December 2014 Journal Photos

FIRST LEGO League State Tournament Preparations

December 1^st, Monday, we had LEGO League in the afternoon.

Lenora's box after two coats of varnish.

Lenora's box after lining with aromatic cedar and the third and final coat of varnish. Tuesday, December 2^nd.

Tuesday evening we went to Hawaiian language class.

December 3^st, Wednesday, we had LEGO League in the afternoon. Completed Lenora's box, open.

Lenora's box, closed.

The robot development team worked on missions Wednesday.

On Thursday I started making a box for Becky. The front and back boards are cut.

Andrea bought a snowman with a battery LED hat. Photo by Andrea.

Thursday afternoon (the 4^th) we went to the beach and took some photos of the Lotus Hotel to show Becky.

A family in elf hats asked me to take a photo on their camera phone, and I got one on mine too.

The ewa side of the Lotus Hotel.

The Kalakaua Ave. entrance to the Lotus.

A view of Diamond Head from the median in front of the Lotus.

A view of Diamond Head from the sidewalk across from the Lotus with some of my favorite kiawe trees.

Thursday evening we went to the Neighborhood Board meeting and learned about the traffic study for the new Long's
drug store planned for the old Ranch House Restaurant site in Aina Haina.

Computer Chess Game

I recorded an interesting chess game played over most of Thursday and Friday morning. With the search depth cranked up to a minimum of six tempi, it takes the computer up to a couple of hours to move.

Reverse Sicilian

Rick vs. Dell Inspiron with Intel Core i7
Lookahead = 6

	White	Black
1.	c4	e5
2.	Nc3	Bc5
3.	Nf3	d6
4.	a3	a6      Black makes a hidey hole for the bishop.
5.	e3	Nh6     This unorthodox knight move preserves the option of f5.

6.	d4	exd4
7.	exd4	Qe7+    This check is not harmful to white. The queen will move off the file later.
8.	Be2	Ba7     Using the hidey hole.
9.	O-O	Nf5
10.	Re1	O-O
11.	b4	Qd8
12.	Bb2	Nc6     With the fiancetto development of white's queen bishop, his position is solid.
13.	Nd5	Bd7

14.	c5	Bc8     White's c5 move walls in black's bishop.
15.	Qc2	dxc5    Taking the queen off the queen file at this time is a mistake that loses the knight.
16.	Nxc7	Qxc7
17.	d4xc5	Nh6
18.	Bd3	g6      White treats the knight loss as a sacrifice and continues to attack.

19.	Qc3	f6
20.	Bc4+	Kg7
21.	Ng5	Ng4     Black counterattacks.
22.	Qh3	h5
23.	Be6	Kh6     Removing black's bishop.
24.	Bxc8	Rf8xc8
25.	Ne4	f5

26.	Nd6	Rd8     The knight will not be dislodged.
27.	Re6	Kh7     Quietly developing. Black has no viable defense.
28.	Ra1e1	Rd7     Making room for the queen to take the diagonal.
29.	Qh4	Qd8     Parrying the threat of Qg5.
30.	Qg3	Qg5     White, a piece down, must preserve his queen.
31.	h3	h4
32.	Qc3	Nh6     The only move to save the knight. White's attack is now irresistable.
33.	Re8	Rxe8
34.	Rxe8	Qxg2+
35.	Kxg2	Nd4
36.	Qxd4 Black resigns

NVMS FLL Team at Recruiting Night

The team attended recruiting night for prospective sixth graders for next fall. We had robots, a slide show, and hard copy informational materials. Friday the 5^th.

Friday afternoon the subteam worked on robot missions.

Friday evening at the "Consider Niu Valley" event. Table all set up and waiting to begin.

The NVMS band entertained with a good medly of West Side Story pieces.

The event was well attended by parents and fifth graders.

The fifth graders flocked to our table when the speachifying was done.

They flocked.

And they flocked.

Our team did a great job.

Saturday morning's Star-Advertiser had this great article on stepfather Mits. Click the image to see the full resolution version.

Saturday afternoon we continued developing robot missions.

Sunday Barbecue

Sunday the 7^th we decorated outdoors for Christmas.

Compression struts hold the side board to Becky's box while the epoxy hardens.

Andrea strung lights under the eaves.

Stephany came over for barbecued chicken and tofu.

Kalani Robotics Parents Meeting

Monday the 8^th we went to Kalani High School to support the parents meeting in preparation for the build season coming up in January and February 2015.

Monday morning, the 8^th (Tom's birthday), Andrea took this photo of the wooden tree.

We brought in the Christmas tree in honor of Tom's birthday.

Kicking back after gluing on the feet.

The meeting was well attended and led by the students.

Andrea finished her first cork bowl. Photo by Andrea.

Tuesday the 9^th: 8-fold compression wiffle tree holds pieces while the expoxy hardens.

Wednesday the 10^th: The LEGO League team practiced their project presentation.

8-fold compression wiffle tree holds third (and last) layer pieces while the expoxy hardens.

Andrea turns on the snowman.

Mitsuo Aoki Memorial Dinner

Thursday the 11^th we went to Natsunoya Tea House for Mits's memorial dinner on the occasion of his 100^th birthday (he died in 2010).

On Thursday afternoon we went to the beach and Andrea took this photo of two "mermaids" going into the water.

The rough sanding is finished on the box. The blue tape holds the lid on during sanding.

Andrea decorates the Christmas tree, dressed up in her red mu'umu'u.

We sat next to Sherry who works with Alan Gamble at Tripler Hospital as a social worker.

The master of ceremonies starts things off. Over 100 attended. They had to bring in extra tables.

Alan Gamble introduced the foundation board.

Ukulele music and singing.

Hula too.

It was a good music and dance performance.

When we got home Andrea took this photo of the ice bucket she covered in split corks after varnishing.

Reindeer on the menehune bridge. Photo by Andrea, Friday, December 12^th.

Becky's box after the first coat of varnish.

FIRST LEGO League Hawaii State Championship Tournament

On Saturday the 13^th Andrea and I met the team at the Neal Blaisdel Exhibition Hall for the FLL Hawaii Championship. The team had earned the right to compete by winning the Kalani FLL Tournament.

After we set up our pit area, MC and Kalani High science teacher Bryan Silver came by to say hi.

Coming back from the practice tables. Photo by Andrea.

More practice table time.

Waiting for the team during the core values interview.

Group portrait after the core values interview. Sean is being Sean.

We took the kids around to look at the Junior FLL tables.

Kalani Robotics at the FTC tournament.

Outside at the fish pond a heron has its eye on the fish.

The team is performing well on the field, and they keep refining programs.

Curiosity about robots never killed this Leo.

The team in the pits.

The awards ceremony. Photo by Andrea.

We are all pleased with the way the team performed today.

Rainbow Bonsai Club Annual Show

On Sunday the 14^th Andrea and I supported the club at the annual show and plant sale at Noelani Elementary School in Manoa.

The tool, pot, and plant sale area in the school cafeteria. Photo by Andrea.

My kiawe tree with mondo grass accent plant.

Bonsai for sale. Photo by Andrea.

John Arafiles' bonsai display.

Looking from the bonsai display area to the sales area. Photo by Andrea.

Keith Shultz's bonsai display.

Some of the display bonsai. Photo by Andrea.

Andrea worked as a cashier.

John Arafiles, Past President, sent us some photos of bonsai that he took:

White Christmas at the Diamond Head Theater

Sunday evening we went to see White Christmas at the Diamond Head Theater.

Diamond Head Theater.

Afterward, Lynne, Carol, Flo, Estell, Andrea, and I had dinner at Paesano's Restaurant in Manoa.

I found this membership card among my old papers after we moved to Hawaii. I wasn't always a Democrat.

Monday evening we went to Gyo Taku for dinner.

Papa Olelo Hawaii

We went to our usual Tuesday papa olelo Hawaii (Hawaiian language class).

We learned Silent Night and then had a little party.

In Hawaiian class we learned to sing Silent Night in Hawaiian:

Po la'i e, po kamaha'o
Silent night, holy night

Maluhia, ma lamalama
All is calm, all is brilliant

Ka makuahine aloha e,
Beloved mother,

Me ke keike hemolele e
Holy child

Moe me ka maluhia lani,
Sleep in heavenly peace,

Makapuu Lookout

Thursday morning, the 18^th, Andrea took Lenore to look for whales while I stayed home and exercised.

On the way out Andrea got this picture of me setting up the Festivus Pole.

Posing again.

No whales at Lanai Lookout.

No whales at Makapuu.

Andrea put together this panorama from photos she took at Makapuu Lookout. Click the image to see the full resolution version.

Date Night in Waikiki

Thursday evening Andrea and I went to Waikiki to see the gingerbread Christmas display at the Princess Kaiulani hotel.

Walking Ewa at Kuhio Beach in Waikiki.

Andrea took lots of pictures of the gingerbread display in the Princess Kaiulani Hotel.

Andrea got me with the Eifel Tower twice.

This is the better picture wiht the tower.

We looked at an artifact display too. The ki'i looks like Ku.

We came upon the Thursday night farmers' market in the lobby of the Hyatt Hotel and bought two papayas.

We went upstairs to the Swim bar in the Hyatt.

Andrea took a picture of me taking a picture of her.

Here am I taking the picture.

I had Andrea stop on the landing on the way down to get this picture of the koi painting.

We met Izzy and his wife (from Seattle) at the DK Steakhouse bar. We took photos.

We ended up at the Kaimana, a beach hotel, where they have live music most nights.

Cheers.

Andrea was very pretty in her red top.

Winter Solstice Celebration and Christmas Party

Saturday the 20^th we hosted a winter solstice party.

I finished Becky's box and brought it in the house.

Becky's box closed.

Everyone enjoyed the great food spread. Photo by Andrea.

I took time to eat a full plate. Photo by Andrea.

The party started at 4:00 PM and there was lots of good food.

Estelle, Christine, and Lenore.

Val and Jenifer having a talk.

Posing for the photo.

We had tables set up under the lychee tree.

Many prefer the outdoors.

Zack, Sabrina, and Doraine Young sat on the couch under the the Rabit Island painting by Tagami.

Zack, Simina, and I with the kids playing chess. Photo by Andrea.

Suzi and Chuck were there. Photo by Andrea.

Jennifer does some creative photography with her glass and the wooden tree while I call the Christmas Bingo game. Photo by Andrea.

I wonder how Jennifer's pictures came out. Photo by Andrea.

Jennifer's photo.

Bob, Lenore, Drew, Sylvia, Estelle, and Betty. Photo by Andrea.

Floyd, Ester, Joleen, and Simina with reindeer back scratchers.

Getting silly with the reindeer back scratchers. Photo by Andrea.

Andrea took some photos too.

Simina, Sol, and Kai with house of cards, in front of the granite topped cabinet Simina gave us.

Adjusting the Screen

Sunday the 21^st we cleaned up from the party and in the afternoon Andrea and I raised the screen behind the couch in the front room by six inches by adding dowel legs to it.

Sunday morning I took a photo of the bougainvillia bonsai I had brought in for the party. People liked it very much.

Drilling inch deep 3/8 inch holes for the dowels. Photo by Andrea.

Cutting a bundle of dowels seven inches long. Photo by Andrea.

Tapping in the dowels for a press fit. No glue needed. Photo by Andrea.

The screen is raised up six inches and top dowels in valance keep it from falling over. Photo by Andrea.

Looks much better now. Photo by Andrea.

It started raining at 6:00 AM on Monday morning and an inch and a half fell by noon. Photo by Andrea.

Lorrie's Christmas Party

Tuesday the 23^rd we went to Lorri's Christmas party at her nearby house on a cliff overlooking the sea.

In the afternoon I painted the humuhumunukunukuapuaa that Floyd had cut out for me.

Floyd also made these two jigsaw puzzle cats for Andrea. One is walnut and one is cherry. Photo by Andrea.

A nice spread was waiting when we arrived with Lorrie's Mom and Aunt.

Lorrie's Aunt, Mom, friend Marylou, Lorri, and Andrea having pupus and wine on the entry level of the house.

Out on the deck, Andrea points to the interesting clouds.

Andrea with the interesting clouds.

Lorrie took this photo (and the next one) of Andrea and me and messaged them to Andrea who forwarded them to me.

With pinot noir, Christmas tree, and Andrea.

A final group photo with Sarah before we leave.

The next morning the weather was calm and Andrea walked down to the store and took this photo of the stream running out to sea.

In the afternoon on the 24^th Andrea and I went to the beach. It was rather pleasant without much wind.

I did my usual walk along the shore after doing my pull-ups and bar dips.

Christmas

Thursday the 25^th we we had coconut pancakes for breakfast and then opened presents.

Lenore watches me open a present from Malia and Justin. It's a T-shirt that says "I really am a rocket scientist." Photo by Andrea.

Napoleon got a catnip mouse. He loved it. Photo by Andrea.

Watching Lenore open a present. Photo by Andrea.

Andrea and I went for a walk. The sky was completely clear and we saw a whale spout out in the bay. Photo by Andrea.

We walked up Hao Street. Photo by Andrea.

Andrea and Lenore went out to look at whales. Lots of tourists were taking pictures. Photo by Andrea.

A whale fin. Photo by Andrea.

Later in the afternoon I installed the new weather station that Santa Claus brought for Lenore. Photo by Andrea.

The old one had an indoor temperature sensor fail after two years so we upgraded by Santa. Photo by Andrea.

The solar panel is pointed south. Photo by Andrea.

Leveled and all done. Photo by Andrea.

In the evening we watched the wartime movie Here Come the Waves with Bing Crosby. Photo by Andrea.

New Years

New Years preparations began the day after Christmas, Friday the 26^th, when Andrea and I went to Don Quijote's to buy firecrackers.

Andrea pushes the cart at Don Quijote's. We got the last two large strings of firecrackers.

We went to the beach in the afternoon. The most crowded day of the year, I think.

After watering the bonsai after the beach, I took this picture of the planting box I made today.

Saturday morning I put on the shirt I got for Christmas from Malia and family.

Andrea and I went to the Robotics Lab at Kalani High School, Saturday the 27^th, to help get ready for the FRC
build season coming up, starting in January through mid-February. Getting ready for a lecture on FRC mechanics.

Kevin and Blake gave the talk with slideshow.

Andrea took this one of the kids doing the training exercise.

After the talk the students were asked to do some disassembly and assembly work on a drive train and chassis.

Girls getting hands on.

Later on Saturday I varnished and decorated the planting box with Hawaiian tattoo designs.

I played an interesting chess game over the last 24 hours. Listing below.

Rick vs. Intel Core i7, minimum look-ahead = 6
Homeostatic Chess Player, December 27-28, 2014

	White	Black
1.	Nf3	e6
2.	c4	Nh6
3.	e3	Bc5
4.	d4	Bb4+
5.	Nc3	Nc6
6.	Be2	O-O
7.	O-O	Be7
8.	a3	a6
9.	b4	d6
10.	Bb2	f5
11.	e4	Bd7
12.	Qc2	f4
13.	Ra1d1	Na7
14.	e5	Kh8
15.	d5	Qc8
16.	Ne4	dxe5
17.	Nxe5	Be8
18.	Qc3	Nf5
19.	Bg4	Ba4
20.	Bxf5	Bf6
21.	Bxe6	Qe8
22.	Rd2	Qh5
23.	Nxf6	Rxf6
24.	Nd7	Rg6
25.	Nc5	Be8
26.	Nxb7	Qg5
27.	f3	c6
28.	Nd6	cxd5
29.	Bxd5	Rd8
30.	Ne4	Qe7
31.	Re1	Bc6
32.	Bxc6	Nxc6
33.	Rd2e2	Nd4
34.	Rf2	Qh4
35.	c5	Rh6
36.	h3	Rg6
37.	Kf1	Nf5
38.	Bc1	Ng3+
39.	Nxg3	fxg3
40.	Rf2e2	Kg8
41.	Re4	Qf6
42.	Qc4+	Kf8
43.	Bf4	Qf7
44.	Qe2	Kg8
45.	Bd6	Ra8
46.	Re7	Qf8
47.	Qe4	Qc8
48.	Qd5+	Kh8
49.	Qf7	Qg8
50.	Re8 Black resigns