Monday, February 16, 2009

Hi there. Aloha, even.

There’s a reason that I’m not emailing much*, you know. It’s because it would feel like I’m gloating. And really, I kind of would be.

(Ha-hah!)
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It's nice here. It's maybe the nicest place I've ever been, particularly because everyone is operating from close to the same "has" level. Most places I travel to, I mull what it would be like to be a homeless person 'here'** and it wouldn't be so rough here, I think. A) Sleeping outside wouldn’t be fatal, apart from falling coconuts, b) the naturally occurring fruits (see (A)) offset the lack of soup kitchens, & c) there's no real influx of homelessness (a la Vancouver or Victoria) because reeeally, if you can afford the flight here, things aren't so bad. (One homeless person will be looked after by the community, or caring individuals. An entire population becomes invisible.)
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(Tough life, eh?)
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Also, the weather. Loving the sheltered side of the islands, yes. And the sun. We were at 10,000' above sea level today (Haleakala - gesundheit!), & it was still nice in a tank top. Like June in Saskatchewan, really. (I realize clouds & more wind would change that dramatically.) However, unlike Saskatchewan, it was very alien, with strange & exotic residents. (Maybe that’s just my opinion because I’m from there, though.*** And it was high up – we were above the clouds. And man, it was some kind of view of the island, I must say.
(We're staying *point* over there.)
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Amoryn is not so enamored with Hawaii – or maybe she’s in a growth spurt, or she’s short on sleep, or it’s her temper, or she’s... um, teething? I don’t know. One nice old couple asked if she was teething. I said no. And then blinked. We’ve become “those people” – the ones with the squalling – no, SQUEEing offspring tucked under one arm, blithely ignoring them, snapping photos or drinking margaritas. That seems the fastest way to get her to snap out of it; not talking, not time outs, not threats (you won’t get that back if you throw it One More Time). Lack of reaction is not the most appealing option when we’re out in public, but now that I think of it, it does seem like she’s trying to provoke us. Would an almost 2-year old have that motive? I didn’t think she was short on positive feedback, but maybe I’ll try increasing that tomorrow. Something’s gotta give, & I just hope it’s not my sanity.
(SQUEE! Give me hugs! SQUEE! Snuggle. SQUEE! Repeat. I love her, but that grimace I am making, I am not so fond of.)
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She’s still adorable though. And she was quite good at the luau the other night. I think she was more taken by the special lighting than the hula, but whatever.
(Daddy, you floss like this.)
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I declined the poi, but did partake healthily of the pit roasted pig. As did the man & his brother. L____ (sister-in-law) is a 'no land animals' vegetarian, so she had the poi.

And either blue sweet potatoes, taro root, or… something else. Not bad though! (It's seafood - get it? See food! Hahahaha! Another mai tai, please...)****
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There were hula dancers – and I loved the hula men. I’d call them hula boys, as the counterpoint to hula girls, but my goodness. With pelvic thrusts like that, men for sure. The hula girls were fantastic; the only reason that the men won out in my opinion was that the girls had these fixed awful smiles on their faces. Eesh. I get it for the “Hollywood Hula”, but for the more traditional dances? Why smile like that? (The girl on the left is an example. Although maybe I would smile like that if I were shaking my coconuts for cash. Who cacn say.)
Amazing. And on that note, I'm taking my coconuts to bed. More updates from paradise to follow!
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*I mean, assuming that I email you to begin with. Otherwise, I guess I’m just like that.
** It all started when I saw a man napping under a date palm in Jordan.
***Transplant a vegan from BC, & she might feel differently, right M____?
****L____, I told you I was going to blog that photo.

1 comment:

Annie said...

as a rule, 2 year olds will always always always rather be at home with their rowr in their own bed than even be in hawaii site seeing and eating strange food.

same is true of 3 year olds. 4 year olds too unless you factor in disneyland. by 10 you will be able to backpack europe with her, but it will be hard.