My mother-in-law passed away recently. It's made me more aware of the little things and what is really important in life, like spending time with friends and family - and sunsets. Last night we caught an awesome one!

Well, I did it! I am a member of Instagram! I've finally figured it out (I think, lol) - look out for cooler pictures coming in future posts. I really like some of the filters, like this one that shows my beautiful garden:

Hi All!

I've been doing lots of stand-up comedy, gearing up for my 1st mainland comedy performance at Bonkerz Comedy club in Florida Oct. 4th. 

Gus Downes is doing an open mic over at the Greenhouse Innovation Hub every Friday on Auahi st, Station Bar with Aaron Pughes every first and third Thursdays. I also got a chance recently to see the Na Ali'i of Comedy: Andy Bumatai, Frank Delima, Mel Cabang and Augie T. at the Pagoda hotel. The guys that started local, pidgin comedy here in the 1970s are as funny as ever! Go see them in their mainland, Oahu or outer island shows if you can. I performed in the first "Women Run This" show at the Bambu Two Martini Bar on Bethel st. in chinatown. This show combined music, poetry and comedy and the talent there that night was amazing! The fact that my favorites Bridget Gray the poet and Taimane Gardner the ukulele virtuoso were also in it made it even better.

I've had some fabulous beach days and swims,  and did a new abstract mini-painting called "Space Creature". Writing lots of comedy leaves less time for art, but I manage to do it anyway. This Christmas I will have two weeks off from my dayjob and I think a lot of art will spring from that, looking forward to Fall and Winter in Hawaii on this 1st day of Fall, it's awesome, still warm, still incredibly inspiring, bursting with life with rainbows you couldn't imagine were really there~

Erika performing comedy at Bambu 2 Martini bar as part of the Women Run This show of poetry, music and comedy on 9-22-12. Photo by Edub Photography, I just love this one!

Post-show glow!

Mini-painting 8.5" x 5.5" ~ "Space Creature", watercolor and pen, available. email me for details and price: swartzkopf@yahoo.com

 You get some funny expressions when friends try to take pics of you doing comedy, lol, here's one from the Station Bar open mic

Kaimana Beach misty day

Bambu Two Martini Bar, a classy place in Chinatown. 

 Queens Beach

Taimane Gardner performed at our show, she is such an awesome musician! 

Kaimana 

Sometimes it even rains at Kaimana Beach - but not for long!

Queens Beach

Guys with Issues comedy show at Hawaiian Brian's

Went to an awesome comedy show last nite, the "Guys with Issues" show at Hawaiian Brian's on 9-8-12. All the comics killed it, got pics of a few. I was very impressed how smoothly the show went and what a great crowd they had, everyone got lots of laughs. Great job, James Mane, Russell Kealoha and Jonny Sparkles, you put together a fantastic show and I look forward to the next one!

Teresa Sickels before the show 

Guys with Issues, Jonny Sparkles, James Mane and Russell Kealoha 

Teresa Sickels killed it, so awesome! 

Paul Kane was awesome as usual 

Jonny Sparkles was hilarious 

The lead funny man, himself, James Mane 

The whole crew at the end, Cee Lo made a special appearance and Kaleo Naiga and David Lee also performed. What a fantastic show!

Beach and Jam Party for Labor Day!

Finished a cool, new watercolor painting called "Jeremiah the Jellyfish", available email here is interested: swartzkopf@yahoo.com. For Labor Day weekend, went to the beach and then a jam birthday party for a friend in Olomana on the Windward side, a Hawaiian-style potluck party where everyone brought instruments and ono food. What could be better?

"Jeremiah the Jellyfish"

Queen's jetty 

Waikiki 

Cool clouds! 

Potluck in Olomana 

Good friends jamming

Me 'n Joe 

Joe brings out the cello! 

Mark, the birthday boy and Kevin jammin' 

 The jam in full swing

 Chuck showed up to jam!

Hau'oli la hanau, Mark! 

Peter Bond played some awesome mandolin!