Category: Just Asking

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DO YOU COLLECT SOMETHING?

Just asking…

Do you have a hobby? How did it start, and has it been an ongoing passion?

Many folks are addicted to collecting something or continue to have activities that are part of your life.

I collect apples, because I made annual trips to The Big Apple, the nickname for New York City. When I traveled there, or for that matter, any city, I would purchase apples of any kind: ceramic, wood, plastic, metallic, you name it. Apples in red, green, yellow, brown (if wooden) and gold (if metallic); a number of red apples boast a yellow “glow.”

Apples commonly are life-size, meaning they look like what you see in markets.

But renderings range from carved, to resemble bites in the apple, some are “sliced” to depict the white fruit complete with seeds. Some ornamental red apples glow with red beads, giving them a sparkly veneer, others are striped or polka-dotted. There are no limitations; I even have a tic-tac-toe board…with mini green and red apples.

My Christmas tree used to be home for dozens of apple-red glossy ornaments.

Seriously, you need display space for these collectibles; and that is a reason I’ve toned down my apple purchases. Some are scattered to add a dash of color on bookshelves; others are assembled in glass bowls, so the variety can be seen. Still others are nestled in woven baskets.

If you have a hobby – anything from sports trading cards, vintage milk covers, Disney figurines, coins or stamps – please share your thoughts.

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WHAT SONG COULD BRING ON CHEER?

Just asking…

Pharrell Williams

When you’re feeling down and out, what song will trigger a sunshiny-bright mood that could change a frown into a smile?

I nominate Pharrell Williams’ “Happy,” that snappy and cheery ditty that could easily brighten a room.

Part of the lyrics: “Clap along if you feel like a room without a roof, because I’m happy.”

Share and nominate a song – and provide a few lines from a verse, if you can – to add to the list of happy ditties that can shoosh away the stress.

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THE MASK-ERADE IS NOT YET OVER

Just asking…

Let’s get something straight: even if CDS has loosened its COVID-19 regulations, the protocols in Hawaii remain somewhat firm regarding face masks. Like it or not, masks are not yet history.

Some are unmasking, based on national rules. But on the home front, masks still rule and some recommendations remain:

Mask wearing depends on when and where
  • Retailers still would like to have customers masked. That means merchants such as Costco, Target, WalMart, Longs and Walgreen (The national mandate does not apply here).
  • Ditto, restaurants. You wear your mask upon entry, you remove when you chat, drink and eat.
  • Airlines still are firm: no masks, no flight. Suggestion: keep a mask tucked into hour carry-on, cuz you’re gonna need it.
  • With many adults getting vaxxed – those who’ve resisted, what’s the matter? – there’s still the matter of children at home. As schools look to the fall resumption of in-person classes, with some hybrid situations were virtual learning might continue – unvaccinated children could still need to don face masks.
  • As activities mount — such as outdoor sports, indoor concerts and theater, and other recreational and entertainment shows —  the mask factor may depend on the venue and the event. Football, no masks; indoor theater, masking until further notice.

And a somewhat giddy note: As you gather with friends you haven’t seen since last year and the during the darker days of the pandemic, don’t you feel a tad foolish when someone hauls out an iPhone for a selfie, and you are masked, and you’re beaming with a huge smile … that cannot be seen?

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WHAT TV THEME SONGS DO YOU LIKE?

What are your favorite TV theme songs?

I have three, for different and specific reasons:

1 – “Hawaii Five-0” – It has no lyrics, yet this instrumental seethes with suggestion of the tropics, perky and outdoorsy energy and genuine aloha.

2—“Cheers” – “Where everybody knows your name” is the mantra, immediately welcoming, inviting, and, yes, cheerful.

3 – “Davy Crockett” – Okay, a vintage one; not the best melody but a true “ballad” that is rich in storytelling, summarizing the legendary figure, and becoming – in its time – a No. 1 fad hit everyone could sing, complete with accessory coonskin cap.

So where do you stand, regarding TV theme tunes?

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WHICH TV FRANCHISE DO YOU FAVOR? ‘LAW & ORDER,’ ‘NCIS’ OR ‘CHICAGO’?

Just asking…

Of the prevailing TV franchises, which is your favorite?

  • “Law and Order,” the original  and its variants, like “Law and Order, SVU” (with Mariska Hargitay as Olivia Benson) and “Organized Crime”  (a new spin-off with Christopher Meloni as Elliot Stabler), and “CriminaI Instinct” in syndication. Also in the mix: “Trial by Jury,” “Los Angeles,” “True Crime.” The original ran 20 seasons ; “SVU” is the all-time champ, with 22 seasons and counting.
  • “NCIS,” the original as well as the spin-offs, “NCIS: Los Angeles,” “NCIS: New Orleans,” and the not-yet-born “NCIS: Hawai‘i”?
  • “Chicago,” and its trio of red hot hits, “Med,” “Fire,” and “P.D.”?

Current new “Law” and “Chicago” series are still in production, on primetime NBC and CBS,  but the reruns are plentiful, over several platforms, on KPXO (ION TV), USA, and other streaming services.

Procedurals, featuring crime investigators and first responders, continue to be  immensely popular and are not likely to disappear anytime soon.

FYI, the “Law & Order” template is not yet over; “Law & Order: Hate Crimes” and “Law & Order: For the Defense” are also brands seeking an audience; the former might emerge on the

But to which brand are you most loyal?