Another survey. Somebody stop me!
1. Do you like blue cheese? In moderation. I think it adds a nice flavor to a lot of food but I don't like a lot of it.
2. Have you ever smoked? No.
3. Do you own a gun? No.
4. What flavor Kool Aid was your favorite? I think it was Strawberry Kiwi. I used to love Kool Aid but I can't stomach it anymore.
5. Do you get nervous before doctor appointment? Yes. Everytime. I don't know why, but I'm always positive that they're going to tell me I'm dying or something.
6. What do you think of hot dogs? I love them every once in awhile....especially at baseball games. Then, a hot dog is a must.
7. Favorite Christmas movie? You know, I haven't seen a lot of the traditional Christmas movies. But I really enjoy Elf. I wish more movies could be so clean and funny.
8. What do you prefer to drink in the morning? If I have breakfast foods, then I drink milk, but generally I only drink water and juice.
9. Can you do push ups? I think I can but I have very little upper body strength.
10. What's your favorite piece of jewelry? I generally only wear necklaces and earrings but I do love my wedding ring. It's the only jewelry I actually wear everyday too.
11. Favorite hobby? Reading, watching TV and movies. I'd really love to do something more artistic....lately, I've really wanted to learn more about photography. I took a class in high school and I think I have a good eye but I need to learn more about lenses and aperture and light.
12. Do you have A.D.D.? On occasion. I have a hard time sitting still.
13. What's one trait you hate about yourself? My lack of willpower and my laziness.
14. Middle name? Elizabeth. Of course, I changed my name to Liz when I was 9 so most people know my middle name but not my first.
15. Name 3 thoughts at this exact moment? Three of my own thoughts or just three thoughts in general? If it's my own, then "What am I going to make for dinner tonight?", "I wish I knew how to find a job" and "I shouldn't have eaten that last brownie."
16. Name 3 drinks you regularly drink? water, grape juice, cranberry juice
17. Current worry? Finding a job and paying back my student loans.
18. Current hate right now? Hawaii and the economy.
19. Favorite place to be? Monterey, California and Rome.
20. How did you bring in the New Year? I honestly don't remember. David and I were together but I have no recollection of what we did together.
21. Where would you like to go? Anywhere and everywhere. I'd love to see more of Europe and go to China.
22. Name three people who will complete this. No clue. I don't think anyone even reads my blog.
23. Do you own slippers? Yes, several pairs, but there's no need for them in Hawaii.
24. What color shirt are you wearing right now? White
25. Do you like sleeping on satin sheets? They are kinda slippery which I guess is why some people like them. I'll pass.
26. Can you whistle? Sometimes.
27. Favorite color? pink, yellow, purple
28. Would you be a pirate? No.
29. What songs do you sing in the shower? I don't normally sing in the shower. I don't think the shower curtain deserves that sort of torture.
30. Favorite Girl's Name? Adele.
31. Favorite boy's name? Ian, Elijah, Edward
32. What's in your pocket right now? I don't have pockets, but if I ever have anything in them, it's normally chapstick.
33. Last thing that made you laugh? The Normal Mormon Husband's blog: http://mormonhusbands.blogspot.com/
34. Best bed sheets as a child? Strawberry Shortcake
35. Worst injury you've ever had? I was hit by a car when I was nine. I broke my wrist, got stitches in my elbow and had bruises all up and down my body. Tons of fun. But really, some papercuts hurt more than slamming into a car.
36. Do you love where you live? I like our condo and the area but I'm not so sure how I feel about Hawaii right now.
37. How many TVs do you have in your house? One but we have 3 computers. I watch all my TV on my computer. The TV is only for movies and the Wii.
38. Who is your loudest friend? Abby
39. How many dogs do you have? None. I miss having pets.
40. Does someone have a crush on you? I think David does....some days.
41. What is your favorite book? I have many but for sheer beauty and prose, East of Eden and for everything else, Pride and Prejudice.
42. What is your favorite candy? Peanut butter M&Ms, chocolate covered cinnamon bears and basically anything with chocolate.
43. Favorite Sports Team? LA Dodgers and Red Sox. Though it's all about Team USA when the Olympics start next month. Yay!
44. What song or songs do you want played at your funeral? I haven't really thought about it. I'd probably just want a few church hymns like "I Know My Redeemer Lives" and "Nearer, My God, To Thee." Though "Funeral" by Band of Horses (my favorite song of theirs) may be the most appropriate. Or "The Gold Finch and Red Oak Tree" by Ted Leo and the Pharmacists. Love that song.
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Twilight....Yes, I am one of those people.
Like many female Mormons of a certain age, I have read--and enjoyed--Stephenie Meyer's Twilight series. I first picked up Twilight a few years back, when it had first come out and before it became the "next Harry Potter" publishing phenomenon. I saw a small little blurb in BYU's Daily Universe, which I still read online even after graduating (the letters to the editor are always amusing...and just a little bit scary), about a Mormon housewife who'd gone and written a book. About vampires. Being a fan of fantasy and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, I checked it out at the local library in Monterey and read it. I enjoyed it moderately but didn't think anything of it until nearly two years later. Then I went back to Utah. I went to visit my sister and my adorable nephew and to do research on Mormon tabernacles for a term paper I was writing. After Sunday dinner, my aunt and female cousins were discussing Eclipse, the third book in the series, which had just come out. Unbeknownst to me, Twilight was suddenly wildly popular and I had missed two books. So, as I was wandering in the BYU Bookstore the next day, buying Creamery chocolate milk and chocolate covered cinnamon bears, I also picked up a copy of New Moon to read on the plane ride home. As soon as I got home to DC, I ran to Borders to buy Eclipse and devoured it in a day. I am, like many people, eagerly awaiting the release of the fourth and final book, Breaking Dawn, which comes out next weekend.
In anticipation of the new book, and being extraordinarily bored in my current unemployed state, I re-read the whole series this past month. And I came to one disconcerting conclusion: I don't like Bella or Edward. Now this wouldn't mean anything if Bella and Edward were side characters who only showed up for minor scenes, but they happen to be the two main characters. And yet, despite my discovery that I dislike the two main characters, I will still attempt to retain my cool and nonchalant demeanor next Saturday morning as I rush to purchase Breaking Dawn. (I hate pre-ordering. Sure it might be cheaper, but what if there's a mix-up in the mail and it doesn't arrive until Monday?!?! I couldn't wait all weekend!) So why, if I dislike the main characters, would I even bother to read the next book? And why in the world do I not like Edward, when approximately 32,468,132 women are in love with him and blasphemously call him the "next Mr. Darcy"?
Why I Don't Like Bella and Edward
1. Bella falls apart when Edward leaves. Disclaimer: I have never had a bad break-up, never had a boyfriend/husband/soulmate die, and never thought I'd lost the love of my life. I don't understand the pain (though I can only imagine how awful it would be to loose David) and I certainly don't know how I'd react to that kind of devastation. I think it might be somewhat similar to Bella's initial catatonic state after Edward leaves her at the beginning of New Moon. What I cannot accept, however, is how completely incapable Bella is at continuing to live her life in the weeks and months that follow, that she ceases to live her life for herself. I come from the Elizabeth Bennett school of womanhood and I like to think that women are strong, resilient and independent, that the fancies and affections of men can strengthen us but not break us. Perhaps this is unrealistic (I have never tested the theory) but I find Bella's response unrealistic as well and truly dislike that Bella becomes a woman who cannot breathe without Edward by her side. (Irony being, of course, that she'll eventually loose the need to breathe if she keeps Edward by her side....but that's another tangent.) Not to mention that once Edward returns, he becomes a control-freak who won't let Bella out of his sight and refuses to let her visit her best friend, a massive wolf-man who can more than protect the fragile Bella should any danger arise. What is more frustrating is that Bella actually allows Edward to control her and does not fight for her own voice and takes no action. If that doesn't scream co-dependency, I don't know what does.
2. Edward is constantly described as "perfect," "an angel," and other such other-worldly descriptions. Edward is hot, I get it. Bella idolizes Edward, and while Edward is, by all accounts, deeply in love with Bella, the relationship teeters on the premise that Edward is an angelic perfect savior of a vampire while Bella is nothing more than a breakable and ordinary human girl. Here lies the inherent allure of their relationship, but also the inevitable downfall.
3. I suppose my biggest irritation with Bella and Edward rests on what I consider to be the contrived nature of their deep and everlasting relationship. I can't--and don't--accept that they are soulmates because I have never been given adequate proof of its existence. Sure, Bella smells like the most delicious slice of pie Edward has ever been around, but is this something to build a relationship on? Yes, Edward is mystified and intrigued by the fact that he can't read Bella's mind, but is this a reason to devote one's life to another person? What other reasons have we been given to explain Edward's love for Bella? Meanwhile, Bella is completely in awe of Edward, by his good looks, charm, and intelligence. These are all good reasons to love a person. But Bella and Edward are not just in love but are eternally connected, are "soulmates." And this is a plot point that I just can't accept without further proof. Without accepting that, it makes it very difficult to like Bella and Edward.
Now, a few rebuttals to my own diatribe. I've read Stephenie Meyer's answers to these same complaints on her website (http://www.stepheniemeyer.com/) and I must say, they make sense and I see where she is coming from. Understanding the author's perspective and reasonable thinking makes me more understanding of why Bella and Edward act and think and talk the way they do. I have utmost respect for the characters that Meyer has created and the choices that they make. That does not mean, however, that I like what I read within the books themselves.
Why I Continue to Read and Enjoy the Twilight Series
1. The Meyer Universe: It's the same reason I love Harry Potter too. It's all about the myths and universe that one author has created. I love the world that Bella and Edward and Jacob Black inhabit, a world in which vampires do not have fangs and hide from silly things like crosses, garlic and the sun. It makes more sense to me that vampires should not be so separated from the human race that they prey upon by inconvenient and inconsequential objects, that vampires should experience regret and remorse but still be driven by a thirst for human blood. It seems almost logical that an Native American tribe should believe that they descend from wolves and that men still turn into werewolves in order to protect their tribe from lurking dangers, including vampires. It's a world I can accept and believe and quite frankly, I enjoy it.
2. The characters: Sure, I may have some issues with the two main characters, but that doesn't change the fact that Stephenie Meyer knows her characters, that they are fully-developed people with backstories and complications and motivations. Characters are really what drive a book and make it so interesting and for that fact alone--that Meyer has interesting characters--I would continue to read.
3. It's young adult fiction: Think about all the most popular and enduring books of our time: Harry Potter, the Chronicles of Narnia, the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. All of them fall into the category of YA fiction. They may not be the most well-written novels--certainly none could ever match the beautiful and poetic prose of Steinbeck's East of Eden or take you through the psychological journey of criminal like Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment--but these are not meant to be great novels. They are meant to be entertaining novels and that is exactly what they offer. They are character-driven page-turners that are quick to read, easy to enjoy, and still a pleasure to read again and again. And though some may think that YA fiction is superficial and childish, no one who has read Harry Potter could claim that they do not deal with very mature topics and have layers and layers of complexities and subtext. There is much to be found in YA literature for a more mature reader, but the average young adult reader can still enjoy the plot and characters and learn how much fun reading can be. In the last few years, I have come to adore YA fiction. For the most part, I know that a YA labeled book will be clean of sex scenes and profanities, of the truly horrific images that contemporary adult fiction authors seem to like to weave into their tales, that the characters will be entertaining and interesting, and that it'll be fun to read. YA is not a chore to read and they keep you wanting more. Plus, YA fiction is not, as the name implies, restricted to adolescent readers. Many YA books, I have found, are well-written and full of surprising and beautiful prose and subtle introspection. So I will continue to read the YA fiction that Meyer produces and enjoy the journey I am taken on. It's guaranteed to be an entertaining ride.
So...only 9 more days to go until Breaking Dawn comes out. I'm curious to see how it'll end and maybe, just maybe, rooting for Jacob Black to get the girl.
In anticipation of the new book, and being extraordinarily bored in my current unemployed state, I re-read the whole series this past month. And I came to one disconcerting conclusion: I don't like Bella or Edward. Now this wouldn't mean anything if Bella and Edward were side characters who only showed up for minor scenes, but they happen to be the two main characters. And yet, despite my discovery that I dislike the two main characters, I will still attempt to retain my cool and nonchalant demeanor next Saturday morning as I rush to purchase Breaking Dawn. (I hate pre-ordering. Sure it might be cheaper, but what if there's a mix-up in the mail and it doesn't arrive until Monday?!?! I couldn't wait all weekend!) So why, if I dislike the main characters, would I even bother to read the next book? And why in the world do I not like Edward, when approximately 32,468,132 women are in love with him and blasphemously call him the "next Mr. Darcy"?
Why I Don't Like Bella and Edward
1. Bella falls apart when Edward leaves. Disclaimer: I have never had a bad break-up, never had a boyfriend/husband/soulmate die, and never thought I'd lost the love of my life. I don't understand the pain (though I can only imagine how awful it would be to loose David) and I certainly don't know how I'd react to that kind of devastation. I think it might be somewhat similar to Bella's initial catatonic state after Edward leaves her at the beginning of New Moon. What I cannot accept, however, is how completely incapable Bella is at continuing to live her life in the weeks and months that follow, that she ceases to live her life for herself. I come from the Elizabeth Bennett school of womanhood and I like to think that women are strong, resilient and independent, that the fancies and affections of men can strengthen us but not break us. Perhaps this is unrealistic (I have never tested the theory) but I find Bella's response unrealistic as well and truly dislike that Bella becomes a woman who cannot breathe without Edward by her side. (Irony being, of course, that she'll eventually loose the need to breathe if she keeps Edward by her side....but that's another tangent.) Not to mention that once Edward returns, he becomes a control-freak who won't let Bella out of his sight and refuses to let her visit her best friend, a massive wolf-man who can more than protect the fragile Bella should any danger arise. What is more frustrating is that Bella actually allows Edward to control her and does not fight for her own voice and takes no action. If that doesn't scream co-dependency, I don't know what does.
2. Edward is constantly described as "perfect," "an angel," and other such other-worldly descriptions. Edward is hot, I get it. Bella idolizes Edward, and while Edward is, by all accounts, deeply in love with Bella, the relationship teeters on the premise that Edward is an angelic perfect savior of a vampire while Bella is nothing more than a breakable and ordinary human girl. Here lies the inherent allure of their relationship, but also the inevitable downfall.
3. I suppose my biggest irritation with Bella and Edward rests on what I consider to be the contrived nature of their deep and everlasting relationship. I can't--and don't--accept that they are soulmates because I have never been given adequate proof of its existence. Sure, Bella smells like the most delicious slice of pie Edward has ever been around, but is this something to build a relationship on? Yes, Edward is mystified and intrigued by the fact that he can't read Bella's mind, but is this a reason to devote one's life to another person? What other reasons have we been given to explain Edward's love for Bella? Meanwhile, Bella is completely in awe of Edward, by his good looks, charm, and intelligence. These are all good reasons to love a person. But Bella and Edward are not just in love but are eternally connected, are "soulmates." And this is a plot point that I just can't accept without further proof. Without accepting that, it makes it very difficult to like Bella and Edward.
Now, a few rebuttals to my own diatribe. I've read Stephenie Meyer's answers to these same complaints on her website (http://www.stepheniemeyer.com/) and I must say, they make sense and I see where she is coming from. Understanding the author's perspective and reasonable thinking makes me more understanding of why Bella and Edward act and think and talk the way they do. I have utmost respect for the characters that Meyer has created and the choices that they make. That does not mean, however, that I like what I read within the books themselves.
Why I Continue to Read and Enjoy the Twilight Series
1. The Meyer Universe: It's the same reason I love Harry Potter too. It's all about the myths and universe that one author has created. I love the world that Bella and Edward and Jacob Black inhabit, a world in which vampires do not have fangs and hide from silly things like crosses, garlic and the sun. It makes more sense to me that vampires should not be so separated from the human race that they prey upon by inconvenient and inconsequential objects, that vampires should experience regret and remorse but still be driven by a thirst for human blood. It seems almost logical that an Native American tribe should believe that they descend from wolves and that men still turn into werewolves in order to protect their tribe from lurking dangers, including vampires. It's a world I can accept and believe and quite frankly, I enjoy it.
2. The characters: Sure, I may have some issues with the two main characters, but that doesn't change the fact that Stephenie Meyer knows her characters, that they are fully-developed people with backstories and complications and motivations. Characters are really what drive a book and make it so interesting and for that fact alone--that Meyer has interesting characters--I would continue to read.
3. It's young adult fiction: Think about all the most popular and enduring books of our time: Harry Potter, the Chronicles of Narnia, the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. All of them fall into the category of YA fiction. They may not be the most well-written novels--certainly none could ever match the beautiful and poetic prose of Steinbeck's East of Eden or take you through the psychological journey of criminal like Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment--but these are not meant to be great novels. They are meant to be entertaining novels and that is exactly what they offer. They are character-driven page-turners that are quick to read, easy to enjoy, and still a pleasure to read again and again. And though some may think that YA fiction is superficial and childish, no one who has read Harry Potter could claim that they do not deal with very mature topics and have layers and layers of complexities and subtext. There is much to be found in YA literature for a more mature reader, but the average young adult reader can still enjoy the plot and characters and learn how much fun reading can be. In the last few years, I have come to adore YA fiction. For the most part, I know that a YA labeled book will be clean of sex scenes and profanities, of the truly horrific images that contemporary adult fiction authors seem to like to weave into their tales, that the characters will be entertaining and interesting, and that it'll be fun to read. YA is not a chore to read and they keep you wanting more. Plus, YA fiction is not, as the name implies, restricted to adolescent readers. Many YA books, I have found, are well-written and full of surprising and beautiful prose and subtle introspection. So I will continue to read the YA fiction that Meyer produces and enjoy the journey I am taken on. It's guaranteed to be an entertaining ride.
So...only 9 more days to go until Breaking Dawn comes out. I'm curious to see how it'll end and maybe, just maybe, rooting for Jacob Black to get the girl.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Another survey
So I found another survey I thought was interesting. I have to stop reading other people's blogs....
20 years ago: 1988
1. I was five years old.
2. We were either living in Sierra Vista, Arizona or Augora, California.
3. I started pre-school at Tiny Tots.
4. I loved Teddy Ruxpin and My Little Ponies.
5. I was 5....am I supposed to remember anything? Because I certainly don't....
10 years ago: 1998
1. I was finishing up my freshmen year of high school and starting my sophomore year.
2. That summer, I took driver's ed and gave my mother more grey hairs with my stunning driving skills.
3. I played on the freshmen soccer team, joined the dive team, and did track and field. It was crazy, to say the least.
4. I had my first date.
5. I became friends with 6 of the most incredible girls. Well 5 technically; Kara and I had been friends since 4th grade. But the Magnificent Seven came to be and we've been friends ever since.
5 years ago: 2002
1. I finished up my freshmen year of college at BYU and started my sophomore year.
2. I got a job working at the Gap. For some unknown reason, I continued to work there for 2 more years.
3. I won an honorable mention and $25 in a writing contest for a personal narrative I wrote on the road trip I made with my mother to come to BYU.
4. I moved out of the dorms (David John....how I don't miss thee) and into Centennial Apartments with 5 other extremely fun and oftentimes crazy roommates and actually started to really enjoy college. (My freshmen year was a bit of a drag.)
5. A friend and I drove from Provo to Las Vegas just to see *Nsync perform at the MGM Grand. It was totally worth it.
3 years ago: 2005
1. I got my favorite job I have yet had: working at the BYU Museum of Art. I've since worked at many other museums, but this was the first (and only) that actually paid me to work there. I loved it.
2. I graduated from BYU in August 2005.
3. I moved to Monterey, California to live my sister Cassy and our two cats. I didn't know it at the time, but I would fall madly in love with Monterey and devote my life to moving back there.
4. I got my first full-time, post-graduate job at a publishing company called CTB, which produces standardized tests.
5. I met (but did not really get to know) my future husband, David, at the single's ward in Monterey. I would have laughed in your face if you had told me that I would meet the love of my life in the form of a skinny white boy from Georgia. Oh, how life likes to tease us!
So photographs of Monterey, to demonstrate its beauty and peacefulness. 
1 year ago: 2007
1. I had an internship at Tudor Place, Historic House and Gardens in Georgetown.
2. I got engaged!
3. I rocked the pants off a research paper for my graduate research seminar and finally realized that 1) I'm not an idiot and am actually kinda smart and 2) I could probably get into a Ph.D program and maybe even survive. Maybe.
4. I went camping at Assateague Island with my awesome roommates and had a blast. We camped right on the beach, were surrounded by wild (but friendly) horses, and my roommate's boyfriend finally had the good sense to propose.
5. I took out my endowments at the San Diego temple.
Yesterday:
1. I slept in until 9am.
2. Went to Wal-Mart where they FINALLY had more purple washclothes in stock. They match our bathroom decor so well and they haven't had any for a month! Then I finally mailed my parents their birthday presents.
3. I read The Carnivore's Dilemma. I'm still working on it, but it's completely changing my relationship with food.
4. David and I went to the Dole Plantation to get some super yummy dole whip (basically frozen pineapple sorbet) which I have not had since I moved to Hawaii. It very much cheered up a rather sad and otherwise unproductive day.
5. David and I played Guitar Hero as a part of our FHE activity.
Today:
1. I woke up and showered. Actually, both of these things are quite an achievement for me these days.
2. I became yet more discouraged by the lack of jobs in Hawaii and yet still applied for a few more.
3. I will do the dirty dishes and make David dinner.
4. I need to re-pot my tomato plants and trim the basil plant.
5. I will attempt to write more thank-you cards in the hope that I will finish them before my first anniversary.
Next Year:
1. I'd like to re-paint our condo.
2. And maybe visit some of the other islands.
3. David and I will probably move to Korea for two years. (He is a Korean linguist, after all.)
4. Learn Korean.
5. I'd like to work on my research and try to get published. At the very least, I'd like to present my paper at the humanities symposium held every year in Honolulu. Might as well since I live here.
20 years ago: 1988
1. I was five years old.
2. We were either living in Sierra Vista, Arizona or Augora, California.
3. I started pre-school at Tiny Tots.
4. I loved Teddy Ruxpin and My Little Ponies.
5. I was 5....am I supposed to remember anything? Because I certainly don't....
10 years ago: 1998
1. I was finishing up my freshmen year of high school and starting my sophomore year.
2. That summer, I took driver's ed and gave my mother more grey hairs with my stunning driving skills.
3. I played on the freshmen soccer team, joined the dive team, and did track and field. It was crazy, to say the least.
4. I had my first date.
5. I became friends with 6 of the most incredible girls. Well 5 technically; Kara and I had been friends since 4th grade. But the Magnificent Seven came to be and we've been friends ever since.
5 years ago: 2002
1. I finished up my freshmen year of college at BYU and started my sophomore year.
2. I got a job working at the Gap. For some unknown reason, I continued to work there for 2 more years.
3. I won an honorable mention and $25 in a writing contest for a personal narrative I wrote on the road trip I made with my mother to come to BYU.
4. I moved out of the dorms (David John....how I don't miss thee) and into Centennial Apartments with 5 other extremely fun and oftentimes crazy roommates and actually started to really enjoy college. (My freshmen year was a bit of a drag.)
5. A friend and I drove from Provo to Las Vegas just to see *Nsync perform at the MGM Grand. It was totally worth it.
3 years ago: 2005
1. I got my favorite job I have yet had: working at the BYU Museum of Art. I've since worked at many other museums, but this was the first (and only) that actually paid me to work there. I loved it.
2. I graduated from BYU in August 2005.
3. I moved to Monterey, California to live my sister Cassy and our two cats. I didn't know it at the time, but I would fall madly in love with Monterey and devote my life to moving back there.
4. I got my first full-time, post-graduate job at a publishing company called CTB, which produces standardized tests.
5. I met (but did not really get to know) my future husband, David, at the single's ward in Monterey. I would have laughed in your face if you had told me that I would meet the love of my life in the form of a skinny white boy from Georgia. Oh, how life likes to tease us!
So photographs of Monterey, to demonstrate its beauty and peacefulness. The funny thing is, I didn't fully appreciate Monterey until I'd left. Isn't that always the way...
1 year ago: 20071. I had an internship at Tudor Place, Historic House and Gardens in Georgetown.
2. I got engaged!
3. I rocked the pants off a research paper for my graduate research seminar and finally realized that 1) I'm not an idiot and am actually kinda smart and 2) I could probably get into a Ph.D program and maybe even survive. Maybe.
4. I went camping at Assateague Island with my awesome roommates and had a blast. We camped right on the beach, were surrounded by wild (but friendly) horses, and my roommate's boyfriend finally had the good sense to propose.
5. I took out my endowments at the San Diego temple.
Yesterday:
1. I slept in until 9am.
2. Went to Wal-Mart where they FINALLY had more purple washclothes in stock. They match our bathroom decor so well and they haven't had any for a month! Then I finally mailed my parents their birthday presents.
3. I read The Carnivore's Dilemma. I'm still working on it, but it's completely changing my relationship with food.
4. David and I went to the Dole Plantation to get some super yummy dole whip (basically frozen pineapple sorbet) which I have not had since I moved to Hawaii. It very much cheered up a rather sad and otherwise unproductive day.
5. David and I played Guitar Hero as a part of our FHE activity.
Today:
1. I woke up and showered. Actually, both of these things are quite an achievement for me these days.
2. I became yet more discouraged by the lack of jobs in Hawaii and yet still applied for a few more.
3. I will do the dirty dishes and make David dinner.
4. I need to re-pot my tomato plants and trim the basil plant.
5. I will attempt to write more thank-you cards in the hope that I will finish them before my first anniversary.
Next Year:
1. I'd like to re-paint our condo.
2. And maybe visit some of the other islands.
3. David and I will probably move to Korea for two years. (He is a Korean linguist, after all.)
4. Learn Korean.
5. I'd like to work on my research and try to get published. At the very least, I'd like to present my paper at the humanities symposium held every year in Honolulu. Might as well since I live here.
Monday, July 21, 2008
Husband Tag
I love getting-to-know you questions. As much as I avoid people, I do love getting to hear other people's stories and the little details of their life. And I especially love those long questionnaires that often circulate via email or blog from time to time. It's a great way to catalog your life and to think about things you might not otherwise contemplate. In any case, I found this tag on someone else's blog and I liked it because it's about husbands. And if it's one thing I love, it's embarrassing David. So without further ado, he's a short question-and-answer about my husband of six weeks:
1. What is his name? David Michael Malone. I have realized, though, that I hardly ever call him by his actual name. I always just refer to him as "honey." Funny how that happens.
2.Who eats more? David. Whenever I'm making dinner, I always think, "How much would I eat?" and then I double or triple the amount. David has super fast metabolism and can eat quite a bit but he rarely overeats. Plus he literally wipes his plate clean. There is hardly ever anything left on his plate at the end of dinner, whereas I make it a habit to leave some food behind.
3. Who said 'I love you' first? David, but I quickly followed. Our first date was on a Tuesday (May 2nd) and he said "I love you" on Thursday. It was unexpected, especially so soon, but I was already in love with him before he asked me out that it didn't really faze me. It was the question he asked that Saturday that really threw me for a loop.
4. Who is taller? I'll give this one to David, but only just barely. If I wear only heels at all, I'm taller. But David actually really enjoys it when I'm taller than him so there you go.
5. Who is smarter? This is a rather relative question. We're smarter in different ways. I'm a book/school nerd and have two degrees. When it comes to art, history, and literature, I'm definitely smarter. But David has more street smarts and math skills. He picks things up very quickly and has the most amazing memory. I'm always shocked by the things he can remember from high school, whereas I struggle to remember some of the things I learned in my last semester of graduate school (which was 3 months ago). Plus David speaks two rather difficult Asian languages so he's got that over me.
6. Who is more sensitive? In most cases, David. I have my moments, but David is by far the more sensitive one (and I mean that in a very good way).
7. Who does the laundry? David is very particular about how laundry is washed so he generally does the actually loading of the laundry but I generally fold it. However, David has a special way to fold some of his clothes that I haven't yet learned, so all of his clean clothes are piled up in a laundry basket right now and have been for the last 2 weeks.
8. Who sleeps on the rights side of the bed? David sleeps on the right. I always sleep on the side of the bed that is closest to the door and at the current moment, that is the left side of the bed.
9. Who pays the bills? David because 1) I am unemployed and don't make any money and 2) David bought his condo over a year ago and so he's been taking care of the bills way before I showed up. There's not really any bills that we've taken on since we've been married. David takes care of the finances (I figure it's good practice since he wants to be an accountant) but I am always there to discuss where our money goes and how it's being spent.
10. Who cooks more? Hahaha. I do all the cooking. David sometimes makes pancakes, but I'm the mastermind behind the food. I enjoy cooking and planning the menu and trying out new recipes, but I need to include David more in the meal preparation so that he can learn to fend for himself when I'm not around or not well enough to cook.
11. What meals do you cook together? See above. But we currently have a pretty nice system going on. I do the cooking, we eat together, and then David does the dishes. I think it's a fair trade-off.
12. Who is more stubborn? Oh, that's definitely me. It's in my DNA. The Hayman's are stubborn people. Ask anyone.
13. Who is the first to admit they are wrong? David. He's definitely the peacemaker. It's a little annoying sometimes because he never gets mad at me and then I can't stay stubborn and upset for very long.
14. Who has more siblings? David, by one. He has 4 sisters and I have one brother and 2 sisters.
15. Who wears the pants in the relationship? I like to think that I do. For the inconsequential decisions, I do. But for the big decisions, I defer to David's good judgment, though of course, he always takes my opinions into consideration.
16. What do you like to do together? Go to the movies, play games and enjoy nature.
17. Who eats more sweets? That is definitely me. I have the most insatiable sweet tooth, but David has low tolerance. He really likes dark chocolate, but he can't match me in most sweets consumed.
18. Guilty pleasures? Guitar Hero on the Wii. We're both big fans.
19. How did you meet? We met in the single's ward in Monterey, California when I moved there in August of 2005. We knew who each other were, but we'd never actually talked until our mutual friend Monica randomly invited David and his roommate Jacob to my birthday dinner in February 2006. We slowly became friends after that.
20. Who asked who out? David asked me out on May 1st, after FHE, but only after months of text flirting and phone conversations and hanging out that consisted of me basically throwing myself at him. Don't think that I've let him live it down, either.
21. Who kissed who first? Again, I did most of the work leading up to the first kiss, but David was the one who made the move. I am a lady after all.
22. Who proposed? David did, both times. He asked me after only a few dates, but it wasn't the right time. But he knew that he wanted me, so he patiently waited for me to figure things out (and get my master's) so that when he proposed again on December 26, 2007, I was ready to say yes.
23. His best features? His eyes. David has the most lovely blue eyes and the longest eyelashes. It makes me quite jealous. There are certain other parts that I quite like too, but those are for me, and me alone, to enjoy. :-)
24. His best qualities? It's silly but David is the ying to my yang. In so many ways, we're complete opposites, but together, we make perfect sense. David is compassionate, gentle and caring. His heart is twice as big as mine and he always puts my needs before his own (even when I least deserve it). I often take life too seriously and I complain that David doesn't take life seriously enough, but, in that way, we balance each other out perfectly. David helps me see that life is worth living and loving, enjoying the simple things that bring joy and pleasure, while I help motivate and encourage David to succeed at work and school.
Pass it along if you're so inclined. I love hearing other people's responses!
1. What is his name? David Michael Malone. I have realized, though, that I hardly ever call him by his actual name. I always just refer to him as "honey." Funny how that happens.
2.Who eats more? David. Whenever I'm making dinner, I always think, "How much would I eat?" and then I double or triple the amount. David has super fast metabolism and can eat quite a bit but he rarely overeats. Plus he literally wipes his plate clean. There is hardly ever anything left on his plate at the end of dinner, whereas I make it a habit to leave some food behind.
3. Who said 'I love you' first? David, but I quickly followed. Our first date was on a Tuesday (May 2nd) and he said "I love you" on Thursday. It was unexpected, especially so soon, but I was already in love with him before he asked me out that it didn't really faze me. It was the question he asked that Saturday that really threw me for a loop.
4. Who is taller? I'll give this one to David, but only just barely. If I wear only heels at all, I'm taller. But David actually really enjoys it when I'm taller than him so there you go.
5. Who is smarter? This is a rather relative question. We're smarter in different ways. I'm a book/school nerd and have two degrees. When it comes to art, history, and literature, I'm definitely smarter. But David has more street smarts and math skills. He picks things up very quickly and has the most amazing memory. I'm always shocked by the things he can remember from high school, whereas I struggle to remember some of the things I learned in my last semester of graduate school (which was 3 months ago). Plus David speaks two rather difficult Asian languages so he's got that over me.
6. Who is more sensitive? In most cases, David. I have my moments, but David is by far the more sensitive one (and I mean that in a very good way).
7. Who does the laundry? David is very particular about how laundry is washed so he generally does the actually loading of the laundry but I generally fold it. However, David has a special way to fold some of his clothes that I haven't yet learned, so all of his clean clothes are piled up in a laundry basket right now and have been for the last 2 weeks.
8. Who sleeps on the rights side of the bed? David sleeps on the right. I always sleep on the side of the bed that is closest to the door and at the current moment, that is the left side of the bed.
9. Who pays the bills? David because 1) I am unemployed and don't make any money and 2) David bought his condo over a year ago and so he's been taking care of the bills way before I showed up. There's not really any bills that we've taken on since we've been married. David takes care of the finances (I figure it's good practice since he wants to be an accountant) but I am always there to discuss where our money goes and how it's being spent.
10. Who cooks more? Hahaha. I do all the cooking. David sometimes makes pancakes, but I'm the mastermind behind the food. I enjoy cooking and planning the menu and trying out new recipes, but I need to include David more in the meal preparation so that he can learn to fend for himself when I'm not around or not well enough to cook.
11. What meals do you cook together? See above. But we currently have a pretty nice system going on. I do the cooking, we eat together, and then David does the dishes. I think it's a fair trade-off.
12. Who is more stubborn? Oh, that's definitely me. It's in my DNA. The Hayman's are stubborn people. Ask anyone.
13. Who is the first to admit they are wrong? David. He's definitely the peacemaker. It's a little annoying sometimes because he never gets mad at me and then I can't stay stubborn and upset for very long.
14. Who has more siblings? David, by one. He has 4 sisters and I have one brother and 2 sisters.
15. Who wears the pants in the relationship? I like to think that I do. For the inconsequential decisions, I do. But for the big decisions, I defer to David's good judgment, though of course, he always takes my opinions into consideration.
16. What do you like to do together? Go to the movies, play games and enjoy nature.
17. Who eats more sweets? That is definitely me. I have the most insatiable sweet tooth, but David has low tolerance. He really likes dark chocolate, but he can't match me in most sweets consumed.
18. Guilty pleasures? Guitar Hero on the Wii. We're both big fans.
19. How did you meet? We met in the single's ward in Monterey, California when I moved there in August of 2005. We knew who each other were, but we'd never actually talked until our mutual friend Monica randomly invited David and his roommate Jacob to my birthday dinner in February 2006. We slowly became friends after that.
20. Who asked who out? David asked me out on May 1st, after FHE, but only after months of text flirting and phone conversations and hanging out that consisted of me basically throwing myself at him. Don't think that I've let him live it down, either.
21. Who kissed who first? Again, I did most of the work leading up to the first kiss, but David was the one who made the move. I am a lady after all.
22. Who proposed? David did, both times. He asked me after only a few dates, but it wasn't the right time. But he knew that he wanted me, so he patiently waited for me to figure things out (and get my master's) so that when he proposed again on December 26, 2007, I was ready to say yes.
23. His best features? His eyes. David has the most lovely blue eyes and the longest eyelashes. It makes me quite jealous. There are certain other parts that I quite like too, but those are for me, and me alone, to enjoy. :-)
24. His best qualities? It's silly but David is the ying to my yang. In so many ways, we're complete opposites, but together, we make perfect sense. David is compassionate, gentle and caring. His heart is twice as big as mine and he always puts my needs before his own (even when I least deserve it). I often take life too seriously and I complain that David doesn't take life seriously enough, but, in that way, we balance each other out perfectly. David helps me see that life is worth living and loving, enjoying the simple things that bring joy and pleasure, while I help motivate and encourage David to succeed at work and school.
Pass it along if you're so inclined. I love hearing other people's responses!
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Food and Movies
Yesterday I started to crave a big cheeseburger. Not the kind of cheeseburger you can buy at a fast food restaurant but the kind that is massive and requires two hands and that you spend $10 for. And David, being the absolutely lovely and doting husband that he is, took me to Chili's to get one such hamburger. It was delicious. Every so often, a nice big cheeseburger is exactly the kind of thing I want to eat. Yum. After eating our Chili's-to-Go (the wait was too long and we had tickets to the movies), we got in line for the 9:10pm showing of The Dark Knight. We were joined by David's friend from work, Matt, who had thankfully purchased our tickets in advance or else we would have been out of luck, as all the showings were selling out. The movie is over two and a half hours long but the good kind of long, where you don't even realize how long you've been sitting there since you are so enthralled with the story. It was an excellent movie with excellent performances by all the actors involved. (Maggie Gyllenhaal is a much better Rachel Dawes than Katie Holmes, for the record and the Joker is quite funny in a bizarre sadistic way.) There were a few minor plot holes and a few moments when I was a little confused. The explainations are there, but were sometimes obscured by noise or fast-talking so that I was left a little unsure of what just happened. And thankfully this isn't the type of superhero movie that includes action scenes and big explosions for the mere sake of having big action sequences and big fights. It all felt very natural (as natural as these movies can get) and more importantly, the movie made me think. I like the movie and would recommend it to anyone, but I can't say that I loved it. I don't think it's the type of movie you claim to "love" because of the dark themes and gruesome reality that it presents.
In other news, I am trying to find some new recipes. I made a maple glazed chicken breast two nights ago that was a huge success (another good recipe from eatinghealthy.com) but I have been struggling to find good vegetarian recipes. I feel like I've been eating way too much meat and it feels like its weighing me down. I existed on pasta and quesadillas for the last two years so my body doesn't want to accept all the meat I've been putting into my body these days. But good vegetarian meals are hard to come by (except in pasta form) and I need a greater diversity in my food. As I've discovered while reading The Omnivore's Dilemma, humans are not meant to be the big meat eaters that we are. Or at least historically, meat has never been consumed on such a regular basis. But government policies and corn has driven down the price of meat making it an affordable everyday commodity. Which is fantastic but it has also changed the way we eat and how we view our meals. I grew up on meat and potatoes so I struggle against the feeling that every meal should include some meat. But then I have a hard time finding recipes that don't include meat. And a lot of the meat that is produced and sold for cheap prices can be quite harmful to humans. It's quite the conumdrum. So if you have any good recipes out there (vegetarian or not) let me know. I'm on the lookout for good food that is good for me. Although right now, that frozen pizza in my freezer is sounding pretty good.
In other news, I am trying to find some new recipes. I made a maple glazed chicken breast two nights ago that was a huge success (another good recipe from eatinghealthy.com) but I have been struggling to find good vegetarian recipes. I feel like I've been eating way too much meat and it feels like its weighing me down. I existed on pasta and quesadillas for the last two years so my body doesn't want to accept all the meat I've been putting into my body these days. But good vegetarian meals are hard to come by (except in pasta form) and I need a greater diversity in my food. As I've discovered while reading The Omnivore's Dilemma, humans are not meant to be the big meat eaters that we are. Or at least historically, meat has never been consumed on such a regular basis. But government policies and corn has driven down the price of meat making it an affordable everyday commodity. Which is fantastic but it has also changed the way we eat and how we view our meals. I grew up on meat and potatoes so I struggle against the feeling that every meal should include some meat. But then I have a hard time finding recipes that don't include meat. And a lot of the meat that is produced and sold for cheap prices can be quite harmful to humans. It's quite the conumdrum. So if you have any good recipes out there (vegetarian or not) let me know. I'm on the lookout for good food that is good for me. Although right now, that frozen pizza in my freezer is sounding pretty good.
Friday, July 18, 2008
Random Happenings....
So I'm still looking for work. I've applied to I don't even know how many jobs, but there's an admin position that just opened up here in Mililani which sounds like it would be perfect. It doesn't have the greatest pay, but having a shorter commute time would more than make up for that fact. Now I just need to get off my lazy bum and apply. I hate writing cover letters. I think I have the same problem with them as I do with writing my thank you cards for my wedding. (I've been working on them for over a month now! And they're still not finished!) I hate sounding fake or insincere when I'm perfectly sincere and perfectly confident of my ability to do a job well. But the format simply lends itself to that insincerity. Oh well. A job is a job and I more than need one right now. In other news, I spent most of the day yesterday making Malasadas, which are a doughy Portugese doughnut of sorts. David and I had them at this delicious bakery on the Big Island and I bought a pre-made mix there to make them at home. The dough took FOREVER to rise but they turned out pretty well, if I do say so myself.
They tasted so much better yesterday when they were fresh and hot right out of the hot oil, but they were still a delicious breakfast this morning.
They tasted so much better yesterday when they were fresh and hot right out of the hot oil, but they were still a delicious breakfast this morning.
My plants are growing so big! My basil is growing way too fast. I keep meaning to cut it to freeze it or make some pesto, but it's growing like a weed! My tomato plants are growing really well and have nearly doubled in size. A few little bulbs have emerged and I hope we'll have fresh roma tomatoes soon enough.
I'm so excited for the weekend to be here. This has been a long week and every night David has been super busy with homework, so this will be our first chance to spend lots of time just having fun together this week. We're planning on going to see the Dark Knight tonight and maybe so to the temple tomorrow. Yay!
Thursday, July 10, 2008
The American Studies Blues
I'm an American Studies major. I have both a BA and a MA in the subject and I love it. It is my passion and history is awesome. But it's also one of those majors that people look at you with a slight tilt of the head and say, "What are you going to do with that?" right after you finish answering the question, "What is that?" Well, for your information, you can do A LOT with it. A lot. Just not in Hawaii, apparently. Actually, maybe it's only good on the East Coast where there are lots of agencies, organizations, historic sites, and museums who can use a person who is passionate about our American past and the implications for our country's future. There are places where this kind of education and knowledge are appreciated.
It's been my goal for a long time now to work at a museum. Any museum will do. I love them all. The big ones, the small ones. Even the ones that suck. I love anything that attempts to educate the public about history, even those lame quasi-historical displays in airports. So it was with no small amount of trepidation and skepticism that I left Washington, D.C. with its copious amounts of museums (perhaps you've heard of them) and married the love of my life and moved to Hawaii. I had about a 0.00002% hope of finding a job at a museum. But then, by some stroke of luck, I got in touch with the director of the Pacific Aviation Museum and he invited me in for an interview. It seemed to go well and he sounded very interested in both my education and experience. Since the PAM is a new and still developing museum, they have a very small staff and a limited budget. But the director asked me if I could come back in, once he'd reviewed the budget and spoken to other people. I received a very nice email from him yesterday saying that he'd love to hire me, but unfortunately there was no money to do so.
It wasn't like it was unexpected. That's often the problem with non-profit organizations like museums, especially small museums with limited funding. But it's still hard when you get your hopes up and all. There are a few other museum options I might look into, but for now, I'm trying to extend my job search as much as possible because, honestly, I'm starting to get very bored just sitting at home, waiting for David to get home from work so I can watch him do his homework. (I miss school already.) But it's made doubly hard by the fact that we'll only be in Hawaii for a year. Maybe I should have done something sensible like accounting or elementary education. But then I think about how much I hate math or kids and I remember why I chose what I chose. And someday, after I've gotten my Ph.D, I'll be some awesome curator at the Smithsonian and I'll laugh at all those people who had no courage to do what they loved and only did what was sensible.
It's been my goal for a long time now to work at a museum. Any museum will do. I love them all. The big ones, the small ones. Even the ones that suck. I love anything that attempts to educate the public about history, even those lame quasi-historical displays in airports. So it was with no small amount of trepidation and skepticism that I left Washington, D.C. with its copious amounts of museums (perhaps you've heard of them) and married the love of my life and moved to Hawaii. I had about a 0.00002% hope of finding a job at a museum. But then, by some stroke of luck, I got in touch with the director of the Pacific Aviation Museum and he invited me in for an interview. It seemed to go well and he sounded very interested in both my education and experience. Since the PAM is a new and still developing museum, they have a very small staff and a limited budget. But the director asked me if I could come back in, once he'd reviewed the budget and spoken to other people. I received a very nice email from him yesterday saying that he'd love to hire me, but unfortunately there was no money to do so.
It wasn't like it was unexpected. That's often the problem with non-profit organizations like museums, especially small museums with limited funding. But it's still hard when you get your hopes up and all. There are a few other museum options I might look into, but for now, I'm trying to extend my job search as much as possible because, honestly, I'm starting to get very bored just sitting at home, waiting for David to get home from work so I can watch him do his homework. (I miss school already.) But it's made doubly hard by the fact that we'll only be in Hawaii for a year. Maybe I should have done something sensible like accounting or elementary education. But then I think about how much I hate math or kids and I remember why I chose what I chose. And someday, after I've gotten my Ph.D, I'll be some awesome curator at the Smithsonian and I'll laugh at all those people who had no courage to do what they loved and only did what was sensible.
Saturday, July 5, 2008
Oahu Adventures
There are a few perks of being married to someone in the military. Besides the sweet benefits and access to the commissary and NEX (because I seriously could not afford to shop at the grocery stores here....waaaaay too expensive), you get access to certain parts of the island that civilians can't reach. Last weekend, David and I went to our favorite beach in Oahu at Bellows Air Force Station, about an hour away. The beaches of North Shore are only 20 minutes away, but nothing beats Bellows, in my opinion. There is a public beach for civilians which is oftentimes open on the weekends, but if you go farther back, past the gate check point, you get to a military private beach that is never too crowded, has clear warm water, and soft powdery sand. David and I enjoyed swimming and I attempted to teach him how to boogie board with little success but that was more due to the smallish waves. But it sure was pretty.
Last night, in celebration of the Fourth of July, David and I went over to his friend Alicia's house. She lives in the base housing right outside of the Pearl Harbor, so we had an awesome view of the fireworks from the roof of her house. We could see fireworks down in Waikiki and Hickham, but the Pearl Harbor fireworks were literally right in front of us. It seems like an exercise in pointlessness to capture fireworks on film, but still I attempted. Only a few actually looked decent.
After watching the fireworks show, David and I played Guitar Hero and Rockband on Alicia's XBox and now I understand the addiction. I loved Rockband, especially the drums, and I surprised even myself by how much I enjoyed rockin' out on lead vocals. Now I really wish we had a TV so we could hook up our Wii. Hopefully by next week, we'll have everything we need to start rocking out at home.
Last night, in celebration of the Fourth of July, David and I went over to his friend Alicia's house. She lives in the base housing right outside of the Pearl Harbor, so we had an awesome view of the fireworks from the roof of her house. We could see fireworks down in Waikiki and Hickham, but the Pearl Harbor fireworks were literally right in front of us. It seems like an exercise in pointlessness to capture fireworks on film, but still I attempted. Only a few actually looked decent.
After watching the fireworks show, David and I played Guitar Hero and Rockband on Alicia's XBox and now I understand the addiction. I loved Rockband, especially the drums, and I surprised even myself by how much I enjoyed rockin' out on lead vocals. Now I really wish we had a TV so we could hook up our Wii. Hopefully by next week, we'll have everything we need to start rocking out at home.
Friday, July 4, 2008
Spending Much Money....My Favorite Hobby
David loves Guitar Hero and Rockband. He thinks they are the greatest game(s) ever and loves to feel like a real guitar playing rockstar. The game looks cool to me, but I've never played it and I'm not generally a huge fan of video games. In fact, I vowed that I would never let my husband or kids own any of those gaming systems--Playstation, Xbox, etc.--they always just seemed like a big waste of time and money to me. But David really wanted his Guitar Hero and I had to admit....it'd looked like a lot of fun. And then he saw it: Guitar Hero for the Wii. Now the Wii looks awesome. I like that it requires physical exertion and the games look enjoyable and fun. Plus, that Wii Fit looks like a great way to stay in shape....and I have a hard time with that. So David and I decided that a Wii we would buy....eventually. See, we don't have a TV or anything like that and we figured we buy ourselves a really nice TV in Korea where they have excellent electronics and lower prices. So we knew the Wii would be a long way off, especially since they are so dang hard to find.
But then we went to Circuit City today to buy one small item and there it was, on regular white computer paper, hanging nonchalantly in the window. "Wii Gaming Systems Available for Sale." It couldn't be! So we were curious....we asked around. "Any Wii's left?" There was a small little pile right behind the cash register. They had to be reserved. But the assistant shook his head and said no, we could have one. So we walked around the store, contemplating if we should buy one but it wasn't really a huge struggle. We both knew we wanted one...so we bought it. So now we need to buy a TV and an entertainment center to put it on and the actual Guitar Hero game but at least the Wii is ours! We'll probably pick up a used TV on Craigslist until we can afford a much nicer and bigger one.
But we weren't done. After spending much money at Circuit City, we went to Macy's to look at their home ware department, to see if they had any of the items from our registry that we still wanted. I found a pastry dough blender (for making pie crusts) and a canister for storing all the homemade ice cream I plan to make with my Kitchenaid ice cream maker attachment. But then we went to the bedding section and we found a very nice comforter set on sale. It's not just a comforter, but the whole freaking bedroom including drapes, pillows, bedskirt, sheets, and valances. And it was on sale....50% off. (You can see the set here: http://www1.macys.com/catalog/product/index.ognc?ID=248305&CategoryID=31305&LinkType=SiteAd&LinkLoc=29501&AdID=46990) So though the set is supposed to cost $500, we picked it up for $250. Now, it's way too hot right now to use the comforter, but it'll look so lovely in the winter and especially in Korea, where it is much colder. But I loved the set and David didn't hate it, so I couldn't resist buying it. Now I want to paint our bedroom walls to match!
But the money spending wasn't done....we went to Lowe's, where we bought another bookcase to match the one we had bought two days ago. So now we have two beautiful dark cherry bookcases for our home. It's starting to feel like a home. Yay! Here's our lovely new bookcase:
But then we went to Circuit City today to buy one small item and there it was, on regular white computer paper, hanging nonchalantly in the window. "Wii Gaming Systems Available for Sale." It couldn't be! So we were curious....we asked around. "Any Wii's left?" There was a small little pile right behind the cash register. They had to be reserved. But the assistant shook his head and said no, we could have one. So we walked around the store, contemplating if we should buy one but it wasn't really a huge struggle. We both knew we wanted one...so we bought it. So now we need to buy a TV and an entertainment center to put it on and the actual Guitar Hero game but at least the Wii is ours! We'll probably pick up a used TV on Craigslist until we can afford a much nicer and bigger one.
But we weren't done. After spending much money at Circuit City, we went to Macy's to look at their home ware department, to see if they had any of the items from our registry that we still wanted. I found a pastry dough blender (for making pie crusts) and a canister for storing all the homemade ice cream I plan to make with my Kitchenaid ice cream maker attachment. But then we went to the bedding section and we found a very nice comforter set on sale. It's not just a comforter, but the whole freaking bedroom including drapes, pillows, bedskirt, sheets, and valances. And it was on sale....50% off. (You can see the set here: http://www1.macys.com/catalog/product/index.ognc?ID=248305&CategoryID=31305&LinkType=SiteAd&LinkLoc=29501&AdID=46990) So though the set is supposed to cost $500, we picked it up for $250. Now, it's way too hot right now to use the comforter, but it'll look so lovely in the winter and especially in Korea, where it is much colder. But I loved the set and David didn't hate it, so I couldn't resist buying it. Now I want to paint our bedroom walls to match!
But the money spending wasn't done....we went to Lowe's, where we bought another bookcase to match the one we had bought two days ago. So now we have two beautiful dark cherry bookcases for our home. It's starting to feel like a home. Yay! Here's our lovely new bookcase:
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Driving around in my automobile....
Now I haven't had a car in two years. I relied on public transportation to get me everywhere in D.C. and, for the most part, it was very reliable and not terribly difficult to get around. But there were days when I longed for a car. You know, for that midnight quick trip to the grocery store for some cookie dough and ice cream or to take a weekend drive to some historic place with great scenery. There when days when walking those 10 minutes to the grocery store felt like forever or the injustice of having to carry everything back in my backbag seemed too much to bear. So I looked forward to moving to Hawaii and finally being able to buy myself a car so I could go where ever I wanted to go. And now I have it....a grey blue 1990 Lexus LS400 to call my very own. She's still in good shape and runs well, though the air conditioner could use a little pick-me-up and what's more....she's mine and I have her key and I get to drive her. (Of course the only places I drive to these days are Wal-Mart and Costco, but whatever...)
Now the excitement and freedom of having a new car comes with a price....and the price I have to pay is driving on Hawaiian roads with Hawaiian drivers. See, there's this little thing called "aloha spirit" or something like that wherein people feel the need to drive 10 miles UNDER the speed limit to prove that, no this isn't the mainland, and yes, they're in no hurry to rush through life. That's super great for them, but I am in hurry and I am from the mainland and was taught to drive on the freeways and highways of Southern California and I am stuck behind your slow vehicle. I do not think it's fine to go 35 on the highway and no, it's not okay to go slow down to 25 in a 45 mile zone. Even more exciting are the endlessly annoying and ridiculously convoluted roads here. I know we're on an island, but that doesn't mean all the roads have to go around in a circle! Nothing goes the way you expect and getting on and off the highway is a complicated nightmare. But at least I am on Oahu, where they have a freeway system, and not on one of the other islands with their 3 roads and two-lane highways.
But of course, no matter where I'm driving, there comes a point, just coming down Kam Highway, or driving up a hill in Mililani, when I catch a glimpse of the ocean sparkling down below, or I see the ships resting in the harbor and I remember that I live in Hawaii and it's all good.
But I still want to drive the speed limit.
Now the excitement and freedom of having a new car comes with a price....and the price I have to pay is driving on Hawaiian roads with Hawaiian drivers. See, there's this little thing called "aloha spirit" or something like that wherein people feel the need to drive 10 miles UNDER the speed limit to prove that, no this isn't the mainland, and yes, they're in no hurry to rush through life. That's super great for them, but I am in hurry and I am from the mainland and was taught to drive on the freeways and highways of Southern California and I am stuck behind your slow vehicle. I do not think it's fine to go 35 on the highway and no, it's not okay to go slow down to 25 in a 45 mile zone. Even more exciting are the endlessly annoying and ridiculously convoluted roads here. I know we're on an island, but that doesn't mean all the roads have to go around in a circle! Nothing goes the way you expect and getting on and off the highway is a complicated nightmare. But at least I am on Oahu, where they have a freeway system, and not on one of the other islands with their 3 roads and two-lane highways.
But of course, no matter where I'm driving, there comes a point, just coming down Kam Highway, or driving up a hill in Mililani, when I catch a glimpse of the ocean sparkling down below, or I see the ships resting in the harbor and I remember that I live in Hawaii and it's all good.
But I still want to drive the speed limit.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)