the same. You would care for Grandma too."

To that I say:  Thank You For Making Me Feel Better.

To my family who ARE THERE... And you know who you are... To my family members who are staying up late and sleeping with Grandma... To my family members who have put their blood, sweat, and time into fixing the house on Lanikaula Street that WE ALL call HOME... To all my family members who have made multipule trips from the outer islands to care for OUR LADY... To my family who live their lives for family...

To my family... Here is one of Grandmas stories... When Great-Grandpa Nathaniel and Vovo got sick, Grandma took care of them. Yes... I am sure she had help... Yes... She could have done other things. She could have put Vovo and Great-Grandpa Harry in a care facility. But she didn't. She cared for her Mother and Father. 

Thank you for that Grandma. Thank you for installing... DEPOSITING... in your children and grandchildren AND GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN the power of CARE. The power of BEING THERE for your family. 

And now it is our turn. We will CARE for you, Grandma, like you cared for us. 

Thank you AGAIN and AGAIN for my Family who ARE PRESENT. Thank you for my Family that send their prayers every day. Thank you for you.

Thank you Grandma.

I love you,

Your Grandchild, Child, Niece, Sister, Cousin, Friend...

Happy Nathaniel

RANDOM FAMILY PICTURES IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER...

I touch myself.

I touch myself. Donʻt you? I touch myself as much as possible...

If you donʻt, you should too. Especially the LADIES... In the shower. In front of a mirror. Why not get comfy and do it in bed. You donʻt need anything else but your fingers. 

Just relax and let your fingers explore...

Using the pads of your fingers, move around your entire breast in a circular pattern moving from the outside to the center, checking the entire breast and armpit area.  Check both breasts each month feeling for any lump, thickening, or hardened knot. Notice any changes and get lumps evaluated by your healthcare provider."

So... what did you think I was talking about? 

Please read on for more information and pictures on how to touch yourself... 

But first... a DISCLAIMER. I am not a doctor. I am not a nurse. I am not a sex-education teacher. I am not affiliated with any sort of health industry. You are reading this blog with the full knowledge that Pilialoha K. Nathaniel is not authorized by any school, institution or government to give health and medical advise. If you follow any advise in this blog it is at your own discretion and at your own risk. Okay? Nod if you agree. If you read anything past this paragraph that means you have nodded and you agree.

Hello my FAMILY, my FRIENDS and all you lovely people who have joined me on this "touchy" subject...

TOUCH YOURSELF!!! I am starting a "Touch Yourself" campaign in my family. So... While many of you... my family and friends... are taking steps to improve your health and bodies... You must check your bodies regularly!!! If you do not do this already you NEED TO START. All of you... Men and Women!!! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE KNOW YOUR BODIES!!! 

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. For more information on breast exams please go to this link: BREAST SELFIE for the National Breast Cancer Foundation instructions on how to give yourself a monthly breast exam. 

1) IN THE SHOWER - Using the pads of your fingers, move around your entire breast in a circular pattern moving from the outside to the center, checking the entire breast and armpit area. Check both breasts each month feeling for any lump, thickening, or hardened knot. Notice any changes and get lumps evaluated by your healthcare provider. 

2) IN FRONT OF A MIRROR - Visually inspect your breasts with your arms at your sides. Next, raise your arms high overhead.Look for any changes in the contour, any swelling, or dimpling of the skin, or changes in the nipples. Next, rest your palms on your hips and press firmly to flex your chest muscles. Left and right breasts will not exactly match—few women's breasts do, so look for any dimpling, puckering, or changes, particularly on one side. 

3) LYING DOWN - When lying down, the breast tissue spreads out evenly along the chest wall. Place a pillow under your right shoulder and your right arm behind your head. Using your left hand, move the pads of your fingers around your right breast gently in small circular motions covering the entire breast area and armpit.Use light, medium, and firm pressure. Squeeze the nipple; check for discharge and lumps. Repeat these steps for your left breast.

And while we are throwing our pink flags (GO NFL Referees!!!) and our National Football League teams (go Niners!!!) are wearing pink shoes to promote BREAST CANCER AWARENESS ... Let us BE AWARE of our ENTIRE BODIES.

So let us TOUCH OURSELVES!!!

Skin Cancer is the most common form of CANCER in the United States. According to www.skincancer.org ONE person DIES every HOUR from MELANOMA.  Hereʻs a chart to follow from www.skincancer.org:

1	Examine your face, especially the nose, lips, mouth, and ears - front and back. Use one or both mirrors to get a clear view.
2	Thoroughly inspect your scalp, using a blow dryer and mirror to expose each section to view. Get a friend or family member to help, if you can.
3	Check your hands carefully: palms and backs, between the fingers and under the fingernails. Continue up the wrists to examine both front and back of your forearms.
4	Standing in front of the full-length mirror, begin at the elbows and scan all sides of your upper arms. Don't forget the underarms
5	Next focus on the neck, chest, and torso. Women should lift breasts to view the underside.
6	With your back to the full-length mirror, use the hand mirror to inspect the back of your neck, shoulders, upper back, and any part of the back of your upper arms you could not view in step 4.
7	Still using both mirrors, scan your lower back, buttocks, and backs of both legs.
8	Sit down; prop each leg in turn on the other stool or chair. Use the hand mirror to examine the genitals. Check front and sides of both legs, thigh to shin, ankles, tops of feet, between toes and under toenails. Examine soles of feet and heels.

You should be CHECKING YOUR BODY for signs of CHANGE... ONCE A MONTH!!! This skin cancer self-exam does not only give you the chance to examine your body for lesions, bumps and spots... it also gives you a chance to KNOW YOUR BODY!

KNOW YOUR BODY.

LOVE YOUR BODY.

Love,

Happy Nathaniel

Go to: National Breast Cancer Awareness Month to learn how you can promote Breast Cancer awareness.

Update 10/7/13... Cousin Jastine wanted me to promote Vagina Awareness as well. Get a Pap smear!!!!! Obgyns are not scary people!!! Ask your Mothers, Aunties, girlfriends and women you trust for their recommendation. 

According to Wikipedia: Worldwide, Cervical Cancer is the second most common and fifth deadliest form of cancer in women.

From the National Cancer Institute at www.cancer.gov:

Cervical Cancer is:

Cancer that forms in tissues of the cervix (the organ connecting the uterus and vagina). It is usually a slow-growing cancer that may not have symptoms but can be found with regular Pap tests (a procedure in which cells are scraped from the cervix and looked at under a microscope). Cervical cancer is almost always caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) infection.

WHERE HAVE I BEEN???

Okay... I apologize. I've been VERY bad about writing here. Very. Bad.

No. I did not forget about you. I have had you on the back of my mind these past... WOW... It's been exactly TWO MONTHS and TWO DAYS since I've written a blog. I am so HORRID! Horrible Horrible Blog Writer! I have definitely had you on my mind.

Why?

Why would I be constantly thinking about you and what you'd like me to write?

Because I miss you.

I am, of course, missing my family and friends who read this. To the currently nameless others... I would miss you too. If I knew you. So.... Please leave me a line at the end of this post. I'd really like to know who you are. I'd like to know who I will be writing to. Please feel free to peruse my past blogs. They are an excellent way to get to know me.

For my friends and family... I miss you.

 ...So I think a recap of my life and blog ideas of the past two months is in order...

The last time I blogged, I wrote about my Dad. Two months later he is still pretty flipping AWESOME.   I love my Dad and you should too. He works hard and plays hard and has the best smile for every occasion!

Since then... I have gone into WORK-A-HOLIC MODE. This is DEFINITELY going to be an upcoming blog post. I KNOW quite a few of my family members and friends... YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE... who are WORK-A-HOLICS. We all have different reasons for being the way we are and you know what... embrace the WORK! As long as you take the time to PLAY... EMBRACE THE WORK.

What am I working on? A few short stories and my novel. A Young Adult Book centered around a young girl named Julia 'Iolani Lyons. My TAGLINE: After the loss of her Mother, young Julia's life spirals further out of control when she discovers her innate ability to Change into an Animal.

I have a few people reading it... THANK YOU LEIMAILE (my sister) and JENAVA (an awesome writer friend) and TARRA (another awesome writer friend and professor) and JASON (my ultimate support)... Thank you to EVERYONE who has been helping me on this crazy process... And here is yet another upcoming Blog Post... LIVE YOUR DREAM. MAKE SHIT HAPPEN.

My day jobs keep the electricity on and food in the fridge. I am still bartending. I can see the blog title now: "How NOT to let your "day" job eat your life away." I don't really enjoy bartending any longer. It's become such a J-O-B. AND... I shouldn't complain because at least I have a great J-O-B that pays my bills and lets me hang out with some AWESOME co-workers.

My other work... one that I'm becoming very adept and good at... I guess you could call me an Executive Assistant. I mostly make/take phone calls and do a lot of driving. I probably know the beaches on the Jersey Shore better than in Hawaii. On a serious note... there are a lot of homes that were just about destroyed in Hurricane Sandy. I am working with W.A. Building Movers to get these families back in their homes. I will probably revisit Hurricane Sandy soon in this blog. There was alot to be learned from the storm...

In July, I celebrated my 33rd BIRTHDAY!!! HA... Getting old... THERE'S A BLOG FOR YOU!!! I have THE BEST Birthday! I got to fly a helicopter!!! FLY A HELICOPTER!!!! Getting old and doing crazy AWESOME SHIT!

And talking about AWESOMENESS...

I was also asked to do TOUGH MUDDER! Go here>>> THIS IS GONNA BE TOUGH!!! <<< for info on this crazy adventure. A few blogs will be devoted to this including but not limited to TRAINING, RUNNING, NOT BEING A (P)WUSSY and OVERCOMING PERSONAL FEARS. Huge hugs and kudos to my family in Hawaii who have already completed WARRIOR DASH and SPARTAN RACE. YOU are my inspiration!

I following with my INSPIRATION track... My Grandma. MY GRANDMA is simply the strongest, most beautiful and giving woman I know. Her birthday was on August 6th. She, for lack of an easier explanation, fell ill. She was in the hospital for a few weeks. She at home and is now on constant pain medication. She is the rock in our family. I miss her. MY NEXT BLOG WILL BE ON MY GRANDMOTHER.

That is pretty much a very quick summery of my past two months and a window in to my up coming blogs. I am going to go back (or go forward, rather) to writing two blogs a week. I will not give you the days on which these blogs will come out but I do PROMISE you at LEAST two a week.

Like I said before... I missed you. I hope you missed me too!

Love, Light and happy good times....

Happy Nathaniel.

Thank you Dad.

Who have you CHOSEN to be in your life? Who do you LOVE? 

My FAMILY, My FRIENDS and the lovely strangers who are stopping by my strange gymnasium of health and wellness...

I'd hate to think that LOVE was something we are FORCED to do. YOU are not FORCED to love anyone. You may not be able to choose the circumstances of your birth or your family but you can choose to live your life with love. Love is a CHOICE. We may be thrown into this world of millions of individuals and we get to choose which of those individuals we want to love.

Thank you Dad.

Thank you for CHOOSING to LOVE ME.

No Disclaimer today, my lovely FAMILY and FRIENDS... and everyone who has joined us on the beautiful Wednesday after FATHERS DAY.

I am PROCLAIMING!!!

MY DAD IS AWESOME!!!

My Dad chose to love me. He didn't have to. He faced a choice. Back in 1987 he met a beautiful young woman in a small church near his families property. She worked for the priest there that also happened to be his cousin. His cousin, the priest, noticing the two single young birds eyeing each other and decided to introduce them. She was twenty-seven and had just moved to Maui from the Big Island.

And... she had a kid.

Me.

I don't think I was the hardest kid to love. I don't know... you gotta ask my Dad. And I know my Dad and I have had our share of arguments... that is until I realized how lucky I really was.

I'm getting ahead of myself... The first time I remember meeting my Dad was at a Family Party at a big white house in Waihe'e Maui. I don't remember what he said to me or what we did but I do remember his SMILE.

My DAD has the best Smile. He is always smiling.

I wasn't the sportiest of kids. I didn't have one particular thing I was interested in. And no matter what I wanted to do, my father supported me. I am talking abut EVERYTHING!!! When I was interested in looking at the stars... he bought me a telescope. When I wanted to study the soil and be a gardener... he bought me an herb start-up kit. When I played Volleyball and Softball... he made sure I had the right equipment to be the best.

I wasn't always the the best daughter. I didn't always listen and I wasn't all that polite. After many hours of pushing, my Dad finally got me to say, "Yes, sir." and "Yes. ma'am." Instead of "WHAT." I was a HORRIBLE pre-teen. I made a few really bad choices as all teenagers do. My Dad helped me through it with the huge UNIVERSE patience a Father may have with his pre-teenaged daughter.

Into high school I settled down a bit and got really involved with school. So between school and watching my little sister and brother, I had NO SOCIAL LIFE. Which in my case, was probably for the best for me AND my parents mental stability. I waited until college to be social.

It wasn't until after college as I went into my twenty-seventh year... 2007... exactly twenty years since my Dad met my Mom... that it REALLY hit me.

I am BLESSED.

I am BLESSED with an AWESOME DAD.

I thought to myself... What if... What if I met a man who already had a child. What if I fell in love with the man... I would make the choice to love the child too. I am not saying I ever DOUBTED my Father's love. I have ALWAYS known he loved me and cared for me.

The DIFFERENCE is... I began to UNDERSTAND his LOVE and what it meant to have a FATHER that CHOSE to LOVE ME.

I LOVE YOU DAD.

Thank you for your love, Dad.

Happy Father's Day to all the fathers, grandfathers and uncles.

Love, light and aloha,

Pili

My Grandpa

My Papa