Aloha!!!

Yes, I finally made it O'ahu. I am loving this place. I can't believe how beautiful it is here. I am here on vacation while my husband is working. It is all good, but I am a little anchored to the base today while he is at work. I decided to get on the hotel computer and pay the $.08 a minute to catch up on stuff.
I always new that Hawai'i would be beautiful, but it's the way the island makes you forget everything about life that I find most amazing. The smell of the air here is unbelievable. It smells like something between jasmine and roses. Everyday there are rainbows over the island around 5:00 p.m., and the sunsets are just as beautiful as the photos show. Unfortunately, my photos aren't going to be that great, I fear. The first night here, I got a little carried away and ended up dropping my camera in the ocean. Whoops! The camera is dead and with it took my first sunset and the pictures I had taken of the base. All my photos are now going to be via my cell phone. I am hoping for the best. I won't be able to upload until I get home, which could be tomorrow or not until Thursday. I haven't decided yet.

Living on Pearl Harbor has also been really great. I have not lived the "military life" for about 3 years now, so coming to Hawai'i and being around the military again has been a nice reminder of the life I used to know so well. Listening the running groups do their afternoon P.T. while singing about who knows what, but it sounds good. I had forgotten about the 8:00 am raising of the flag, so every morning they start out with Star Spangled Banner broad casted throughout the base. It is a reminder of a much younger and naive version of myself.

Looks like I am about ready to run out of minutes.

Aloha

Is it all or nothing? Or maybe it's just a little respect.

Yep. I did it all. Vegetarianism, animal rights, PETA, Greenpeace, the works. I was in college and I was in it 110%. I believed in environmentalism and animal rights like other people believe that the world began 2000 years ago (it may not make sense to some, but they would die rather than admit they are wrong.)

Then one day a professor of mine (a total hippie by no stretch of the imagination) told me about an animal rights group that was so determined to save a bunch of goats that were destroying San Clemente Island's native fauna and flora and were about to be taken out, that this animal rights group spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to round the goats up and take them to safety. Safety from a bullet between the eyes, yes, but some of them perished from the stress of being netted and then flown over the ocean via helicopter, others had broken limbs from trouncing on each other, others lost eyes etc.... Of course this was not what the animal rights group wanted I'm sure, but it started me thinking, and it literally kicked me off my high and mighty pedestal that I had issued myself. For the first time, I realized that not everything had an easy answer, that there was no black or white for any issue, but a whole lot a grey, charcoal, graphite, and even slate.

This made me stop and think about my positions. Ultimately for me, I decided I needed to be more informed about everything that I was believing. I began a quest to educate myself and become more pragmatic and logical, less emotional. Although I will admit that I cannot stand for any kind of cruelty to anyone or anything. It is beyond my comprehension.
The end result for me is that I do believe in preservation, conservation, and respect for all life. This is something that is not just a belief, but a part of who I am. Does that mean I don't use paper towels? Does it mean that I don't partake of the occasionally slab of steak? No. I do use paper towel, just the recycled ones. I do love to eat a steak, occasionally, and if I can afford it, I will choose a local, grain fed steak because it helps the local farmer and not some corporate farm that stripped the rain forest to make its steak. Additionally, I find adding a lot of respect for all that has been given to me takes away the need to be right, the need to be extreme, and makes it into something more meaningful and much more personal.

Now days all I have to remember is getting up at dawn with my grandfather while listening to the rooster go on and on about that pesky sun. Helping him feed the cows and pigs, collecting the hens eggs and then milk the cows. All before most people had their morning coffee. His love of the animals, the land, and all its offerings taught me about nature, hard work, and passion. I can only hope that from where I have been to where I am now, would make him proud.

Passion and the Paycheck

"Find what you love and do that for a career, that will make you happy." That was the career counseling I received from all the adults in my life. The problem was, so few of these "wise" advice peddlers appeared to be doing what they loved, nor did most of them appear to be very happy. For a girl that was trying to find her place in the world, and not really having a role model to look to, I was challenged to form goals that were my own and of my own passion.

Thirty five years later, I am finally getting it. Passion. What is passion? More importantly what is my passion? Age and experience has shown me that my passions are not about something specific, but about life and living, no matter what it is that I am doing. I spent a greater part of my 20s searching for that panacea, that amazing career that would fill me up with so much happiness that it would ooze from my pores. Obviously, that did not happen. However, through many trials and uphill battles, I managed to find that I did have talents that gave me confidence and feelings of purpose, but because these talents did not produce a dazzling headline or intense feelings of glee, I ignored them in a pursuit of the prize.

About a year ago, I started to realize that in order for me to feel at all like a worthwhile human being, I needed to get over my ego and start working toward a life of purpose using my God given talents. Talents that include my passions, but just not in the way I had originally considered them. It is true that once you really know yourself; the good, the bad, the ugly, and even the beautiful, and allow yourself to come to terms with it all, it seems that anything is possible. Recently I have even been suprising myself in that when I feel a hurdle coming on, or a self imposed limitation, that I can now say "this too shall pass," and actually believe it. It is a calmness that is combined with tenacity, a drive that comes with compassion.
My passion is to try hard, work to be better, love as much as possible, and enjoy all the beauty along the way.

Sci Fi am I

Okay most people who know me, I mean really know me, know that I am crazy for sci-fi. I have no explanation for this love. It does not appear to run in my family (most find it strange and weird). I think it goes back to my youth when all I was allowed to watch was Public Broadcasting, which can probably also explain my love of British programs and stuffed animals. One program I always looked forward to watching was Carl Sagan's Cosmos: A Personal Voyage. Maybe it was the long pauses in between sentences, or just my innate curiosity about the world and the universe, but I have been a sucker for science and science fiction ever since.

Recently I came across a great series on Netflix called Firefly which was accompanied with its movie, Serenity. If you haven't heard of this program its because it was given the ol' heave ho by network execs after just 14 shows. It is truly one of the best science fiction/adventure programs I have seen. The writing and acting were awesome. My husband and I couldn't get enough of it. We basically had a Firefly weekend in that we just sat on our buttocks for 4-5 hours a night. When it was over, we were actually mad. Stupid I know, but it is often so difficult to find good, fun, imaginative programming anymore. To see this great show get the axe was a bit of a pisser.
If you like fun, adventure based shows, then check this one out! You won't be sorry.

And the blog goes on...

I have been writing this blog for 9 months now. I think initially I was just looking for a shelf to place some of the clutter that gathers in my mind. Sometimes that is still all it is, but I have begun to notice that more of me is coming to the screen. It has developed into a real outlet for me. I love to journal my life and thoughts through this blog. Last month, when I decided to change my address, I actually considered just dropping it all together. The one thing that stopped me was going back and reading over my posts. So much history, so much time. I couldn't just delete myself. I think I lost a lot of viewers when I did change my address, but in some ways that has been good. It has freed me to express more without concerning myself with an audience. I didn't get into this for comments. I just wanted to dialogue and share, whether it's my post for the day, a new song I have bookmarked, or a link to a Salt Lake place to hang out.
As I continue with this blog, I expect my writings to become more intimate and personal as I chronicle the journey I am on. I am looking forward to the next 9 months; the challenges, the joys, and the dreams.

Hot Fuzz and my 5K finish

Yesterday was cold and drizzly, so Larry and I decided to go to a movie. Neither one of us was in the mood for something serious, so we thought something scary might be good, but the only scary movie that looked good was only an hour and a half (we generally have a 2 hour minimum for theatre prices). So we decided to go see "Hot Fuzz" instead. I personally love British wit and humor. The lead actor was Shaun of "Shaun of the Dead" fame (another good one to see), and was brilliant in Hot Fuzz.
This movie was the "Dog's Bollocks!" If you don't know what that means, look it up under British slang. It was smashing, smart, and downright hilarious. For a 2:00 p.m. show, the theatre was packed and everyone was laughing their arses off. A 90 year old man in front of me was having the most fun of all. I never heard someone laugh so loudly.

This morning I did the 5K at the Salt Lake Marathon. There were too many people in my opinion, but it was a good morning for a run. I did it in under 45 minutes, which is pretty good for me. I did get a battle wound though. Trying to get out from under so many feet, I managed to trip into a hole and went down. I have to say it was rather graceful, and I only managed one raspberry on my left knee. It was a bit sore and I expect to get yet another bruise. My husband jokingly says he can't leave me anywhere without supervision. I'm starting to look like a battered wife. What can I say, I am not "delicate." Never have been, why start now??

Day 2

This morning I woke up to this lovely bruise on my arm. I am slightly obsessed about this. I can't believe that someone who is a trained tech left my arm in this condition. I think I could have done a better job myself. I met up with my friend Jed for dinner last night, and stupid me wore a short sleeved shirt. He was about to take me to rehab. Fabulous!

Pincushion

Yesterday I had my 6-week follow up for my thyroid medication. That required another vial of blood. It appears that I must have been her first patient.....ever!!!

A Day with Tulips

Yesterday I decided to go South of the city for a Tulip Festival in a what-used-to-be small town called Lehi (think the movie Footloose, Kevin Bacon, and a granary).
It was an absolutely beautiful day, and a beautiful place to spend an evening. I took a few photos (no, not me!), but will only download a couple here. The rest are on my Flickr.



If you open the photo, you can see the Tulips better.

Welcome Home

After a long 8 hour journey, I finally made it home. The plane landed at sunset on a beautifully clear, cool, and DRY evening. I never loved this place more. I LOVE living here again.
My hubby was waiting for me with a bunch of fresh flowers (guess I should leave more often). My trip to Florida was good. It was good to see my mom and step-dad, as well as my sister. It is always so funny to me that no matter how life changes our situations, we generally remain the same. My mom is busy catering to every one's needs. Making sure I never went hungry, I think I gained 10 lbs during my visit. After a long day of raking people over the coals (something I still can't quite envision), my sister spends her evenings playing video games as if she is still 10.
My trip to Atlanta got cancelled. While in Florida, I was either having allergies or getting a cold. My girlfriend has a small child, and I didn't want to risk getting anyone sick. I now have to proceed with begging on bended knee to get another invite.

I always meet interesting people while travelling. Coming back, I sat in coach. Outside of the "packed liked sardines" aspect of coach travel, I find it more enjoyable by the people I meet. First class can be a bit......cold. A woman I sat next to on the long leg from Atlanta to Salt Lake, was from a small town in Northern Idaho. She asked where I was from, which was followed up with the always common question, "are you Mormon?" Her lack of tact made me laugh. She then followed up with "so are you a college student at BYU?" I was slightly mortified by the question. Not only am I at least 13 years older than most "college students," but BYU? This is wrong on so many levels.
Later in our conversations, I began to realize this woman and I were the same age!! She was about to become a grandmother. HELLO! We had a good time and chatted most the way to Salt Lake. Strange how you meet someone for such a short time knowing that most likely you will never see them again. I guess that's what they mean by making the most of every moment.

Here are a few photos from my visit. We spent some time at a Botanical garden one day, and me being me, I took a lot of pictures, here are a few.....

Orchid

Obvious.

Any guesses?? There will be a quiz later.

Can't remember the name of the plant, but its pretty.

Base of a Banyan Tree

Water Lillies.

Jet Lag

Okay, maybe that is a bit extreme, but here I am at 12:05 without any desire to go to bed. I don't appear to have gotten over the 2 hour time difference yet. I am one of those types that takes weeks to change sleeping patterns. This morning I slept until 10:00, and now here I am awake, tapping away trying to get myself tired while the rest of the house is sleeping.

Today when I talked to my husband on the phone, he told me he wasn't happy with his job, at least not the company he works for, and wants to look at other airlines. I wasn't too surprised by his desire. He had been tired of his current situation for about a year now. But as the conversation continued he surprised me when he said "Thank you for supporting me." I find this to be an odd statement. Sure this change would mean less pay in the short term, so we cut back where we can. I don't find it to be a big deal, especially if that means he will be happier. I queried him on his statement and need to "Thank" me. Apparently, in his opinion, most spouses don't often get the support to make changes in their lives, especially when it means tightening the money belt. I truly don't understand this. What is the point of working if you can't enjoy the life the job allows for, no matter if the pay is small or large? I guess I am one of those weird wives that believes the "work to live, not live to work" motto of life. I am a believer in dreams; trying them, doing them, and if possible, living them.

FYI: Any wanna be pilots out there? It is not a bad time to consider this career. The next five years are predicted to be good in hiring, but it doesn't look like there will be enough pilots available. (These statements are not from the airlines themselves, but from the rumor mills in aviation circles, so don't blame me if you can't get a job:) . ) I have even thought about it myself, but I think I'll stick to flying for fun and not as a job.

My husband says I have a letter at home from Utah State. They are just waiting for my transcripts. I am pretty excited about this new direction I am going. When I get back, I will be shadowing at the Veterans Hospital. I am looking forward to it. I also found out that Utah is expecting a big shortage of SLP's in the coming years (retirements). I'm not sure this is a good thing, but I guess that means I will have a job. I will also get to service small rural communities when I can. I look forward to this type of work.

I've been pondering my short story that I have been writing. I am still wondering what to direction to take the characters, so when I get home I will get back to writing it.


Ohhh, a big Thunderstorm is overhead. I love the sound of thunder and rain at night. I think I will snuggle in now. Good night!

Hello from Florida!

I finally made it! Actually the flight wasn't too bad. Surprisingly, I even got to sit first-class, which comes in handy during a 4.5 hour flight. Sunday morning my Mom decided to recreate my childhood youth by hiding baskets and eggs all over the yard. Nothing like a almost 35 year old running around in her PJ's looking for an Easter basket. I think it is my Mom's way of getting back at me for not providing her any grandchildren (which she obviously needs).

After spending too much time in the sun and consuming too much Easter chocolate, I decided a good nap was in order. I believe it's a Florida past time.


Photo courtesy of...you guessed it...my Mom.

Happy Easter

Hopefully this time tomorrow I will be in Florida sprawled out on a lawn chair next to my Mom's pool.
Have a great holiday and weekend!

what happened to slcsanity

A few people have emailed me wondering what happened to my old address. Well, I was having a problem with a stalker type that thought it was fun to leave crude comments. I changed my address (although not a big stretch) in an attempt to discourage said weirdo. So far so good.

Also this little story I am writing is well....very rough. But I enjoy creative writing just as practice. I have no idea where these characters are going, and just make it up as I go along, using some of my own stories and mixing it in with some fiction. It is just for fun. It is very segmented, so it is hard to keep up if you haven't read it from the beginning. I just don't have the time, nor want to spend the time to write it in its entirety. We'll see where it goes.

The Lunch Date (part 4)

As Sam headed towards her house, she decided to change direction, and stop off at her "secret place." She turned left and walked down Maple Avenue. Walking down the street, she noticed the trees were older and taller. She removed the cap from her head and let the breeze cool her down.
As she approached her special place, she began to notice the red brick wall covered in thick vines. So thick in fact, that if you weren't looking for this place, you could pass it by as just some overgrown, unkempt yard. She came upon the old rusty gate and gently pushed it open. Not many people knew about this place, not unless you lived on this street, but Sam had found this sacred spot many years ago when she would seek out solace from the constant fighting in her home. She sought an escape, and she found it here. The property itself was an old church, now mainly used for wedding receptions and such, but it wasn't the church that she loved, it was the gardens in the back of the church that had called to her so many times. Behind the building flowed a stream filled with the water from hills. Ducks had set up residences along the waterway, and a small bridge connected one side of the stream to the other. Towering trees bordered the garden to make it feel private and peaceful. On one side of the garden, the water flowed in over large stones, pooling into a small pond before it continued on its journey West. To the right of the stones was a small enclosure that one could sit in and feel completely alone. If you were lucky and got there early in the morning, you would most likely be the only person there. It was a great place to come and think, to listen to the water flow and splash, and to hear the ducks going on about whether you were welcome or not.

Sam found her way to the enclosure and sat down. She breathed in deeply and closed her eyes. This was her place of peace. How fortunate it was then, that she moved into a house just one street away.

TBC.........

Spring

I came across this poem on Bits of Whimsy today, and thought it would be a good statement to start April with. Enjoy!


Spring Song

Hark, I hear a robin calling!
List, the wind is from the south!
And the orchard-bloom is falling
Sweet as kisses on the mouth.

In the dreamy vale of beeches
Fair and faint is woven mist,
And the river's orient reaches
Are the palest amethyst.

Every limpid brook is singing
Of the lure of April days;
Every piny glen is ringing
With the maddest roundelays.

Come and let us seek together
Springtime lore of daffodils,
Giving to the golden weather
Greeting on the sun-warm hills.

Ours shall be the moonrise stealing
Through the birches ivory-white;
Ours shall be the mystic healing
Of the velvet-footed night.

Ours shall be the gypsy winding
Of the path with violets blue,
Ours at last the wizard finding
Of the land where dreams come true.
-L.M.Montgomery

Grounded

After spending the last 4 mornings trying to hitch a flight to see my better half in Oahu, I finally had to admit defeat today and give in. In the 4 days of trying to get a seat on the one flight a day from SLC to Honolulu, one non-rev made it on the plane. His hire date was 1967. I don't think I had a chance. I am more than disappointed. This was going to be my trip. I was going to see the whales, travel around the island, layout on the beach, and spend my evenings soaking in the setting sun. I guess I should have bought a ticket, but who knew? I wouldn't have guessed there would be so many travelers. But instead of whining about it, I am going to go at the end of April (knock on wood). It will be a shorter trip, but hey I'll take it.
Next weekend I leave to visit my mom for Easter. I just hope that the flights aren't as full. It will be my first trip back to Florida in almost 3 years. I moved out in a blaze of hurricanes, so it will interesting to see how things have changed. I am also going to stop through Atlanta for a short visit with a friend, so I do have some travelling ahead of me. I just hope this week of travel angst is not a precursor to the next 2 weeks.