Manu is up and rumbling about in his kitchen like nothing happened. He’s muttering about something but I’m not sure what. I feel the best I have in a long time. No more stomach ache. No more cloudy brain. I actually feel like doing a shift at Kava Kava Coffee right now. Talking to customers, …
27: Chapter 8
“We have to bring this guy Coors Light,” Gary says. “Coors Light?” I ask. I’m confused. “Isn’t this guy some sort of a priest or shaman or something?” I ask. “I don’t know, Josie,” Gary says. “I mean, I don’t know what you call him. He knows Huna and he likes Coors Light. If we …
Burnout is officially a “syndrome.” What comes next?
The results of chronic stress in the workplace have been getting a lot of attention this week. First, we learned that the World Health Organization (WHO) officially redefined the term "burnout" as a "syndrome" resulting from chronic workplace stress in their handbook of diseases. Despite some reporting, the WHO previously included burnout in their handbook …
Continue reading Burnout is officially a “syndrome.” What comes next?
27: Chapter 7
I’m all mixed up. What’s happening with my life? I’m sitting here alone in our rental car and Gary’s inside a pizza place using the phone. I can’t see him talking. I don’t want to see him talking. He said he was going to call our Aunt Halani and try to find out why she’s …
27: Chapter 6
Hawaii is the most beautiful place I’ve ever been. I live in California and in my opinion, it’s one of the most beautiful states on the mainland. But Hawaii is like a fairy-tale dream of all of the shades of green you could ever imagine. I was still reeling from my bad Benadryl dream on …
27: Chapter 5
I’m really hurt this time. “This time,” I mean since the second time that man ran into me. Or faded into me. I don’t know where he went. It’s been a week since he punched me in the stomach in my kitchen and disappeared. I’ve been so sick I had to call into Kava Kava …
27: Chapter 4
He’s been sitting next to me since Ocean Park and 23rd. Sitting in the passenger seat of Gary’s light blue pick-up truck as I drive home. He could’ve been there longer than 23rd Street but that’s when I first noticed him. I jumped and swerved when I saw the man from Gary’s exhibition in the …
27: Part 3
I did it. I finally made my decision. When I was helping Uncle Gary set up his exhibition at 18th Street Arts, it hit me right in the center of my chest. I’m supposed to sing tonight. I’ve been fretting over this decision for the last week. Ever since he asked me. I’ve been going …
27: Part 2
“I’ll take a grande, quad, nonfat, one-pump, no-whip, mocha,” the pretty corporate lady says to me without looking up from her phone. “No problem,” I tell her as I write an abbreviation of her order onto a large Kava Kava paper cup. She basically wants a lightly flavored mocha with all low-fat ingredients and four …
27: Part 1
“You’re my good luck charm, little girl,” he tells me. “Everywhere I go with you, the world welcomes me.” “Don’t call me a little girl,” I tell him toughly with a bit of sarcasm. I pull his serape from Tijuana around my little body. The rough material is itchy but the red, blue and pink …
