Wednesday, December 30, 2009

It ain't for kids or the light of heart!

For those not familiar with the evolution of the sports card collecting hobby. Exquisite is made by Upper Deck and is considered to be the top of the line product to open.

The case of three boxes (packs) that was opened in this video cost approximately $2,700.00. Yes, there is no typo.

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It ain't for kids or the light of heart!

For those not familiar with the evolution of the sports card collecting hobby. Exquisite is made by Upper Deck and is considered to be the top of the line product to open.

The case of three boxes (packs) that was opened in this video cost approximately $2,700.00. Yes, there is no typo.

Posted via email from ParkRat's Playground

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Our Last Twitter Tuesday meal for the year @bigcitydiner

Grilled pork chops, hamburger steak, kiddie cheeseburger

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Thursday, December 24, 2009

Mini chicken curry plate and Roast turkey/baked ham @zippys

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Wednesday, December 23, 2009

In the digital camera era @electric_bamboo is still "old school" baby! (@lauriecicotello @domosanta)

Yes, you are not seeing things. That is a Polaroid camera he is using to take pictures.  And yes, this photo was taken this year, 2009.  Duuuude!

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Women can't keep their hands off of me! (@spldrttngrl @melissa808)


Unfortunately they prefer the head or my neck to anything else. Or is that fortunately? Hmmm....

Rats get no love....*sadface*

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Tuesday, December 22, 2009

What a cute family! @treble_singer @l3379lad180r together @kahalamallctr

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Melanie meet Melanie. Melanie this is Melanie. (@shareyourtable @mel808)

Melanie had the opportunity to meet Melanie this weekend and so we made sure that we took a picture to record this event.

I wonder how many other "mel"'s I can find on Twitter? Hmmmm.....a project/quest!

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Gettin' Down with @bullyosullivan (@iblala @parkrat)

Even though there were more than enough chairs at the party @bullyosullivan seemed to find lying on the ground more comfortable than sitting in a chair.

This habit of course led to @iblala also doing the same thing and joining him along with J.

Well all that lying on the ground got me to thinking that it looked mighty comfortable and maybe I should give it a try too.

Although it was very comfortable lying on the ground and a lot cooler than sitting up in a chair, @bullyosullivan seemed to enjoy me lying down there with him a little too much for my liking so that ended that.

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Monday, December 21, 2009

Holy Kaw! @neenz Makes a Dream a Reality

A little over a year ago when Guy Kawasaki's new book came out I made this blog post "Holy Kaw! I'm in Deep Shiitake! - The Guy Kawasaki Revelation" where I revealed...

I HAVE A MAN-CRUSH ON GUY KAWASAKI !!!!
(It should be noted that I say this with an unblemished record of staunch heterosexuality.)

A few days later found me looking like this...

...as the result of @guykawasaki Just Tweeted To Me! which I think is understandable after my revelation.

In my incredibly long blog post about my revelation I mention how @neenz said that if she ever got the chance to make my dream come true and get Guy Kawasaki to autograph my book she would do what she could to make it happen.  And guess what? This weekend the stars aligned and @neenz gave me an early Christmas present by making that
dream come true.


A personalized autographed copy of Guy Kawasaki's book! No ways!!! Yes ways, thanks to Neenz.

Now in and of itself that is already an incredible thing for Neenz to do, but this being Neenz she cannot do things only small kine.  She gotta do it BIG and how much bigger can you get than....

BAM! That's right! Hey Russ, why don't you and Mel come over for lunch on Sunday. Having a few friends and family over...oh and Guy Kawasaki.  WTF!  No ways?!  I am SO THERE!

And so it came to be that not only did Neenz make it possible for me to have an autographed copy of Guy Kawasaki's book. She also made it possible for me to meet Guy and his family (Beth was a pleasure to meet and talk story with as she is just a joy.) which was something I never thought would be possible. For this "fan boy" it was an incredible experience and I think if not for a little reflection on my part prior to that day I might have totally lost it and embarrassed myself far more than asking him to sign two books and pose for a pic.


Now prior to that day I had told Neenz that although I should be the happiest about the fact that knowing her was allowing me the opportunity to meet Guy Kawasaki. What I realized was that it was not her bringing me Guy. It was Guy who brought me to her (and eventually Noe). If it weren't for @kaizenhawaii telling me that Guy Kawasaki was on Twitter, I may never have joined. And if not for that I would never have met Neenz and Noe (and a whole lot of other good people who I now consider friends). And so in the bigger picture of things, I am grateful to Guy for making it possible for Mel and I to be welcomed into the Faleafine home for a "small lunch party".

If you ever wondered what a "small party" at Neenz's is like, check out this group which is just a very small part of her family from what we understand.  Her father is the one with the dish towel over his shoulder and if you ever wonder why Neenz is like how she is, look no farther than her parents. Her father was always showing appreciation for those that contributed to the meal and making sure that everyone knew where things came from so that they could find it later and appreciate the meal that way. Her mother is so full of warmth that you can see why Neenz had no other choice but to be the way she is which is the best of both of them.  And they all have a great sense of humor as well.



Neenz and Noe have been incredible people to know and Mel and I are grateful that they have shared their love and friendship with us.  This weekend was one where we left (reluctantly) the gathering with a warmth in our hearts.  And it had less to do with meeting Guy as it did with just feeling like a part of their ohana. It will be a weekend that we won't forget any time soon.

Mahalo Neenz and Noe! And you too Guy and Beth!

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Our Christmas Tree This Year - And maybe many more? (Check it out @trulyjoannies!)

Inspired partially by @trulyjoannies Simplify the Holidays (They are still looking for people to commit and it doesn't cost you anything to do so!) and also partially by necessity. Here is our Christmas tree for this year.

And if you were wondering if the kiddies were disappointed?  Here is one that wasn't, he put his "homemade" ornament on it and the presents are under the tree already. Of course he set it up in HIS room! Just wait until his siblings get wind of this, it won't stay there long.

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Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Honolulu District PCNC December Meeting - Seasons Tweetings (@zippys @kahalamallctr @mel808)

A couple of months ago I asked Melissa Chang (@melissa808) if she would be willing to do a presentation with me about social media at the Honolulu District PCNC Meeting and she graciously agreed.  Here are some of the photos we shot that day to demonstrate to the group how twitpic-ing works.


Getting ready for the meeting.


The organizers of this month's meeting.


Melissa getting things started.


Winner of the I LOVE  @kahalamallctr t-shirt! She said she does love Kahala Mall, but not so sure about Twitter. She did say that she would NOT be telling her husband about Twitter because he doesn't need more things to do.


Two way tie for answering the question. Two winners of @zippy's t-shirts!



The leader gets one too!

Mahalo @melissa808 @zippys and the Honolulu District PCNCs for having us!

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FINALLY Got to Meet @BKGirlFriday IRL! You rock girl! (@mel808 @tadasauce @bkgirlfriday @parkrat)

It seems like it took forever for this moment to arrive. I've known @bkgirlfriday on Twitter since practically the day I started. She has multiple personalities that have come out through that year or more (and Twitter accounts to go with them), but there is only ONE @bkgirlfriday and I am happy to say I finally met her IRL!

Uchinachus rule! Hahaha.

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Why @RatERat is a mad that he didn't get to hang with @domosanta at the TBQ Party

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Sunday, December 13, 2009

At this rate @treble_singer will never get any studying done! @jlieu @kahalamallctr

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Saturday, December 12, 2009

Mahalo @codyonizuka for hookin' us up with the awesome shirts!

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Dinner at Giovanni Pastrami w/@photolulutv (@waikikibeachwlk)

I had to go to Waikiki Beach Walk last night for work stuff (Waikiki Beach Walk is a client) but we also needed to get dinner too and decided to stop by Giovanni Pastrami which was also our choice for Thanksgiving dinner this year and is slowly becoming my daughter's favorite place to have pasta with shrimp.

Prior to going there I noticed that @photoluluTV had checked in at the Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center so I told him we would be down there soon and maybe we could catch dinner together.  Stephen sends me his cell number and I tell him I'll call when I'm done working and we're ready to eat. Well unfortunately for us I totally mangled the phone number and ended up just DM-ing mine and telling him to call me. He got one of those complicated phone numbers where you actually have to get all of the digits correct or it doesn't connect correctly. :)

Anyways, we did finally hookup and had a great meal with great company!

I didn't want to be rude and bump @photoluluTV out of the way to take a pic of his food too, but he took one and here it is.

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Wednesday, December 9, 2009

First time meeting @kaimanapine IRL! #HITwoliday

I finally got to meet @kaimanapine (prounounced peee-nay from what I've been told) in real life and actually remembered to get a pic of the occasion.

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CPK @kahalamallctr Tweetup to Support Kalani High School's Tennis Team #KLunchBunch

@l3379lad180r organized a tweetup at California Pizza Kitchen for a coworker's daughter on the Kalani tennis team. He heard they were having a fundraiser to help pay for the resurfacing of the courts and mobilized the #KLunchBunch tweeps.


This was before we went in and before more showed up. But we wanted to eat and so we took a quick pic before heading in.


Of course Jenn (@jlieu) had to be the only one striking a pose for the camera. What a ham!



Great food, great company and all for a great cause! Mahalo @l3379lad180r!

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Pono Media (@ponomedia) was good to us at the #HITwoliday Party!

After many Tweetups of us standing by and watching Garry (@funhiguy) win something we finally won something of our own. And coincidentally the two things we won were things donated by Pono Media for the event.  So of course we had to go and take a picture with Neenz and Noe with our winnings!


Melanie scored a Hawaii Traditions shirt and is pictured here with Neenz of Pono Media (and many other ventures).


I scored a gas card! Pictured here with Noe of Pono Media (and also many other ventures).

But the night wasn't over! Noe hands Neenz her purse to hold so that should go and "do something" which resulted in us taking this picture of Neenz looking oh so happy.

Neenz was only JOKING BTW. She was more than happy to help.

What did Noe run off to do?

Nah, just kidding! She didn't actually leave to go take this pic, but I gotta find a reason to post it and it just fit.

Fun fun night! Thanks Vernon and Matt and thank you Pono Media!!

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