Kaua'i, Days Two and Three

One of the things you learn quickly about Kaua'i is that it is infested with feral chickens. And being springtime, there were lots of mother hens with their little chicks wandering behind them. The chickens have no natural predators on the island (for some reason there are no mongoose on Kaua'i which have kept the chicken populations on the other islands under control). But I liked roosters the most, who have beautiful colored feathers and like to crow at all hours of the day.

Why is that that male birds are always so much more beautiful than the females? This rooster was the only one who didn't run away when I tried to get a close-up.

It was fun to see chickens where ever we went. But it's still weird to see chickens sun-bathing out on the beach.

Well, on Day 2, David and I rented a kayak in order to kayak down Wailua River. Kaua'i is the only Hawaiian island with a substantial river that runs through the island.

We kayaked for a few miles down the river, and then parked our kayaks at a little island.

And we crossed to the other side and hiked a mile to a gorgeous waterfall, Secret Falls.

It was absolutely breathtaking. And there was a little pool in which to swim.

David swam in it, hence why he's all wet, but I didn't. That water was cold.

But here I am. After we hiked back to our kayaks and kayaked back to the landing dock (our arms and shoulders were quite sore by the end), we ate at Bubba's Burger, which have absolutely delicious hamburgers and then drove to a few other waterfalls in the area.

Like this one. I believe this is the waterfall that used to be featured on Fantasy Island.

On our third and last day, we woke up early and drove to a secluded beach to go snorkeling. David isn't much of a snorkeler and I tend to freeze up from time to time under water too, so we didn't spend a long time there. Besides, there wasn't much to see either. The reef was pretty sparse and I only saw a few fish, sea slugs and a starfish or two.

After snorkeling, we went back to the hotel to clean up and check out and then headed into Lihue to visit Kilohana, a former sugar plantation which has now been converted into a restaurant and shops.


The house was built during the Great Depression and is a beautiful building.

They even have an old horse-drawn buggy outside. The restaurant, Gaylord's, named after the plantation owner, is outside on the back deck. We ate a delicious lunch there.

Here's the main sitting room of the house. It was very gorgeous and David especially liked the ceilings and wood panelings. If I were rich, I'd probably spend all my money on a beautiful home full of antique items and custom-built furniture. I'm a sucker for a beautiful home. Which is why I had to stop subscribing to Architectural Digest because it gave me unrealistic expectations. And made me salivate with jealousy.

After our dinner at Gaylord's, we drove to the western side of Kaua'i and drove up Waimea Canyon, Hawaii's Grand Canyon. I was only two when my family went to the Grand Canyon, so I really can't say how they compare, but it was very pretty, with lots of striking colors and cliffs. Unfortunately, it was also rather cloudy, so we didn't get to see much.

And when we got to the very top of the mountain, we had gotten above the clouds, so we could see even less. But it was gloriously clear and sunny at the top.

As we came down the 20-mile drive, we stopped at a few outlooks on the way to see if we could capture more of the canyon. Luckily, some of the clouds had moved away and a nice woman took this picture of us. David and I have so few pictures of us together because we always go places alone and then it's up to the kindness of strangers to snap photos for us and let's face it, they don't always do the best job. Also, it's not the most flattering photo. Goodness, I need to lose some weight.

After driving all around the island, David and I were quite sick of being in the car. So we drove back to Lihue, ate dinner and then returned our car and went to the tiny airport to wait for our 20 minute flight back to Oahu. Kaua'i was wonderful, but it was nice to get back home. At least, our home for the next 25 days. But at least now I can check off a few items off my to-do list.

Kaua'i, Days 0.5 and 1

David and I spent 3.5 glorious days on Kaua'i this week. And I went almost 4 whole days without checking my email or going online at all. It must be a new record for me. Of course, as soon as we walked through our front door on Thursday night, the first thing David and I did was say hello to our poor Suyom (who was quite lonely in our absence) and then turn on both our computers. We're addicts, we are.

I try to explain to people that the palm-tree waving tropical paradises they associate with Hawaii exist on the neighbor islands (Maui, Kauai, the Big Island, Molokai) but not on Oahu. Oahu is not a tropical paradise. So it was a pleasant break to escape from our island and visit Kauai. Of course, after three days of one-lane roads, no easy conveniences, and sparse civilization, I was ready to leave the beauty of Kauai. Because while I can get a little island fever on Oahu, it's nothing compared to the tiny emptiness of Kauai.

Day 0.5

We flew into Lihue, the biggest town in Kaua'i (big being a relative term), Monday evening. We got our rental car, checked into our cheap hotel, and grabbed some dinner. I may have watched a little TV in my excitement. (I haven't had real TV or cable in over 3 years now so watching TV on a real TV and not my computer is exciting for me now.)

This was our view of Kaua'i as we flew into Lihue right at sunset.

Day 1

The next morning, we woke up relatively early and set out for the Kalalau Trail, a strenuous 11-mile hike along the Na Pali coast, which is comprised of sheer cliffs. It took us about an hour to drive from our hotel in Kapa'a on the eastern side of the island to Ke'e Beach, which is literally the end of the road on Kaua'i's North Shore. The cliffs prevent a road from being constructed all the way around the island. It was a beautiful drive, but there's not a whole lot our there.

At the start of the trailhead. David and I decided that we'd hike the first two miles, which takes you to a small enclosed beach and that we'd consider hiking another 2 miles to a waterfall.

Here we are halfway up the trail, with the beautiful, though hazy, Na Pali coastline in the background. The trail was quite slippery and muddy, but the view was spectacular.

Like this. I wish we could have gotten closer to the coast, but the only way to really see it is by helicopter or boat and we didn't want to pay for that.


We finally reached the beach and David was excited to find raining rocks to stand under. We ate our lunch and decided to head back rather than trek on the next 2 miles. The trail was rather slippery and our feet were already hurting. Plus, I discovered that my trusty hiking boots, which I've had since I was 14 or so, were separating between the sole and the shoe and were no longer very reliable. So sad. I guess this means I need to get new hiking boots, although I'm not sure how much I'll actually use them in Korea.

After hiking the two miles back to our car, David and I set out to visit the other sights along the North Shore. We stopped at this "wet" cave.

And also this "dry" cave. David likes caves. Truth be told, they kind of freak me out a little. But I've done some caving in my past so I guess I'm not totally paralyzed by the thought of being inside a tiny hole in a huge mountain. I guess.

We stopped in Hanalei, where this beautiful green shingled church stands. I love anything with gabled roofs and stain-glass.

And it was beautiful stained glass. The colors of Kaua'i, which is lush and green and aqua blue.

We passed by this beautiful valley where several movies have been shot. Kaua'i has been the location for a lot of movies and there are all sorts of movie tours you can take, but we didn't do that. This valley has many taro farms. Taro itself isn't so bad but poi is absolutely disgusting.

Next, we drove out to the Kilauea Wildlife Preserve with it's old-fashioned lighthouse. Why are lighthouses so cool? I haven't figured it out yet, but I love lighthouses. We didn't want to pay to go into the preserve since they were about to close. So we headed home to rest and relax and recover from our busy day of hiking and sight-seeing.

Later that night, as David and I were sitting on our bed, watching a little TV, David glanced over and saw what he thought was a gigantic spider. But on second glance, we discovered that a crab had somehow wandered into our room.

So we caught the little sucker (crabs can sure move fast) and David took him back out to the beach and set him free.

We also tried this bizarre fruit called a mangosteen which we picked up at a fruit stand along our drive. It, despite it's name, has no resemblance to a mango.

It actually tastes like a combination of kiwi and lychee. It was, however, quite tasty.

Well, that's it for now. I've got to get ready to see Wolverine. Up next, days two and three of our trip.

Expect chickens. Lots of chickens.

Ants are in my pants. Literally.

Ants.

I've really grown to loathe and despise the little buggers.

Ants are a common problem in any home; I've squashed them all over the place, most especially when I lived in San Diego and D.C. But the ants that lived in those fine places came during predictable seasons (spring and summer), they hunted in predictable places (the kitchen) and died in predictable ways (Raid, ant traps, etc.).

Not so for the ants of Hawaii.

David warned me, insisted even, that the ants of Hawaii were a particularly cunning creature, able to find a single speck of food from miles away. And it's true. They come pouring out of the electrical sockets and through the windows and who knows what other crevices and pounce upon anything resembling food or water. They especially love water.

I could handle the ants that invaded the kitchen. I knew where to find them...I knew how to kill them. But then they started showing up in other places.

I've found them eating the soap bubbles in our bathtub or licking water straight from the shower head. I've caught them crawling across the living room floor (in search of what I don't know) or strolling across my laptop (!!!). I've spotted the ingenious bastards climbing up the cord of the iron to get to our tomato plants on top of the ironing board or taking picnics on our dining table. Last week they reached a new frontier. Our closet.

There was a whole line of them, crawling up into my drawers, poking their noses into my purses and climbing past my pants. That was the final straw. So we cleared everything out and we sprayed and we sprayed and we wiped every inch clean.

But I swear the ants of Hawaii are bionic ants. Even after using the toughest at-home ant killer we could find, the ants did not die.

In fact, I think it only made them stronger. And more determined.

So, no matter how much we spray and kill and wipe the ants away, 100 more just keep coming in their place, in the most random times, in the most bizarre places and there's nothing we can do to stop. You'd think with all the geckos [who supposedly eat ants] we have living in our air conditioning unit that we'd have a built-in ant trap but I'm beginning to think that our family of geckos are vegetarians.

The moral of the story is this: You might be one of those people who lives in a cold location, where it drops below 65 degrees and *grasp* possibly even snows. And if, when you're cold and shivering in your layers of clothes, you think to yourself that you'd love to be in some tropical paradise like Hawaii, basking in the hot, humid, muggy heat instead of slowly freezing to death from the inside out, just remember the ants.

And be happy that you're not fighting a loosing battle against bionic Hawaiian ants.

I swear they're out to get us.

Oh the places you'll go!

While running bunches of errands last Friday and sitting in Honolulu traffic, I got to thinking about all the places where I've lived in the course of my life. I always wanted to travel and experience lots of different places and I've had the good luck to also have lived in a variety of different cities and parts of the country. Looking back on these various places, I've tended to romanticize all the things I loved about them and to forget all the negative aspects. But since I spent way too much time in my car, I started to list all the pros and cons of each place and to rank them from least favorite to favorite. The ranking is a little arbitary, and depending on my mood, might change but for now, these are my rankings:

5. Mililani, Oahu, Hawai'i
Seems kind of sad to lump my current home in this category--especially since I've only lived here for 4 months--but life in Hawaii is not an idyllic perennial vacation filled with tropical beaches, pineapple treats, and calm, peaceful living. This might be more feasible on the other islands (smaller populations, no highways, etc.) but it's virtually nonexistent on Oahu. Is it all a myth? Certainly not...there are plenty of beautiful beaches, lots of good snorkeling, whale watching and scuba diving, hundreds of gorgeous hikes and outdoor adventures, and a small but respectable cultural center in the form of Honolulu. Sounds great, doesn't it? I thought so too. And it is great....for a week or so, while on vacation. But the reality of living in Hawaii is much different than the Hawaii most tourists see and understand.

First you have the fact that Hawaii's weak economy is built upon two industries: the military and tourism. Given the state of the economy worldwide, tourism has taken a severe nosedive and an already difficult job market has grown exponentially smaller and more and more places have begun to lay off people. Second, you have poor infrastructure. This is problematic in many places but perhaps because Oahu is small, contained island, I feel it more acutely. The streets are often bumpy and poorly laid out, traffic is always terrible. (Don't get me started on why most Hawaiians feel the need to go AT LEAST ten miles below the speed limit. We could be here all night.) Given the premium on land, houses, neighborhoods and shopping areas are rather compacted, leading to a variety of inconveniences. Third, native Hawaiians can be a relatively insular people. I'm all for embracing and recognizing one's very distinct and colorful cultural history, but I was saddened to learn that the public school curriculum focuses mostly on the history of Hawaii and the Pacific Islands and barely touches on American or world history. (Of course, this bothers me mostly because I want to teach American history.) Not to mention that aside from probably only NYC, Hawaii has the highest cost of living, rent, home prices, food prices, gas, etc. It's pretty dang ridiculous. I don't know how we'd survive without access to the commissary and a Costco membership.

But the thing I personally find so difficult about living in Hawaii is that, at the end of the day, I'm on an island. For some, island life is wonderful, but I am having a harder time than I expected adjusting to that reality. I'd really love to take a weekend roadtrip, but on an island, you only end up going in circles. Like I said, it's rather sad that Hawaii falls so low on my list but that is in part because I've only lived here 4 months and I'm still living here. I'm still dealing with the realities of island living and haven't had a chance to grow nostalgic and wistful for those few things that Hawaii has that no other place has. I'm 99% sure that once we move to Korea, I'll be dreaming of Hawaii.

4. Provo, Utah
Aside from my hometown of Poway, Provo has the distinction of being the place I lived the longest: 4 whole years. Granted, I lived in approximately 37 different apartments/condos/dorm rooms within Provo during that time so I was constantly changing my surroundings and friends. Utah sometimes get a bad rap from non-Utah Mormons because it too can be a very insular community, ridden with hypocrisy and a sense of social conformity. I certainly chafed against the predominant Mormon culture at times and was sooooo ready to graduate from BYU and hightail it out of there. But strangely enough, there are many things I've come to miss about my days in Utah including the comfort and security of a large Mormon population.

Like most multi-generation Mormons, I have a lot of family in Utah and I enjoyed the chances I had to interact with aunts, uncles, cousins, and their expanding families for Sunday dinners, holidays, and get-togethers. I miss chocolate covered cinnamon bears (a popular candy there that seems to only exist within a 40 mile radius of Salt Lake City), the BYU library, Provo's electic architectural styles, BYU Creamery chocolate milk, the BYU bookstore, being close to 25 temples and church-related materials, and the bountiful dining options. (Kneaders, J-Dawgs, Los Hermanos, Bombay House, Cafe Rio, Mimi's Cafe.....need I go on? There's no place I miss more for the food than Provo, interestingly enough.) I loved the mountains and the many outdoor options (spelunking, hiking, rock climbing, skiing, etc) and the many places close-by to visit (Park City, Salt Lake City, Zion's National Park, Moab, etc). And Provo was close enough to Salt Lake that we could go there for a night out, to a concert or club, or simply to enjoy a change of scenery. Provo was a great place to live as an undergrad, but despite all the things I miss about it, I would not want to move back there for only one reason: it's a college town swarming with a decidedly young population. I loved it when I was in that demographic, but I think now, I'd have a hard time with 30,000 18-25 year olds running about the whole place. Salt Lake City wouldn't be terrible but for me, there's just no going back to Provo (unless David wants to go BYU for law/business school there, which he tells me he doesn't).

3. San Diego, California (tie)
I grew up in Poway, a suburb of San Diego, and there was, in my humble opinion, no better place to grow up in all the world. I have fond memories of my childhood and teenage years, in large part to a group of wonderful friends. Poway was far enough away from the city to feel open and small townish but close enough to all the wonders of San Diego to never grow boring. What's not to love about stretches of sandy beaches (Hawaii beaches are very rocky although the water is admittedly much nicer), the San Diego Zoo/Wild Animal Park, Balboa Park, Petco Park (home of the Padres), Mission Bay, Sea World, the Gaslamp District, downtown, good shopping, relatively good traffic flow, Old Town, and the San Diego temple. Plus, you're close enough to Los Angeles and Orange County to enjoy their perks (Disneyland, museums, concerts, etc) without having to brave the smog-ridden traffic jam that is the greater L.A. area all the time. Sure, San Diego still has an exorbitant cost of living and tends to catch on fire every other year but if you can afford it, it's one of the best places on earth. Plus, it truly does have some of the best weather in the world....a temperate climate that has mild, but discernible seasons and never gets too cold.

So why isn't San Diego higher? That's a good question. I love San Diego but there are other places which edge it out....just barely because they offer something I love which San Diego doesn't. Plus, I don't really think I'll ever end up living in San Diego as an adult with my own family. I never want my parents to leave (and believe me, they've threatened a few times) so I can come home for visits, but I've made peace with the fact that San Diego will probably never be my home again. But no matter where I might be living at the time, I always feel like I'm finally coming home everytime my plane lands at Lindbergh Field and I see San Diego Harbor. I will always be a true Californian (born and bred) and my heart will always want to return there.

3. Washington, D.C. (tie)
D.C. just barely beats out San Diego but only because I'm a history nerd and D.C. has a much (MUCH) bigger selection of historic houses, museums, agencies, and archives where an American historian like myself can never grow bored. Seriously....I was never bored a single day I lived in D.C. (okay, Alexandria, Virginia to be more exact). There's always something to see and do, tons of great weekend trips to take (one of the perks of living on the East Coast....everything is far more packed together), and lots of great sites, restaurants, concerts, plays, operas, ballets, political stuff, and lots, lots more. It really has an amazing amount to offer. Plus, D.C. itself is a very walkable town. It's a city, but not too big city....just the way I like my cities.

So yes, D.C. has a lot going for it but it also has insane traffic, convoluted roads, a cramped population and a high cost of living (but what place besides doesn't these days?.....except Utah). I certainly got tired of the long commute in and out of the city each day, the crowded streets, stores, and metro, and the way people only lived to work. Maybe it's just because traffic is so bad in and out of D.C. everyday, but it felt like everyone worked much longer hours. I always felt like I was rushing everywhere....running to catch my train, running to work, chasing after buses, trying to beat everyone else to the store. It was rather tiring at times, but now, living in such a relaxed and easy-going place like Hawaii, I've come to miss the fast-paced energy of D.C. The only downside (and there are many others I'm not mentioning) is that to live in D.C. you actually have to pay attention to what's happening in the world because people there....they know. In fact, they are probably the people who are doing something about it. It's only a little intimidating.

2. Monterey, California
Oh Monterey. When I first moved there, I was bored. There never seemed to be anything to do, the ward was tiny, and it is not--by any stretch of the imagination--a place for young, city-loving singles. But oh, how I came to adore Monterey's quiet peace, the lovely bay only two blocks from my apartment, the salty, breezy fresh air, the layers of fog each morning, the sound of the sea lions barking from their rocks, walking to the Farmer's Market every Tuesday for fresh produce and good food, volunteering at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, visiting the touristy spots like Alvarado Street, Carmel, Pacific Grove and Cannery Row, and the literary works of John Steinbeck (most of his novels are set in Salinas/Monterey). Though I remember the times I did not love Monterey as I do now, Monterey now holds only the best of memories for me. But you always remember the place where you met your husband and fell in love for the first time.

There is no place I have previously lived that I want to return to (to live) as much as Monterey...and someday, when David and I are extraordinarily rich, we'll move back there. Like all places worth living, the cost of living and housing market is high. David likes to remind me the other negative aspects of Monterey: far away from any major cities, limited access roads in and out of the bay area, and it's small size. But I like to counter with the fact that Salinas (the next closest city of any real size) is not too far of a drive and has plenty of amenities. For bigger needs, Gilroy (garlic capital of the world) is about 30-45 minutes away (and full of great outlets), San Jose is an hour away and San Francisco/Oakland (and the temple) are two hours away. Plus, Big Sur (which is absolutely gorgeous!) is 30 minutes to the south. Sure, I wish these locations were a bit closer, but when you can have the beauty and peace and tranquility that Monterey can offer, wouldn't you be willing to give up a few of those conveniences? Someday I'll live there again. I will.

1. Rome, Italy
Rome may not count in this list of places I've lived even though it tops the list. I only lived in Rome for only 4 months on a study abroad with a group from BYU and therefore was not beset with the realities of everyday life. I did not have to worry about finding a job in a crazy job market, I did not have to fret about making ends meet or coughing up an exorbitant rent, I did not have serious church, social, or even educational obligations to contend with. Quite simply, Rome was a joyous, glorious, and ultimately relaxing four month vacation with a side helping of art history and Italian classes. I'm sure, had I lived there for longer, or had to actually work, I'd be singing a different tune, but my four months in Rome was magical and I'd gladly hand over my first born to be able to go there again. (Okay, maybe not a first born, but I will not rest until I've had a chance to take David to Italy.)

I don't think I need to extol Rome's great assets to anyone but if mounds of delectable gelato in all flavors, delicate and superbly cooked food, thin-crusted pizza oozing with fresh mozzarella, ancient ruins, medieval churches, history, cobblestones, and fashion/shoes is not your thing, then I'm not quite sure why we are even friends. Some of the best memories of my life were made in Rome and not a day went by when I did not appreciate my time there. Perhaps that is the reason Rome is still ranked so high on my list....I have not always appreciated the places I have lived until it was too late. I think it's time I start looking at only the positive of Hawaii and start prepping myself for two years in Korea. What an adventure that will be....

So, for those who made it to the end of this ridiculously long post, what is your favorite place you have ever lived, where would you never want to move back to, and where do you dream of living and raising a family?

For me, I'd love to go back to Monterey, but I honestly have no idea where in the world we may end up. And that, of course, is what makes life all the more exciting.

A day in the life of a military wife....

Today was a busy day...a good day, but a busy one nonetheless. Well, it was busy for me because I had to wake up before 10am, shower and change out of pajamas before 1pm, and leave the house for some purpose other than getting the mail. Anything that stretches me beyond this daily routine seems busy to me and now I am quite tired.

The morning started off with David re-enlisting with the Navy for 3 more years. As a linguist, David was already obligated to enlist for an additional two years in addition to the four he has already served, but we've decided to re-enlist for more time for two main reasons: 1) If David goes to Korea next year (which we're 95% sure will happen), he'll be able to bring me along. If he'd only enlisted for two years, he'd only have to serve in Korea for one more year, which means we would not get command sponsorship which means I'd get left behind. With an additional year, meaning two years in Korea, we have a much better chance that I'll get to go along for the ride; and 2) It will give David more time to finish his degree. David is currently working on a degree in accounting and while he is technically a senior (thanks to all his language credits from DLI), he still has to take all his major classes which may take a few more years. Luckily, he can do most, if not all, of his classes online so he can continue his education while we're in Korea, but this gives him a little bit more of a buffer to get school done before his gets out of the Navy and starts looking for a civilian job or applying for a graduate program (most likely an MBA).

In any case, there's a little ceremony and swearing-in when you re-enlist and the re-enlistee generally gets to pick where this happens. David chose the Kolekole look-out which is a short hike up the Kolekole Pass, past a sacrificial rock, to a gorgeous view of the North Shore.

The sign before heading up the pass. It's a short hike, but the first quarter mile is pretty steep and oftentimes very slippery.

The look-out. This is looking north to the North Shore. The property is part of Schofield Barracks (so no access for non-military people) but it has a striking view. And it is also very windy.

David swearing an oath to serve the country, etc., etc. by an Army officer whose name I have already forgotten. David chose this spot because it's one of his favorite places on the island. When he first got to Hawaii, he and friend would hike up here and eat their lunches on their long lunch breaks. (Sidenote: The Navy has many uniforms, some which are very nice and others, like the utilities, which David is wearing above, which are not. (Makes them look like janitors really.) My favorite are the working whites, but David did not want to wear them on account of them being white and having to hike in the Hawaiian red clay. Oh well.)

After re-enlisting. Everyone who came to witness this momentous occasion shook both David and my hands and congratulated both of us. Okay. I guess I deserve some congratulations.

After we hiked back down the mountain, David and I drove down to Pearl Harbor to turn in the paperwork at the Navy offices there so that David can get his measly signing bonus. Still, free money. Yay! After eating lunch at Panda Express (their new Beijing beef is quite tasty), we decided to go to the U.S.S. Missouri, a museum ship, because neither of us had been there yet. The "Mighty Mo" is a decommissioned battleship that fought during World War II, the Korean War and the Gulf War. It was on the Missouri that the delegates from Japan signed the declaration of surrender that officially ended World War II. It was re-fitted with tomahawk missiles in the 1980s and was finally decommissioned in 1992. On the 50th anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the Missouri was brought to Oahu and parked (I guess it would be more appropriate to say anchored) in the harbor next to the Arizona Memorial, so that the vessels involved in the start of the war and the end of the war were together. I did not know all this about the Missouri, and being the history nerd that I am, I found it all incredibly fascinating. Plus, I've never been on a battleship before. (We don't use them anymore sadly and the Missouri was the last one built.) I've been on aircraft carriers, destroyers, and submarines, but a battleship and their massive guns was something else. But everytime I go on one of these ships/boats, I am always so glad that David has a nice desk job on shore and will never have to go to sea. So now for a few pictures!

Me exiting the museum. You can see one of the many battery guns in the background. They are HUGE.
David pretending to fire a gun. Boys will always be boys, I'm afraid.

David standing in between two of the large barrels of the guns. I know he's trying to look manly, but unfortunately, he's just too skinny. Maybe if he were wearing his working whites. Yes, a man in uniform is always better. :-)

The best shot I could get of the USS Missouri. It is very large.

This is from atop the captain's bridge, looking down at two of the gun batteries. You can see that the Missouri points straight at the Arizona Memorial. You can even still see where the oil is continually spilling out of the sunken ship.

After touring the entire ship (that we could access anyway), David and I stopped by the Social Security office so I could finally legally change my name. I debated what to do and I finally opted to keep both my first name (which I do not go by) and my maiden name so now I have one very long name but that's okay.

So it's been a very long and eventful day in the sun what with the hiking and the touring and the name changing and on the way home, we bought some Ben and Jerry's Half Baked ice cream (soooo good) which I am very much looking forward to eating.

Books, etc.

I just finished reading Richard Bushman's biography of Joseph Smith entitled Rough Stone Rolling. Bushman is a long tenured professor of history (who has taught at the University of Delaware, Columbia, and BYU) and is a member of the church. In an attempt to make Joseph Smith and the church more accessible to both members and non-members alike, Bushman delves into a lot of complicated church doctrine which makes the book drag a little, mostly because I'm already familar with the concept of our celestial progression and the nature of God as a fully embodied person. But for every heavy-handed section, there are fascinating insights into the life and times of Joseph Smith. Bushman does not shy away from the controversies in Joseph's life and like Joseph himself, admits that he was a flawed man, given to his passions and consumed with his calling in life, despite the resistance he faced. Not only did I gain a greater insight into Joseph the man and prophet, but I learned so much about the foundation of the church, the inclusion of new knowledge and doctrine, and the central role of the Book of Mormon. It's a long book, sometimes tedious and sometimes absolutely fascinating, but I recommend it to anyone who wants to read a very balanced and even-handed account of the life of Joseph Smith and his legacy.

Other than reading and watching the Olympics, not much has been going on in my life. I'm still searching for a job and slowly growing more and more crazy each day for lack of anything to do. I had 3 interviews for an admin position close to home (wouldn't it be so nice to walk to work?) but I got the impression during the third interview that they had already decided against me because they kept making comments about how over-qualified I was, how I might be bored, or how I should be working in a museum, not as an admin assistant. I tried to explain that I would not be bored, I liked mundane tasks, there are no museum jobs on an island as small as Oahu, and what does it matter if I am over-qualified for a job if I'm still willing to do it and can do it well? I haven't heard back about the job (my interview was a week ago) so I'm not holding my breath, but the sooner I can rule out that potential job, the sooner I can look more vigorously elsewhere. But the sad fact is that there are very few jobs in Hawaii and even fewer close to home and I do not want to have to drive an hour each way in and out of Honolulu everyday (the traffic is absolutely horrific here). I have a few other options and I'm applying for some teaching positions at the college level but since the new semester is starting soon, I probably won't be able to get a job until next semester but at least it would be something. Hopefully something will fall into place.

In the meantime, I'm going to go check out some new books at the library and bake some banana bread.