Little known fact...

When I "meet" a new blog, I tend to go right to the archives and click on July, first thing. July is, after all, my birthday month. It's also the month I most often think of as "summer," and since summer is pretty awesome, I like July for that reason as well.

I don't know why, but it always interests me to see what the blogger felt post-worthy during my favorite month of the year.

Anyways, I "met" a new blog today, thanks to a friend of mine. It's got some pretty sweet knitting patterns on it, and I look forward to getting to know this blog (and it's creator) over the next few weeks. So I go to the blog. I click on July in the archives.

And this is the first post I see.

The universe is trying to tell me something.

I think it's telling me to have a donut.

Grateful.

I've seen a bunch of people posting on Facebook about doing 30 days of things they're grateful for. I missed the boat - didn't catch on until about day 9 - so I don't want to join in now.

Instead I'm going to post right here: 30 things I am grateful for.
(in no particular order)

30. My job. It challenges me and I learn something new almost every single day. I'm lucky to have a job at all, much less one I like and am good at.

29. My Blackberries. Yes, BlackberrIES. Having them (one is my personal 'berry, one is for work) saves me a lot of time in front of the computer.

28. Pillows.

27. Rainy days. It's the closest we get to "seasons" around here. Plus I like it better when the islands aren't on fire. And also, rain brings rainbows.

26. My dog. She reminds me every day not to forget about the simple joys of life: Food. Play. Sleep.

25. The phone. No way would I be able to be so far from those I love without it.

24. Face.book (and the interwebs in general). See #25. You can go on and on about the evils of Face.book, but it has allowed me to remain in better touch with my friends than I would be without it.

23. Good people. There are still some out there. The fact that I am lucky enough to keep meeting them amazes and astounds me.

22. My husband. On our wedding day, the priest said something to the effect of, "No matter what you deal with, for the rest of your life, you will never be alone again." Whether I like it or not, he's always there :) (don't worry, I like it)

21. Diamonds. Even when they aren't mine. I love knowing that such beauty exists in the world.

20. Sunrise. Even when I wish I could sleep through it. Every day is a fresh start.

19. Coffee.

18. My parents. They have sacrificed much so that us kids could have all we needed and most of what we wanted. And they made us who we are.

17. Cheese.

16. Garlic.

15. Anything that involves both garlic and cheese.

14. The person who invented knitting.

13. The person who invented online education.

12. God. Without Him, none of this would be.

11. Science. Without it, we would not understand much of our world.

10. People who believe that God and science don't inherently need to be in conflict with each other.

9. Bladders. I mean, where would we be without them? You know where we'd be. All the time.

8. Li'l Bro. He supports me, teaches me, entertains me. Also I can't even quantify the number of sibling inside jokes that only he understands.

7. OK this is gonna sound messed up, but I'm grateful that I have to battle my weight. I mean, I hate it, but it means I have more than enough to eat. There are so many who don't have that luxury that would probably love to be in a position where their doctor tells them to lose a few pounds.

6. The friends I've had, the friends I have, and the friends I haven't met yet. Each of you has shaped (or will shape) the person I am. Even the ones who've disappointed me in the end.

5. Electricity, eeeee-lectricity!

4. Times when I can get away from electricity and go to sleep and wake up according to the sun's schedule. I never feel so well-rested as when I abide by nature's clock.

3. Highlighters. And post-its. And school/office supplies in general.

4. The opportunities - the ones I've been given, stumbled upon, and made for myself - that I've had in life.

3. The ocean. Seriously, y'all, you have no idea how much the ocean does for you. No matter where you live.

2. Music.

1. Positivity :)


What are you grateful for?

Quinoa: It's not just for dinner anymore!

I tried something new this week.

It has raised eyebrows each and every time I've mentioned it.

But I heard about it from some friends. It seemed like an interesting idea. One worth trying.

I ate quinoa for breakfast.

And Oh Em Gee, is it ever delicious.

I put a spoonful of almond butter and some honey in it.

I think I'm in love.


Don't tell The Good.Sport. He'll be jealous.



And also, a friend of mine gave me some honey from a family member's farm. It is the most amazing honey I have ever tasted in my life. And I'm only separated by two degrees from the bees that made it! Good thing, because I am so ridiculously afraid of bees. I don't care to get any closer to them than two degrees. It's very nice of the bees to let me eat their honey even though I won't get anywhere near them.

If you're ever in Minnesota, check out Heaven's Valley Farm in Winona. Ask for Grandpa Jim's Honey. Amazing. Not sickly sweet like the honey you get at the store. It's got a very hearty, almost flowery flavor to it, and just the absolute perfect amount of sweetness.

I didn't ask them for a link to post, and they have no idea that I'm even posting this (so in case you're wondering, no, they aren't paying me to mention them). However, I did some playing with The.Google and found this link - which I believe is the same family's business. Check 'em out if you're in Winona. I've never even been there, and this honey is so good that it makes me want to go for a visit.

I'm so touched that this friend thought to give me such a wonderful gift. I try to purchase locally produced stuffs from small (especially family-run) businesses wherever possible, so this is exciting for me.

And have I mentioned the honey is AMAZING?

It's perfect for your breakfast quinoa :)

You know what's awesome?

Nashville. Nashville is awesome.

The Grand Ole Opry is open again. Did you know that?

Whether you like country music or not, the Opry is woven into the fiber of American musical culture. There is a lot more to Nashville than the Opry, of course, but it's a pretty huge part of the city (as well it should be).

And it was under. water. just a few months ago.

Like, feet of water.

And now it's open.

You probably haven't heard much about it. There were no telethons. No famous actors. Probably a few country musicians...but no Brad Pitt. A huge natural disaster happened right here in our own front yard, and hardly anyone even knew about it, much less rallied to help.

And you know what? I didn't hear a single cry about the injustice of it all. The people in the Nashville area didn't go around feeling sorry for themselves. They didn't get on TV and ask why America was ignoring them. They didn't ask where the celebs were. They were too busy banding together, mopping up, rebuilding, replacing what was lost as best they could and coming together to mourn that which could not be replaced.

This, to me, is what America is all about. No wallowing, just fixing. Doing what you can for your neighbor and having them do the same in return.

I've been pulling for you, Nash-vegas.

And now the Opry is open again.

Which is awesome.

What color are you today?

I was at a meeting recently and groaned a little bit when they mentioned that we'd be doing an icebreaker. Visions of high school retreats and fake forced intimacy began dancing in my head. I started looking around to see if it was going to be the dreaded toilet paper game, or maybe something involving two truths and a lie. I hope I wasn't having any trouble hiding my inner monologue.

And then the facilitator told us what the icebreaker would be.

"Tell us what color you are today and why," she said.

Hmmm...this one was actually interesting! It required some serious thought, a little creativity, and allowed everyone to share at a level that made them comfortable (perfect for people like me who don't necessarily love telling my deepest darkest secrets to a group of total strangers).

That day I was blue. But not sad blue. Power blue. I was kicking ass and taking names that day, and I wasn't afraid to show it!

Today, I'm yellow! Yellow like the sun, which to me is a happy color. I'm working on a project that involves lots of yellow (it is the favorite color of the person I'm making it for). It's bright and cheery, as am I. It makes other people FEEL bright and cheery, which is something I'd like to do.



So, I ask you, what color are you today?

What color do you want to be tomorrow?

We Remember

I promise promise that after this I'll step down from the soapbox and get back to posting pretty paradise pictures (ahh, alliteration). I haven't ever jumped on the "write something about 9/11 in a public forum" bandwagon, so I'm just gonna go ahead and do it today.





I couldn't have been any further from danger on September 11, 2001. I was in a tiny town in Eastern North Carolina, driving to class, when I got the first of many phone calls. It took a while for the news to filter down our way, and it wasn't until we were let out of class (early, because there were so many rumors and nobody could concentrate) and we wandered into a common TV room that we realized what exactly was happening. Going back and forth between the TV and the view out the window was just surreal. Total terror and destruction...sleepy little peaceful coastal town...smoke and fire...gentle sea breezes...people dying...a pod of dolphins swimming...it was really weird.

I'd never been to New York, I'd never seen the Pentagon. It was truly hard to comprehend. In the years since, I've begun to get a sense of the scale of what happened that day - the number of lives lost, the size of the heart of the city that was ripped away, the incredible bravery of those who tried to help...I still can't always put it into words.

I've since been to New York. Actually I was there about six months later. I went to Ground Zero and read the "Missing Person" posters and notes that were left for the victims. I spent some time at a firehouse and touched one of the fire engines that had been buried in rubble that day - restored perfectly, but with dings consciously left in the metal body. I've since lived in DC. I've been to the Pentagon Memorial, with the eerie glow cast by the lights under the benches. I've helped take down an exhibit in which there was one American flag for every person who died that day (and holy cow, you want to get emotional, take down these thousands of flags and realize, as you fold each one, that each of these flags is a PERSON - one who died too soon, one with a family who misses them, one from a community that will never be the same). I've worked within blocks of the White House and had a constant state of hyper-awareness become my new normal.

Since that day, like everyone else, I've heard so many stories. It strikes me that everyone - no matter where they lived, whether or not they knew anyone in New York, DC, Pennsylvania, or on one of the airplanes - everyone was affected. In the days after September 11, our country drew together in a way I'd never had the privilege of seeing. We were all Americans, first and foremost, drawn together by a horrible wrong that had been done to us.

I'm writing this not because I want to show people how affected I have been by what happened to our country that day, but because I'm afraid people will forget. I'm afraid that people will become complacent. I'm afraid that people will think that all the danger has passed. I know that our cars and smartphones and jobs and families and dogs and TiVos and workouts and shopping trips and vacations and hobbies consume our lives - I'm no better than anyone else in that department. All I'm asking is that you remember.

Remember that the men and women of the police and fire departments in all of our hometowns put their lives on the line every.single.day. to keep us safe. Remember that the men and women of our armed forces voluntarily sign up for a life of sacrifice - and sometimes pay the ultimate sacrifice - to protect us and our right to speak our minds. Remember that the families of all these folks have to give up lots of the normal family things you and I take for granted, yet their support and pride for their family members never wavers.

The very least we can do for these brave men and women and their families is to remember.

Maybe say a prayer or send a positive vibe or think happy thoughts or whatever your way of putting positivity into the universe works. It doesn't matter who you vote for, who/what you worship, what you wear, or what football team you love - we're all Americans. It's a shame that the ephemeral sense of unity we all felt nine years ago has all but disappeared, only to be dusted off like a Christmas tree and brought out on one day a year. Commit a random act of kindness in, like, February. Or because it's a Tuesday. Or because you're wearing blue today. Let's make this country one we can all have a sense of unity in - and not because of the negative actions of others - but because we are proud of each other. Because we're proud to be American.

I wish...

...that I could put my thoughts, feelings, dreams, and desires into song.

I just don't have that piece of brain that allows people to write wonderful music and lyrics. I'll just have to settle for listening to music that other people write, perform, and record.

Today's song? "I Can't Wait" by Nu Shooz.

Yup.

One of our radio stations here changed their format last week. Their new slogan is, "Old School that doesn't make you feel old."

It. Is. Amazing. And they play bands like Milli Vanilli (shhhh, for the purposes of this I'm just gonna call 'em a band), Color Me Badd, and yes, Nu Shooz.

And also, one of my girls is in labor RIGHT. NOW. And I can't WAIT to see pics of her new son :)

Allow myself to talk about...myself

So one of the reasons I never, ever wanted to start a blog is because I am pretty sure that nobody cares what I have to say.

Now, don't get me wrong, I do have a Facebook page. On this page I post things about my daily life that I'm absolutely CERTAIN do not matter to anyone else - so I really don't know why I've been so hesitant to do this in blog form.

And I LOVE reading other peoples' blogs, especially when they talk about the mundane details of their daily lives. But I have a total block when it comes to sharing mine. I just don't think my life is all that interesting.

But today, because P-Dub says that bloggers should blog frequently, I'm going to write something.

Yesterday was a rough day at the ole' office. Nothing special or noteworthy happened, it was just stressful. I am being asked to take on some additional responsibilities in the face of some stuff that's changing 'round these parts, and yesterday the full force of what is about to happen hit me.

Hard.

[Allow me to interject here with an important detail you'll need to know about me if what I'm about to say is going to be at all shocking to you.

I love my couch.

I love my couch a whole lot.

Not quite as much as The Good.Sport (but almost).

If you ask me what I'd like to do after work, my answer would be to curl up on the couch with [insert carby fatty food here] and [insert beer or wine of choice here]. Maybe, on a good night, I'd be knitting while I watch horrible reality TV that makes me feel better about myself. More than likely, I'd fall asleep within an hour.]

Last night, some of the stress had abated by the time I got home, thanks to an amazing drive once I get off of H1 get out of town. This was great! I wanted to sit down, study (I'll talk about this some other time), and pet my dog. But then it happened - a quick check of Facebook showed the status update of a friend who chose to go to the gym rather than sit around the house and eat.

And I knew what would make me feel better.

I changed clothes, put on my sneakers, and took the pooch on an epic walk around the neighborhood. I voluntarily spent more than an hour not just off the couch, but MOVING.

(I'm really not a lazy slug, I regularly engage in outdoor activities like hiking, stand-up paddling, snorkeling, and SCUBA diving. Just not normally on weeknights.)

My point is, I chose to do something good for myself - and for my pooch - rather than wallow. I won't say the stress totally melted away, but I did feel better.

So I also accomplished #4 on the list I linked to above.

Boo-ya.

I may have come home after the walk to sit on the couch with homemade mac 'n cheese. But if I had done that, at least I would have earned it!

I might even get off my duff and go for a long walk AGAIN tonight.

Perhaps I've turned a corner...




Side note: I don't even know if my friend knows the effect her post about going to the gym had on me. I started thinking about how, each and every day, we affect others in subtle ways. We probably don't even know it. I'm making it my personal goal to make all those effects I have on people positive ones. I want to uplift, inspire, and encourage all who come into contact with me. I want to make peoples' lives better. I strive to be a kinder person as I never know when someone is at their wit's end. Sometimes it's just showing a bit of kindness that can draw someone back from the proverbial edge. I'm going to work harder to smile at strangers (I promise not in a creepy way), to be happy with store employees even when I want to cry inside, and to "be the change [I] wish to see in the world." (Gandhi said that, in case you didn't know)

Civility and kindness are disappearing from our world. Won't you work with me to bring it back?

Photo Tour: Big Island - Kona side

Okay, okay, so regular posting is not really my strong suit. To be honest, this is why I never started a blog before. Like everyone else, I enjoy reading people's blogs. I use a blog reader and truly enjoy the people who have stuff to say, and say it regularly, so I get that bloggers who don't blog often are just not interesting. But I'm one of those people that tends to let myself be pulled in eleventy-five different directions at once, so I do what I can.

So anyways, if there is still anyone left out there :) I'm going to pick up where I left off about three months ago - back to showing you some of the Hawaiian Islands.

Since I talked a little bit about Hilo the last time I did this, I'm going to show you a bit of the other side of the Big Island. Kailua-Kona, commonly known as Kona, has quite a bit to offer. But this is me, and I only had one day there, so naturally I spent the day exploring what Kona has to offer in terms of food. Everyone knows the coffee, and I absolutely got a chance to experience that, but did you know that the Kona side also has amazing chocolate and vanilla, too?




My day in Kona started just after sunrise...and who wouldn't love waking up to a sunrise like this??

And this was the fantastic first view I had of Kona!!

Our first stop in Kona was the amazing Holualoa Kona Coffee Company. This company runs a totally organic coffee plantation. They compost the husks of the coffee cherries and even have a flock of geese that help keep the mowing under control and provide pure fertilizer :)

While we were here, we had an incredible tour. We learned all about coffee production, from growing the coffee cherries...

...to how the beans are harvested, dried, and prepared for roasting...

...to the roasting process itself...

...and then we got to drink the incredible coffee!!!

If you ever want to try some of the best coffee ever, give this stuff a try. Even better, get thyself to Kona and take a tour! They made us feel so welcome and were so knowledgeable and passionate about sharing their coffee expertise with us!

After we had our way with the gift shop and said our goodbyes to the geese, we were on our way.

The next amazing stop in our tour de Kona was the Original Hawaiian Chocolate Company.

This company is another small, family owned- and operated cacao plantation and chocolate maker. They specialize in single-origin chocolate which is becoming increasingly rare in the chocolate world. That means that all the cacao used in the chocolate comes from one place, instead of coming from lots of different farms and states and countries and who knows where?? They use the finest ingredients, no preservatives or other chemicals, and of course locally grown cacao that they personally follow from the tree to the packaging. And it truly does show in their amazing products!!

Here are some cacao pods on a tree...

...and this is what you find when you open the pods. The beans are encased in this white stuff that the geckos find REALLY tasty!

Inside the white stuff, you'll find the beans!

So now we'd had this amazing chocolate and we were thinking that there was nothing that could even come close to topping what we'd had so far.

And then we arrived at the Hawaiian Vanilla Company.

This company is another small, family-run enterprise. I truly admire this family. They wanted their children to grow up on a farm, so they bought one (!). They didn't have farming experience, they just knew they wanted their children to have a childhood full of hard work, learning from mistakes, and being together as a family - and for them, this meant life on a farm. Their children, who are homeschooled, work alongside them on the farm. They've seen their parents' successes and failures first-hand and have learned from all those experiences. What an amazing way to raise a family!

And did I mention that their vanilla is incredible?!

They do a tour that comes with a vanilla-infused home-cooked lunch that shows the versatility and fabulosity of vanilla.

One of the young children came to our table, introduced himself very professionally, and asked what we'd like to drink. I decided on the vanilla lemonade.

You can see the vanilla in there!

After that, lunch was served. This was all lovingly prepared by the family, and each item had some way of incorporating the vanilla. It was all delicious and healthy and truly enjoyable!

While we worked on dessert (homemade vanilla ice cream with one of three toppings), we learned a bit about the family, the farm, and how vanilla is produced. We learned some of the easy things we could do with vanilla at home (vanilla-infused vodka, anyone?!).

Did you know that vanilla is an orchid??

The plants have to be hand-pollinated, which is a ton of work...but you can really tell when you taste their vanilla that this family has a passion for what they do. It was nice in this day and age of instant gratification and constant distractions to see a family working together, learning together, and translating all that into a successful product that they love to share with anyone who wants to learn.

And did I mention that the food was delicious?!

After a tour of the vanilla-growing area itself, we went back to that gift shop and picked up some great vanilla products to take home.

Between the coffee, chocolate, and vanilla, the bus smelled AMAZING!

After all this, it was time to say goodbye to Kona. As our bus headed back to the ship, we knew we'd have to make it back here. After all, we barely scratched the surface of things to do on the Kona side, but we certainly were happy and well-fed. We look forward to our next trip to the Big Island. If you do find yourself on the Kona side, check out one of these three businesses.

I took one last photo of Kona as the tender pulled away.

And we settled into the ship for yet another perfect sunset.

Bye, Kona! Hope to see you again soon!!

(Side note: None of the companies named in this post have compensated me in any way. In fact, they don't even know I'm posting about them. I truly believe in small-scale organic farming and in knowing where your food comes from, and all three of these companies are stellar examples of that. I wanted to pass along the wonderful experience we had on all three of these tours and highlight the wonderful work these people do. Just in case you were wondering. Ok I'm really done now.)

My Kind of Town

(Thanks to the Chicago Tribune for letting me borrow your front page.)

Photo Tour: Big Island - Hilo side

So, the Big Island – officially named Hawaii Island – is, not surprisingly, the largest of the Main Hawaiian Islands. It is also the newest, and grows a little more each day as Kilauea, an active volcano, is constantly adding to the island.

When you go to the Big Island, you will go to the Hilo side or the Kona side. Now, it’s still a relatively small island, but is far less developed than Oahu – so the trip from one side to the other takes about 2.5 hours. There are people who live on the Big Island who have never been to the other side. Our guide on the Hilo side was telling us how he and his family go to the Kona side for vacation!

Hawaii is famous for, among other things, its microclimates - and the Big Island is no exception. Hilo and Kona have very different weather, and driving around the island you go through everything from lush rainforest to dry, dusty desert and everything in between. So, in a way, it makes sense to head to the “other side” for a vacation because it will probably be nothing like home!

Because of this artificial split, that’s how I’m going to take you around the Big Island, too. We’ll start first with the Hilo side, since that’s where I went first. There is quite a bit to see and do (though it’s mostly nature-related – the Big Island has been thankfully only lightly touched by developers), but we only had one day on each side when we were there. When we go back, I’ll post more photos for your viewing pleasure, but for now let’s talk about what we DID see!

Our first stop on the Big Island was Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.







This park is HUGE and has a lot of things to see. We stopped first at the Jaggar Museum, which has lots of cool geological information about volcanoes, as well as a good deal of cultural information about the importance of volcanoes to the Hawaiian people.

Madame Pele is the Hawaiian fire goddess, and probably one of the most famous of the Hawaiian deities. I won’t get into the whole Pele story now, because, like everything else in Hawaii, I have found multiple versions and am not sure which is correct. However, I do know that Pele lives in Kilauea right now. Which explains the fire and lava.

Anyways, one of the first signs we saw when we arrived at the Jaggar Museum was this one:

DO NOT FEED THE NENE!!!!

I have a little bit of an obsession with the Nene, which is the state bird of Hawaii. In fact I’ve talked about it here before. I’ve never seen one in the wild – just at the zoo. They are seriously endangered, though making a comeback. Anyways you don’t want to feed them because that will habituate them to humans and to places where humans and cars spend time – which is dangerous for the poor Nene. Plus I’m pretty sure that Baked Lays probably weren’t meant to be part of their diet. So leave the Nene alone!


If you’ve been to Hawaii when the famed Kona winds are blowing, then you are familiar with vog. Not fog. Vog. That’s when the winds coming from the East blow all that sulfuric stuff to the West, where it hangs out over the other islands. Nobody likes vog. It makes your throat hurt. It obscures the view. Kona winds are generally hotter than the trade winds, so it’s hot and voggy and the air seems stagnant – it’s no fun for anyone.

Right across from the museum entrance is a volcanic steam vent!

Well, this is where vog comes from! And as much as I hate the stuff, I had never seen it coming from an actual volcano in person before, so it was cool!

Depending on the temperature and chemical composition inside the volcano, it will produce one of two types of lava. The types are a’a (pronounced ah-ah) and pahoehoe (pronounced pa-hoy-hoy). A’a lava is really jagged and poke-y and makes you say, “Ah! Ah!” when you step on it without shoes. Pahoehoe is named because of its rope-like appearance. I could get all geo-nerd on you with more info, but I won’t. You’re welcome.

Anyways we left the Jaggar Museum and headed for the Thurston Lava Tube! Lava tubes are tunnels under the ground’s surface where lava used to flow. Basically the area around and above the tube/flow cooled before the lava in that channel was done flowing. Then, when the lava stopped flowing, the lava-river dried up, leaving a hollow tube behind. In some places, you can walk through ‘em!

After the blessedly cool walk underground through the lava tube, we headed back above ground and elsewhere in the park for a hike across the lava fields! If you have never walked across a lava field, you really should at some point. It’s pretty crazy seeing nothing but black, rocky terrain as far as your eyes will take you. Very other-worldly. And hot. Wear sunscreen and a hat, ‘cause there ain’t no shade. And did I mention the ground is black? And rock? So not only does it absorb all the heat of the sun, but it radiates the glare right back up to your poor haole skin.

Bonus question: can you see the a’a and pahoehoe in the picture?



After that we were hungry. I know. You’re shocked. The.Lady was hungry? NO! NEVER!

So, we left the park and headed where any sane person would head in search of food on the Hilo side.



We took the factory “tour” which is self-guided and walks you alongside the factory where you can see how mac nuts are processed and packaged below!

And then we ate chocolate mac nut ice cream. I was so obsessed with it that I didn’t take a photo. Trust me it was fab.

Then we headed out for our last stop of the day – Akaka Falls! This very impressive 422-ft waterfall is very accessible – you can get a great view only a few steps from the parking lot. Super pretty!



And with that, it was time to head back to our temporary home aboard the ship. But the best part of the night was still to come as the ship sailed past the Kilauea lava flow just after dark! We were told that Kilauea was particularly active just then, and we were not disappointed by the sight that lay before us as we quietly sailed past the flow.

I could go on and on about the amazing juxtaposition of the hot lava and cool ocean, and the poetic concept of watching an island being born before our very eyes, but we all know I’m a scientist and really just not good at writing about that stuff. So I’ll leave you with a couple of photos.

(please excuse the blur – these shots necessitated a long exposure, but the ship was, in fact, moving, so this was the best I could do with my nonexistent photographic skills. you get the idea.)

Who knew?

So, my dear readers, I knew that there were a select handful of you who read this...this...well, this random collection of thoughts/photos/ramblings.

As far as I knew, those of you who read this are the people I correspond with daily. Which is only mildly amusing because, for the most part, I tell you guys about my adventures anyway. The blog is just the photo version.

Now don't be fooled, I have sitemeter, and I know that there are more of you out there - and, for whatever reason, you prefer to remain anonymous. Except I totally know who most of you are, or at least where you live :) But I also know that sitemeter doesn't necessarily capture those of you who visit through a blog reader, so I'm sure there are a few occasional visitors I don't know about.

BUT I learned today that my readership extends to at least one person outside the "we email every day" circle!

Now don't get all excited about how I've suddenly gone mainstream. Turns out, I know her too, from back in the day when Al's and Mario's were regular after-school snacks instead of something I long for in my wildest dreams, when the threat of JUG kept us (mostly) honest, and when the daily dress code forbid "extreme hairstyles." And jeans.

So I'd like to thank this fab lady for the shoutout, and let you know that if you haven't discovered her yet, her blog is entertaining, informative, and downright hilarious. And if you've ever struggled with your weight - something I know many of us 'round these parts have experience with - you'll really identify with a lot of what she has to say. I know I do.

So here you are THW. Thanks for the mention! Consider the shoutout returned :)

And also, thanks for reminding me that I have been seriously terrible about posting to this thing. You've encouraged me to get my okole in gear in more ways than one.

Let the photo tour resume!!

Last entry for Maui, at least for a while…

One really fun activity to do in Maui is to go ziplining! I had never done this before. I am afraid of heights. My knees get weak if I get too close to the edge of a canyon or tall building – even when I know in my head that I’m perfectly safe

So, the idea of flying high over the forest floor suspended by some steel dental floss and a harness was a little scary to me.

Of course, this is why I just had to do it. I happen to believe that, the scarier something sounds, the more a person NEEDS to do it!

So one day I found myself partway up the side of Haleakala,





buckled into a harness, wearing a helmet (that our guide specifically said was only there for decoration, since it wouldn’t help us if we fell), and flying high over the forest floor suspended by some steel dental floss.

They started us off slow – a short and relatively low line – and we went through a series of lines, each named for different native Hawaiian animal species.

And then we got to the last one. HOLY SCHNIKES. It was REALLY long and REALLY high and REALLY fast. This one was the one that really made my knees shaky while I was standing on the platform waiting to go.

And IT. WAS. AWESOME.

Plus, I really like getting up to forests in Paradise. People always think of the beaches and the water here, and don’t get me wrong – those are awesome – but this places has so many micro-climates and it’s really fun to drive just a few miles and be in a TOTALLY different kind of landscape!

So if you find yourself in Maui (or in Tennessee, apparently), check out SkyLine Eco Adventures. And no, they aren’t paying me to say that – I’m mentioning their name because I recommend them without reservation. They gave a heckuva tour – they emphasized safety and fun and I would TOTALLY go again!

So – a few other things you should do if you find yourself in Maui…and no, none of these places are paying me, either – but I loved them and want to recommend them.

The Old Lahaina Luau

‘Iao Needle/’Iao State Park

Enjoy a Hawaiian Plate Lunch at Aloha Mixed Plate

Kalua Pork!

Lau Lau!

the famous Road to Hana

the Ali’i Gardens Lavender Farm

Snorkeling at Turtle Beach

Look at me go!

and the Surfing Goat Dairy, where they make amazing goat cheese!

Suffice it to say, there is a TON you can do in Maui. I don't really have a FAVORITE island - they are all so different and each have their own unique attributes that make them all amazing - but I will say that I've spent a few days in Maui so far, and I am hoping I get to go back! I think that, after Oahu, Maui has the most variety of potential activities. It's also one of the busier islands (though it's nothing compared to Oahu). But because of that, it has a big variety of places to eat and shop and things to do.

Overall, I love Maui! Next up: Molokai!