farewell wordpress, hello posterous!

So as you may or may not have known, I’ve been double posting my blogs since October of last year. What started off as a trial run on posterous.com, has transformed into a fresh new love….

That being said, I’m closing down this blog and migrating over to posterous.

For those hardcore RSS feed followers: http://sarakata.posterous.com/rss.xml
Everyone else, my blog will be camping at: http://www.sarakatahira.com
Will also still be posting my blogs via twitter: http://twitter.com/sarakata

<3

Adventures in Cooking: Tofu Katsu

The first time I heard of Tofu Katsu, I was confused…

uhh…did you mean chicken?

But dating a vegetarian makes cooking much more…interesting, for sure! ^_-

After hearing over and over from @ryankanno about just HOW great the Tofu Katsu at Sam’s Deli is, I decided i’d give it a shot. I mean, how hard could this be right? After an hour or so, getting attacked by splashing hot oil and realizing that tofu is a helluva lot harder to pick up than chicken…tofu katsu, ftw.

Here’s the recipe below. I did add a few drops of liquid smoke to the shoyu to add a little more flavor, and I used the normal panko (blue bag, not the “fine” version).  Oh, and if you’re wary of getting splashed with the oil, you can pick up a splatter screen thing for your pan at any pricebusters for a few bucks  splatter screen

1 block of firm tofu
1 cup of Panko breadcrumbs
1/2 cup cornflour
1 egg
1/2 cup peanut oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce (dark soy sauce preferably)

1. Cut the tofu in half and then through the middle creating four flat pieces. Briefly marinate the tofu in the soy sauce, turning so all sides absorb a little.2. Dip the tofu pieces first in cornflour, then egg, and then the Panko.

3. Heat the peanut oil so that the Tofu sizzles when dropped in. Shallow fry the tofu in batches, turning once until brown on both sides. This will take a couple of minutes on each side. Drain on kitchen paper. Serve right away.

I served it with the traditional Bulldog sauce and rice with pickled ginger

If you’re like @ryankanno, though, you’ll love it with the L&L Katsu sauce.  He said they used to sell it in a bottle, but at the Fort Street location, they only had those little plastic 2oz tubs! ($0.50 each).

Happy manic monday!

Posted via email from Kaizen

another list.

OK. So in that movie, bucket list, (which i finally watched thanks to HBO on demand ^__^) I know those guys only had a FRACTION of the list that i'm about to share. but hell, they also only had a fraction of my life expectancy! Granted, i could walk across the street and get squisheled by a speeding…bus, I'm hoping i'm a tad bit luckier than that.

My (ridiculous) original goal was to have 100 things that I wanted to do pre-bucket-kicking. But… i decided that there was a LOT i already did (like skydive, snowboard, climb a water tower, watch the moon set, take ballroom dancing classes, etc….) in fact, a total of 20 things i felt qualified as bucket list items. So…i made a list of 80.  hahaha. And….i'm only going to share about 25. Mostly because the other ones are just the normal sight-seeing type business, and also because you'd get bored with a list of 80 things. hahaha

wheeeeeeeeeeeeee:

1. swim with sharks
2. stairway to heaven
3. marathon
4. Sundance film festival
5. Japan
6. peace corps
7. para sailing
8. watch a superbowl in person
9. catch a fish…then eat it.
10. sand bar
11. kayaking
12. get a tattoo
13. Become fluent in a different language
14. write a song
15. ride in a hot air balloon
16. Hang gliding
17. Fly a kite
18. Learn how to brew beer
19. Build a habitat for humanity home
20. Do something nice for someone i hate.
21. become a mom
22. learn how to MAKE pho
23. Catch a fire fly
24. crash a wedding
25. Take a martial arts class

So… does anyone know how to brew beer? O_o
Happy Tuesday~ I promise the next post will be something a bit more exciting.

Posted via email from Kaizen

memories…

By nature, i'm a documenter.
Not only do i put EVERYTHING in my gcal (if it ain't in there, it's not happening/getting done) but i keep random memorabilia (with the intention of one day scrapbooking), take boatloads of pictures, and i write…a lot.

Started back in 6th grade, I got the grand idea of keeping a journal after my "bff" (who i no longer even talk to) wanted to keep a book with me. (basically just a composition book, that we used to write letters to each other)

I was an emo little kid, and whenever some random emotion would tear down the flood gates of my mind, i would write..and the feeling, whatever it was, would dissipate, and i'd find myself calm again.
I'm amazed to say that through the years, i've kept this habit, and (thankfully) have moved away from pen and paper.
*Check out that photo for the ridiculous amount of journals i have stockpiled in my bookshelf. >< ridiculous.

So anyway, point being…i played time traveler today, and browsed through the ramblings of my younger days…some random things that popped into my head as i was going through it all:

• When "Learn how to drive" is on the determination list every year, it's time to kick your own ass.
• even at age 12, i connected with music, and used lyrics to illustrate how i was feeling
• *gasp* i wrote poetry. it was terrible.
• I always put everything i had into a relationship, but once i was over it, i was OVER it.
• i really DID know how to ride a bike!!
• 1*15173111*969312*0003 (and strangely enough, i still do) *kudos to anyone who can read those numbers

but the best part of it all, was really just seeing how far i've come (ok, still don't know how to drive..) but in other aspects, i've come a long way~!

It's good to see actual proof sometimes… especially when you feel like you're NOT going anywhere.

Guess in the end, i realized that once in a while, making the same mistake is inevitable. We can attempt to learn from it, but like falling off your bike, you can't get back on thinking you won't ever fall off again…. you just have to suck it up, let go of the fear, and keep trying…

**sidenote: this is my trial run on posterous! haha.

Posted via email from Kaizen

note to self

Every so often, something completely random sparks my inspiration and I jot down my thoughts in a note in my bb… each one could prob fuel an entire blog entry, but…i’ve got some trueblood to watch, so i’ve just stuck them all in one happy place. enjoy: (or not)

—

I realized I can “travel” without ever leaving the island. Because for me, it’s about exploring new places, about appreciating the diverse culture that surrounds us, and realizing that no matter where you go, or how far you travel, there’s beauty and wonder to take in everywhere…and what’s really important, is the company.  Because you can go on vacation, and EVERYTHING that could possibly go wrong, could go wrong…but if you’re with the right people, you can make the worst moments, the best memories. ^__^

OK, that being said, travel is really on my backburner until school stops taking up the front

—

It’s amazing how time really does heal everything.
There were moments when i felt like i couldn’t move forward, that i’d never really be happy, and that i’d never trust anyone, ever.

That i would be that old spinster lady…you know, with the cats… (O_o)

But everyday, I see myself changing.
With every smile, laugh, and conversation, i’m reminded what life’s really about.
The connections/relationships with everyone in my life
It’s about hope on the horizon,
and the knowledge that things really DO get worse before they get better.
That i’ll fall again, probably harder…
and i’ll hurt again, maybe more…
But that feeling…
When your world spins and your heart races…
And even though you don’t know where this is going, you just have this feeling that it’s going somewhere amazing…
That feeling is worth it…everytime.

—

browsing the aisles, and thumbing through pages of words, i feel like i’ve forgotten just how much i enjoy reading.  I fall into their flowing words, lost in the plot….my imagination drawing out images of what these characters would look like.  It’s like an escape, because in that moment, nothing matters, except what happens next…

—

I don’t have a best friend. What can i say? I’ve never been big on titles. Ambiguous, to a fault. But i can say this: the best people in my life are the ones that can make me smile while i’m staring at an epic fail.  They’re the same ones that motivate me, without meaning to. The quiet handful that have seen me at my all time lows, and ridiculous highs. When i’m crying, defeated, and so angry i’m attempting to defeat a brick wall with my fist…and when i’m smiling, laughing, and giddy with excitement.  They are my before and after… because they’ve been there before all the others…and they’ll be there after them, too.

—

Randomness as we tiptoe into Wednesday. hump day.
The moon looked AMAZING tonight, if anyone caught a glimpse of it in it’s glowing-crescent-wonder
Hope everyone’s having a great week~ if you’re not, make it better. ^_-

Thanks again for the get well wishes via all mediums of communication
Twitter/FB/text/bbm/heck, i even got one IRL! haha.

<3

EPIC weekend adventures

Kauai. What was supposed to be a chill, relaxing, outdoorsy weekend became…well, CRAZY. Littered with epic fails, and some redemption, it’s difficult to decide whether or not it was ftw, or ftl. But I figure, life leads you down these roads so you learn something, make some memories, and smile through it, right? ^__^

The breakdown:

Friday. This day went down sans any real madness! Met up with truK, checked out his lover’s shop, picked up a sweet pair of sanuk slippers for 40% off (gotta love emp discount)!

Ate at Bubba’s. The hot dog was “steamed in beer” so of course, we wanna sample it… my advice: stick to the frings (onion ring/fries combo) and the bubba burgers. The chili is no match for zippys.

Did some slight sight-seeing at Spouting Horn (the “blowhole” of Kauai)

Then picked up a case of Corona, and chilled at Maha’ulepu Beach. Super chill-clear water-breezy-perfection.

Friend got off from work and we had drinks and pupu’s at Keoki’s (service is slow and not very…exciting…but the price was decent and the asian wings were awesome!)

We were going to trek it out to Palihale, but we wouldn’t beat the sunset, so we settled in at Salt Pond to bbq and have a few beers (okay, I had none. My only drink today was the 2 beers at Maha’ulepu).

Let me just say, this beach was BEAUTIFUL. You could see Niihau when the sun set, and after that, I’ve never seen so many stars in my LIFE. Clear skies + complete lack of city lights = awe-struck spectacular-ness.  Pointed out Scorpio (since that’s the only constellation I could remember) and just took it all in. My camera could NOT pick up the stars, but it’s totally something you gotta see with your own eyes anyway!

We capped off the night with (get this) FIRE HULA HOOP. Hahahahaha. We started off with normal hula hoops, and then bam! Out comes the fire! Crazy. Felt like i was at PCC or something. haha

Checked out our hotel room: sweeeeeetest setup ever. Bummed we never really made much use of the kitchen.

Saturday: THIS is where the madness begins. SO. Our plan was to go tubing. We got the directions, and hopped in our car…and EPIC FAILED. We didn’t realize how bad the road up to the top was, and we basically killed our chevy cobalt rental. Killed it. Three holes, it bled out allllll of it’s transmission fluid AND oil.

After a few sun-burnt hours, we finally made it out. And tried to redeem our night by sight-seeing as much as we possibly could:

Waimea river mouth…reminds me of the Waimea beach on Oahu the way the river runs into the ocean, but…the current was WAY stronger!  The sand was like…dirt, too…

Hanapepe Swinging Bridge. Pretty cool. A Quick run through it, trying to swing it as much as we could, snapped a few photos, then moved on. Nothing spectacular, but still kinda neat. Never been on one of those bridges before.

Waimea Canyon! The pics i took with my lame cammie were…lame. So i’m not gonna bother posting them. They didn’t capture the whole breath-taking massive canyon of life that it really was. (sidenote: it’s FREEZING up there. bring a jacket!)

Then…the redemption is here:

[Driving by water tower]
Christie: “I’ve always wanted to climb a water tower”
Sara: “me too”
[pulls over]
Christie: “let’s do it”
Sara: “What? Seriously?  Oh crap. Uh… okay!”
HHAHAHA. Scratch that one off the bucket list

Drove back toward Poipu, where we were staying, and picked up some Thai food for dinner from Yum Cha @the Grand Hyatt. SO gooooood. This place was super nice, and also pretty pricey.  Like $$$ pricey. haha.  While we waited for our food, Irwin the lead handed server made us a round of drinks that got us all a bit…tipsy.

Took a few random pics outside on the way to the car. hahaha. Pretty sure that setup was just for show, but christie’s 80 lbs of lightness didn’t break it!

Ate at our room, and polished off a bottle of wine with dinner, then played blackjack for M&Ms and did sommersaults and played around in the “grassy knoll” of a backyard that we had.

SUNDAY:

Na Pali Tour!!! Catamaran’d it out to the Na Pali coast, then to Lehua, snorkeled a bit, then went by Niihau and back across the channel. 7 hours, 4 dolphin sightings, 2 manta ray sightings, speechless wonder and an exciting ride back home!

Next stop: Kauai Kookie for omiyage (since this was our only chance) and Brick Oven Pizza (after i saw Jenna’s pic of it, i wanted to try it!)

Then…(bum buh bummmm)

I LOCKED THE FREAKING KEYS IN THE TRUNK.

*insert super sad face here.

Had to backtrack it to the airport to pick up a spare (luckily at no cost but our time) then back to keoki’s for a quick drink and some pupu’s before booking it to the airport so that we could…

MISS OUR FLIGHT. (word to the wise: don’t show up at 10:40p for a 10:50pm flight. HAHA)

We contemplated going to Wal-mart to kill time, but it CLOSES! at 11pm!! blasphemy! So we were stranded at the Kauai airport for a while, and ended up spending some extra dough and staying the night at the Hilton.  At least the beds were comfy. Re-booked for 645a flight out.  Everything was going great~ until…

Our ride from the airport wouldn’t answer her phone. Now, we got in at like 715a, and needed to be at work!  Pretty much everyone left us hanging this morning… but a rogue bbm ended up saving the day. Needless to say, drinks are in order for our knight in shining…audi. HAHAHA.

Sorry this took SO long for me to get up.  S’a LOT to read, too. HAHAA. maybe i should go through it and delete some of that extra “blah blah blah”…. but nah… too lazy.

Happy thursday~ let the good times roll!

September’s made for:

Football Madness

Starting this Friday, the warrior nation comes together to cheer on UH against Central Arkansas. Admittedly, I only started getting into watching EVERY game this past season, due to a certain influence. But I got hooked!!  Although plans are still not concrete, and I’m crossing my fingers that my friend hooks it up and lets me tag along, I have every intent of watching the games, IRL or otherwise. ^__^

 

Kauai trip

My coworker emailed me about the $25 Hawaiian flights, and just like Jenna, I took advantage of the opportunity!  Flights are booked to spend a nice, relaxing, three day weekend there. And while we still haven’t booked our hotel room, or our rental car, we did manage to book the Na Pali Coast Catamaran tour!  Never been on a boat (beyond the fire boat back when I was in 6^th grade) so I’m loading up on anti-sick pills/patches etc, just in case! Not sure what we’re going to do on the other two days (besides eat a lot and relax) but contemplating the helicopter tour and Tubing..

 

Modest Mouse

Next Wednesday at Pipeline! The coworkers have been feeding my concert-going addiction and after PWTs (hahaha kiddieville) and No Doubt, I’m pretty excited for Modest Mouse.

 

Taking Back Sunday

Now this one is going to be sans-alcohol, crowd-avoidance (not like the above concert) due to the fact that I’ll be taking my mini sister (who’s currently going thru pre-teen antics) and I have to be *gasp* RESPONSiBLE. Haha.

 

The start of baking class

So along with the 12 credit madness described below, starting next week Wednesday, I’m going to be taking an baking class at Kaimuki Adult School! Everything from butter mochi to bibingka. HAHA. Should be an interesting and SWEET ride!!! Will remember to post recipes for the good stuff (and maybe even the not so good stuff)

 

Sandbar

This one’s not set in stone yet, but it’s in the works. Friends are planning a day at the Sandbar in Kaneohe. Seeing that I’ve never been there, I’m stoked!! J Hopefully I’m not overhyping, but in the end, it’s the company that always makes any outing fun~ and the Team never fails!! <3

 

karaoke/beach/dinner birthday celebrations

With September comes NINE birthdays. FML. The brother in law, the oka, my aunty, a handful of coworkers that I actually chill with, a couple of my close homies and a couple gakkai peeps. YIPES. No idea how the heck my wallet will survive the month.  OH yeah… everyone’s getting BAKED GOODS! HAHAHA ^__^

 

BSG hardcore-ness

For all those that didn’t get this: s’for my churchy activities. Stands for “Behind the Scenes Group”.  We’re basically the cool kids that make sure everything goes down without mishap at meetings. A bit stressful, but I need to step up my game and stop SLACKING. Got amazing ppl supporting me in this~ Mami-chan, Jen, Matty and Allan!!  I know we can make it big by year-end, but as with most things: s’not gonna be easy!  

 

And (of course) all kinds of studying for school.

This semester marks the 4^th semester of being back into the school grind after a crazy ridiculous 4 year break. Taking 12 credits~ Acc201, Math135, ICS101 and Econ130~ and it’s the first time all my classes are ONLINE vs having cable courses (I seriously hated watching those programs!) Week one, and I’m already feeling the pressure, but still attempting to balance life out with work/Sgi/and hanging out with friends.

 

I’m a staunch believer that BUSY is greater than boredom any day of the week, and I have a tendency to spread myself too thing, lose sleep and get sick. But in the end, I never have any regrets.  What can I say? Spending time with my friends and family, bettering myself, and doing things for other people is what makes my world SPIN.

*uncategorized*

Have you ever had one of those crystallizing moments, when for once in your life…
everything makes complete sense?

…yeah i didn’t have one of those.

Instead, I was indulged with the mind boggling confusion that often infiltrates every shadowy corner of my head while i sit here and try to figure out what exactly it is i’m doing. at my job. with my life. with my… computer on, blogging at 1230am.

So, as i sit here trying to think up categories and tags for this blog…and then inevitably leave it as “uncategorized”…i figure i’ll open up a quick window into who i am. Since the vast majority of you have no idea, and my “about” page has…one line. (i got lazy)

Who am I?

• I’m every OCD personality’s nightmare
• was diagnosed with middle child syndrome since age 12
• am sporty in an”i bowl” kind of way.
• total bookworm (think belle from beauty and the beast, walking around DT, book in hand)
• lifehacker blog camper
• aspiring guitarist
• i’m crap, but when i hear a song i know, can’t help but sing along
• hopeless romantic, waiting patiently to be swept off my feet (started carrying a broom and handing to unknowing strangers… but they usually just start chasing me with it…)
• closet crazy girl (consider yourself warned)
• being treated for my social networking addiction
• full time marketing specialist~ a trumped up title for minion.
• full time online class student ~ 12 creditsss babyyy
• volunteer enthusiast (hawaii culture center, applying for habitat for humanity, and hopeful for next year’s joy of sake event ^^)
• candid camera-whore
• insomnia spokesperson

meh. That’s all i could think of at the moment.

Damn~ this blog’s going to be all over the place. Random post, stolen from my fb page… a tribute to my musically addicted soul.

Using only song names from ONE ARTIST, cleverly answer these questions. Pass it on to 15 people and include me. You can’t use the band I used. Try not to repeat a song title. It’s a lot harder than you think! Repost as “my life according to (band name).”

Pick your Artist:
Something Corporate

Are you a male or female: Punk Rock Princess
Describe yourself: 21 & Invincible
How do you feel? Ruthless
Describe where you currently live: Cavanaugh Park
If you could go anywhere, where would you go: Space
Your favorite form of transportation: Straw Dog
Your best friend: Miss America
You and your best friends are: Making North
What’s the weather like: Hurricane
Favorite time of day: Me & the Moon
If your life was a TV show, what would it be called: A Year in the Life
What is life to you: Not What it Seems
Your last relationship: You’re Gone
Your fear: Break Myself
What is the best advice you have to give: Wait
Thought for the Day: I Woke up in a Car
How I would like to die: As You Sleep
My soul’s present condition: Good news
My motto: I Won’t Make You

–

Last tidbit before i hit the sheets and crash~ let’s see who knows where this quote’s from…takin it back to the olllddd schooolll. haha.

friend: Love? I’ll tell you what love is…love is an illusion created by lawyer types like yourself, to perpetuate another illusion, called marriage…create the reality of divorce and who do you need then? Divorce lawyers.

lawyer: love is the only illusion that counts.

friend: Says who?

lawyer: Anyone who’s ever been in love.

—

zzzzzzzz

UNinspired.

Okay, i know i just posted this morning…but after a long day bumming around the house watching tv and resting up, i felt (get this) inspired.

if you know me, which you probably don’t, i’m the kind of person that will randomly get hit with waves of inspiration, i’ll write about it (like atm) make all these determinations about how i’m going to change, and i’ll probably even change for mayyyybe a day or two.

But in the end, i’m back where i started.  This blog was supposed to be my form of accountability, but even that fizzled after just a few short weeks.

talk about an epic fail.

In any case, i’m here ranting and raving because i’ve let SO many things slide in the past month, that it’s killing me.

I’ve been irresponsible in EVERY aspect of my life, and my excuse…..?

i have none.

LIFE happens.  Regardless of if i want it to, time will pass.  Time changes everything. People included….

anyway… i digress.

I just finished watching He’s just not that into you.

I won’t even bother explaining any part of my trivial life to try and compare it with the movie. I’ll just say that the witty little wrap up was spot on:

Girls are taught a lot of stuff growing up.
If a guy punches you he likes you. Never try to trim your own bangs
and someday you will meet a wonderful guy and get your very own happy ending.
Every movie we see,
Every story we’re told
implores us to wait for it…
the third act twist, the unexpected declaration of love,

the exception to the rule.

But sometimes we’re so focused on finding our happy ending
we don’t learn how to read the signs.

How to tell from the ones who want us from the ones who don’t,
the ones who will stay from the ones who will leave.

And maybe a happy ending doesn’t include a guy,
maybe… it’s you, on your own, picking up the pieces and starting over,
freeing yourself up for something better in the future.

Maybe the happy ending is… just… moving on.

Or maybe the happy ending is this:

knowing after all the unreturned phone calls,
broken-hearts,
through the blunders and misread signals,
through all the pain and embarrassment…

you never gave up hope…

advice

For the most part, when people try to give me advice about life, I listen, consider what they say, and then do exactly what i want to do.

It’s not that i don’t take what they say to heart, but i’m the kind of person that just needs to learn by doing. When it comes to most things, I have a “can’t knock it till you try it” kind of attitude, which admittedly, gets me into more trouble than good. (like when i try shrimp for the millionth time to see if i’m still allergic to it)

But seriously, what’s life without living?

Anyway, point being, last night, as johndrea was taking me home, john gave me this advice:

“Have fun, take everything at face value, and know that things always happen when you least expect it.”

and that’s exactly what i plan to do!

besides…

Nothing in this universe happens just once…infinity goes both ways.  There’s no doubt that you’ll be hurt again, but in that same reasoning, you’ll love again too…

happy sunday