Best. Day. Ever.

One of the reasons I didn't start a blog until now is because I've never really felt the need to write about myself or the happenings of my life and put it all out there on the internet for everyone to see. So what has changed? Well, for one, I now live really far from the friends I've known for many years. Also, I live somewhere pretty cool now, and I'm getting to do some really cool stuff because of my job.

Also, sometimes I just have to vent in a semi-public fashion :)

Yesterday was one of those super cool job things I got to do that make me realize I love what I do. A few days ago, Hurricane Neki made landfall in the northwestern Hawaiian Islands. This area is part of a Marine National Monument, and happens to be one of the areas I work on. It's the largest protected area in the entire USA, and there are a lot of important sites out there with great ecological, cultural, and historical significance.

In the days leading up to the hurricane, the main concern was the safety of the personnel that live on these remote islands for a few months at a time. They study seals and various bird species, and they have very few of the comforts we're used to. They also have very little in the way of shelter. Neki had grown in strength to a Category 3 hurricane, and was set to directly hit these islands with 15-20 foot waves. The islands are somewhere in the range of 5 ft. above sea level. SO, those people needed to leave. Tern Island has a (very short) runway, so the US Coast Guard was kind enough to send a C-130 to evacuate those personnel. Laysan Island does not have a runway, but the NOAA Ship OSCAR ELTON SETTE was nearby and already on their way to pick up those personnel. Thanks to the SETTE and the Coast Guard, all the people who had been in danger were brought to safety.

Once everyone was safe and the storm passed, it was time to see what the damage was. The best way to do this is from the air. The Coast Guard once again was kind enough to send a C-130, this time all the way to Midway, with flyovers of all the islands in the chain on the way up to allow people to assess the damage. A number of people needed to go, including monk seal biologists (to see if any seals were harmed and whether is was possible to re-establish the field camps), bird biologists (to see if it was possible to re-establish the field camps), and staff from NOAA, the US Fish and Wildlife Service, and the state of Hawai'i (the co-managers of the national monument). Once it was determined how many seats were available, people were offered the opportunity to go on the trip. My boss approached me on Thursday to let me know that there *might* be a spot for me - but there might not. She wanted me to have a chance to get ready in case we had to leave in a hurry. The storm was set to hit early Friday morning, and we weren't sure if the flyover was going to take place on Friday afternoon or Saturday. We weren't sure if the flight was going to include a stop at Midway or just be a straight out-and-back. We weren't sure if there would be a need for an overnight, or if it would be a one-day trip. We weren't sure of anything. Thursday night I made arrangements for my wonderful friend J to watch my dog, and I packed a day pack and an overnight bag just in case. I also completed a travel authorization form because we all had to be on official travel for liability reasons.

Friday I got to work and we still didn't know what was going to happen. Then at around noon I met with my boss about something else and she let me know that there was going to be a seat for me! She said we'd be leaving early Saturday morning, stopping briefly at Midway, and coming back the same day. That made things a lot simpler for everyone involved. I couldn't believe my luck!

I was so excited Saturday that I made it to the air station an hour before I had to be there! I was so early that even the security guards didn't know what was going on so they brought me in to meet the flight crew, who thankfully had some idea that a flight was set to go to Midway :) They gave me exact times and showed me where I could wait. Around that time, people started showing up and we were sent to the wardroom, which was air-conditioned and comfortable, to wait for our briefing.

The time came to load up onto the plane. We walked out across the ramp to the C-130 that we would become great friends with over the next 12 hours. I was pleasantly surprised when we boarded to see that they had busted out the deluxe airline seats for the occasion!

There was plenty of room for our small group so we all settled in for the 5-hour or so trip to Midway. In the pre-flight briefing, the amazing crew made sure to find out what our priorities were for surveying the islands, so that they could be sure to get us where we needed to be. We were to fly to Midway, with flyovers of all the islands along the way. At Midway we would be stopping briefly to pick up a few extra people (since the SETTE had picked people up from Laysan and was now a bit full, with people sleeping wherever they could find room, they were dropping a few people off to fly back home) and then taking off to head back to Oahu.

The flight was incredibly smooth, much better than I anticipated based on what everyone told me about riding in a C-130. Being inside these planes is LOUD. We had ear plugs, but of course that made it hilarious because we all forgot and tried to talk to each other. Not so much. I took the ear plugs out a couple times to see how loud it REALLY was - yup, those babies went right back in. I wished I could have had a headset to hear what the crew was saying, but of course you can't have everything. It was easy to tell when we were close to one of the islands, for one because I could see the radar in the back where we were sitting, and also because everyone would scramble for their camers and to get a spot at the window when we approached an island.

The best "view" was actually from my seat, because I was in the first row of seats with a direct view of the plane's camera which was much more impressive than anything I could have brought! The windows on the C-130 are pretty tiny and don't show much, so I mostly just watched the monitor, which allowed us to count the seals on the beach and get a good look at the shelters on the islands that have them. Everything seemed to be in pretty good shape, considering. Thankfully by the time Neki hit it had been downgraded to a Tropical Storm. Thank goodness for small blessings, as a Cat. 3 would have caused MUCH more damage.

A few shots from the ride up:

French Frigate Shoals

Pearl and Hermes Atoll

The time seemed to FLY by (pun intended), partly because it was spaced out with flyovers of the islands, and partly because we were able to get up and walk around as we wanted. This whole thing was WAY better than flying commercial for about eleventy billion reasons. The crew was incredibly friendly, professional, and accomodating, at times even giving us their window seats so we could see outside. I had been warned that we'd be cold, but it wasn't bad. I was fine in my jeans and with the added layer of a long-sleeved t-shirt in flight. I hate being cold so I was way overprepared for this, and I'm glad it wasn't as bad as I expected.

Before we knew it, someone told me that we'd be at Midway in 10 minutes! I was really excited, because I had never been to any parts of the Monument before. Midway is of course so full of history, having played such a pivotal role in World War II, and now it is an area of great historical and ecological importance. We only had an hour on the ground, but I wanted to see as much as possible, so my boss and I basically ran across the ramp to the bicycles that were neatly parked in anticipation of the aircraft's arrival. Before I could get to the bikes, though, I saw something even better: The Good.Sport! He needed to come ashore with part of his crew for a couple of reasons, and he was there with the group waiting for us at the airport! Nothing like running into your husband in one of the most remote places on Earth!

After a quick hello, my boss and I took off on our bikes. She wanted to show me a few things on Midway that come up in our work, so we found North Beach (oh em gee - beautiful!), Downtown Midway, Turtle Beach (which was indeed full of turtles!) and the Fuel Farm. On the way we passed some of the historic buildings, some bird burrows, and a few of our colleagues who were doing their own whirlwind explorations! We got back to the airport just in time to board up for the return trip to Oahu.

The return trip was very quick, since we didn't have to stop to see the islands we flew over on the way up. The sun went down as we flew home, though I did get some excitement in the form of a visit to the flight deck! I don't have photos of this, but it was awesome and the crew was so much fun to talk with. I've been on the flight deck of other planes and in aircraft simulators before, but this flight deck has room for five people and is MUCH larger than what I'm used to.

We arrived safely back on Oahu a little more than 11 hours after we took off. It's completely crazy that we did all that in one day. But what a wonderful day! I'm so excited to have seen part of the area I work on. It really helps me feel connected to this incredibly special place I help manage. I'm returning to the office on Monday with a renewed sense of committment to my job. Also now I'll get to know what people are talking about in meetings now :) I'm so thankful that my boss thought to put my name on the list, and I'm so thankful to the Coast Guard for making this trip for all of us and going out of their way to make sure we saw all we needed to see. This was a day I'll never forget, easily ranking up there in my top 10 best days ever.

And if they want to make a trip back to this monument or to one of the other monuments, I'd happily ride along any day. :)

Hi, y'all!

Yes, the "y'all" is a holdover left from my NC days. <3

Perhaps this should have said, "Aloha, all!"

Whatever.

I was just checking out my visitor statistics and I'm fairly certain who some of my visitors are, but there are others I am unsure of. Please leave a comment to this post if you stop by! I want to know who my small group of readers are!

I mean you wouldn't knock on someone's front door and then run away without saying hello...


...would you?!?!

:)

Facebook Is Not Real Life

I get it. Facebook is fun. It has allowed me to reconnect with former classmates and colleagues, and to more quickly share information with some of the friends I've made since.

Facebook is fun. I enjoy it.

But Facebook is NOT REAL LIFE.

My bestest friend ever? Not even on Facebook. Does that mean we aren't friends or that our friendship doesn't "count"? Of course not! I find it seriously ridiculous that people who are in their 30s seem to think that unfriending someone on Facebook is a way to "get back" at people, send a "message," or do anything other than cease the sharing goofy pictures and the occasional witty status update with that person. C'mon people. Even the people I went to high school with don't still act like we're in high school.

If you're my friend, you're my friend, and you know it. If you're my real-life friend, you likely have my email at the very least, and maybe a phone number or two, and you know you can email or call or text at any time and I will be there for you. I'm not going to add people to Facebook, or maintain them as Facebook friends, if they aren't a long-lost classmate OR someone I interact with regularly. I don't care about being the person with the highest friend count. If we don't talk, chances are we're not still Facebook friends. Does that mean I never want to talk to you again? Uh, no. Does that mean I don't still consider you a person I'm friendly with? Uh, no. It simply means that we don't talk much on Facebook. Period.

If we used to be Facebook friends but we're not anymore, and you have my email address, and you care that you're no longer my Facebook friend, ask me what's up.

And if we're truly, honestly in-real-life friends, you know that it doesn't matter whether you're my Facebook friend or not.

Because FACEBOOK ISN'T REAL LIFE.

Grateful.

I am so very lucky to be learning how to paddle an outrigger canoe. Not only does it involve a team of people making a boat travel over water, which of course I love, but it is a traditional Hawaiian sport. It gets me out on the water, in the sunshine and fresh air, and it's a fabulous workout.

Like many of the best things in life, this opportunity came about because I asked someone an offhand question, and they asked someone who knew someone else who was teaching some novice paddlers the sport.

I've only been paddling for a few weeks. I have done it less than 10 times total. And tomorrow I will be joining my fellow novices in an actual, real-life race.

*deep breath*

This is a short one by canoeing standards - just a few miles. In contrast, the Na Wahine O Ke Kai (I really need to figure out this hyperlink thing) is a 40ish mile race from Molokai to Oahu. That, my friends, is what the real paddlers do.

Maybe I'll be ready next year.

Maybe.

Anyways I'm super excited to be participating in my first race ever. I hope it's fun and that we are pleased with our team effort. I hope I'm pleased with my contribution to the team. That's all I can ask. I mean winning would be sweet, I won't lie, but it's not my primary goal tomorrow.

My teammates and I are entered in the race as the Kia'i Kai Canoe Club. Kia'i Kai is Hawaiian for Coastal Guardian and it just so happens that our fearless leader and fellow paddlers are part of the US Coast Guard Ohana (Ohana = Family). In fact I am the only one who is not a member of the Coast Guard or married to a member of the Coast Guard or a civilian employee of the Coast Guard, but they let me play anyway :) They're a nice ohana.

This race benefits a cause that is near and dear to my heart - Wounded Warriors Hawaii. I don't personally know any wounded veterans, but I believe very fiercely that we need to care for our veterans and honor the sacrifices that so many men and women and their families make on our behalf.

I worry that our nation's wounded veterans will be forgotten. I worry that our nation will let them down, that they will become the victim of budget cuts and the passage of time. In reality many of the injuries sustained in the past few years are inuries to the brain that will require a lifetime of care by entire teams of practitioners from neurologists to physical therapists to nurses to psychologists. Some have lost limbs. Some have lost organs. The lucky ones can recover in time to go back to the front with their units. But don't doubt for one second that these people will rely on a government health care system for the rest of their lives. We, as Americans, owe it to them to provide that care. No standard of care is high enough for these men and women. Nothing we can do can fully repay them. But if we all do our part, maybe we can get a smidge of the way there.

So tomorrow, I'll be paddling my little heart out for those who have been wounded defending the very freedoms I sometimes take for granted. I'm reminded that I am a generally healthy person and have the ability to paddle a canoe for four miles, and I know that this is a blessing. And I'll be grateful for all that I have, and I'll remind myself that so many have given so much so that you and I can go on about our daily lives. And I'll ask that you do the same - at the very least, think about it. Thank a service member. Say a prayer. Make someone else aware of Wounded Warriors and other nonprofit groups that support those who serve our country. Give your time or your money.

Please do not forget, do not overlook, do not push aside, do not leave behind. Their lives are forever altered in the preservation of yours. Do what you can to honor and repay them.

Welcome!

Hi there! Welcome to my site :) I mostly started this blog so I could have a place to share the adventures of moving to a new place, about a third of the way around the world from most of the places I've lived. This move has been an absolute blessing. It's bringing more adventure than I ever thought possible, and I'm grateful for this experience. I occasionally have observations I'd like to share - key word here being "occasionally." Right now I have no idea the shape this blog will take. I might post once a week. Maybe more. Maybe less. If you stop by, let me know (especially if you like what you read). But I will be the first to admit that I'm not putting this out into the cyber-world for the validation of others. I just wanted a space to write down some of my thoughts. Since this is MY blog, I can do whatever I want with it :)

If you like what you read, I hope you stick around! I might surprise all of us!

On a more positive note...

Wahooo! Already on day 2 of this blogging stuff!

So I realized this morning that my post about the roaches was just plain negative. Not a good way to start off! So I'm going to balance that out with a more fun, positive post. Because man-eating roaches aside, Hawaii pretty much rocks.

One reason I truly love living here is that it is a place people want to visit. I have already seen two friends that I hadn't seen in quite some time because they were coming here for work or for vacation. That is kinda cool. And this weekend brings another in the form of Lara! I have yet to figure out how to add her name as a hyperlink to her blog, so you'll have to get over that. But she pretty much rocks and I'm excited to see her.

Which brings me to the random thought I had this morning on my drive in to work. See, I grew up in Chicago. Chicago is far and away the best city I can think of in terms of having foods that really define it. Chicago-style pizza, Chicago-style hot dogs, Italian beef sandwiches, and let's not even talk about the steak...I could go on and on and on. There are a great many foods that you can only obtain authentic versions of in Chicago (or by mail-order, thanks to Lou Malnati's!).

Growing up there, we took for granted the ability to just run on over to Demon Dogs (how I miss you) and Al's and Lou Malnati's or the ORIGINAL Pizzeria Uno (hint: there were no pizza skins on this menu) or Pizzeria Due, Uno's sister one block away (because I have strong opinions on some of Chicago's other pizza establishments - they don't do it right). Then I went away to college and sometimes brought friends home to show them around my natural habitat. After a couple of visits, I quickly realized that I was really taking people on what I affectionately refer to as the "Eating Tour of Chicago." It is great for the taste buds. Not so much for the waist line. Because let me tell you, if you have two days in which to tour the city, we are stopping at three or more of these fine establishments in one day. You're getting uncomfortably full. And you're going to love every minute of it. If we have more time, I'll take you to some of the other places I've only found in Chicago - my favorite spot in Greek Town, and let's not forget the best Italian food outside of Italy. Like Polish foods? You've come to the right place. German? Indian? Mediterranean? Check, check, check. You can pretty much name an ethnicity and we can tell you the neighborhood to visit where you will find authentic restaurant after authentic restaurant.

Many of you will maintain that New York is just as diverse, if not more so. I won't argue that New York has a more than adequate share of ethnic foods. Not trying to take that away from the Big Apple. And other places might have a more famous Chinatown, or are well-known for the popularity of one or a few types of ethnic restaurants. If I'm going to San Diego, of course I'm getting Mexican food. But Chicago still is the only city I've been to where you can find almost everything your little heart desires - and each type of food will be found in its own little neighborhood. It's just a different setup. To me that setup is best. It's unique, and one of the things that truly sets Chicago apart from other major cities.

But I digress.

Back to the "Eating Tour." Well then I moved to Hawaii. Let's face it, most of the local Hawaiian food is not stuff you are likely to readily obtain anywhere on the mainland. North Carolina still holds a piece of my soul - but Hawaiian Kalua Pork is completely different from the pig you'll get in Eastern Carolina. The macaroni salad here is unlike anything I've ever had anywhere, and I consider myself a conneisseur of all things made with carbs. And poi? Yeah. You aren't finding that on the mainland. Don't even think of comparing shave ice to a snowcone. It's not even close. Then there are Laulau and Lomi and Poke, oh my!

Then there are other things we have here - the shrimp trucks, for example - that serve food that seems normal to most people (steamed shrimp with your choice of topping/sauce and the ubiquitous "two scoop rice") but has its own local spin.

And of course there is the Spam. I understand that Spam is not unique to Hawaii, but trust me when I tell you that the city with the #1 per capita consumption of the stuff is not just eating it pan fried over rice. These people have taken Spam cuisine to a whole new level. There are cookbooks.

So I guess what I'm trying to say is, I don't know if it's me or the unique culinary nature of some of the places I've lived, but if you come here, you are getting an Eating Tour. We'll swim and hike and play in the sun to make up for it, but you really ought to come hungry. And thirsty, because you can't come here and not drink Mai Tais. If you're not up for an alcoholic beverage, you can try an ice-cold can of POG (Passion Orange Guava) or an ice-cold coconut with a straw poking out.

Lara my dear, it's a good thing they won't feed you on the plane, because we'll make up for it when you get here.

And feel free to point out that my first happily positive post on this blog is about food. I'm ok with it.

The Price of Paradise

Nobody tells you about the dark side of paradise.

What, do you ask, is the dark side? I mean, really…palm trees, wonderfully consistent perfect weather, being surrounded by ocean, amazing beaches, all that aloha – there is a reason people call this place paradise. There is a reason the vacationers come in droves, even if the droves are smaller during a recession. There is a reason I post photos on Facebook. Hawaii is awesome.

Oh of course Hawaii has its problems. Poverty, homelessness, rampant drug abuse, unemployment – paradise is not immune to these afflictions and some of these are especially prevalent here. But that’s not what I’m talking about. I’m talking about the consequences of living in a year-round warm climate where windows often stay open so those lovely tropical breezes can bring the scent of plumeria right into your living room.

No, no. I’m talking about the bugs. And I don’t care that this is not the correct entomological term. I’m calling them all bugs. And they come in all shapes and sizes. There are the tiny larval leaf miners that killed my poor, innocent tomato, basil, and cilantro plants. There are the termites and their well-known destruction. There are some kinda silvery gray flying things that don’t seem to really hurt anyone but love to fly onto my computer screen while I type and collect, dead, at the base of the table lamp in the living room.

And then there are the roaches. Now I know Hawaii is not the only place that has these things. Floridians go so far as to use the euphemism “Palmetto Bugs”. And I don’t mean the city roaches. Not even the well-fed city roaches that congregate in city restaurant kitchens. I mean the 3-4” suckers. The ones that are large enough to make a noise as they ambulate along my ceiling. The ones that try to eat me in my sleep.

No, there is no warning. Then one day you’re minding your own business, watching your favorite prime-time show 5 hours after your east coast friends have seen it and written Facebook statuses that give it all away, and an absolutely disgusting creature as long as your index finger lands on the couch RIGHT NEXT TO YOUR HEAD. It’s the unspoken way you know you’ve really arrived. If you mention these awful creatures to other residents of this great state, they have the same reaction – a knowing nod with a side of disgust. Responses I’ve received include, “Ha! Welcome to Hawaii!” and “That’s the price of paradise.” The tourists don’t see these. I guess the Waikiki Cockroach Contingent keeps hidden in the hotel kitchens. But if you are lucky enough to get to live here, your first one will likely show up sometime between one and two weeks after your arrival, as you’re settling into your home thinking, “Wow I am so lucky to live in Hawaii.” You’re just starting to become relaxed, the Spirit of Aloha having crept in a bit more each day, and you find yourself thinking that there is no better place on earth to live. And there it is. One giant, ugly, black, egg-laying reminder that nothing in life is perfect. Sometimes the proverbial roach is small and susceptible to the traps you’ve set out. Sometimes it’s huge and the only way to get rid of it is to use the “cup trick” and return the thing to its natural habitat so you can pretend it never existed. Sometimes you have to call in the big guns so they can put a tent over your house and fill the whole thing with noxious chemicals until even the fiberboard cabinets aren’t quite themselves. But they always show up JUST when you get to thinking that life is just…about…right.

Now, in all fairness, I have spent time in the mainland tropics. There are places in South America (and don’t even get me started on Africa) that have bugs that can kill you in five minutes or less. In these places, you can never put your hand down without looking first to check whether a creepy crawly is already occupying the space. There are many more vectors of parasites in other places. We have nothing I’m aware of that will make your skin necrose, and we certainly don’t have anything that will turn your arm into a Target ad. I have yet to require any type of insect repellent, and I moved here in June, which is the peak of bug season in some places. So, considering our tropical climate, we actually do NOT have the short end of the entomological stick. Knowing I will never find a five-minute spider nest in the foot pocket of my snorkeling fins is kind of rad. I like not having to watch for bullet ants. And when we talk about the real impact on my life of most of the bugs here – I don’t need to garden. Clorox wipes make short work of the random dead bugs that met a fierce end at the hand of my compact fluorescent bulbs. The lovely people at Raid even make an ant spray now that doesn’t leave an entirely repulsive odor in the house for days. Hey, life is not that bad.

But seriously, those roaches need to go.