Hawaiian Sunsets 2008

View outside my bedroom window at Paniolo Greens

Kauna'oa Beach at Mauna Kea Resort

Hapuna Beach State Park.

Last Minute Vacation Burblings

So the plane is scheduled to take off in 8 hours and 14 minutes. I haven't made it to bed yet. Don't get me wrong, I am packed and ready to go. It's all the last minute things I want to do, but haven't done. Being sick for a week sapped my energy. Anyway, here I am posting a final pre-vacation blog.

It's funny how things start to weigh on your mind before you leave. Did I put my out of office on my email and voice mail? Will things explode at work? I have capable folks who can handling things when I'm not there.

Will my dogs be okay at the vet's office? Mollie didn't want to go, she ran back over to me for a hug. Finn could care less. Fickle male creature.

It's supposed to get very cold (a relative term in Texas). Will the house be okay?

Will I be able to sleep on the plane? I have plans on putting my headphones on and snoozing. Of course I'm thinking it's a darn shame that I've given up drinking sodas. I love gingerale when I'm traveling. I'm not sure why, but that's my drink of choice.

Who is going to miss me? I'm traveling with two of my girlfriends. I have a couple more that wish they could go. And my best guy friend, well, how can he miss someone who already lives 1500 miles away?

I'll miss my folks, my sister and nephews. They have put in their request for buggy cars with surfboards on the top. Boys...don't they know a coconut would be so much more fun?

Well, it's time to stop rambling. I need to clean the kitchen.

I'll post upon my return.

Aloha..Hello & Goodbye...It's All The Same

...36 hours and counting...

I've been in the throes of bronchitis since last week. Seems that right before I go on vacation with certain friends, I get sick. Of course, right before vacations I tend to be stressed out. I can't tell if it's the friends or the stress. HA! Y'all (my friends) know I'm kidding.

In exactly 36 hours..no wait, 35 hours 59 minutes, I will be on a plane for a long flight. I have two books to read, a book of sudoku puzzles. I'm contemplating my MP3 player, but that means I need to get another memory card and download some CDs to it. So much to do, so little time.

Laundry is chugging away, I'm half packed. I'm taking my REALLY big suitcase. Must have room for souvenirs for the nephews. I'll have a thousand pictures and that's good enough for me.

I thought I was going to get away with not snorkeling. I've been looking for my snorkel for a couple of days. Love the water, being on it, not in it. Irrational fear and all that. Unfortunately I found the darn thing. I'm taking it with me. Maybe I'll actually use it.

Ever Have One of Those Days?

...when nothing is going right...

Today was one of them. Trying to go on vacation, get everything at work resolved, trying to visit with family before you leave.

You call one of your best friends and the opening salvo of the conversation feels less than warm. So you own up to possibly being overly sensitive. But the person on the other end of the line is less than talkative. Yet you know that this person wouldn't pick up the phone if there was no interest in conversation. Still, you can feel a bit of a disconnection. That sense of fracture has been present for a couple of weeks, but you can't really put your finger on it. The other person doesn't really sense anything, so you wonder if it's all in your head. And the conversation dwindles, you're the only one talking. You ask a question, the other person hadn't heard about the topic you wanted discuss, goes on to say that he/she doesn't really care. So, why bother continuing a conversation at that point? You take your hurt feelings, say goodbye, have a very girlie moment of emotional purging while thinking, "wow, X has no idea my feelings are scorched." Not that it does any good to have scorched feelings; you're the only one who knows they have been singed.

I think I'm definitely ready for a lovely lei and some tropical island adult beverage. Hawaii, here I come.

Guitar - The Lessons Continue...

...Acordai Doncela...

Have no idea what it translates to, but it's not easy. Did you know there are other notes on the open strings and you use the fretboard to create them? Yes, I'm being sarcastic; however, just when I though I've finally mastered the open strings, Jeff throws a doozie at me.

Acordai Doncela. It is a Brazilian song, a duet. I've heard two guitars, and piano and guitar. I prefer the two guitars. I've really struggled with this, but somehow picked it up faster than "Melancolia." This is a pretty piece, although Russet says it has a Mafia-esque feel to it. I'll partially agree; however, I think the piece conveys a sense of longing.

Had to play it for Jeff this week. I wasn't perfect, but good enough for Jeff to ask if I would ever consider teaching classical guitar in the future. I can't repeat what I said in my head. But wow!!! Either he really does smoke crack or I'm getting better. If giving him a huge smooch was allowed I'd have done it. It was the best ego stroke I could have ever had.

And considering I called him all sorts of names when he handed it to me...