Spring is Here

The Foster City condos on Hillsdale Ave., from across the San Mateo lagoon

It's cold, 45 degrees in the Bay Area as Easterners scoff, but the sky is blue, and the sun is out.

Spring is here, literally and metaphorically. Traffic is picking up, and the children have started attending classes again.

The older folks will complete the vaccination regimen this month, while the younger members of the family will start theirs.

Fruit and oatmeal this morning, or should I get doughnuts and coffee with extra shots of caffeine like in the old days?

You don't have to ask twice.

All those days in the sun
What I'd give to relive just one
Undo what's done
And bring back the light

Days in the sun will return
We must believe as lovers do
That days in the sun
Will come shining through.

A Kinder, Gentler Cut

Manscaped ad with all-Pro tight end Rob
Gronkowski and partner Camille Kostek (WSJ)

Among things that long ago I never thought that anyone would need: the Lawn Mower 3.0 razor, "an electric razor specifically designed for pruning a man’s nether region."

A study published in 2016 in the American Journal of Men’s Health found that 50.5% of the men it surveyed “reported regular pubic hair grooming".....Manscaped heavily touts its Lawn Mower 3.0’s “skin safe” ceramic blade, which it claims prevents cuts more successfully than traditional metal blades.

No longer an anti-nick niche, the potential size of the market has attracted big players like Gillette and Royal Philips.

In the 21st century the change in societal norms has accelerated to such an extent that, who knows, in a few short years you may need a Lawn Mower version X to look presentable on your profile pic. (No more smirkin' at your merkin, gentlemen.)

A Good Morning

Jamie Lee flanked by admirers.

One of the part-time caregivers was pau work as we were leaving for church services downtown, 20 minutes away. She asked for a ride to her church, a mile from ours. Of course.

Edna, 77, had emigrated to Honolulu from the Philippines to join two of her children. Later the head nurse told me that Edna should not have approached me for a ride. I assured the nurse that I was happy to do it; transportation is a real problem for older workers, many of whom don't drive.

My good deed was rewarded immediately (yes, I know it doesn't work like that) when this year's Narcissus Queen, Jamie Lee, and Narcissus Princess, Sabrina Young, happened to be in the Parish Hall for a photo shoot.

Sabrina Young and fan

The Narcissus Festival and beauty pageant were a big deal when I was growing up and are still important to Hawaii's Chinese community:

The Narcissus Festival was initially tied to the Lunar New Year celebrations due to the narcissus flower being an auspicious symbol of rebirth and good fortune...The festival’s purpose is to preserve and showcase Chinese art and culture, while promoting local and international commerce...The festival culminates in an annual goodwill tour wherein the queen and her court travel to various cities in mainland China and act as cultural ambassadors for the state of Hawai’i.

The flowers were impressive, too.

Tendering for Tenderization

Hundreds of sheet masks to choose from--Here's one offering on Alibaba.

The Wall Street Journal asks the important question: Do Korean Sheet Masks Actually Improve Your Skin? (If one watches--or is forced to watch--Korean soap operas, one can't avoid noticing that lovely actresses walk around with these beauty treatments.)

Answer: they probably help. [bold added]

the masks are mainly a Korean phenomenon. Sold in individual packets or as multi-packs, they consist of a pulp, fiber or bio-cellulose base soaked in a serum that purports to brighten, moisturize, smooth or perform other tricks when applied for the prescribed period of time, usually around 20 minutes. Manhattan dermatologist Dr. Dendy Engelman said that the form itself is effective: “Sheet masks use the material to trap active ingredients on the skin, forcing it to lock in the moisture and receive all the benefits.”

I wonder if the personal-care product developers got this idea from the kitchen. Any cook can tell you that plastic Ziploc® bags are effective in the marinading process because the bags help the meat to be in constant contact with the spice. The sheet masks use the same principle, albeit in a classier and more expensive manner.

It all depends on how much you are willing to tender for tenderization.