I completely forgot that I had this blog until I stumbled across it tonight. It's interesting to look back at old posts and remember things that have slipped away.
I'm sitting in my temporary living room here in Sri Lanka. It's been my living room for the past two weeks, and will be mine for another week and a half. I'll head back to Thailand after that and spend a week up around Chiang Mai.... it feels so strange to be away from friends, family, and all familiar faces for such a long period of time.
I spent this past weekend in a little mountain town named Kandy. It's a beautiful town, but I spent most of my stay there feeling pretty vulnerable. Anyone could tell just by looking at me that I'm obviously not from there... and there isn't a whole lot that I can do to blend in. Unfortunately that tends to makes me a target. I would negotiate a price with a taxi driver, and once we'd begin driving he would suddenly say that it was going to cost more. I would spend a half an hour at the internet cafe where the price was clearly posted on the wall, and when I'd go to pay they would try to charge me double. It seems ridiculous to argue with someone over 100 rupees, which is less than 1usd, but it's the principle of the thing... damnit.
I'm exhausted, so I'm going to get some sleep. Now that I've remember that I have this blog, I'll try to update it again soon...

I went down to the Kahana Canoe Club Hale at 6:00 this morning to help out with the kalua turkey roast. Apart from being a veg wrist deep in greasy meat, it was a great way to start the day. I'm starting to love waking up early and getting off to a good start.

I have work later today, but if I can find the energy I might paddle out with my sister this afternoon. Waves have finally come to town and it's glassy, overcast, and perfect.

That is why it is so important to let certain things go. to release them. To cut loose. People need to understand that no one is playing with marked cards; sometimes we win and sometimes we lose. Don't expect to get anything back, don't expect recognition for your efforts, don't expect your genius to be discovered or your love to be understood. Complete the circle. Not out of pride, inability, or arrogance, but simply because whatever it is no longer fits in your life. Close the door, change the record, clean the house, get rid of the dust. Stop being who you were and become who you are. -Paulo Coelho

I've had a nervous feeling in my stomach over the last couple of weeks that I just can't seem to shake... I've been getting the jitters over even the most minute of things. It would be nice to put all of this nervous energy to good use... paddling practice in half an hour. Hopefully I can wear myself out a bit.

I've really been craving a little piece of somewhere that's all my own lately. I fantasize about the day that I can comfortably afford a modest little studio that I can retreat to at the end of a long day and wake up to after a good nights sleep. It's difficult to find peace of mind when you're constantly surrounded by the semi-chaotic clutter of other people... I love the people that I live with more than I can say, but it becomes nearly impossible to miss the company of people when it's constantly there. I haven't had my own room in two years...
I've always said that I wouldn't be able to live by myself (I'm afraid of being home alone at night), but I'm beginning to change my mind. I'm beginning to think that I would love it.
For now I'll stay here so that I can afford to go to school, and in the meantime I'll do my best to appreciate living with other people. I'm sure one day I'll look back on it and miss it.

I've been waking up early over the last few days, not because I need to, but because I wake up a little after seven and can't fall back asleep. I don't mind because I tend to get more things done in the morning. It's not even 10 O'clock yet and I've already been to the grocery store, been to the post office, refilled our water jugs at the water store, and done some cleaning. Today promises to be a long day. I have a nanny job from 12 O'clock to 4 O'clock and another from 7:45 until 10:45 or so.



A friend and I went up north to Shoots and Ladders yesterday morning. It's a hike that I'd heard about and always wanted to go on, but never knew how to get to. It ended up being up past Honokohau and further north than I think I've ever been on Maui. The hike is fairly short, but requires scaling the side of a small cliff with the help of some ropes and ladders (hence the name Shoots and Ladders). At the bottom of the cliff is a set of three pools that are separated from the ocean by some very menacing looking jagged rocks. We came prepared to swim, but after watching a few large waves sweep through the pools and turn them into what looked like washing machines we decided against it. He said that as summer gets closer they'll be less of a north swell (or south swell?) and the pools will be safer to swim in. Jordan didn't get a chance to go because of work, but I'm sure we'll go soon. It's absolutely gorgeous up there and I can't wait to go back.

Happy UnValentines Day

Technically it's no longer Valentine's day since it's just after midnight. I'm not sure if this happens every Valentine's day (because I've never noticed it until now), or if this one was an exception, but so many people seemed downright miserable today. It made me sad, mainly because negative energy (or any energy for that matter) is very contagious.
My nanny job for the evening was canceled because one of the children fell ill, so once Jordan got off work we decided to celebrate our UnValentine's day together. I'd just received VickyChristinaBarcelona via the mail from Netflix, but after the first half hour of watching them parade around Spain drinking wine I wanted to get a glass for myself. We walked down the street to Lahaina Coolers where we both got a glass and talked for a while.
If it weren't for the fact that some of my friends have birthdays that fall on Valentine's day, I would probably end up forgetting the holiday altogether... probably because I've never really been in a position to really celebrate it. I just hope that all of the grumpy people today werent grumpy because they felt unloved.

A Nanny and a Flower Girl

My roommate and I have now been happily removed from the unemployment list. As I read an article in Maui Time last night on unemployment I couldn't help but be a little discouraged. The economy out here relies almost entirely on tourism, and with people trying to pinching their pennies in the face of the slumping economy, fewer and fewer people have been visiting the island. Over the course of the last year the unemployment rate on Maui has gone up by 20%.

I got in with the Nanny Connection within my first two weeks of moving home, but because of all of the red tape surrounding child care work I wasn't able to start working until this week. Now that I've taken CPR and First Aid classes, had a criminal background check, and had three reference checks I'm able to start going on childcare jobs. My first gig was yesterday and I'm booked to watch two children tomorrow at the Sheraton. I'm still amazed that I'm getting paid so much to hang out with kids... something that I would often be willing to do for free. If it weren't for the occasional set of high maintenance parents, this would absolutely be my dream job.

I'm also planning on going into BJ's later to see if they'll still be needing a hostess when March rolls around. My first job, when I was 16 years old and brand new to the island, was as a hostess at BJ's and I believe that's it's raised my expectations for any future job that I may have. I've never had so much fun at any of my jobs since. My best friends and I would go to Lahainaluna during the day and run the front desk at BJ's at night with an amazing bunch of people. The job was always more fun than it was work.

Jordan's been hired by a friend of a friend to work as a flower girl selling leis up and down the Westside. Her job is to carry a basket of fresh leis around Lahaina, Ka'anapali, and Kapalua, and she gets paid based on the number of leis she's able to sell, but so long as she smiles and says aloha the leis will basically sell themselves. She's not one of those salespeople that pester you as you walk by... you know the ones I'm talking about that want to smear seasalt on your hand or straighten your hair with their fabulous hot iron. It seems like a good fit for her and I have a feeling that she's going to do really well at it.