Ohana Means ... Family: Lemonade Day

. I'm taking the opportunity of this unplanned time off to connect with the many artists and creators in this wonderful city that I love. Come with me on my 100-day odyssey of art and creativity in Long Beach. I call it .

Last week .  There I was transported to Hawaii by the songs, stories and dances.  I met some new friends.  New members of my community.  Everyone welcoming. New Ohana.

September 7th and 8th were Days 68 and 69.  I'm talking about Ohana.

As I sit here writing, my core family is around me.  One spouse drawing, one son making little adobe bricks, one dog sleeping, one self blogging.

In the Caribbean, as in Hawaii, everyone is Auntie and Uncle. Automatic family.

We didn't use the family terms Auntie and Uncle, but in the past 24 hours I've experienced a lot of Ohana.  Everywhere I went there was Ohana.  , the meeting of the Robotics Society of Southern California (RSSC), the All Electronics parts supply in Van Nuys and the meeting of a secret society in Moorpark afterwards.  So much friendship, so much Ohana.

I want to talk a bit, however, about my Maker family.  I've been telling you about Makers and Making.  You may know about the Mini-Maker faires that were held in Pasadena in March and in Orange County in July.  They don't happen on their own.  There's a number of bodies behind it all.  Someone or two or three who are planning events and reaching out to the people around him or her under the Making name.

I know this because I've been happening upon them.  Levi, Tara and the Makers at Crashspace.  Annika and the Makers at the LA Robotics Club, Walter and the Makers at the RSSC, Bequi, the Orange County Mini Maker Faire Maker Mom, who was also at the RSSC.  We are all realizing the need to communicate, to join forces, to collaborate with each other.  To share events with each others' comunities as well as with our own.  To integrate the Making community locally and thereby grow the Making movement.

Maker Ohana.

Tips, Tricks, Tidbits

To my new Maker Ohana, Blogging is a great way to get the word out on maker  events.  If you'd like to make Lemonade in your town, you may want to seek out your local Patch.  In fact, let's make Lemonade together!

If you would like to contact me, please email me at  info@handmadepenguin.com

Want more lemonade?             

Trish Tsoiasue writes as herself about creative and maker topics for and as Handmade Penguin for the Handmade Penguin Blog.  She is currently playing .