I had one manhattan too many at a cocktail party, given by a friend of mine who is obsessed with "Sex and the City", but I have to relay this story.

My friend, who hosted the cocktail party and who founded her own theatre company and runs another theatre company as well, told me I had convinced her to vote for Gavin Newsome. She was all set to vote for Gonzalez, but we had a long talk and she said what we discussed made her change her mind. I thought for sure that what I had said had no effect on her vote. She voted for Ammiano, so I was sure she would vote for Gonzalez. Besides she lived in Gonzalez' district, so I expected her to vote for her supervisor.

So when told me tonight she had voted for Newsome I was happy. But as the party progressed the talk turned to politics, and I started to feel bad. Most of the people were there had worked for my friend, because she directs as well as produces play in the city. The actors and other theatre types had all voted for Gonzalez, and my friend hadn't told them she had voted for Newsome.

I couldn't participate in the Newsome bashing, but then I thought I was safe because the discussion turned to Bush. I don't mind a good Bush bashing discussion myself, but then everyone there seemed to be anti-war freaks.

Feeling out of place I decided to leave, and as I was leaving I told my friend I was feeling uncomfortable with all the political talk. My friend looked at me and said, "What about me?" I felt guilty then.

I felt good that I had helped to convince her to vote for Newsome, but I felt bad that I had put her into an awkward position with her friends. My friend told me not to worry about it. None of the people there except for her directed or produced plays; they were actors or technicians. They had no power over her in the theatre world, and in her position as a director or producer who has hiring/firing power over actors and technicians, she has the upper hand.

But then she reminded me that directors and producers have all power, and that's why she became one. Actors and technicians have to suck up to directors and producers to get jobs.

Still I felt bad though. I didn't mean to get her in trouble with her group of friends. I didn't even think I had any influence over how she was going to vote, but she told me I had.

Elections are lost one vote at at time, but in these partisan times that we live in, voting seems to be hazardous unless you're in a position of some kind of power. That's horrible isn't it? My friend doesn't care that she voted for Newsome, but she wasn't going to announce it to any of her acting friends either.

I decided that I didn't want to offend anyone either, so I just left the party. Too many manhattans had made me way too bold, and I didn't want to say anything I would later regret.

Maybe our parents were right when they said that "one shouldn't discuss politcs in polite company." It's way too dangerous.

In Hawaii we have our own version of Santa Claus - Menehune Santa. Below are the words to an actual song I learned as a child. Translation for the hawaiian words are in parens.

Menehune Santa

Menehune Santa, Menehune Santa, with a big opu (tummy), bring Christmas presents in his red canoe.

Menehune Santa, Menehune Santa, under the coconut tree, seaving hats for keikis (children) and for you and me.

I know you only work at night, building Christmas toys, with many little people helping bring Christmas joys.

Menehune Santa, Menehune Santa, bring me a flower lei,
So I can give the one I love a kiss on Christmas Day.

From way up high the mountain tops you've seen just once a year, While all the little keikis dream an eastern star appear,

Menehune Santa, Menehune Santa, bring me a flower lei, So I can give the one I love a kiss on Christmas Day.

Written By:Larry Rivera

Mele Kalikimaka - a Hawaiian Christmas song

Mele Kalikimaka is the thing to say
On a bright Hawaiian Christmas Day
That's the island greeting that we send to you
From the land where palm trees sway
Here we know that Christmas will be green and bright
The sun to shine by day and all the stars at night
Mele Kalikimaka is Hawaii's way
To say "Merry Christmas to you."

This song was written by R. Alex Anderson (Robert Alexander Anderson), who was born in Honolulu in 1894, and from high school on to his death in 1995 composed nearly 200 songs.

He wrote Mele Kalikimaka in 1949 and though I am not sure who first recorded it, it was probably Bing Crosby. Crosby made a record of it in 1950 with the Andrews Sisters (maybe on the backside of his White Christmas single?), and it was an instant big hit.

The friend whom I went out to dinner with last night, asked me if I wanted to go to the 11 am service on Christmas day at our sister presby church and I said yes.

So I went to church this morning, and attending two services like that reminded me of growing up. My family always went to midnight mass on Christmas eve, and then on Christmas day we went to the morning service. We couldn't open our presents till we came home from Christmas day mass.

When I was little we would open presents after church, eat and then one of the relatives would take all the kids to the beach. Growing up in Hawaii, I always received a new bikini/bathing suit every Christmas as did all my cousins.

And when you're a kid growing up in Hawaii, Christmas day is all about going to the beach to frolick around and swim in your new bikini/bathing suit and to have fun with the cousins, some of whom you don't see very often.

I think the relatives appreciated having all the kids out of the house as well, so they could visit with each other. When we'd come back, there'd be a huge Christmas day feast being prepared to eat later that night.

I think if I was in a hot climate for Christmas day, I would spend the day at the beach just to relive my memories of my childhood Christmases.

Christmas at the beach ... how perfect!