Talking Story, eating chicken, getting woo-woo

Read

On Sunday I finished reading Hotel Honolulu. While a bit long for a novel, it turned out be a fairly quick and breezy read, and all-in-all supremely entertaining. That first paragraph did not lead to disappointment!

The story centers around the unnamed narrator (seemingly close in nature to the actual author, Paul Theroux), who has left the Mainland and the world of writing to become a regular guy in Waikiki. He gets a job managing a run-down hotel owned by a capricious, debaucherous millionaire named Buddy Hamstra. Buddy ends up figuring into the story heavily, particularly in the final third.

The novel is really a connection of short stories and anecdotes of all the visitors, employees, local gossips, prostitutes and locals who touch the Hotel Honolulu and make their impression upon the narrator. It sometimes reminded me of Armistead Maupin's Tales of the City series, though less enduring. Here most characters are introduced, and then maybe given 1-3 chapters of backstory before some sort of resolution is met. However, there are a handful of mainstays whose stories are interwoven throughout the narrative.

Theroux has a firm command of the English language and uses it to explore some interesting themes of language and literature in relation to our culture, or any culture. The narrator exists, constantly, as an outsider, one whose world has been in books and often flails in attempts to understand this new realm where the sun always shines and improper grammar reigns.

This passage eloquently paints the picture of our narrator's inner struggles:

"The printed word was a source of energy to me, giving me hope and verifying what I felt. In fact, for long periods on this island over the past years I had felt that there was much more dreamed in literature than every contemplated in heaven and earth."

The first two-thirds are chocked full of bizarre histories, scandals, perversions and surprising twists. The last third slows down, becoming more of a meditation on what it means to be a grown man in a new place trying to make sense of a life that doesn't always seem the right fit.

Great read. I recommend it - great for a plane ride or a vacation in the sun.

Eat

This past Friday we went to the Eylsian Fields Brewery to celebrate Dan's sister's 37th birthday. I had no idea there was another Elysian. I've been going to the one on Capitol Hill for years, for its consistently tasty food and casual atmosphere.

This one is a bit more upscale and elegant. The space, located across from Qwest Field, is very spacious. The bar area is separate and there are even some private dining areas that I assume are rented out for events. The menu was more upscale, too, with several seafood dishes, steak but still with some standard options like burgers and salads. I went with the roasted chicken and mashed potatoes. Perhaps it was because I hadn't eaten much that day, but I could not stop raving about it, all the way to the car after dinner and even the next day! Yum!

Remember

Last night I took a class called "Intro to Huna" at South Seattle Community College, through their Continuing Education program. It was a two-hour seminar, introducing the basic elements to Huna, an ancient philosphy practiced by Hawaiians. It is unclear exactly how it came to be practiced on the Hawaiian Islands. Some believe it came from Egypt and was then delivered by Israelis while some believe it originated in the land known as Atlantis while even others believe it came from up above. Regardless, people still practice it today and it actually makes a lot of sense.

In Huna, there are three selves: the young or low self (child), the middle self (the one who speaks and reasons) and the high self (like your own personal god, or guardian angel who you ask for things).

Our instructor was an engaging speaker, brimming with passion on the topic. The idea that had the most resonance for me was, to no surprise, that we worry about things we don't want to happen, and all that energy goes into thinking "I don't want to feel sick" or "I don't want to be poor." Our younger self does not hear the "don't" and so we end up experiencing, or bringing about, exactly what we do not want. Instead, we ought to focus on what we want in positive terms.

I still feel like I have more to learn on this topic before I can speak to its full effects. I look forward to doing more research and allowing it to change some of my habits.