February 11, 2016 • mccsokinawa.com
Thomas Alan Smilie
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hether it’s your spouse of 10 years, girlfriend of 10 months or someone you’re still trying to woo, Valentine’s Day is your time to shine. Problem is, the Valentine’s Day industry is so overcrowded we’ve lost sight of what really works. If you want someone to like you it’s not about how cool you look or how much money you have, it’s all about how much chocolate you have. These rich, sweet, bite-sized love bombs are the closest we have to a real-life cupid’s arrow. Once your Valentine takes a bite of chocolate, their mood is instantly elevated by a chemical called phenyle-
inside
thylamine. This causes the release of norepinephrine and dopamine, two other chemicals responsible for the sensation of falling in love. And now, without even doing anything, chocolate has made someone fall halfway in love with you. As long as you keep your mouth shut and bathe, it may actually work out for the best. It works nearly every time. For having its own holiday, falling in love is not too difficult or special. Mix the right chemicals at the right time, and you’ve got love. Introduce chocolate and it makes the natural potion of love much simpler, sweeter and easier to mix. After chocolateing your way in, the rest is up to you; keeping your
Military Saves Month | 3 Healthy Heart Spin-A-Thon | 3 Culture Corner: Not Just a Dozen Roses | 5 Japanese Phrase of the Week | 5
partner heavily drugged with chocolate throughout the relationship is not a healthy option. One local favorite is Fashion Candy (pictured above) a chocolatier found outside MCAS Futenma. An alternative would be to head to an MCCS club. Check out Valentine’s Date Night at the Butler Officers’ Club or at Tengan Castle on February 13. Did all this talk of love make you queasy? Then head over to the Anti-Valentine’s Party at the Ocean Breeze on Camp Foster on February 12. For details on these events, check out mccsokinawa.com/clubs. —Ryan Anastoplus
Pick of the Week: Todoroki Falls| 7 Whale Watching Tours | 9 Off-Base Events | 11 Semper Fit Events | 11
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livingatlarge
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Military Saves Month
id you know less than 50% of Americans have a savings plan? Money is one of the leading causes for stress in American adults. Through nationwide programs like Military Saves and America Saves, we can all learn some tips on fiscal responsibility like managing debt, budgeting, building credit and more. Entering its 14th year, Military Saves was originally an off-shoot of America Saves to focus on increasing financial health and wellness within the military community. The main focus of the program is to encourage saving as a means to financial freedom for a lifetime. The campaign partners with the military installation’s Personal Financial Management teams to develop a culture that supports smart financial behavior. This year, February 1 to March 4 is designated as the official Military Saves Month throughout the Department of Defense. MCCS Ma-
rine & Family Programs–Resources’ (MFP-R) financial team has joined forces with local organizations, including on-base credit unions and banks, military exchanges and commissaries to highlight the importance of financial readiness and the military’s year-round financial readiness campaign. MFP-R also provides financial classes, unit training sessions and
financial outreach to promote savings. We strongly encourage military service members, DoD civilians and their families to increase their knowledge of personal finances for a strong financial future and to take action to improve their financial health and wellness. For more information, please call 645-2104 or visit mccsokinawa.com/ mfp-r.
events&happenings
Top: twayne0216/bigstock.com, Bottom: mircea_dfa/bigstock.com
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Healthy Heart Spin-A-Thon
ardiovascular diseases remain the biggest cause of deaths worldwide. One in every three deaths in the United States is from heart disease and stroke, which amounts to about 2,200 deaths per day. The good news is most of these deaths are completely preventable. Eating a balanced diet and keeping an exercise routine will greatly reduce your risk of heart disease. All you need is at least 30 minutes of physical activity three to four times a week, but as we all know kick-starting a new routine is the hardest part. If eating delicious trans-fats and hydrogenated oils are your bane, there’s no way around it: you have to stop. But this doesn’t mean your taste buds will never experience joy again; there are healthy alternatives to every unhealthy food and they actually taste pretty good. It’s true. To commemorate Amrican Heart Month, MCCS Health Promotion is having a Healthy Heart Spin-a-Thon
on February 13. There will be three 50-minute sessions with three different instructors: starting at 8, 9 and 10 a.m. at the Camp Foster Gunners Fitness Center. Whether you’re fresh on your trail to a healthier lifestyle or you
were planning on a spin session that day anyway, this is an event guaranteed to get your heart pumping. Prizes courtesy of bodybuilding.com will be available to participants. Space is limited so call 645-3910 to reserve your spot today.
CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER | Jim Kassebaum MANAGING EDITOR | Ryan Anastoplus ART DIRECTOR | Hector Nieves CULTURAL RESEARCH SPECIALIST | Ayako Kawamitsu GRAPHIC ARTS MANAGER | Henry Ortega GRAPHIC DESIGNERS | Margie Shimabukuro, Lisa Miyagi, Kelli Davis, Catherine Newquist EDITOR-IN-CHIEF | Mike Daley EDITOR | Caylee Reid PHOTOGRAPHER | Thomas Alan Smilie AD/SPONSORSHIP MANAGER | Roy Forster AD SALES | Yoshihiro Shinzato, Aya Chilcote, Yoriko Yamashiro, Carina Fils-Julien, Lisa Hicks DISTRIBUTION | Gideon Juko MARKETING ACCOUNTS MANAGER | Andrew Menges ACCOUNTS & RESEARCH | Amanda Bakun, Katherine Melrose, Kayla Christen, Jenessa Reutov, Jennifer Dowd, Marissa DeSmet BROADCAST | Victor Mercado, Kathlene Millette, Gabriel Archer CAREER PRACTICUM INTERN | Skylor Stevens
Questions? Comments? Please e-mail OLW@okinawa.usmc-mccs.org. To advertise in Okinawa LivingWeekly, call 645-2245, fax 645-0975, or email sales@okinawa.usmc-mccs.org. MCCS is not responsible for designing and editing outside ads. No Department of Defense, U.S. Marine Corps or Marine Corps Community Services endorsement of commercial advertisers or sponsors implied.
This publication printed with
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japanese phrase
culturecorner
of the week
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Dokokade oai shimashita? Have we met before?
Clockwise from the top left: Pablocalvog/bigstock.com, Sabthai/bigstock.com
For details about FREE Japanese language classes, please call Marine & Family Programs–Resources at 645-2104/2106.
Not Just a Dozen Roses
n Japanese culture, the practice of ikebana, meaning “flowers kept alive,” is more than clipping pretty stems and arranging them in a glass vase. Rather, it’s a blend of language, philosophy and history woven together over 500 years. That’s why creating and giving ikebana as a gift means more than giving a dozen roses—you’re giving an elegant piece of art. Ikebana is a disciplined art form. Harmony is the guiding principle in ikebana, harmony between flower, vase and surroundings. This living art links nature with humanity. While western floral arrangements are comprised of dense layers—the more flowers, the more extravagant and beautiful—in ikebana the artist uses only what is necessary to compose elegant curves that accentuate the beauty of the flower. Japan is a nation that views the appreciation of nature almost as religion in itself. So it is no won-
der ikebana has flourished as an art form. Although it is the same as any other art form—it takes time to study, practice and learn (and some artists are more naturally talented than others), anyone can try ikebana.
To try your hand at Japanese flower arranging, pick up an armful of fresh flowers at any local JA, or Japanese farmers’ market, and let the sweet scent of spring lift the gray shrouded skies. —Caylee Reid
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getting there
pickoftheweek
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Todoroki Falls
As always, when exploring in Okinawa, keep an open mind and a sense of adventure. Google Maps 26.562615, 127.988356
Todoroki Falls
his weather may not scream "outside," but right now is the perfect time to explore. The habu have retreated from the chill, and the saucer-sized banana spiders have not yet spindled their way into the middle of a trail. Spring has budded its way onto the scene—cherry blossom branches full. This Valentine’s Day do something outside of the typical roses-andchocolates routine. Pack a picnic and find a waterfall. Option #1: Find it the good old-fashioned way. Certainly, with fabulous publications and countless online resources at our disposal, exploring the island is a breeze—at least, as much of a breeze as tiny alleyways and incorrect pins can be. And we are all about fitting as much adventure into a free day as possible (the weekend is far too short!), but with this convenience, a small part of true adventure has been lost. Instead, pack a lunch, a full tank of gas and go waterfall chasing on your own.
Option #2: For those who think it is still too cold to commit to a true hike, we have the alternative—todoroki, or rumbling, falls. Off of Highway 58 in Nago, the three-tiered waterfall offers a large flat rock that works perfect as a table. If it’s chilly, pack a blanket and
after lunch snuggle up listening to the roar of the falls. Keep in mind, while the hike is short, if you clamber over the rocks they are extremely slippery; please use caution. —Caylee Reid
Top: Caylee Reid Bottom: Thomas Alan Smilie
photooftheweek
Crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, the sata andagi (Okinawan doughnut) is a cross between a sugar cookie and an old-fashioned doughnut.
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more details
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Tour dates: February 13, 21, 27 Adults $54 Children (4–11) $35
Clockwise from the top left: dambo, Pang-rum/bigstock.com
Visit mccsokinawa.com/tours or your local Tours+ office for more details.
Whale Watching Tours
ach year, humpback whales make an annual voyage from Alaska’s Aleutian Islands to the warm waters of the East China Sea—a journey that takes them right past Okinawa. You can see these behemoth mammals up close and personal on a ferry to the nearby Kerama Islands with MCCS Tours+. These humpbacks can weigh 25 to 40 tons and typically give birth in subtropical waters in the winter after feasting in polar waters all summer. These whales were once pushed to near extinction by an aggressive whaling industry but are now kept safe thanks to international statutes. While on tour, you might catch a glimpse of this most acrobatic of the whale families, as humpbacks are known for breaching and flipper-slapping. If the prospect of a 50-foot-long, 40,000-pound animal jumping out of the water isn’t exciting enough, these curious creatures
have also been known to approach and circle whale-watching boats. In addition to whale watching, you’ll enjoy the beautiful scenery and ocean breeze. After a morning on the sea, the tour will stop in Naha for lunch and shopping. Book your slot now for this popular February tour. The tour lasts
from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. and includes time after the boat trip in downtown Naha, where you can shop to your heart’s delight. Please note that the frequency and number of visible whales may vary. For more information, call your local Tours+ office or visit mccsokinawa.com/tours.
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tours+
adventure begins here. Valentine’s Dinner Cruise* February 14, 6–10:30 p.m. $149 per couple Outdo yourself this Valentine’s Day and treat your special someone to a romantic dinner cruise. Enjoy a mouth-watering steak and garlic shrimp dinner and live music as the sun sets over the ocean. Japanese Tea Ceremony* February 19, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Adults $35, Children (3–11) $28 under 3 FREE Experience a traditional Japanese tea ceremony. After tea, have lunch and go shopping on Kokusai Street.
Japanese Baseball Game* February 20, 11 a.m.–5 p.m. Adults $45, Children (5–15) $40 under 5 FREE *no seat Watch the Yomiuri Giants face-off against the Yokohama DeNA Baystars in a pre-season game at Okinawa Cellular Stadium in Naha. Tea Ceremony with Kimono Dressing* February 20, 3–8:30 p.m. Adults $48, Children (3–11) $38 Take part in a traditional tea ceremony, discover the history behind the kimono and dress in a traditional Japanese kimono. The Tea House will provide a complimentary photo of your immersion into Japanese culture. Afterwards, travel to Naha Main Place for dinner and shopping.
*Bring yen for additional food, drinks and/or purchases. For more information, contact MCCS Tours+: Camp Foster 646-3502 | Camp Hansen 623-6344 | Camp Kinser 637-2744
off-baseevents get out and explore.
Naha Cherry Blossom Festival February 11–14 Yogi Park Naha City FREE
Proud sponsor of MCCS Youth Sports
Athletics/Adult Sports
Top to bottom: mjutabor/bigstock.com, Thomas Alan Smilie
645-3521/3522
Aquatics 645-3180 Courtney Ironworks 622-9261/7297 Futenma Semper Fit 636-2672 Gunners Fitness Center 645-3985/2235 Hansen House of Pain 623-5558/4831 Health Promotion 645-3484/3910 Kinser Fitness Center 637-1869/1114 Schwab Power Dome 625-2654/2442 Taiyo Golf Club 622-2004 Tsunami SCUBA 645-9500 Youth Sports 645-3533/3534
All Toyota Motor Show February 13–14, 9 a.m.–8 p.m. Okinawa Convention Center Ginowan City FREE
Kunigami Camellia Festival February 13–14, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Kunigami Forest Park Kunigami Village FREE
upcoming semperfitevents Open 6 on 6 Soccer February 19–20 MCAS Futenma Semper Fit Gym Register at any MCCS Fitness Center by 1 p.m. on February 15 for $90. This event is open to participants island wide. Awards will be given to first, second and third-place teams. Tournament brackets and rules will be emailed to each participant. Details: 636-2672.
Open Basketball Tournament February 26–28 Camp Foster Gunners Fitness Center Register at any MCCS Fitness Center by 1 p.m. on February 22 for $100. This event is open to participants island-wide. Awards will be given to first, second and third-place teams. Tournament brackets and rules will be emailed to each participant. Details: 645-3003/4866.
classof theweek Zumba Zumba features aerobic interval training with a combination of fast and slow rhythms to tone and sculpt the body. It targets the glutes, legs, arms and abdominals while providing a fun cardiovascular workout. Camps Kinser, Foster and Courtney
For a full class schedule and times, visit mccsokinawa.com/groupfitness.