videos I'm in

This one is about me from when my sisters came to visit.

My boss wants me to be in the new tutorial/training videos for online department teachers and TAs.  So that's a video featuring me.  I'm against video training.  I think that should be my in-person job.

And then there is this video that I'm kind of an extra in.

Did I just make a blog post to show off the people that I love?
mmmhm.

Enya

You all know Enya, and you all know "Orinoco Flow", even if you're unaware that you do.
Go ahead, YouTube it.

Enya is always on my mind during the last week of the semester.  I am a TA for an online music class and the final for the course is a video presentation on an international artist.  Enya is a staple.  I grade at least four 13-15 min Enya presentations every semester.

We have a week break between Winter and Summer semesters.  In that week I went to 2 wedding receptions, switched house sides, welcomed a new roommate, waded across the bay to Goat's island, worked, picked flowers and went sailing twice.

We planned to sail out in the open ocean on Thursday.  We started- as we usually do- at a marina in Kaneohe where BJ keeps his sailboat.  This thing is HUGE. 42 feet long, some 1500lbs.   It was a 4-man crew.  BJ, Spencer, Spencer's best friend Pahu, and me.   We could either go to Waikiki or Laie and we decided to sail to Laie, since we make that drive all the time.

When you come out of a bay there is a channel.  There is always a channel between two coral or land shelves, it's the path of safe passage.  The waves in the channel were huge, but the boat cut through them and surfed down the back.

And then we were there, the waves were smaller as we were in the wider expanse and I looked over to the island from whence we came and looked and looked at it.  It must have been this way when the very first travelers came to the islands.  The sudden mound in the middle of an endless, rocking, blue body.  The sky was clear but you could see mist over the summits of the Ko'olau range.  The green stood as sentinels that seem to always have existed over the ocean.  How comforting this island would be to those traveling from Jarvis, Marquesas or Hawaiki.

Legend says that Hawaiki was the island that the Maoris left as they sailed to New Zealand.  It is said that the Maori and Marquesas  are the oldest. Cook Island and Tahiti cultures follow that.   It is from there that some say travelers found Hawaii.
Jarvis Island is a desert coral island that was used as an airfield during WW2.  There were about 11 men, graduates from Kamehameha school, that were chosen to man this island.  The horrors of that time would have been slightly buried in the swell of their hearts as they sailed back and saw their luscious island home.
I've always looked from the island out, into the endless sea.  I've never been in the endless sea looking to the island.

I didn't get seasick.  Not one bit.  I can't say that for the rest of the crew.  There were times when BJ and I were the only functional people and it's hard to man a boat.  It took hours to sail to Laie Point, and hours to sail back.  On our way there I saw a dolphin jump out of the water a few yards ahead of us.  It didn't jump again and it didn't come back around.  There are flying fish that are as long as any fish I've ever seen in a lake.  We waved at Spencer's dad as he kitesurfed by.   It took hours to go back.  As we went around the rain and made it back the boat surfed a little on the big waves in the channel.

With everyone feeling significantly less seasick inside the bay, we had some fun.  I'll have to edit the videos together once I get the chance, but for now, here I am swinging on the halyard (it's a rope, I'd explain but you kinda need to be there to put all the names to faces ropes).

Oh yeah- I was talking about Enya. *doom, dm doom* Sail away, sail away, sail away.... 
Back to that.  Enya is an very popular international artist.  The fact that Spencer is Scottish and Enya is Irish and that the landscape there is pretty similar has not escaped me.  But also, I remember hearing Enya in Cambodia.
Spencer's family, specifically his father, has a really special connection to Cambodia.  I love siting and talking with them about Cambodia and our experiences with the Khmer people.
For lack of  Khmer students at BYUH, and a wealth of Thai students, the family hosted a Thai feast.  The Thai students come, make their own food, have spiritual thought, make fun, and eat.
I was invited.
No, not by Spencer.
I was first informed by little E.  And then I was invited by middle brother.  And then Doc asked me what I was doing on Sunday and I replied, "Well I hear there is a Thai feast."
Oh heavens it was wonderful.  It smelled like Southeast Asia.  You know how your house has a smell, or maybe your room...actually, my cousin's laundry has a smell and I always associate that smell with lots of food and fun.  Southeast Asia has a smell:  it comes from some of the curry that they make; the way they spice their meat; the long leafy veggies that you don't see on the mainland; the way the rice lumps together; the way the oil separates from the soup when it sits in a pot.

stay a while

I haven't been blogging lately.  Out of protocol I'd apologize, but I'm not sorry.

Spencer knows about the blog.  Hi Spencer, how are you?  I hope by now you're feeling better because we have a concert tomorrow.  Hey, pray that it doesn't rain on us okay?  It's an outdoor concert to help promote a charity.
I can't remember what it was that you wanted to hear my opinion about here.  There was something that you said would be fun to read about on the blog....
ah well.

So....let's see.  We fixed the car.  That was nice.  My heart is so happy every time I close that door.  It took forever.  Squatting by the open door, Me, Spencer, and his dad, trying to maneuver the little rods into the little latches when we can't really see them for hours on end. It is so much more like being home with my family than I've ever been here.  Dude I miss that.  Building crawl-ways in the attic around the ducting with dad while we listen to Aida.  Taking off siding, cutting sheetrock-- whatever it was-- just quietly going about whatever task was at hand.

I turned 21.  That was good.  I had friends over and we made pizza.  Much like I did last year.  Actually, exactly what I did last year.
Huh- how very cyclical.

I went sailing with Spencer's family.  Yup. Sailing.  I've never been on a sailboat before.  And it was tons of fun.  We went to the sandbar in the middle of Kaneohe bay.  And what did we do, as we stood on a submerged sandbar, in the middle of the bay?  We played tag.  Mmmhm.  :)

My sister's birthday was a few days after mine and so I skyped the family.  Spencer was here for that. 

And I've been doing midterms and writing papers and trying to stay on top of work and classes, and my attention is getting diffracted.  Also, I came down with strep and a cold.  Yeah.  Not fun.

I went to Spencer's homecoming talk and ran into people I knew in his homeward.  I gave my first talk in my ward a few hours later.  I haven't given a talk in Sacrament meeting since before I graduated High School.  I got another compliment on that today.  I enjoyed getting ready for it so I'm glad people enjoyed hearing it.

I showed up and Spencer's house on Monday.  Somewhat unexpected.  I was supposed to help the HS bro with some Algebra, but I wasn't anticipated.  I like walking into peoples' homes when they're not expecting me.  I'm so glad I live in a place where I can do that.  It says so much about the people I like to be around when I can walk into their private home lives and exist there unannounced.   At one point Spencer turned to me: I bet you never thought you'd see your professor humming in his kitchen.  No, I didn't.  But when I walked into his class- the only non-major and completely unqualified student there- he didn't think he'd be including me as he cooked for his family.  Or that, after dinner and dishes were done, his kids wanted me to stay a while longer for FHE, not just the one I'm dating.

It was Pi day yesterday.  So we went and got pie and brought it back for everybody.  And we sat on the roof and I saw whales!  I've never seen whales before.  Man, I've lived here for a long time and....I fail at living here.  Seriously.  But I'm on the dean's list....  Yeah, but that doesn't get you very many life points.

I'm slightly worried about this.  My blog is going to go the way of all the other blogs in the world that belong to girls who fall head-over-heels, isn't it.  <sigh>  Well, I'll refrain from posting my shopping ventures or my food or craft accomplishments or talking about celebrities and the like.  I hope that my life is never completely consumed with those types little things that don't matter.  I want to write about things that build my soul and add value to life. 

Spencer does that.   That's the way it's going to stay for a while.

it's like a stamp of aproval

Rage, bless her heart, has a broken door.  It won't latch shut, so I tie it shut with a surf-strap or a scarf.

My resident car-guy is missing so yesterday I went up to The Point to have Spencer help me fix it.  Why?  Because a few weeks ago, he offered.  That and it's just going to be fun.
We took apart the door.  It took like 3 hours.  I got there around mid-afternoon and I didn't expect it to take that long.  ha. Well.  I was wrong.

I have tools, Spencer has tools, we called my dad and slowly took the thing apart.  Here is the thing:  everything is connected to the door latch.  It makes sense, but there are just so many connections.  Spencer's hands are bigger than mine and the space is small.  My hands are smaller but I'm not quite as strong.  Still, it was fun.  Spencer's dad came home and he helped us look at it to get the latch out.  Eventually we did.  I'm proud to say that it was my right hand that undid the last connection.  Hehehe.

BUT- before we were able to get it out, there were a few people who came up to the house for choir practice.  Spencer's mom is ward choir director.  So at one point, Mom calls out the door telling Spencer to come inside and sing, and that I was invited as well.   I walk into the front room.
Shall we go around the room a little bit?  9 people.
Spencer.
Spencer's little brother.
A younger lady who shared her music with me.
A Hawaiian Auntie.
Spencer's sister.
The pianist, a fun older lady
Spencer's mom.
And then 2 of my professors:  Spencer's dad, and the Salsa band director.

And we sang.  I sang alto because the altos weren't there.  I was sight-reading and it was fun.  I joked with Dr D about sight-reading in Spanish.
We ran through it twice and then adjourned.  It was raining pellmell so Auntie, young woman, Spencer and I waited under the carport for it to let up a bit.
Laie is a small town.  And that's fine, really.  It was just one of those moments.  Well, the whole Laie # Ward will know.  And then Dr D left. Oh, and if the entire music department didn't already know, they will now. And you know what, I don't think I have a problem with that.  

We got the part out and took it inside, because of the rain, so that we could dismantle it and potentially repair it.  This is something I really like doing.  Spencer and his dad also really like doing this.  And it was a little bit like home doing this on the kitchen counter (after we'd covered it with magazines).  And the resident men are much better at taking things apart than I am, but I follow the conversation really well.
Our tools had gotten wet.  We'd gotten them inside and were in the process of drying them all off so that they wouldn't rust.  It's Hawaii: things rust.  I'm using a rag to dry tools in the home kitchen of the man I'm dating.  I'm just there.  His siblings playing on the computer or the game console, his parents bustling around.  Aware that I was in the kitchen, almost with an air of well, that's where she is supposed to be.
But it's also the home kitchen of my professor.  I hope you caught that.  This is my professor, not even a professor that I know really well.  I'm not even facebook friends with this one like I am with my music professors.  He is a Psych professor, and I'm not a psych major.  It's my minor.   I'm in car-grime, in my professor's house, as he is getting ready-ish to leave with his wife.

Standing. Grime.  Kitchen.  Talking with little brother about smashing the part after we get a working one because it's somewhat beyond repair.

And I get the question: what are you doing tonight?   Not from Spencer.  From his dad.  And then an invitation "You guys can stay here.  That would be nice. <nodding> You can make cookies."  

And I'm standing there.  Grime.  Slightly wet from the rain.  Dirt on my nose.  My tools and his on the table.  My hands busy.  I should probably go study for your mid-term.  Stubborn guck under my fingernails.  A wave of thought drowning me just a little bit.  The invitation, the idea, and the demeanor.

I'm comfortable with you

 being in my house, 

with my son, 

around my children,

while I am gone.  

And you're welcome to make cookies because your cookies are delicious.

There is a lot of weight in that.  Coming from a man whose education and practice makes him seem closer to omniscient than anyone I know, the father of an incredibly perceptive man, whose family means the world to him.  I don't know what I did.  I was there and it was like he expected me to be.  I wasn't looking to be invited into the home, quite frankly I was going to keep a distance from it for a little bit because I've been dating the son for, oh, maybe 3 weeks. 

And they leave.  And I do the dishes, because that's what I do when I don't really know what else to do with myself.  Mom and Dad came back and dropped off pizza to feed the family with, but once that was cooked we left.  I think it would have been fine if we'd stayed, but it was good to go.

If it was my family, my house, my court...I've never brought anyone home.  I've never had anyone TO bring home, even so.  I will bring someone home if I'm keeping them around for a looooong time.   Why?  Because my family would most likely make a huge fuss. <think about it, you know I'm right>

Spencer has been home for a month.  And here I am.  Around.  And for the most part, everyone that matters is okay with this.  It sort of fun reveling in that because it is nothing like I expected.  I'll stay a while.

Happy Graduation

You know, I'm glad I made it back in time for this.
 But I missed Bednar's talk.  I woke up slightly later than I'd planned and Abby was gone...and my clothes were locked in her room.   Yeah.
And I was looking for the leis that I'd set aside in September because I *knew* I would need them today, but couldn't find them anywhere.
I'd left my temporal life in the hands of my roommates and I couldn't find it once I got back!
but eventually they were found and Abby came back so I could change out of my pjs. 

 But I made it in time to see everyone walk.  I walked by at opportune moments and took family pictures for people I love, and found everyone that I had leis for.

I check out RAGE for a bit.  Called my dad and wished him a Happy Birthday with a 'please dad I need your help with my car'.  My dad is the greatest.  It was the first time I'd talked to my dad on the phone in...forever.  I cried a bit.  Just like I did when I called my mom a few days earlier. 

And then I went surfing.  At first it was just swimming, but my friend had grabbed boards, so I went and got mine.  It wasn't great surfing.  I kicked a seaturtle on accident.  It scared me half to death and I fell off my board because of it.  Part of my balance issue though is that my center of gravity has changed and I'm still negotiating it.  I promise the kickage was not done maliciously.  I know better.  Dude I could get a huge fine for that.  The law protects those things more than it protects me sometimes.

So yeah.  I went to graduation.  I watched the talk when it was posted on the BYUH site.  It was a good one.  Elder Bednar is so cool. 
I went surfing.
I assessed the damage on my car.
I probably ate something.
I sat and watched my friends play Mario Kart and was updated on their semesters.  Which was slightly depressing because it seems that EVERYONE had a very hard semester and that makes me sad.

And it was like a dream.  It wasn't me doing it.  I just sort of watching from a distance because I wasn't sure how to be there with them.  I've been out of the loop for so long, it's hard to jump back in.  I was so very grateful for Sunday when it came.  It was awesome to sing hymns with a congregation in my own language. It was fun to lead the music because the chorister had left for home.  Bishop had asked me to be prepared to give a 5 min testimony if time allowed.  It didn't, but it was fun to think about.

Children

Today:
20 kids in Connecticut

22 kids in China

34 kids in Cambodia

Can we talk about this for a moment?


I got wonderful warm welcomes from everyone in Hawaii.  I was able to go to The temple at 7am this morning to do baptisms.  It was absolutely wonderful.  I saw my dear friend Matt, whom I didn't expect to see.  I got baptized by Greg whom I hadn't caught up with the day before.  I got to eat breakfast with Liana and lament with her that her mission call wasn't there yet.
And then I went and did businessy things.  I worked.  I did paperwork.  I went to the Health Center. All that jazz.

It was while I was at work that I first heard about the shooting in Connecticut.  And we didn't really take it seriously.  It didn't bring an immediately somber attitude to us because it was so out there, we couldn't fathom that ever happening.
It wasn't until we looked it up and saw footage and articles and news stories-- the media blowing up-- that it sunk in.
Did you know that, on the same day as the shooting, there was a stabbing in China?  Well, technically it was the next day for them, but it happened around the same 24 hour period.  Some will argue that yes, gun control worked in China.  These 22 kids didn't die.  9 were taken to the hospital with sever conditions and 2 were taken to hospitals outside the country to receive better care.   Some will argue that people who are going to be violent will use whatever means available to them.  See, he damaged as many children with a knife as the man in Connecticut did with a gun.

And for me it was a little odd.  I worked- I don't even really remember what I did.  All I remember is that I went home and nobody was there.  I went to my neighbor's house and there was nobody there.  And so I sat down and opened this computer and started surfing facebook and blogger.  I looked at more information from the shooting and the stabbing and it drug me down into the mud.
*WAIT.
I don't have to do this.  Why am I doing this?  This is what I've been doing for the past few months.  I don't need to be on these stupid sites checking up on the lives of the people I love when I'm finally in the same general vicinity. 
It is ridiculous to be on my own right now.  I lived here before.  I'm going to go for a walk. I haven't done that in months.*
And so I called up a friend and left a message.  And then I did. I went for a walk.
I wandered around Laie for about an hour.
It was dead.  Finals were basically over.  The students were out of Laie celebrating, or already on their way home.
I wandered into the Haircut store and found Andrea working and she didn't get off until later.
I headed toward 'The Hawaiian House' in hopes of catching Kylie when I literally ran into her, her mom, and Lance before I'd even left the shopping center.  They were on a schedule, but promised that I'd see them at Commencement the next day.
So I wandered up to The Point.

   It was around here that I received a call from the friend I'd called earlier.  He had been in a final and had some responsibilities to fulfill before commencement, but he talked to me for a little bit.  I promised myself, when I started my wander, that I wouldn't dwell on grief, that I wouldn't cry, and that I'd be pleasant to be around for the remainder of the evening.  I broke every one of those.  Here I was, wandering around, searching for familiar faces because the faces that I had expected to be surrounded with were nowhere to be found.  At the time I didn't know why.  I was sad and that is all I knew.  I had not seen any children in 65 hours and that was something I wasn't accustomed to.  Having my main human interactions come from children and then go days without seeing any is a little hard on it's own.  But consider what had transpired that day. 

My heart hurts for the parents of Connecticut.  Cambodia is a very broken country, and it is healing remarkably well, but traumas on a large scale are part of their daily lives.  Newtown, CT will be a very broken city for a long time.  At least I hope they will be.  They need to struggle through this as a community or they will never get better.  We all do.  This is something that our whole nation needs to struggle with, not because we get any pleasure from tragedies but because it is okay to feel sad.  It is okay to be unsure and sad and overwhelmed and angry.  We need to learn how to deal with how we feel and rise above it.  I never want America to get to the point where we do not mourn and drag ourselves through pits of darkness to overcome it.  When we do not intensely value lives then we will find ourselves in situations like the bloodbath that was Cambodia in the late 1900s.   And my heart hurts for China.  There have been multiple outbursts of violence at their primary schools over the past few years.   China has some of the strictest policies on gun control.  For violence against the innocent to still exist is appalling but enlightening.  I don't want America to get so rigid on controlling weapons that they'll drive criminals to use cruder methods.  Those who choose to be violent, will be violent regardless of their tools.   Those who turn their violence towards children are in dire need of very professional help.  I believe that, unless you are trained to do so, killing anyone is a good indicator that you're mentally messed up.  But one's brain must be all kinds of scrambled for one to be able to kill such innocence.  And I know how innocent kids are.  Had I not just centered my life around specific kids for months on end?  I know what they are capable of.  I know how easily they are influenced for good and for bad.   I was in torment.  I kept thinking of all the terrible life situations that my kids had gone through to get to CICFO.  I dwelt on the joy that they live with because of the sadness that they have known.  In my mind's eye I could see people coming into the orphanage and hurting my kids.  My kids, with their smiles and their scars, and their voices and their little lips that stick out when they're confused. And the fact that America cannot adopt from Cambodia so there is no way for me to keep any of that.  I didn't want to be in there in Hawaii by myself.  I wanted to be back with my kids.  I still do.





I didn't have very many phone numbers anymore because I'd gotten a new phone before I left.  But I have friends that live up there at The Point and I hoped there would be cars in the driveway, when there were I sortof invited myself in.
I'm so grateful that I live in a place that I can just do that.  I can call on a friend unexpectedly (very very unexpectedly because they didn't even know I was back) and be welcomed into their home and become part of whatever it is they are doing.
Seth and Aaron were watching Aladdin.
And then more people came over and we played games.

And we talked a little.  Looking back, I wish we'd talked more, but I wasn't in much of a talkative mood.  We didn't discuss the violence that plagued the earth earlier that day.  We avoided the topic entirely because we don't understand it.
This post isn't going to have a happy ending.  But knowing that children are received directly into the arms of our ever present Heavenly Father can make it a peaceful one.

a day on replay

I had 2 December 13ths, on different sides of the international date line.

Snow from the airplane (pre-battery death)
On the way to Uijeongbu
Me, trying to figure out my GoPro

I landed in Korea at 6:50am and began my day.  The bathroom right by the gate looked like a spa.  Everything in the Incheon Airport is super nice.  I highly recommend the airport.
I made it to the ground floor of the airport and exchanged my US money for Korea's Won.  There were payphones, so I called Monique to let her know I'd made it.  And then followed her instructions onto the bus.  I was the only person on that bus.  I don't know what it is, but the buses in other countries seem far more luxurious than buses in America.  There was snow sticking on the ground when I got there.  All I had was a raincoat to keep me warm, so I was really glad that the bus was heated.
Guys.  Korea is an island.  I knew that, but I didn't really connect that I'd be seeing the ocean at all.
It was early in the morning and the sun was just barely up so it was still very low in the sky. There was snow on the beach and the ocean looked almost lazy.  The water was very flat for the little stretch where the highway ran parallel to it.
It took about 40 min and I was in Uijeongbu.  It is about an hour South of North Korea.  I got off at the bus stop and there they were.  Mr and Mrs Laing, waiting for me with a turtleneck, sweater, coat, scarf, gloves, and hat.  It was just nice to talk to them.  In English.  Fast English.  I was tripping over my words they were coming out of my mouth so fast.
There was a political rally for Park Geun-hye.  Monique gave me the DL on her.  Her father is a former dictator of S Korea and she isn't the first female to run for S Korea President, but she was the first favored female candidate. So there was this rally and everyone was super pumped.  We were inside Holly's Coffee getting hot chocolate.  Monique told me how it'd be really cool to actually see this candidate in one of the rallies but it hadn't happened yet.  Uijeongbu, after all, is not a very large town.
But we were outside, with all the Koreans yelling (they're loud people), and there were people on the rooftops taking pictures in of the square (but not snipers like there would be in America, nope just people with cameras), and there were 4 guys dressed up as superheros complete with masks (and they didn't get carried away by secret service men like they would have in America), and then we see the candidate.  In person.  She was there.  It was legit.  I totally saw her, and got her on my GoPro.
And the next week she won the election.  Life Win.
We went to the underground.  There really is nothing like it in America.  Except maybe a subway, but even then.  It's like an underground swap meet. There are little stores and restaurants.  That's where we had lunch and it was delicious.  I don't know how many of you have had KimChee before, but it can be pretty gross unless you're in Korea, which I was, and then it is good.
In Korea there is this holiday on 11/11 where you get these long chocolate pretzel sticks and give them to someone you love.  Like Valentine's day.  We went to this little store, where they had super fun Christmas cards.  You know, the typical ones you think of when you picture Asians trying to write hallmark cards but missing the mark a little (ca-boom-chick).  The candy stick things were on sale because it was overstocked and that's how I know about it.  Just thought that was interesting, moving on.
Monique and Brent worked, so they gave me instructions, paid for my bus card, and sent me on my way back to Seoul.
And then I traveled the metro.  I switched lines twice and followed all the directions.  I got yelled at by an old man for not standing up immediately when he got on the bus.  But I did get up once I put my journal away.  I had my carry-ons with me, I was hauling stuff or I would have been able to get up sooner.  After about 10 min of him...well, being a crazy old man....one of the other elderly people told him to can it.  They looked at me and signaled 'it's okay, he's crazy'.  After about an hour of travel by metro, I was on my way to the Temple to do baptisms.
How cool is that?  I'd been geeking out about this for almost a week, when I very first got the idea to see if I could fit in a temple run.  I was Skyping Greg for his weekly check-up when he asked me what the first thing I wanted to do when I got back was.  I just wanted to look at the Temple.  And we remembered that his ward does baptisms every Friday and that's perfect because that's the day after I get back.  And then, oh wow, I have my recommend with me but can't use it...but *lightbulb* there is a Temple in Korea.  Great moment. It was basically the greatest idea ever.  It just so happened that an English speaking family from Singapore was in Korea doing baptisms and it was their daughter's first time.  So I got to meet them a little, but mostly I talked to Sister Peck who was working in the temple that day and she and her husband are the public affairs missionaries for Korea.  I let them know that I was sortof on a time limit, but we got a lot of work done and it was absolutely beautiful.  Cold.  Beautiful.
I made it back to the metro exactly when I needed to.  The line came right after I got there and it was easy to get back into the airport.  They stamped my Passport, I re-exchanged my money, and I was good to go.

Good job! You've made it this far :)  Have a picture of my early morning bus ride.

The Incheon Airport-- think of an Airport.  Now think of a Spa.  Now think of a craft store where they do craft demonstrations on Fridays.  Now think of a concert hall.  Now think of a Mall.  Now think of a band venue.  Now think of a mini golf course.
The Incheon Airport is all of those things.  It also has these stations, it's basically a giant MAC screen, and you can scan the barcode on your boarding pass and it'll tell you where to go, the weather of your destination, your flight information, and draw a map for you because you're probably lost.
When I was getting ready to go through security there was this quartet of classically trained male vocalists.  They sang Christmas songs in English and in Korean, and then they started singing 'Nothing Like a Dame' in Korean.  I wasn't sure about it at first, but I looked over the balcony to the arena where the stage was and the performers were dancing in navy hats. Conclusion-- I'm right.
Well I went through security, where they make you take off all your coat layers even when it is cold, but they don't make you take off your shoes.  Apparently that's just America.  And I got to my gate and decided to make sure that somebody was picking me up from the airport when I landed.  So I got out my computer and got online literally moments before I boarded the plane.  It was then, in an email from my mom, that I learned about North Korea launching a missile/rocket/satellite thing the day before. 
I got on the plane.  I got a window seat.  I love KoreanAir.  They're wonderful.  I watched "The Odd Life of Timothy Green" and cried at the end of it.  I watched us pass over Japan and I waved to my cousin Elder Aaron.  I slept a little bit.  I watched the sun come up over the clouds.  I watched us fly over Kauai.

And then we started to approach O'ahu.  I saw the shorelines and pictured everything that I knew was there.  Try to orient myself to where North was and which direction I was coming from.  Before I knew it, I was in Honolulu. The air smelled beautiful. 
I had to go through more customs stuff on my way in, but it was simple.  There were signs all around the carousels that this was a 'no cell phone zone'.  But I went into the bathroom and charged up my phone for the first time in almost 3 months.  I called my mom, and then I called Ben because he was my ride.
He hadn't forgotten, he just was running a little late.
Why couldn't my roommate come and get me?  That would be because my car was running into the ground.  It was acting up and overheating and couldn't go more than a mile or so.  And they tell me this now.

So I got all of my luggage and sat right outside the baggage claim by the street so that he'd be able to find me.  And he did.  It was great to see him and it was fun to have him bring me home.  We went to my old house- the good ol' Taco House- and dropped my stuff.  And yes Ben, I was exhausted.  But if I slept then I would have been awake all night and there were things I needed to get done that day.
At my old house I ran into Rachel- because she lives there.  That was great because she was leaving for home that night and I agreed to help her move everything to her new house.  It worked out well for me because I got to sleep in her bed instead of on the couch.
So....now what?
Well I made sure I had everything I needed to give to people and then walked out the door to campus.
My first stop was Natalie.  I walked up to her door and peeked inside.  I surprised her a bit.  I gave her some paperwork and some bags of bracelets from the kids to sell at PCC.  We chatted and she let me know what was going on with her and the orphanage and all those things.  It was a really great talk.
And then I went to the health center to get my blood tested for all that crap that you can get in foreign countries.  But they were at lunch.  So I went into work.
And nobody was really there.  I clocked in, walked in, and sat down at a computer starting to enter grades or something.  About 10 minutes later I think it was Lance came in, with Felix on his tail, and they realized that they didn't know the girl at the computer.  Lance came up and did a causal walk-by, only to discover it was me.  Then there was much rejoicing.
After re-acquainting myself with the Online Department office, I went back to the Health Center.  And they drew blood and told me that, because it was Thursday, they wouldn't give me a TB test, but I made an appointment for the next day. 
I really didn't have that much work to do and work has a no-facebook policy anyway.  So I went into the library to check my email and ran into Oz and Kaytie.  Kaytie invited me to go sign the flag that they were putting up over the new muti-purpose building.  Free cookies. 

I hadn't had good cookies in 3 months.  Heck yes I went.

You're doing so well!  Have another picture.  Sorry
that my cameras were both dead.

It was right outside the library.  I walked over, there was nobody really around.  Everyone was taking finals.  I signed the flag.  People took videos of it for posterity.  I was still wearing my SIFE shirt and yoga pants.  I was clean since, you know, I'd been able to shower in Korea. 
And I was waiting for this ceremony/speech thing so that I understood what it was I was doing, when I saw Abby and Rachy walking towards me.  Well, they were walking towards the table where the flag was, since Kaytie had invited them too.  I saw them while they were still by the library.  It occurred to me to run towards them, but I didn't, I just stood and smiled.  They were talking together, walking towards me.  They still had a field to cross.  They were looking ahead and I knew that they'd seen me, but I stood there, waiting for it to click.
And then it did.  And I got stampeded to the ground. And the school news people and reporter and stuff looked at us like we were crazy.  Confused by all the fuss, and by this girl who'd been tackled and the girls who were tugging her up so they could wrap her up and dance around in reunion.
We were all smiles and laughter; then other people joined us and I had no idea who they were and their conversations were going waaay over my head. 
They may as well have been speaking a different language.
I walked back home to drop my important files.  I didn't know what to do with myself, so I went to the Senior Recitals for 2 of my friends who happened to be performing that evening. 
That was wise.  I got to say 'hello' and 'goodbye' and 'you've gotten so good' all at the same time.  I caught up with classmates and professors, and then I walked home.
It was around 9pm.  If you figure it out, which I did, I had been upright for 47 hours, but I'd been cheated and it was only a day since I'd been in the airport. 
"Game night at 10" said my neighbors.  Yeah...not happening.  But I poked my head in, and I got to see Nichel who was leaving the next day and so I'm glad I did.  But then I was glad to sleep.

You know, it's odd.  I lived two days in very different settings.  One where I was directed and driven and had plans even though I had never been there before.  The other where I wandered around a familiar place, looking for familiar faces and a purpose.  But it is from this repeated day that I can tell-- nothing will be the same ever again.

(more pictures and videos coming, I promise.  just let me get them.)

here today, gone tomorrow

I cut my hair.  It's in an envelope that will be mailed to Locks of Love....as soon as I track down the address.

All of my belongings-- okay that's a lie-- a lot of the things I own are in the front room, packed up in boxes and bags.  The rest is in the kitchen, where it will probably stay until I come back.

I seem to be taking more meds to Cambodia than I am clothes.

Still on the search for long, light-weight pants.  Not searching very diligently, I'm busy.

New roommate moved in.  I'm officially on the couch.

TIFFANY IS HERE!!!!!
We've had adventures.  She has the pictures.  My camera needs to be recharged...which means I need to find the charger....somewhere.   Pearl Harbor, Dole Plantation, Keiki's beach, all that fun stuff.

Oooh, Chris is finally back.  Annie is now safely in his care.  I changed the oil on her before he got back, so she should be good....just a few, you know, major-ish issues. 

I literally changed Annie's oil right before I went and had Andrea cut my hair.  I was there in the haircut store with oily clothes and nasty oil on my arms....but the best part is that I brushed my hair when I got there and took out a few stickers from the weeds next to my driveway.  <chuckle>  Glad I got those out before I donate it. 

Our departure date got moved up.  I'm leaving on the 17th.  Very excited.  Lots to do before that.  :)

Sisters!

This is me, waiting for them. At one point, after about an hour of not seeing them, I went to the baggage drop and saw their suitcase right off.  I grabbed it and came back here, at the bottom of the stairs, to wait for them.  They saw me take their bag, and didn't recognize me.  Most nerve-wracking thing in the world.

 no time to explain.  here are pictures

pali lookout

ummmm dolphin

 sea life park

 fed them musubi

 i did let them have pog.  I must love them

 angel's icecream

 the first picture (the best of me)

 finally one with all of us

saw The Avengers outside on the grass on campus.

all of this was the first 2 days, and this doesn't even represent everything we did on those days.
I love you guys.  Thanks for visiting me!

Kahana

My ward had an activity where we hiked a trail in Kahana Valley.
It started at 7am- as you can see, not very many people are early-risers around here

Fun fact:  Kahana valley is one of the possible locations for the filming of 'Catching Fire'.  Can I get some Hunger Games in the house?!?!??!?!  It's beautiful.  It would totally work.

There is a rope swing at the end.

Then we reconvened at the beach for a barbeque.

And I taught Rahdika how to play Frisbee. 

whatchamacallit

Today we had a whatchamacallit.

Around noon we gathered and decided which beach to go to.



 We decided on Turtle Bay.

Why?  Because there was a paddleboard race.

I went out on the rock peninsula to take better pictures

crystallized salt

paddle boarder number 2

This is very very rare.   There were 4 Manta Rays swimming by the rocks.

I got as many pictures as I could....before my camera died.

We left the beach just as it started to rain, went to Kahuku Grill and then had a homework party.  We did homework from about 5pm to around 9pm.   We had a 'bring your own pasta' which I made up on the spot yesterday when we decided on what to do.  I made breadsticks and then we watched a movie.
A very nice, productive day if I do say so myself.

Dude.  I saw GIANT MANTA RAYS.   :)

lake

I tried to get Rage safety checked....again.  You know, it's really nice of the guy not to charge me every time.  He figures I have enough problems.  It's true.  In waiting for the inspection I sat and did homework.

 But first I sat.

 right here.

 And ate.  That's real food right there.

And then I sat here.  It looks like a lake, does it not?  I'm a bit lake-sick.

'What are your kids doing in the middle of the night?'

After spending all day in the library doing homework, I went forward with our plan to do tinfoil dinners.

 Which was slightly hindered by the appearance of the fire department.

 So we took the fire down a bit.

Sorry pregnant lady next door, I wish you'd sent over your husband to tell us, the poor firemen were enjoying a quiet Saturday night.

We'll make sure our future fires don't produce so much smoke.

 Ooo, banana boats.

I decided on a whim to join Kylie, a pair of twins, and their friend.  At 10:30pm we left to go

jump off Waimea rock.

 Trying as hard as I can to document it for you.

 It rained a bit.  Made it kinda cold but the water was warmish.  It's hard to see anything because it's a bit dark...but maybe the glowstick helps.

 





















Kylie jumped in!  There is the splash                                         and there she is.























We jumped off a few times.  The rain subsided.

Last round























Did it!  Group photo with the camera timer and then time to go home.

Just as we were getting in the car to leave, we got shooed out of the parking lot by the police when they came to close the gates.   The night wouldn't be complete without a run-in with both the police and the fire-department. 

We joke- stereotypically mothers get asked if they know what their children are doing at 11 o'clock at night.  Nothing too big, just jumping off cliffs into and talking to law enforcement agencies. 

good end to a booooooring, study saturated saturday.