Tag: family

For the Foodie :: Feed Supper

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I realize that I’m a little late to talk about this campaign as it has already started, but I thought it was a good thing to at least mention it.

It seems that there a whole slew of cause awareness events going on at the moment.  We seem to be easing off of the ice bucket challenge and are moving on to other challenges – probably a good thing now that the weather is finally cooling off.  For instance, there’s the SNAP Challenge where you eat off a tiny budget of $3.40 a day to understand how millions of others live everyday.  There are the usual walks and runs and other physical exertions that we seen to do annually and then there’s the FEED Supper campaign:

Jenner Brown

I love the idea of this campaign because it brings people together to enjoy each other’s company and nourish their bodies.  I feel like I’m always on the run right now and rarely have the time to sit down with people that I love to do the most basic thing of feeding myself.  When I was still living at home, we ate as a family every night (as long as we were all in town) and it was a time for us to all catch up on the days events.  Food, at the moment, is something consumed on the move and I long for the ‘old days’ of sitting down with my family to eat together each night.

This campaign encourages bringing back that old family tradition while helping a good cause.  Food desert is a relatively new term, but it’s an old problem and it’s good that we are finally addressing it for what it is an trying to bring and end to this all too common issue.

Ohana :: “Goodbye”

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Another year over.  How did that happen?  I’m at a loss as to how it is possibly New Years Eve again.

Joel McCarthy

I admit that this film is not actually a documentary, although its filmed as if it is.  I love this film for many reasons, but most of all it reminds me that even with the loss of people that have a special place in our hearts, they wouldn’t want us to stop living our lives.  It also reminds me that even when I feel too busy to live life, there are more important things than the daily grind and to find those special moments that make life worth living.

Here’s to a new year with more moments that make life worth living and a little less nose to the grindstone.  See you all in 2014!

Ohana :: Holiday Workshop

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Lumineux

Growing up, my mom always had us make all of our Christmas gifts for family and friends.  One year it was a watercolor painting for each person, another year it was homemade trail mix.  I think she did this for two reason- 1) it kept us busy during the school break and 2) most people on our list didn’t need yet more things, so making them something was both economical and original.  To this day I still enjoy making gifts for people.  The number that I make has decreased over the years but that allows me to put more time and thought into each individual project.

I like the idea of putting in time and effort into a gift- I feel that it has a lot more meaning when I receive homemade gifts and I hope that others feel the same.  This video reminds me of my own childhood and that special time around the holidays.

Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah (I know has already passed), Kwanza or just enjoy the season I hope the next few weeks bring you joy and happiness.

Ohana :: The Bear and the Hare

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The John Lewis Christmas Ad is one of the most anticipated of ads in the UK every holiday season.  It’s kind of like the much awaited window displays in the larger department stores down Regent Street.  The best part is that you can now watch these ads anywhere in the world.

John Lewis

Admittedly, John Lewis is encouraging the public to buy the greatest gifts of the season but their message is always a good one- do something special for those you love this Christmas.  We could probably take a lesson from that other times of the year too.  I think my favorite part of this video is that it doesn’t seem to matter what species the characters are- they all come together to celebrate.  And of course don’t forget that they do what they can to include those who wouldn’t usually be able to be there.

I couldn’t help but post this as well- the making of The Bear and the Hare.  I am always in awe of animation production, but this takes it a whole new level.

Blink

So there you are, two videos in one post and hopefully they made you smile even during this stressful time of year.

Ohana :: Growing Up

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Mark Nickelsburg

Once again, here is another film that is not quite a documentary… in fact it isn’t a documentary in any way.  BUT I think it has a very good message- maybe we should listen to toddlers more.  Plus, this makes me laugh.  Perhaps they know more about life than those of us who’ve been around the block a few times…

Ohana :: Inheritance

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Process Creative

What do we inherit from generation to generation?  Of course there are the material items that we pass on, but what values and lessons do we pass on?

I love this film because it’s not just about the items that we pass on to one another, but how we pass on morals and advice to one anther through many modes of communication.  I also love it because it is beautifully filmed and I think the music brings it to another level of nostalgia.

What are we passing on to the next generation?

Ohana :: Grandparents

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Andy Ellis

Spring time with Obaachan seems oddly familiar to me.  Probably because it reminds me of spending time with my grandparents in their final days.  Its been several years since most of them passed away and I miss them every day.

As a teenager it was hard to make the time to go and spend time with grandparents but I’m glad that I made the time to see them and still try to spend as much time as possible with my one surviving grandma, but its not easy.  Life takes over- work and other activities etc. and I have to make a conscious effort to at least call several times a months. Grandparents are those precious people that hold the key to the family past- they are the ones that remember some of those moments that make your family what it is today.

I love this film because of the memories that it evokes and for the cinematography.  It may be slow, but I think it helps capture Obaachan, as well as what her life has become.  A slower version of days of old and enjoyment of the little moments.  I love the cherry blossoms and it makes me look forward to spring even more than I already am.

Ohana :: Mothers

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Matt Bieler

I don’t think we ever realize how much a mother sacrifices for her children- time, a social life, sleep…. I’ve seen small glimpses of what its like while watching friends as they embark on the journey of motherhood.

Here is to all those women, working or not, who give everything they have to their offspring.

Making time for ohana

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It’s that time of year again when chaos descends on us all and life seems to get even more hectic than usual.  All this because its the holidays.  Even those that don’t celebrate Christmas feel the impending stress as the number of parties increase exponentially and budgets tighten.

For many, the cause of stress comes from the mandatory time spent with family.  However, Family is the reason that I love this time of year.

Family-Gathering

Since I moved out of my parents house, this is one, if not the only time of year that my family puts time aside to spend quality time together.  We are lucky that we actually enjoy spending time together- well, for the most part.  This year I am especially looking forward to it as I have seen very little of my parents in the last 12 months.

I’m not Hawaiian but I love the word Ohana.  I love that doesn’t only address those that are related to us by blood, but can mean any group of people that you feel close to.  So after spending Thanksgiving with the extended family and looking forward to the upcoming weeks I’m dedicating this month to those people that mean the world to me- even if they sometimes drive me a little nuts.