This entry was inspired by Joannie's (@trulyjoannies) commitment on the Kanu Hawaii Web site.

Kanu Hawaii completed it's Simplify the Holidays campaign ("Simplify the Holidays with Kanu Hawaii and the Kokua Hawaii Foundation") and I think it's more than worth it to continue this effort by carrying it on to Valentine's Day.

Joannie's commitment reads:

"I will simplify my Valentine's Day by cutting out needless consumption and waste. I will use this day to express my love and appreciation for the special person in my life (and family, friends) by giving my presence, hugs and kisses!"

I wanted to expand on this idea, so here's a list of suggestions for you to make your Valentine's Day a little simpler, but just as fun and meaningful.

Buy organic flowers. You could even skip the flowers and plant a tree.

(Photo credit: Kanu Hawaii)

Cook dinner at home with local produce instead of eating out. You'll definitely save money and there's nothing like a home-cooked meal.

(Photo credit: Kaimana Pine)

Get creative by making your own cards. Much like with a home-cooked meal, there's something special about a homemade card. Bust out some scratch paper, a pair of scissors and glue and have fun!

Support local businesses. If you do plan on buying a gift or eating out, consider hitting up a local favorite or buying eco-friendly items.

Visit Red Pineapple at Ward Center and go green with reusable shopping bags by Envirosax.

Show how much you care by spending meaningful time together. Whether it's with family, friends or your significant other, quality time together is great. Remember how precious life is and to enjoy every moment of it!

Share your time with others. Volunteer your time to help those in need and you'll definitely be "paying it forward."

Make a donation. Instead of buying gifts or dinner, use that money to make a donation to a worthy cause. You can even make it in the name of your special someone.

Please share your ideas here. Happy Valentine's Day, everyone!

A lot went on this past weekend, including the Chinese New Year festivities in Chinatown and the annual Punahou Carnival. What a great opportunity to catch up with my friend and former Advertiser photographer intern Kent Nishimura, who was out and about capturing images of all of the fun and excitement.

The official date of Chinese New Year is Feb. 14, but here's an early Kung Hee Fat Choy to all of you!

Members of the Chinese Lion Dance Association walk by holding a dragon at the Chinese Cultural Plaza.

A lion from Wah Ngai Lion Dance Association performs in front of Hifumi Restaurant at the Chinese Cultural Plaza.

A man is framed by flags of the United States of America and Taiwan as he walks on the second floor of the Chinese Cultural Plaza.

Members of the Chinese Lion Dance perform on stage at the Chinese Cultural Plaza.

Spectators watch performances from the top of the parking garage at the Chinese Cultural Plaza.

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(Photo and cutline credits: Kent Nishimura)

Visit www.kentnishimura.net and follow @kentnish on Twitter.

My sincere apologies for not blogging for a while. The first few weeks of this winter quarter have been quite busy.

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The Hogan Entrepreneurial Program speaker sessions kicked off last Wednesday with Rick Blangiardi, general manager of Hawaii News Now. It was then that I learned that two of my fellow Hogan students, John Rankin and Rechung Fujihara, were organizing a workshop for public high school students interested in as an alternative to furlough Friday.

The workshop was held last Friday in collaboration with Hawaii News Now. Fifteen students attended the workshop, which was led by news anchors Tim Sakahara and Taizo Braden. Students got a a tour of the new studio that is home to KFVE, KGMB, and KHNL. They also learned about what goes on behind-the scenes to put on a news broadcast.

Perhaps the most meaningful thing the students did that day was reading a script off the teleprompter that he or she prepared while sitting sit at the anchor desk.

"The students spoke about their experiences with furlough Fridays, how much of an impact it has had on their lives, what they would do to solve the issue, and the lessons learned from this unfortunate event," said Rankin.

Students watched themselves on camera and were critiqued by Sakahara and Braden, who offered feedback and suggestions for presenting themselves on camera. Participants also got to practice interviewing each other, thus getting a feel for what it's like to be a reporter.

The day also ended with students watching a live studio broadcast of the news at 5 p.m.

Below are some photos from last Friday's workshop. (Photo credit: John Rankin)

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After expressing my concerns in a previous blog post ("HSTA furloughs hit hard"), I was very impressed with the efforts that John and Rechung made out of concern for our youth. I strongly believe that it really is the responsibility of everyone to make sure students have all of the tools they need to succeed in life and I'm so proud of what my fellow Hogan students have done.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was born in Atlanta, Ga. on Jan. 15, 1929. He was one of the leaders of the African American Civil Rights Movement who believed in nonviolent protest against racial segregation and discrimination.

Dr. King also won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964. He was assassinated on April 4, 1968 and was 39-years-old. This day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day was made a national holiday in 1986.

Here's an excerpt from Dr. King's famous "I Have a Dream" speech, which he delivered on Aug. 28, 1963 on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: “We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal.” I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slaveowners will be able to sit down together at a table of brotherhood. I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a desert state, sweltering with the heat of injustice and oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice. I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream today.

I took a race relations course during my undergraduate studies and it was one of the most interesting classes I've ever taken. It opened by eyes to a lot of injustices that were done to many different groups of people. More importantly, what I learned from that course serves as a constant reminder that the world is still far from being perfect.

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The recent earthquake in Haiti that caused thousands of deaths and injuries as well as unimaginable amounts of damage is of great concern to me. Times like these make me realize how we're all human, all susceptible to natural disasters. Therefore, I like to do what I can to help.

Debris lays in the street after an earthquake along the Delmas road in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2010. A 7.0-magnitude earthquake, the largest ever recorded in the area, rocked Haiti on Tuesday. (Photo credit: AP Photo/Jorge Cruz)

For information on how you can help, please see below.

(Photo credit: The Honolulu Advertiser)

Whether you're a K-drama addict or not, "IRIS" is the drama to watch. I finished all 20 episodes one-hour in less than two weeks, so that says how hooked I was.

I don't want to give away too much, but I can tell you that this almost all of the episodes had No. 1 rankings in Seoul and throughout Korea. The drama incorporates brotherhood, love and action extremely well. It's very much like a Korean CIA/FBI/Secret Service-type of drama, but the story is full of twists and turns that create surprises everywhere.

A few other things to note:

• For those of you who saw "G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra," you'll recognize Lee Byung-hun, the lead actor "IRIS." He played Thomas Arashikage/Storm Shadow.
• "IRIS" was filmed in Russia, Japan, China and the U.S. One of the main sites was Akita, Japan. I heard there are a lot of visitors in the area because of the drama.
• The production cost is estimated at $20 million, making "IRIS" the most expensive K-drama to date.
• Plans for a second season of "IRIS" are already underway.

Below is the trailer and my favorite track from the "IRIS" original soundtrack:

And it's a good thing that I finished this drama because school resumes today and I'd hate to put off finishing a drama like this.