Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Having Fun

When I landed, it was 2 deg out and there was LOTS of snow! I was too exhausted to play in it..


But I did help Dad shovel off the deck! That was a good time. It's been a long time since I've seen so many people wearing carharts..


I got to hang out with Ken and Jen - they even let me stick needles in them!



We had a nice dinner on Christmas Eve


with some new friends from London


We went into Detroit for Dad's birthday and saw the Monet through Dali exhibit at the DIA


I got to visit with my cousins


and I got to see Shelley and meet her new baby Analeise


she has some big blue eyes!


The sunsets have been beautiful


Yesterday I helped Steve and Hailey move from Ypsilanti to Stockbridge


It's amazing how much fun it is when it's not any of my stuff

Sunday, December 14, 2008

Still Raining

Yesterday we had a graduation celebration at school for all the people graduation in 2008 (spring, summer, fall) - very special occasion. We laughed, we cried, I was feeling the love ;) .

After clean up, Matt, Amanda, George, and I hung out at the temple. Amanda challenged Matt to a cookie eating contest and schooled him - it was probably the most I've laughed in a kitchen - we had a simultaneous jam session to keep the sugar moving.

At 4pm, the 4 of us headed out for our 5pm palm reading gig at the Okinawan cultural center in Waipio. That was a very interesting experience.

Then Matt, George, and I had dinner in Kaimuki and when we walked out of the restaurant it was POURING. It'd been raining all day, but at this point it had gotten absurd. I took some pictures on my walk to the car.





Thursday, December 11, 2008

RAIN


It is POURING on the windward side today! I haven't had this much fun since March 2006!! I got to get completely suited up to go out to Coconut today. Angelica gave me a ride - good thing - I wouldn't have been safe on my bike! It's like WHITE OUT conditions over here!! I literally can't see the the building across the lagoon sometimes!

The Punaluu rain gauge recorded 7.35" from 5am - 8am and it's still going! It's also so windy the rain is going mostly horizontal - maybe 30 deg off horizontal. It's a little worrisome that the shoddily crafted Point Lab might pop some serious leaks, but so far there's only one in the back room =)

Woo!

Now that's its noon I can say that the only irritation is that I have to walk to the bathroom...

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

A weekend on the north shore

This past weekend, everyone in my school headed up to the north shore for a weekend long fresh herbs class. It was especially fun because we got to camp out for two nights right on the beach in Mokuleia.

We learned about the uses of 50 plants - some new, some we've been over before - and of course we all stood and presented our ideas on the origins of life. I was pleasantly surprised to find that everyone geeked out in their own ways to answer this fundamental question. It was also wonderful to reestablish what a friendly, supportive, and open group of people I'm lucky enough to be in school with. I got to have some really interesting conversations about new research that's gone on which says that plants are able to connect with our emotional states and even across great distances will react if you're genuinely happy or sad. ..And now I know why my house plants die when I freak out that I'm going to accidently kill them.

Ian and Liz


Amy


Charyse


Josh


Shifu, Walker, Aadrien


Jorge and Matt


After the class was over Liz, Ian, and I had dinner at Cholo's and then Dave and Heather stopped in for a little meet and greet. I was practically falling asleep, but I could keep myself from watching sunset at Waimea - it was one of the prettiest I've seen!

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Economics

See more Jack Black videos at Funny or Die