things I've been up to

Helped out with an event all day today. It went down excellently, and I'm really happy about that. The theme was Hawaii, and yesterday I had a flash of inspiration for some decorations. The tables we'd set up were looking awfully spartan or industrial, so during my lunch break I zoomed off in my car to pick up some artificial stalks of hibiscus and leis at the nearest DAISO. Add some colorful plastic table"cloths", some jars for vases (I've been saving them for the next time I need to mix up egg dye), paper placemats and some confetti, and boom~! Instant mini-makeover. I felt like I wouldn't mind decorating for events as a living, while I was prettying the place up.

Alas, I was too busy and took no photos. Perhaps I'll get some from someone else later.

We made locomoco (rice + hamburger + fried egg and gravy), ahipoke (raw tuna and onion salad with sesame seeds and garlic soy sauce), and mac salad (macaroni, peas, carrots, cucumbers, mayo, salt, and pepper); and we watched the lovely intern's demonstration of how to make haupia (coconut pudding). She also brought some delectable fudge. Everybody was ravenously hungry by the time we sat down to eat (about 1:30), but likewise everyone's stomachs were then filled enough to satisfy, I dare say, even a hobbit.

I'm re-reading the Lord of the Rings these days, and am about 3/4 of the way through The Two Towers. What a fantastic writer Tolkien was!

It's hard to be patient. I think I used to be a fairly patient child, but since graduating high school I seem to be in a greater and greater hurry to do everything. Do you know any good tips, exercises, or prayers for patience?