Last Day..

Today was my last day working for Blood Banks of Hawaii. It was tough. As avid readers of the blog know I’m a bit relutant to leave the islands despite the fact that I know it’ll ultimately make my life easier.. Today really underscored the fact that I’m going. I love my coworkers, donors, and everyone there.

The people at BBH were great today! We were insanely busy in center, but they still found time to give me a lei (my first since I got here), a cake (delicious!), and lots of nice hugs and aloha. Thank you guys!

Here’s some pics.

Hooray for my lei! I wore it the rest of the day

My last morning sitting on the Picnic Table and waiting to start my shift. Although the picnic table just wasn’t the same after they limbed off the huge overhanging mango tree..But even so I spent a lot of hours at that thing.

So now I’m through with Stupid Job™. have a couple weeks to work on my surfing, explore the mountains, ride my moped into the ground, and make interesting stories to put on the blog for you, the reader

Hope you like them!

My penultimate day at work

Tomorrow is my last day at BBH. If you would have asked me two weeks ago if my coworkers liked me I’d have said they don’t hate me.. But the recent outpouring of kindness and friendship since I put in my notice has been heartwarming and a little overwhelming. Guess it goes to show you.. I was so lonely, maybe it’s because I was too busy missing home and my people there to reach out to the people close at hand.. Lesson learned.

So after tomorrow I can settle in to living small (tiny!) looking online for work in CO, and playing the shiftless Hawaiian lifestyle I’ve been hoping for. I know my way around, have transportation *fingers crossed*, and speak the language well enough for 7-11. Happily, 7-11 put these awesome little sushi rolls on their dollar deals menu. Wasabi salmon, tuna, shoyu tuna, chicken, etc.. all for a buck. But you have to wrap the seaweed yourself. Me, I just skip it. It’s all stiff and crispy and not that good. I like my Nori soft and sticky

Nothing much else going on, just working and starting to plan ahead to getting mobile again..

Surf safari, an unexpected party, and surf safari v2.0

Had the weekend off for once, so I got my gear together, changed the sparkplug on my moped, and went down to Medical Waste Beach. Bodysurfing yesterday for an hour or so, then washed back ashore and a pretty blonde lady is waving at me and smiling.. I almost looked behind me to see who she was looking at, but figured out who it was first. My neighbors were out, too. They offered me a beer, I accepted, and that led to the drunkest night I think I’ve had in Hawaii. After a sound defeat in horseshoes and several beers, I stopped at Star Market for some beer and headed home.

John got some steaks on the grill, Paul even showed up after getting his stunning new tattoo, much beer was guzzled, hilarity ensued.

Neighbor Josh made me promise to be ready for my first surf lesson at 0600 today, and brought his longboard (called “Patches” for it’s beat-up condition) over to our garage.  I was there on time, despite a massive hangover. No one else made it though. So I put the board under my arm and rode John’s bicycle down to Medical Waste Beach to try my hand.

“Patches”

Please dont make fun of my gut. Thank you.

As you can see, Patches is a good sized piece of sporting equipment. Getting it down the hill to the ocean was quite a workout. Getting it back was almost too much for me.

I’m afraid I didn’t achieve a great deal of success in my first surf outing. I was able to paddle out alright, tipped it a few times, but oh well.. And I was able to catch waves in the prone position.  Standing up was less successful as my equilibrium was impaired to a significant degree. Cut my feets up on the rocks underwater a little and stepped on an anemone (their splines break off in your foot. sucks.) By the time I got out and back in I was exhausted with the exhaustion only a long beer-soaked night can bring.

Can’t wait to give it a real shot soon. Sometime when I’m performing at my usual level of reasonable competence.

And here are some pics of Kapiolani Coffee House – the closest I’ve found to a truck stop style breakfast joint.

Pretty awesome. Could be anywhere in Nebraskauntil you notice the Good Fortune kitties and Buddha heads.. Food’s good too. Enormous saimin. Great macaroni salad

Back from Maui, and some bad news

First, the bad news. My newer Gateway laptop shit the bed FBM style just before I left for Maui on Wednesday. It’s actually behaving exactly like my old Compaq (which I’m typing this entry on) when its AC adapter input plug overheated and unseated itself from its soldered moorings on the mainboard. I was able to fix the Compaq.. maybe I’ll be able to fix the Gateway, too. It’s a bitch though. Gotta totally gut the laptop to get to that spot.. Oh well. As soon as I get somewhere near a soldering iron I’ll give it a try.

Back from Maui, mt last neighbor island blood drive. We got worked hard, butI still managed to enjoy getting off of Oahu. Ate at Maui Tacos.. Damn fine by Hawaiian standards, and acceptable to good by Colorado standards. I was impressed.

I took a shitpot of pictures.. Gotta get em out of my email and I’ll post em up.

Snuck a pic of Maui as we turned to approach the flight path in. I risked my life getting you this shot! Cell phones are dangerous in airplanes, right?

Here’s a plant I’ve never seen on Oahu..

Here’s a rainbow sproutingup over this big ass tree (see below)

That tree’s in bloom although the tininess of the picdoesnt show it that great..

I think you can see the blooms on this one alright, though..

Finally, here’s Rowie clowning with cheesy pineapple glasses..

That’s the best I can do for tonight. I’m beat. Up at 0430, typing this at 2315. I should go to bed. 2 days off starting tomorrow! Stay tuned for fun stuff.

Turtle Safari

Damn fine turtle safari today. Fired up the moped and went down to the Spot (Kahe Beach Park, near Waianae). Got there at super low tide and started swimming. All kinds of fish out today,

and I got a couple pics of them,

but I was saving up for the turtles. Had to get good studies for my tattoo idea if I ever get it done..

And before you know it, there’s my turtle. Probably mad at me for being gone so long. I admit it. I got distracted by body boarding.

All told I swam around with this fella for a half hour or so.. just cruisin and having positive honu/human relations.. I miss snorkeling. Better exercise than body boarding too I think.

I have one more roll of film to put through the underwater camera, so there will be at least one more of these before I return to the mainland..

The hot hot hot skin edition! Hot!

So yeah. I found a better way to carry a bodyboard on a moped. This Creatures of Leisure body board bag has backpack straps and a huge (but not very well designed) pocket for your fins.

(Editor’s note: Riding a moped with a huge, lightweight, perfectly vertical airfoil on your back can lead to loss of performance, erratic handling, and reduction of gas mileage.)

You can see where all the Spam™ and gravy and manapuas have gone.. Oh well. I promised skin and you’re gonna get it!

Also, I came up with a turtle tattoo that I actually would like to have. Here’s a couple studies of it.

As you can see, the design wraps around the leg, fins meeting in the back of my thigh. I didn’t draw in that part because it was too hard and because I know what it should look like. You get to see what’s left of my pasty pasty whiteness, too! Lucky readers.

I doubt I’ll be able to maintain my tan once I get to Colorado..

Had a solo garage session last night.. Watched Rifftrax for Daredevil – Rarely has a movie deserved it more. Another out of the park effort by Michael J Nelson and the crew. For those of you who don’t know, Rifftrax is what the Mystery Science Theater guys are doing now. Follow the link, check ‘em out. Most worthwhile!

Anyway, I was drinking 40s in the garage and looking at the big full moon up there and thinking how much I’m going to miss this island.. So beautiful, such fine weather.. I’ve been telling my coworkers that I’m going back to regroup – save money and get my shit in order – before I come back. And I sort of think I’m prophecying truly. Hawaii is just fantastic, and I’ll never forget her.

Good morning, morning readers!

Morning.. Stupid Job ™ has made it nigh impossible for me to sleep in. So I’m up at 0430 writing in my blog. Oh, I’m tired, but my body’s so trained to get up early that I can’t seem to go back to sleep. Which I suppose is good when I get back on Mountain Time.

Just tossing out a quick post for the people that read early. Don’t have much to say, though. Let’s see if I havce any pictures to post..

There’s my plate lunch from yesterday Not a very Hawaiian plate, as you can see, but damn good. Nachos from Fiestas Mexican in Ewa Beach.

Study of my moped at Loco Moco Ewa Beach. Awash in light and ready for action! I’m seriously gonna miss my moped when I go back. That thing has been a headache occasionally, but all told it’s been my personal gateway to adventure and has made my success with this crazy move possible. Wish I could afford to ship him back..

*sigh*

Gave my notice at work, told my coworkers what’s going on, and made it official. Even though I sort of feel like a puss for giving up, everyone I’ve talked to assures me that I did an amazing thing coming out here and surviving as well as I did. Now I just have to make a success of the mainland.

DENVERITES PAY HEED

I booked my return flight to the mainland for 09162008. I’ll be arriving at DEN at 2316 (11:16 p.m.)

Not a real convenient time, but that’s how the cookie crumbles. If I need to I can spend the night at the airport (I love airports), but it’d sure be neat if I could get a ride somewhere from someone.

Thanks

Woke up a little early

to deliver a quick update. This job.. Just sucks. They’re getting notice this week, and I sincerely hope they care enough to ask why.

Have a few pictures sitting around on the desktop, so might as well post them up quick, then hit the shower and go back to my slaving hell of blood

.

Lunch yesterday from Puuhale Market. They never cease to surprise All that for 4 bucks!

There are a few spots on Oahu that are still ‘country.’ Not very many, though.

OK. That’s all I have time for. Gotta get ready and work some more. Hope everyone else’s lives are a little more satisfying and contain a little more free time than mine does lately.

Kauai’i Update – in Pictures!

Got back from Kauai’i last night late. Have today off then right back to it.. I’m fuggin beat. So today is gonna be a lot of laying around. Gonna make a run to pick up a bigger body board and then hit the beach at some point, but mostly recuperating from the Kauai’i run is top priority..

Anyway, Here’s some pics from the Garden Island.

This is the view from the entrance to Wilcox Memorial Hospital. Kauai’i has lots of “country” = i.e. jungle. And lots of chickens. We’ll get to those

Day one was long and tiring, but then it was over. Took this one the morning of the 2nd day.

Classic through the window driving pic. Note the finger encroaching on the frame for authenticity. Wailua river with the mountains in the background.

Riotous explosion of palm flowers at the Korean restaurant we ate at 2nd day. There was a surf shop next door where I got a nice body board bag for much less than I’ve seen em online, even. Nice side trip.

Got back to the hotel (Kauai’i Sands hotel) and went out on the lanai to eat my foods. This chicken had the same idea. Drank a 6 pack of Coors, talked story with Kevin for quite a while, saw some hula dancing and stuff at a party by the pool between the buildings. It was a good night.

Palm trees above the quad at Kauai’i Sands hotel. I like Kauai’i a lot.

Garden Island indeed

After we got through security at the airport we sat and watched these guys for a while. The tile work on the back wall is damn cool. They were good singers and players, not the most electrifying performance, but fun nonetheless. For a taste of traditional Hawaiian music check out am 940 in Hawaii.

Got back to Oahu about 8:35 p.m. and mopeded back to Ewa Beach by about 10. Tried to enjoy a nice 40 oz of Colt 45, but couldn’t stay awake long enough to do it justice.

So that’s my Kauai’i slide show. Hope you like it