THE LEFT LANE
Hawai'i's poetry slam team enters contest

Kealoha

Congratulate founder and host Kealoha: His Hawai'i-based slam team secured a berth in the Living Word Festival, a San Francisco slam tournament.

The festival, which started yesterday, matches 16 U.S. teams against each other, and allows individual competition for a $1,000 prize.

Here at home, tonight's First Thursdays competition features the live hip-hop emceeing of 12 Inch Species, live art, and some new flow from Kealoha. The show starts at 8 p.m. Entry is $3 before show, $5 after 8 p.m.

For more information, call 387-9664 or see www.hawaiislam.com.

Grow hydroponic cucumbers at home

You don't have to be a high-tech farmer to grow hydroponic vegetables.

The University of Hawai'i-Manoa's College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources developed a home garden technique for cucumbers grown hydroponically. All that's needed are a clean, 30- to 35-gallon plastic trash container with a lid, growing medium, and a few other supplies — no pumps or electricity required.

"It's not that hard," said Bernie Kratky, a horticulturist with the college's Department of Tropical Plant and Soil Sciences.

The first harvest is usually about 50 days from seeding. For detailed instructions, see www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/freepubs and click on "home garden," or call 956-7046.

New mothers can still stay stylish

Hairstylist Rodney Cutler, owner of New York's Cutler Salon, knows the challenges facing new mothers.

As a new father, he's seen firsthand how taking care of a baby tends to sideline a woman's normal beauty routine. But Cutler says you don't have to sacrifice style for motherhood, and offers these suggestions for new moms:

• Don't just put your hair back in a ponytail or bun — try different accessories. Cutler suggests headbands.

• Try some bangs; they dry fast, keep wispy hair out of your face and don't require much styling.

• Don't skimp on conditioner. With a child tugging on your hair, it's important to keep it healthy.

What are youngsters doing after school?

For all the talk of the Internet and what kids do after school, some things remain the same. The Census Bureau recently ran a survey looking at after-school activities 6- to 11-year-old kids participate in. Sports topped the list for boys at 36.5 percent, while 24.4 percent of girls play sports. Other findings: 36 percent of boys and 31.8 percent of girls are in clubs, while 27.8 percent of boys and 36.8 percent of girls take lessons of some sort.