But I hate to write about it because it ends up feeling too much like whining and complaining which I don't find to be a very attractive quality whatsoever, in any person, no matter how justified one may be.

As tempted as I am to write about the nail place that kept me waiting for half an hour after my appointment time (yes, I had an appointment) and the hair salon that made my daughter wait for 15 minutes longer than she should have and were downright rude when I asked how much longer it would be, I will not.

Instead, I will mention The Star of Honolulu company (even though they are not in Kapolei) who went above and beyond in the arena of service for my family last weekend.

In celebration of a major family event we planned a cruise on the Starlet last Sunday. The Starlet is one of their smaller vessels that goes out from Kewalo Basin each day on whale watching rides. They host adventure cruises on the Starlet, as well. At least that's what I thought last spring when I booked for that.

I still thought that when we showed up on Sunday for a three hour tour that took us to a reef outside of Waikiki beach.

We anchored and the fun began. They dropped a trampoline, kayaks and flotation devices in the water, opened up the slide and the kids jumped in and had a blast. They supervised the children, fed the rest of us a delicious lunch, provided fishing poles for the guys to cast and took a group on a snorkeling tour nearby. It was one of the funnest days we ever had. Thank you to my wonderful sister-law, Stephanie Weisberg for the fabulous photos.

About half way through the event I found out that they no longer run this cruise. It was canceled last October, but since I made these arrangements last spring, they honored them and took us on the ride of our lives. It was a blast.

Now that is what I call good customer service. If I had received a phone call in October to tell me that our plans would not come to fruition after planning so carefully ahead, I would have been livid at the thought of starting all over again.

But that was not the case. The crew of the Starlet and the staff of Star of Honolulu company gave us top notch customer service. Thank you VERY much.

This is it. The end of her childhood....so to speak. She can't wait.

All of the cliches are true and they came to haunt me yesterday:
Youth is wasted on the young.
Youth is fleeting.
You are only young once.

While she is not trying to grow up too fast, I still wish I could tell her to slow down. You really are only young once and it goes by so fast.

I enjoyed being a teenager and wished her the same when I kissed her yesterday and said happy birthday. May the angst be mild and the rebellion soft. May the strong will and enthusiasm of her childhood guide her journey as she blossoms into a hearty independence that will serve her well in adulthood.

Enough already.

There were only three of us home last night so I got one of those small ice cream cakes from Baskin-Robbins that is a little square that cuts into 4 large pieces. It was only $10 and delicious. Perfect.

She assured me that I was sufficiently qualified and thus I became an Island Pacific Academy Middle School Science Fair Judge. I carried out my official duties today in their multi purpose room that was filled with young scientists and the projects on which they had been diligently working over the past few months, my daughter included.

I did not judge her project. Nor did I judge the projects of any of the kids with whom I am fairly familiar, leaving me a plethora of others from which to choose.

According to IPA Science Fair Coordinator Anne Staggemeier, Hawaii and Florida are the only states that still conduct middle school science fair competitions. I thank my lucky starts for that. I had a great experience today which leads me to the conclusion that the students' experiences must be even greater.

These 11-14 year-olds amazed me. They were self assured as they spoke of their projects and they understood the information that they shared. Their hard work was apparent in both the visual displays and oral presentations.

As I was moving about the room, interviewing sixth, seventh and eighth graders about their research and display boards, I learned about topics such as dehydration, sharks, staph infections, penicillin, and whether teens are more likely to become addicted to video games than adults.

One girl conducted research on who is smarter, boys? or girls? I did not have to interview her to know the results of that inquiry.

About a half hour into the three hour process I noticed a trend in the topics that many students chose. There were displays about landfills and pollution and global warming. Others explored litter, or recycling or the contamination of the ocean.

These kids are concerned about the earth and the atmosphere in a serious way. They are looking carefully at the causes and effects of global warming and desperately seeking solutions. They want to grow up to enjoy the natural environment and are willing to do what it takes to preserve its delicate balance.

I learned that if we use bar instead of liquid hand soap we will be eliminating tons of waste from the plastic containers in which the liquid soap is marketed. I also listened to a 12-year-old girl tell me in all seriousness about a toilet that can be flushed differently depending on if "You go Number 1 or Number 2." This was not silly, bathroom humor to her. It's a viable way to save water on a daily basis.

Several of these students will represent IPA at the Hawaii Association of Independent Schools Science Fair to be held February 8-9. Winners at this level will move on to the Hawaii State Science and Engineering Fair April 5-7 with those winners to attend the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair in San Jose May 9-14.

I was so proud of these students today (my daughter included.) They embraced their projects, the research, development and hard work each one entailed. They chose subjects about which they are passionate and value what they learned in the process. And they smiled in huge relief as the last judge finished their interview and dismissed them to go back to class.

Macrobiotic cooking involves eating a wide variety of foods grown locally, organically and in season, and utilizes a variety of simple cooking techniques. Attendees will learn how to cook tasty dishes using locally grown vegetables.

Macrobiotic Hawai‘i’s Leslie Ashburn will teach the cooking workshop. Ashburn will share tips on finding seasonal vegetables and how to cook them.

The workshop costs $7. Participants will also be provided with seeds from plants used in the demonstration to start their own vegetable garden. Registration is required; contact Janice Staab at janicestaab@gmail.com or 808-542-9107.

She invited me and my girls to join her and her woolly friends. The kids were in farm animal heaven and I relished the photo opportunity.

The greeting committee consists of a flock of roaming ducks and kennels filled with dogs. They quack and bark our way in as we drive slowly down the bumpy path to park near the stables and pens.

Renee's first order of business are the sheep and goats. They peacefully coexist in a huge pen right next to the horses. As soon as they see Renee, they greet us with deep throaty baaahs in excited anticipation of the treats and attention she brings.

She lets them out of the pen and they stampede past us to the grassy areas all around the ranch. They nibble shoots and leaves as they explore the nooks and crannies that this unique Ewa property offers.

Renee loves the sheep, taking special care and naming each one and the babies.

She gives the expectant and nursing mothers extra special attention and food. They all get a big dose of TLC as she rubs and pets them and cleans their pens. She does not name the goats because they get sold too fast and she does not want to get attached.

What my kids love most about coming to the ranch are the babies: kids, lambs and ducklings. They chase them down, catch and cuddle them to their hearts' content.

They also love the horses who come up to the edge of their stall ready for whatever treat we have. We offer carrots and hay on our outstretched palms and they nibble them up as we pet their manes.

There's even a miniature donkey named Flash.

I love taking my kids to the ranch. They come alive among the animals, embracing them and their smells and the dirt. The afternoon sails by as they follow Renee and the sheep and the goats and the ducks, immersing themselves in this lovely slice of nature.

I have been there a few times for parties and always enjoyed it. The Wai'anae High School holiday party was there many years ago. The Rotary Club of Kapolei held a holiday party there just last year. But I've never walked in, sat down and ordered from the menu. Since we can see it from our house, we thought we should probably check it out.

The menu is varied so everybody in my family was happy. I noticed that they serve breakfast from 6:00 am until 10:30 pm. After that they serve lunch and dinner until closing around 6:00 pm. You can get a drink from the moment they open until the time they close. There's also a full Japanese menu.

We got there about 30 minutes before closing and had the entire dining room to ourselves. The server told us that a crowd of about 60 people had just left, so we were pleased at our good timing.

We all started the meal with miso soup. My daughter had the kalbi plate, husband had ginger pork and I had a grilled chicken sandwich that was absolutely delicious. We left full and satisfied.

Service was excellent and gracious. Tommy Russell was our server and I'm sure he'd pay just as much attention to us if there were a full house.

The elegant club house and beautiful view of the golf course makes it an all around pleasant experience.

Yep, I am the only woman on the face of this earth who agreed to marry her husband on her very own birthday and thinks it’s one of the best decisions she ever made (besides marrying him in the first place, which was downright brilliant.)

Since last year was our first, the celebration was a bit more grand. We took a family trip to the Big Island and spent a ton of quality time together.

This year we were not able to get away in such style, but made the most of our day and I, for one, am very satisfied.

The children showered me with cards and gifts and attention. They know I love popcorn, so they got me a popcorn popper. They promptly set it up and made a batch for all of us. Enthusiastic is a mild word for their efforts as well as for the popper. They popped the lid right off and kernels flew all about the kitchen.

Our evening plans involved our trusty babysitter and a night out with friends at Uncle's Fish Market and Grill located waterfront at pier 38 on Nimitz Highway.

I'd been there for lunch with a friend last summer and enjoyed the fresh fish and casual atmosphere. I've been wanting to take my husband there, so when somebody suggested we go there last night, we jumped on it.

While generally crowded at lunchtime, there weren't too many people there at 6:00 pm on a Saturday night. Too bad for them. they have live music from in the evenings on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays and also in the afternoons on the weekends. And of course, there's the same delicious fresh fare that they serve all week long.

You walk up to the counter to order both food and drinks, which we did and the fish and clams and wine hit the table fast.

We had a great time eating and drinking and talking story, closing down the place at 9.

Perfect timing for us now that I am closer to 50 than 40. I come home now about the same time I used to be going out!

I felt kind of bad at first, considering it’s been a difficult 12 months for a lot of people, devastating for some, and all around hard for many more.

I thought about it a little bit more and really considered my perspective on 2009. In the light of a national economic crisis and other people’s tragedies, could I really be so callous as to laud my good fortune? But, the truth of the matter is that I really did have a great year.

Shopping in Kapolei improved exponentially. I consider that a personal boon. Costo and Target opened in the spring, followed by Ross and Price Busters in the summer.

Traffic got better in our Second City as well. New roads opened and continue to expand. I enter and exit H1 from the North/South road as often as possible.

Taking a leave from my job at Wai’anae High School after 18 years was huge. While necessary in terms of our family logistics, I was still sad to leave and curious how I would feel not working. Bottom line, I LOVE it.

Not only am I able to do the things for my children and husband and dog that keep our family happy and humming, I’ve also had the chance to say yes to many new opportunities.

I’ve spent more time helping at my own kids’ school. I’ve volunteered in ways that I never had time for before.

And I have time to enjoy my family as we grow and blend together. My children and husband bring me great joy.

It was not a perfect year. There has been illness and death among family and friends, sadness and prayers and more moments of great reflection.

I learned great lessons in the past year. The kind of lessons that help me define who and how I want to be. Even the ones that came at the hand of trial and tribulation have been a gift in what they have taught.

I am looking forward to putting them into practice in 2010.

So, I guess I have to thank the guy who said I should write about 2009. Turns out that, for me, it was a very good year.

My husband says that they always went to the movies and ate Chinese food. Last night we went to see the new Chipmunks movie. I guess that counts.

My family loved to drive around and look at all the lights and ornaments people put up on their houses and in their yards. It's the same in Kapolei. Last night we took a walk and checked out the locally famous Hanapa'a Street. We were among the local crowd that had come to see the Heineken tree, other decorations and sparkling lights. The kids drank the hot cocoa that the cheerful residents offer.

Another thing that a lot of Jewish people I know do on Christmas is volunteer. We give gifts to those less fortunate, feed the hungry and offer assistance in any way that we can to make an important holiday for others a little bit more cheerful.

That's what my family did today. My husband and older daughter visited soldiers from the WTB in the barracks and homes to wish them a happy holiday and deliver the cookies that we baked for them this week.

The younger girl and I also visited homes. We delivered meals for Lanakila Meals on Wheels to senior residents that they serve in Kapolei.

While we were just delivering a small meal, we received greater joy than I ever imagined at reaching out others. It was poignantly clear how hard it is to be alone or in need on a day so blatantly set aside to share with others.

Both of us agreed that we wished we could do and give more.

We picked up the meals at Nanakuli Beach Park and met a very nice group from the Nanakuli Lions Club who were also there to volunteer.

My daughter helped pack the bags with meals, goodie bags from the Lions Club and gifts donated by other organizations to take to the seniors. Our route covered Hono Kai Hale, Kalaeloa and the Villages of Kapolei. We got to visit the new senior residence in the Villages of Kapolei. It is very pleasant and green and open.

We were greeted by seniors and family and staff at each of the places where we stopped and left feeling full of good feelings from the meal we had delivered.

Merry Christmas everybody. Thank you for letting us share a bit of the joy with you.

I'm lucky my husband is not a jealous man. I have been seeing Habib almost religiously for the past ten years. Long before I met my hubby. He actually likes it when I go for my bimonthly date with the only other male who I let touch my hair to any extent.

That's because I come home looking gorgeous, just for my man. From one man to another, I guess.

I met Habib when he operated a station in a shop called Rego Styling in a building next to Ward Center that got knocked down several years ago. When my stylist at the time, Debbie Rego of Waianae High School fame, went to work on the Baywatch set, she sent me to Habib. He has been mine ever since-even if I've had to chase him a bit.

I followed him to an establishment on Piikoi near Ala Moana Shopping Center and then to his current salon right next to the Kahala Mall in the same complex nest to the Olive Tree restaurant.

When he moved all the way to Kahala, I thought I might be crazy to travel so far from Kapolei, but I am never sorry. It doesn't take that much longer to get there, I've discovered another part of the island, and Habib is totally worth it.

We've developed a comfortable rhythm to our appointments over the past ten years that has turned into our special routine. I had a date with Habib last Saturday, as a matter of fact, and it went like clockwork.

He greets me warmly as soon as I walk in the door. If he is with another client, he always introduces us and includes me in the conversation. I am not a jealous person either. I know he sees other women, a lot of them. He's a popular guy and he makes us all feel special and gorgeous. I am happy to be among the crowd.

When it is my turn, he invites me to his chair. We discuss the procedures for the day and he goes right to work. While he works his magic (my beauty secrets which I am reluctant to divulge,) we talk about our recent travels, funny movies that we have seen or harmless gossip about our personal lives. I feel like I'm spending time with an old friend.

He's been a part of almost every special event in my life over the past decade. I always have an appointment with Habib before I go on a trip or go to a formal event. He even did my hair for my wedding a few years ago. He has watched my oldest daughter grow up and is now hearing the stories of my new family.

After he completes his secret mission, he gently washes, dries and styles my hair. I think he enjoys it as much as I do.

Our date always ends with a hug and a confirmed day and time for when we will see each other again. His schedule fills way in advance, so I have learned to book ahead.

Eventhough I pay him for our time together, it does not put a damper on the satisfaction I feel when I walk out the door. I get into my car, hit H1 west and drive home to my other man who is just as pleased with the results as I.