Social Wahines is a membership-based social and business network for women who live and work in Hawaii. I began following Social Wahines on Twitter, visited the website frequently for upcoming events I may be interested in attending and subscribed to the free email newsletter. I was reluctant to join, however, because I wasn’t sure that the annual membership fee would be worth it. In less than 24 hours, I learned that it is definitely worth it!

I joined Social Wahines, created a profile highlighting my journalism, writing and editing experience, and began exploring the members-only areas of the website. I was disappointed to see that the Careers section was stale, with the most recent job opportunities posted on Jan. 5, and the previous on Oct. 11. I quickly learned, though, that job opportunities could be found through other areas of Social Wahines.

The next morning, I received an email from Social Wahines member Dr. Diana Joy Ostroff, one of the world’s best naturopathic physicians and owner of the Center for Natural Healing in Honolulu. Dr. Ostroff was looking for assistance with writing and editing projects and had discovered me through Social Wahines. I was happy to meet with her to discuss her needs and how I may be of assistance, and I’m proud to say that it has led to a new partnership between us.

I’m really excited to be working with Dr. Ostroff, and I’m so grateful to Social Wahines for the opportunities the organization provides for professional women living and working here in Hawaii. In addition to networking opportunities and newsletters, Social Wahines holds seminars, has discussion boards, discounts on products and services from its members, and so much more. I highly recommend becoming a member of Social Wahines to any professional woman in Hawaii.

Plugging away on my online job search at a coffee shop in Honolulu, I was interrupted with a text message from a friend, asking if I’d like to go on a short hike before he had a basketball game to play in. Considering I had been very productive and would soon surpass the time my $4 latte had earned me a seat at a table for, I decided it was time to call it a day and hit the trail.

Sam and I hiked Manoa Falls, a simple hike on a well-worn path to a fantastically beautiful waterfall. The trail crossed over different types of terrain, including small and large rocks, tree roots and stairs. It followed the stream toward the waterfall, bringing hikers through bamboo and passing several banyan trees.

Roots grow along the trail.

Along the way, hikers are greeted with an early glimpse at the waterfall by looking over the trees and across the valley.

Across the valley, hikers can catch a glimpse of the Manoa Waterfall in the distance.

Shortly after, we arrived at the pool of the waterfall. I was surprised at how clear the water was — the pools of other waterfalls I’d seen recently, including Maunawilli and Wai’oma’o falls, had been brown when I hiked to them.

The waterfall cascades into a clear pool.

The waterfall itself was incredibly high — I couldn’t fit the entire fall into one photo! A few other people were at the pool viewing area when we arrived. A nearby sign warned hikers to stay within the viewing area. According to the sign, on Jan. 28, 2002 (almost 10 years ago to the day!), heavy rains caused about 30 tons of material to fall from 600 feet to the pool area. Another sign warned hikers of falling rocks. Most hikers played it safe and stayed within the viewing area, while a couple of people sat on rocks next to the pool.

Manoa Waterfall

Just before the pool, the ‘Aihualama Trail begins. Sam and I thought we might get an overhead view of Manoa Falls if we hiked the ‘Aihualama Trail, so with that, we were on our way. The trail twisted and turned, providing us with views of Honolulu and Diamond Head crater and beautiful flowers and foliage.

Flowers on the 'Aihualama Trail.

Like the Manoa Falls trail, it was easy to hike. Unfortunately we had a late start on our adventure (I blame it on dedication to my job search), and after 30 or 40 minutes along the trail, we had to turn back so Sam could make his basketball game (and so I could apply for more jobs). I’m not sure that the trail would have given us the overhead views of Manoa Falls we were in search of, but we’ll be back again to finish the trail and find out.

A friend recommended me to an entertainment editor at a national celebrity gossip magazine (I’ll leave the magazine title out for now, since the story hasn’t been published yet) who was looking for a Boston-based reporter to cover the rumored budding romance between Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively. The pair had been spotted leaving Reynolds’ Back Bay apartment together over the weekend, and Lively was seen bringing a gift to Reynolds, who celebrated his birthday yesterday. I wrote about Reynolds when he was on the North Shore filming “The Proposal” with Sandra Bullock and Betty White (who I was lucky enough to score an interview with!) and I ran into him at The Liberty back in September, so I figured we were practically BFFs (I’m kidding), so why not take the assignment?

I did my research and began scouring Twitter, Facebook and blogs to see where Reynolds was filming R.I.P.D. (which is what he’s been in town the last few months for) and if any locals were bragging about seeing him or Lively in the city. I got my leads from the magazine – which didn’t give me much to work with – and hit the streets of Boston.

Reynolds’ Back Bay apartment building was easy to locate, as was a parking meter right out front – score! – and the handful of restaurants he’s already been spotted at were directly behind the building. I stopped by nearly all of the restaurants, coffee shops and a few other places I stumbled upon in the neighborhood, talking with staffers and customers as well as the average man on the street, looking for any new leads and fresh gossip.

R.I.P.D. was filming out in Hyde Park (a Boston neighborhood) again today, so I drove over there to see what I could find out. They were filming inside the old Stop & Shop warehouse, with dozens of trailers parked out back, but not much to see from the parking lot outside the gates that were guarded by security personnel. I spoke with a couple of friendly people in the parking lot who worked with the crew and gave me some useful information I could share with the magazine.

Today gave me a glimpse of what it’s like to be the paparazzi – and it’s not an easy job! Somebody’s got to do it though… right?

Back in May, Kona Brewing Co. held a contest on Facebook to increase their number of fans. They asked fans to suggest three of their friends become fans for the chance to win a Sno-Kona Pond Skim Competition beach towel and keychains.

I follow @KonaBrewingCo on Twitter, which is where I learned about the contest, so I became a fan of Kona Brewing Co. on Facebook and suggested all of my Facebook friends do the same.

I never heard from Kona Brewing Co. that I won, so I drowned my sorrows in Wailua Wheat Ale – kidding! – but I did move on. Then, on a rainy Saturday in July, I was scrolling through my Facebook messages, looking for a friend’s address I thought was sent to me in a message. I couldn’t locate my friend’s message, but I did stumble upon a message from Sally Murdoch at Kona Brewing Co., sent on May 25.

I won! I couldn’t believe it. I had never received Sally’s message, and months had gone by. I took a chance and wrote back to Sally, apologizing for not responding sooner. To my surprise, Sally wrote back to me after she returned from the Liquid Aloha Music Festival. She said there were no Pond Skim towels left, but that she would put “something awesome” together for me and send it out right away.

I came home from work today to find a package from Kona Brewing Co. had arrived. Not only did Sally send me some Kona Brewing Co. keychains, but she also included a couple of stickers, coasters and the Pond Skim beach towel. It’s not free beer for life, but it certainly is the little things that go a long way. I’ll definitely be soaking up the sun on my beach towel, sipping on a Longboard Lager (responsibly, of course) and sharing the liquid aloha with friends, just as I promised I’d do when I entered the contest.

Thank you, Sally, and thank you Kona Brewing Co. for reaching out to your fans. Cheers to you!

The Red Sox had another first earlier this season when they held their first Red Sox Tweet Up. The event included a ticket to that night’s game, as well as the opportunity to watch batting practice and win prizes. Attendees were able to meet NESN personalities Heidi Watney and Tony Lee, in addition to other Red Sox fans and followers. As a lifelong Red Sox fan with a new-found appreciation for Tweet Ups, this sounded like a home run for me.

In preparation for the focus group session, Red Sox Twitter representatives reached out to everyone who attended one of their first two Tweet Ups and asked us to reply with our Twitter handles for a chance to attend the focus group. Excited by the opportunity to provide my favorite baseball team with feedback and ideas to enhance their efforts on Twitter, I enthusiastically expressed my genuine interest in attending.

I also tweeted them, pleading for them to pick me, which may have helped. I was thrilled when I was notified that I was chosen to attend!

Courtesy of @RedSox

A dozen @RedSox followers attended the focus group session (about half of us were from the Tweet Up group and the other half were the first five people to respond to the @RedSox’s tweet offering a spot in the group). There was a great cross-section of followers there, from local leaders in social media (Joselin Mane and Christine Major) to Red Sox super fans (“Soxy Lady” and Jenney Griffin). The session was hosted by the Red Sox Marketing Department, who will remain anonymous and not quoted, as requested. We followers shared everything from our behavior on Twitter to what we like – and don’t like – about the Red Sox’s Twitter and Facebook accounts.

Each of us at the focus group had a lot of constructive and positive feedback to share, and I do hope the Red Sox will continue the conversation and perhaps more brands and personalities will follow their lead, reaching out to their followers for direction. Thank you, Red Sox, for engaging with your fans and followers. Best wishes for a successful season – on the field and online!

I volunteered to help WBZ Anchor David Wade with a story he was working on after a viewer declared his curiosity about what it would be like if everyone shut off their phones for a day.

After surviving a full 24 hours without my cellphone, I met with David Wade and Paul Buscemi, who filmed our interview.

I shared with David the ups and downs I experienced throughout my cellphone-free day. His greatest reaction was to my comment that as I waited in line to buy my morning coffee, rather than scrolling through tweets about the day’s top stories, I actually picked up and started reading a print newspaper.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa – you picked up a print newspaper?” David asked. I wish you could have seen the expression on his face.

To tell you the truth, I enjoyed scanning the day’s top stories with the paper – rather than my phone – in my hand. I described it as “refreshing,” but perhaps “natural” would’ve been more fitting. I am a journalist, after all!

Talking with David Wade about my cellphone-free experience.

The story David and Paul put together, “Curious About Kicking Cellphone Addictions,” is a wonderful piece – and I don’t say that because I’m in it! David Wade is an excellent reporter, and he really has some fun with this one.

Would I give up my phone for the day again? Probably not. Will I leave it behind once in a while? Absolutely.

That gave WBZ Anchor David Wade an idea: Have three or four people shut off their phones for the day – no texting and no calling. He reached out to his followers on Twitter, looking for volunteers, and I was happy to help my favorite TV anchor.

I shut my phone off at 11:59 p.m. on Sunday night and didn’t turn it on until 12:05 a.m. Tuesday. Normally the first thing I do when I wake up in the morning is use my phone to check my email and the weather to decide what to wear (in New England, you never know!). I check my tweets as I wait in line for coffee, and text with friends throughout the day. On Monday, I did none of that. I patiently waited for the WBZ forecast, checked my email on my Macbook Pro, picked up a print copy of the Boston Globe while I waited in line for coffee and wondered what texts and phone calls I was missing.

I’m planning to meet with David Wade tomorrow to share the rest of my cellphone-free experience. He asked me to record a video confessional about how I was feeling at some point during the day. Check out what it was like for me to be disconnected from my friends and followers by watching my video confessional, and be sure to watch David Wade’s piece on WBZ about myself and others shutting off their cellphones.

One of many lanterns at the Lantern Walk around Horn Pond.

As a reporter and writing editor, I have experience covering the events held by various nonprofit organizations. What better way to help spread the word about an organization’s mission and the dedicated volunteers who make the vision a reality than an article highlighting their efforts?

I was honored when a friend and former coworker approached me on Twitter about volunteering my time and writing skills to cover the Soul Lanterns Lantern Walk. At the time, I knew nothing about the organization or the event, other than it was close to my friend’s heart. Without hesitation, I replied to her tweet with an enthusiastic “yes!”

Before the event, I researched the organization and talked with the person who runs it to see how I could best help them and to learn more about Soul Lanterns and the annual Lantern Walk. We decided that photos and a feature story about the event for the Soul Lanterns website would be of most use to them.

I met so many wonderful and dedicated people on the day of the event. My friend was instrumental in organizing the event and it was so nice to see her hard work pay off as dozens of community members came together to remember, honor and memorialize their loved ones.

This was my first experience volunteering my writing for a nonprofit organization and it definitely won’t be my last. To request event coverage or writing, please contact me or leave a comment.