The Mic is Open!

Public performance and getting in front of an audience of complete strangers is no easy feat. But performers at HPU’s Open Mic event this past Friday sure made it seem easy! This semester HPU’s Campus Activities Board sponsored an Open Mic/ Bubbies Ice Cream social at the Downtown campus’ Sea Warrior Center. Slam poetry, music and song were all welcomed on stage during the event.

Students that showed up at the event all had a good time.  While performances were going on, students were given mochi ice cream from Bubbies to nibble on and enjoy. Each of the performances was truly unique, and the slam poets at the event really helped to uplift the spirit in the room. Physical performance is a great form of self expression for many. For student’s especially, who are going through a lot in life, and have a lot on their minds, performance is a great way of unleashing bottled up emotions or stress.

Many of the performances at the day’s event were impromptu. A lot of the students who had just so happen to be at the Sea Warrior Center at the time of the event, saw how much fun many of their fellow classmates were having, and decided to go up and perform a piece of their own. There was not much prior promotion done for the event, as details about the event only started becoming available and dispersed during the earlier part of the week.

All performers at the event had a great time. After each performance, students would walk off the stage with huge smiles, and be welcomed with waves of applauses. Not to mention, students who had not perform, and were simply at the event to watch the performances, also had a great time. Many praised the mochi ice cream that was available at the event. The event very fun, and provided a great opportunity for students to unwind and hang out. It was also an awesome way to end the school week, and head into the weekend.

Act of War: An Inspirational Film About the True Story Behind the Hawaiian Overthrow

Prior to viewing the documentary I was unaware of the real amount of brutal force and planned scheming that took place during the overthrow. The documentary's stylized re-enactments of events, with historic quotes, really allowed audience members to understand the entirety of the events. It also provided an authenticity to the film. The hour long documentary did a good job of depicting the gradual process of how the Hawaiian Kingdom was overthrown. We as audience members follow the Hawaiian people as they first make contact with western civilizations, become weaken both physically and culturally by the Westerners, and then finally become taken over by the western people.

Act of War is a documentary that was produced in association with the Center for Hawaiian Studies at the University of Hawai‘i. The film presents audience members with a very grassroot and story of the Hawaiian overthrow. The majority of media coverage given for the events of the Hawaiian overthrow did not incorporate the viewpoint of the overthrow from the Hawaiian's standpoint. For once we are able see and hear about the events from the standpoint of those who were present and truly effected the most by the events.

The Hawaiian islands were, in what U.S. President Grover Cleveland calls an "act of war," taken from the sovereign Hawaiian people. The Hawaiian people had created and lived for thousands and thousands of years in a sustainable and spiritual culture of their very own. They created sustainable economies and systems of agriculture, had their own language and practiced a unique culture.  The Hawaiian people were an established nation of their own, until the United States invaded and took their nation from them in 1983.
Segments of the documentary that include interviews from local historians and scholars Haunani-Kay Trask, Lillikala Kame‘eleihiwa, Kekuni Blaisdell and Jonathan Osorio help add and create a very scholarly and objective feeling to the documentary. The inclusion of footage from present-day events really helps to add a personal and grassroots feel to the film. The footage is raw, and a lot of times of rallies and individuals getting arrested, but audience members are shown that this is truly something that realistically affect many people.

She Kissed a Girl, and She Like It!

It is definitely not everyday that two well known and in-demand celebrities lip-lock with one another. This is especially true if the artists are of the same-sex and for the most part have reputations as being heterosexual. Yesterday jaws dropped as Miley Cyrus initiated, and took part in, some girl-on-girl action with fellow artist Katy Party.  Miley initiated the kiss as she performed her hit single “Adore You” at the Staple Center in Los Angeles. Cyrus is currently touring and holding concerts as a part of her Bangerz Tour.

When thinking of such lip-locking action, many would think back to the 2003 MTV VMA kiss that took place between the infamous Britney Spears, and Madonna. The performance immediately went viral, and shocked millions in the audience. The performance has forever gone down in history, and is eternally etched into the minds of fans.
Cyrus, a former Disney child star turned bad girl, has definitely changed and grew, for better or for worse, change her image in the eyes of audience members during these past few years. Barely-there leotards and lingerie have become the norm for Cyrus. During her performance at the Staple Center, Cyrus’ was seen performing and incorporated repeated scenes of crotch-grabbing, twerking and grinding with colorful stuffed animals. The girl-on-girl kiss seems only to be a part of the never ending raunchy moves that the star seems to be taking. Cyrus herself seems to see nothing wrong with actions, and simply said after this recent display: “I just kissed a girl and I really liked it a lot.” Let's hope Cyrus doesn't take after Ms. Spears too much and find herself heading to rehab...

Another Bundle of Joy has Been Delivered for Ms. Aguilera!

A special delivery has been made for Christina Aguilera and boyfriend Matt Rutler. The pop icon became engaged just this past Valentine’s Day to Rutler. Aguilera and Rutler supposedly didn’t want the baby news to slip until a later date and time, although various sources unnamed sources spoke with the media about the pregnancy. Ultimately it was Rutler’s mother who  let the cat out in a recent interview with Insider news.

The bundle of joy will be the second for Aguilera, and the first for Rutler. Aguilera is already a doting mother to her six-year-old son Max, who she had with her former husband Jordan Bratman. Aguilera and Rutler met in 2010, and have been dating ever since. It was only this past Valentine’s Day however, that the couple officially became engaged. Like most relationships in Hollywood, the couple is expecting their first child together a little ahead of the wedding bells.  Relationships within Hollywood are definitely not simple, but Aguilera and Rutler’s relationship seems to have been fairly normal for the most part.
Aguilera had first entered the entertainment industry as a mouseketeer at the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. Aguilera grew both her professional and personal life onscreen and in front of audience members. After shooting up in fame and stardom in the early 2000s, Aguilera met and got married ex-husband Jordan Bratman. The couple later got divorced in 2011 however, and it seems that both parties have move on. Let’s hope that Aguilera and Rutler do make it down the aisle and fulfill the “happily ever after” that is ever dominate in movies but rarely ever fulfilled in real life.

Introducing...Ms. Hillary Agra!

Creative, world-traveler, and daredevil are only some of the words that could be used to describe Ms. Hillary Agra. Hillary, an Ohio native, has seen and experienced more than many her age could ever dream of.  She is not afraid to take risks, and lives her life to the fullest.

A connoisseur of arts, Hillary is taken an interest in guerrilla and street art as of late. She is a DIY person, as her collection of seashells and seashell jewelery is evidence of. During her free time, Hillary is a Pintrest and Tumblr addict. She spends hours on end in front of her computer monitor searching out and trying new crafts. Jewelry and accessories are are her specialty; a prized possession of her's is a leather jacket containing 100 pins  from all around the world.
When Hillary's creative juices are on pause, she enjoys traveling and visiting new places. Of the 50 states within the U.S., Hillary has been to the majority of them; living four years in Ohio, 3 years in Pennsylvania, 7 years in North Carolina, and 3 years in Hawaii. Although it may seem like Hillary has finally landed and built fort in Hawai‘i, her traveling addiction has in no way been satisfied. Just this past weekend, Hillary's traveling urges took her on a flight to the big island, and during winter break she went and visited Okinawa.
An adrenaline junkie, Hillary runs on pressure and lives for the endorphin rush. Hillary's driving motto in life is "Pressure produces diamonds." She loves working under pressure, and produces some of her best works when's she's under some kind of pressure.
Though adrenaline and endorphins tend to rush and run throughout Hillary's system most of the time, she does find time in her life to simply enjoy the little things. When she needs a break from the madness of work and school Hillary likes going to the beach with her friends and boyfriend, and can enjoy a good hike any day.
Living for the rush and high is a constant in Hillary's life, but that does not mean that she does not enjoy relaxing and chilling out every once in a while. Hillary enjoys the crunch in life, but at the same time knows that life is not only about the crunch.

All About Angel-lala

Aside from being a full-time student taking 5 classes, I also work 2 different part-time jobs. Many can say that I am a workaholic, but as a local girl born and raised in the heart of Honolulu, Hawaii, I blame the high cost of living. I started working my first job while in highschool, and have not gone more than a month unemployed. 

Introductions of one's self is always fun. We sometimes meet various people in our lives, and walk into conversations with preconceptions of them. It is a truly amazing feeling however, when you start talking and conversing with the person, and you find out something amazing that completely revokes your preconception. Many of know me as Angela, and through one of my earlier post may have gotten a glimpse at who I am. There is more to me than meets the eye however.

When I'm not working however, I LOVE going on food adventures. As a townie who grew up in the almost constantly buzzing Honolulu, I've experienced, mostly through taste, the different cultures of the island. During my down time, I love grabbing some friends and trying out the newest hole-in-wall place serving awesome food. As a townie with a love for food, I've been known by many friends as being a foodie as well. While going on food adventures to various oddly named yet yummy places, I love documenting the awesome flavors I experience through my Instagram account-ANGELALA808.

Growing up in such a unique and multicultural place such as the heart of Honolulu, Hawaii has truly helped me to become a better well-rounded person. In growing up with such diversity, and experiencing it throughout my life, I truly feel that I am more open and definitely more willing to try new things. I love new experiences, and there is nothing that I would not try at LEAST once!