Honolulu Marathon

I will definitely be semi training, but seriously running the next glorious marathon that perhaps happens to come my way.  Keysa kicked serious ass today, and it was awesome to be a part of it with her.  I ran the last 4 miles with her (which is the most I ran, I mean all I ran, in the last year) So I was surprised at myself that I was able to keep up with her and give her motivation.  Super great day full of running around and massive amounts of cheering.  Oh! And I was totally able to rewear my spandex from Cassie's wedding for this excellent event! :)

Keysa is the one in the middle wearing white, and yes, after 22 miles she is TOTALLY smiling!

Home Alone

So today officially marks the first time I have been sad since I came out to Hawaii.  Some things happened to build up to this, I am not sure if they are blog appropriate information, but they were important enough, or seemingly to me, to make me sad the way I am now. 
Boundaries is a good place to start.  Why is it so hard for some people to respect your boundaries?  I don't get it.  Like they think that they can have their own way, no matter what. For example  "No, I would not like another beer."  "Oh well I am ordering you one anyway." What the fuck is up with that.  Like what you say doesn't matter?  Of course that is a lame and vague example, and of course I could go much deeper than that, and now that you are reading this maybe you can think of an example in your life when someone has done this to you.  What the hell?  Maybe you are not good enough.  They look at you like you are less than them.  Your opinion (on your own life and well-being) doesn't actually matter. 
Sometimes it doesn't even matter how extroverted you really are.  I understand when shy people get walked on every once in a while.  Speak up for yourself why don't you, my dad would say. But even when you do, it doesn't always make a difference.  People can be such assholes.  Where do you find the people that you can really trust and know that they wont take advantage of you or your feelings?  Or the people who wont disrespect your boundaries.
Disrespect.  I don't throw around the term respect very often. That is a sacred word to me.  How do you know who you really respect, or know who really respects you?  That is something I try to convey to my students no matter if I am in the classroom for one day or three months.  Respect. 
Personal space.  Not everything is for you to touch.  It took me a long time to learn about personal space and not being to over bearing with other people.  I was so used to my big family and how we encroached on everyone else, that I forgot about people who may not have grown up in the same situation.  Even just the small things about getting changed in front of people.  Shit, I'll change with my door open.  Locker rooms?  NBD.  But does that mean that I am not respecting myself then? By not having the self awareness to cover myself up and not show my butt to everyone in the room?  That personal space that other people may feel is being invaded when I'm standing there naked.  OK I don't go that far.  I try to change as quickly as possible in the locker room, but I don't feel the need to be covered by my towel the whole time I'm doing it.  There's this one lady who gets out of the shower and then walks with her towel around her head instead of her body back to her locker, and then sits on her bench naked, and contemplates the world and all of life's problems, and then covers herself with lotion, and then chills a little bit more, and then finally decides to start dressing, but only after she has weighed herself and brushed her hair.  No, I do not stare at her, but it just so freakin happened that we were always in the locker room together.  Its very hard not to notice someones routine after 10 weeks of this. 
Anyway, what was I saying?  Ohh right.  I'm sad.  What the fuck.  I somehow managed to make my eggs stick and burn in a non-stick pan for dinner, and then I tripped over the freaking cord to the blow up mattress in my room and fell face first into the bookshelf.  Then I got real angry and started crying and cleaned my room and sat down in my chair and fumed for a bit.  And now I am here, sad.  At least the dogs like me.  Titus and Gizmo hang out with me.
Tomorrow at 5 a.m. Keysa is running in the Honolulu marathon and we are going to help cheer her on, feed her, and possibly run a few miles with her.  After that I am going to a surprise party with a new friend I made for one of her friends.  So I'll be meeting some more people which I'm excited about.  Should be fun :)

Living Vicariously

Yes, you would be correct.  I am wearing a strapless dress with a one piece bathing suit.  I rule

Simple and Elegant

Today I did a ton of different things, but one of the best was helping Rotana decorate her excellent 5 foot Christmas tree.  We went for simple and elegant :)

Off to bed, surfing at 10 a.m. with Jak!

Walkin on a Dream

This was my day.  Rough I know.

Rode my bike so I got to feel the breeze against my skin and through my hair.
Watched some girls do a photo shoot where the waves hit the sand.
Got some good tips on surfing by watching some people who sucked, and some who were good at it.
Listened to some good music like Heather, Sammy, and I used to do on the shores of Australia.
Talked to Sammy for 18 minutes and 31 seconds, and it was awesome.
Went in the ocean and caught some waves by diving in and then floating with them.
Spent some quality time by myself.

Sometimes its actually way harder to be by yourself for that long.  I know a lot of people that would never make it to the beach alone, and wouldn't have the guts to just sit there and not care if people are looking at you (which they probably aren't because you are not the center of the Universe).  It takes a lot to go it alone, and for the people who can you should give them extra props.  Honestly though, sometimes its easier to be alone when you need to figure out the bus schedule or the best access point to the beach, because then, the only person laughing at you is yourself.  Live Free

Productive Wednesday?

Mary made us matching pants!!!!  Bad ass right??


Today I started out early at the Social Security Administration getting a new Social Security card so that I can take this class at the Hawaii Liquor Commission so that i can become a bartender.  So much effort!  They take serious measures to make sure everyone is a good citizen.  The bus was fun downtown though, and I finally got to go to Victoria's Secret!  Sickkkk

Strength is Beauty

I only have one picture today:

Me getting my ass beat in chutes and ladders at 6 a.m.

Yup thats right, the sun wasn't even out yet!

Sunday at the North Shore - Monday applying for jobs

  I forgot to take a million good pictures like normal yesterday at the North Shore, cause it was definitely too super fun being there!  The ride to get up there is long, but there are beautiful views the whole time.  On the way home you drive past the stairs of Stairway to Heaven, I can't wait to do that hike!  Ananda and Jak met Mary, Nate, the dogs, and I up there.  We bought fresh pineapple on the way up too!  YUM.

Yesterday was great though because I got to spend a lot of time alone in the water just swimming around and checking out the scene.  It was nice just being in the water, so calm and clean.  I think I will figure out the bus schedule to go back there again soon







 Ananda and Jak stayed and caught a few extra rays even after we left 

On the way up I had to release the Parolee into the ocean after he was convicted on consecutive life sentences of the murders of 200 dollars worth of fish in the tank.  We got to buy 5 new ones on the way home, and boy are they way cool!

Camouflaging Myself as a Productive Citizen

Woke up this morning ready to hike Kuliouou but Mary and I decided, after some excellent and huge Kefir smoothies, that we would instead hike to the lighthouse.  My Kefir smoothie was made of 1) homemade Kefir 2) in a peanut butter container, so whatever was left in there 3) a banana 4) some frozen strawberries 5) ice
Delicious! The lighthouse hike was sweet. We went right off the trail and down to the tide pools down at the bottom of the cliffs. There, we observed some ginormous waves and a sweet blow hole.  Mary warned me about all the stupid tourists that get sucked into blow holes because they want cool pictures of them.  Fine, point taken!  We ran down the trail back to the car to prepare for the Warrior dash, and were cheered on by a lot of cool onlookers. I think it was because our backpacks were super loud smashing against our backs repeatedly.  Possible.
 Check out this link to my video from today:)
Check out this super sweet good looking link

 Look at how brilliantly blue that water is!  Those waves were so loud too!

 Get in that hole Anna!  You will fit!

 But Mary! I don't wanna!

I made some super delicious brownies, and bought french vanilla ice cream to go along with them! yum!  Now I am enjoying a delicious shock top while anxiously  waiting for yet another dinner that my sister is cooking. I still don't know how she does it so great every time!

Friday morning hikes are just my style!

So today Austin and I went on another cool hike on a trail called Maunawile.  It is supposed to be a short hike and there are supposed to be a super awesome waterfall at the end, but we didn't make it that far on account that I had to work at 2 so we ran out of time, and Austin lied, I mean got confused at how long it was :)

Mmmmmmm I picked my first guava straight from a guava tree! And then ate it!  It was so ridiculously delicious!  Be careful of the seeds though!

 We didn't make it to the top to see the waterfalls at Maunawile, but we still got to see this awesome view at the halfway point

 And this was the awesome view just to the left of that previous awesome view!  I love the way the clouds touch the top of the mountains!

 Don't forget to click on the pictures to get a full size view!

 Austin convinced me of these delicious tasting purple berries that grow in the trees.  He hoisted me up so I could pick a few and then we feasted.  They are super bitter, but excellently delicious

 Did we make it there?  Nope!  There was a sure fire attempt though!

 See that mud on my forehead?  Yeah I'm badass, that's right!  Even my bright blue eyes can't fool you! ha!

 Smelling the sweet sweet oxygen from the immense amount of Hawaiian trees.  Breath Deep!!

 Since we didn't make it to the waterfall at the top, we stopped along the river and pretended we made it to the waterfall.  OK OK, really we pretended we were gnomes, and gnomes would definitely think that the water splashing over the rocks was like a 90-foot waterfall!! 

Of course, only I got eaten alive by mosquitoes...  Luckily there is not West Nile Virus here!!!!

Relaxing weekend??

Before I forget, here is Mary and my to-do list for this weekend:
Hike Kuliouou Saturday morning, then to fabric store, then begin slow roast for... the roast- check!  But we hiked to the lighthouse instead
Return things at Target, buy a bra that fits my now strangely huge boobs, also buy hangers so I can stop living out of my suitcase
Make brownies
Finish pig (present for Elisheva)
Make Kefir smoothies - check! and they were delicious!
Clean car windows - check! Now I can see outside so wondefully
Make bullet-proof coffee
Make Elisheva her baby blanket
Finish Thesis
Library (important)
Find Nate's Diploma - Check!
Hike Likeke on Sunday
Deposit first paycheck from babysitting

Breath-Takingly Beautiful

 You know how beautiful it is when it takes your photos 15 minutes just to upload!!  So I woke up at 5:45 and met up with my new friend Austin and his doggie Kaimana to hike the Pillboxes to see the sunrise.  We made it there before there was any sun at all! It was amazing.  The hike is not that bad.  You definitely work up a quick sweat, but it is 100% worth it.  20 minutes later you are sitting in one of the old army bunkers, shaded from the slight rain coming from the North, but in perfect view of that sun rising.

The whole world seemed to still be sleeping, and we didn't even see anyone else on the trail on the way up, which was good because Kaimana doesn't do so well with others yet! 

 So, look on and you can see as we saw; the sun slowly coming up to greet us :)

As many of you may know, I am totally infatuated with the pinks and purples that come with the sun <3

 Even Kaimana was amazed by the beauty!

It started to get extra super bright!

 His mom made me promise to print this picture out for her :)

 Good Morning Kailua!!

 Love at first sight for me and this big headed pup

Babysitting

So, my first job in hawaii so far is babysitting. Three mornings a week, from 6-8 in the morning.  I wake up at 5:45 in the morning and ride my bike over to their house.  I hang out with this super sweet 8 year old and play with him til 7:15 when we walk to school together.  Sweetest job ever. The only problem is that I miss the sunrise...

My first attempt at Surfing

Well I woke up at sunrise today and made my way down to the beach, with my surfboard of course.  I attempted to carry my board under one arm while I road my bike, but that was a total and complete fail since my arms are definitely not long enough for that. So I walked about a mile down to the beach, but passed the normal beach that you can go to.  I wanted some privacy.  I did some good morning yoga, and finally stretched out enough that I could touch the ground again.  My hamstrings have been super tight since all that log rolling that we did. After I finished my yoga, I wanted to find a bigger part of the beach so that I could put my towel out without worrying that it would get wet.  A lot of the beaches here have just a little bit of sand before the residential line starts.  So I started walking, and walking, and walking...  I then decided that I would stop wherever another person was surfing so that I wouldn't feel so alone.
Yeah, I didn't want to surf all alone and what if there
were rocks under the water?  I had to make sure I picked a good spot!  So I walked some more, until finally I saw someone else out in the water on a board. Such a vast beach and there were no people in the water!  Where were all the tourists??  I walked for ages, and was tired by the time I finally picked my spot because the sand seemed forever deep.  I went out in the water and it was awesome.  Perfect temperature, but the waves were pretty big.  It took forever for me to get out passed the waves in order to ride one in because they kept knocking me over, and trying to strip me of my swim suit.  The waves are very naughty, let me tell you.
I finally got out, and of course the guy surfing was super hot and good looking.  I made sure to let him know that I totally sucked at surfing so 1 he wouldn't make fun of me and 2 maybe he would help me out.  He grew up on the island and was SUPER good at surfing, but I made sure not to compare my skills to his because I knew I would not even come close. 
I did not get any good tips, but it was super nice in the water.  No, I did not stand up on my board today, but I know I have lots of time to practice and get good at it.  I just wanted to get a good feeling for my board today.  After a while (or what seemed like a while) I was heading back out for another go after riding one in on my belly, and a big wave took me out, flipped me over, and stole all my breath and my bathing suit top.  I decided it was time to go in for a break.  I read some of my book and then started the long walk home... I had walked super far that morning I came to realize.  I was walking back on the road and it was still forever long.  It was totally worth it :)